It's not too late: You can still book these vacations for summer 2024
It happens to the best of us: The calendar hits June, and that summer vacation you kept meaning to plan never quite came together. But fear not: There are plenty of multi-day guided tours still available this summer. By opting for a tour, most of the planning has already been taken care of by someone else − a real plus if you're scheduling at the last minute.
I’ve rounded up the best guided tour options that still have spaces available for summer travel. Some of these departures are even on sale. Just don’t wait too long to secure your spot. The time to finally book that summer trip is definitely now.
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Last-minute summer vacations in the United States
▶ Act fast and you can still snag a space on a July sailing of Smithsonian Journeys’ Cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage trip. The nine-day, small-ship cruise travels from Vancouver to Sitka, taking in fjords, icebergs, glaciers and other dramatic scenery along the way.
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▶ The Outdoor Adventures in the Grand Tetons tour from Road Scholar still has availability for August dates. The six-day trip is based out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and explores the Grand Tetons by raft, canoe, aerial tram and hiking trails.
▶ Take an active August excursion with VBT Bicycling Vacations’ Maine: Acadia National Park guided bike tour. The five-day trip includes rides along Mount Desert Island’s network of carriage roads, plus a Maine lobster bake.
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▶ Redwoods, gold mines, the Golden Gate Bridge: Those are just some of the sights you’ll see on the Golden State of Mind: Northern California by Design tour offered by Globus. The nine-day trip still has availability on its August departure. (Read our review of this tour itinerary.)
Last-minute summer vacations in Canada
▶ Dates in July and August are still available for the Banff to Yoho Walking & Hiking Tour offered by Backroads. The six-day trip takes participants to three national parks in the Canadian Rockies, taking in views of spots like Lake Louise and the Plain of Six Glaciers.
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▶ Experts share insight on regional geology, flora, fauna and history during Road Scholar’s Hike the Discovery Trail: Five Centuries of Newfoundland Coastal Life tour. The eight-day trip travels the island’s coastline and still has space on July and August departures.
▶ Hike, e-bike and raft through some spectacular scenery with an all-female group on the Canadian Rockies: The Ultimate Active Outdoor Adventure tour from the women-only tour operator AdventureWomen. The seven-day trip that explores spots like Lake Louise and Banff still has space on its July 21-27 tour.
Last-minute summer vacations in Europe
▶ Travel from Dublin to Northern Ireland on the Shades of Ireland tour from Collette, which still has lots of summer availability. The 13-day trip includes visits to many well-known sights like Blarney Castle, Killarney National Park, the Cliffs of Moher and the walled city of Derry.
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▶ There are still spots on June and August departures for the Best of Spain tour offered by Trafalgar. The 15-day excursion takes travelers to scenic cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Seville and Cordoba.
▶ Spend 15 days winding through Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic on the Highlights of Bohemia tour from Costsaver. You’ll explore the area’s arts, architecture and history, and departures in June, July, and August still have space.
▶ Book the Irish Highlights tour from Brendan Vacations to see sights like the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher and House of Waterford Crystal. The seven-day trip visits cities like Dublin, Galway and Limerick and still has availability in June, July and August.
▶ There’s still room on the June, July and August departures of Globus’ Italian Vista trip. The eight-day tour travels from Rome to Milan with lots of sightseeing and good food along the way.
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▶ If pedaling your way around Europe sounds like a perfect summer vacation, Butterfield & Robinson still has some July availability for its Burgundy Wine Country Biking tour and space in August on its Alsace e-Biking trip.
▶ Hike and bike your way through scenic Swiss landscapes on Backroads’ Switzerland Multi-Adventure Tour, which still has good summer availability for adults, families with teens and older kids, and families with older teens and 20s.
▶ Does an amble around a Scottish loch followed by a smoky single-malt whiskey sound like your idea of heaven? Grab a spot on Country Walkers’ Scotland: The Highlands tour, which still has availability in July and August.
▶ There are still spots available for July and August departures of the Croatia Family Holiday offered by Intrepid Travel. On this eight-day trip, families will experience everything from local cuisine to the walled city of Dubrovnik, which should look familiar to "Game of Thrones" fans.
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▶ Exodus still has July and August availability for its Walking the Amalfi Coast tour. The eight-day trip includes a trek through a section of the Path of the Gods, beach time in Conca dei Marini, and a day trip to Pompeii. And if August in the Alps sounds appealing, the company's Mont Blanc Highlights tour also has space that month.
▶ There’s still space on the August sailing of Smithsonian Journey’s Danube River Cruise. The 16-day sailing visits eight countries and multiple World Heritage sites as it travels the Danube River between Bulgaria and Bavaria.
Last-minute summer vacations in Latin America
▶ July and August dates are still available for Road Scholar’s 11-day Rim to Shore: Costa Rica Multi-Sport Adventure and the nine-day Costa Rica: Three Jewels in Paradise tour. Both trips include rafting experiences and opportunities for cultural interactions.
Last-minute summer vacations in Africa
▶ Always dreamed of taking a safari? There are still spots left for late June and August departures for Collette’s African Safari: Kenya and Tanzania tour. The 15-day trip includes safari excursions in search of Africa’s “Big 5” plus opportunities to connect with local communities and artisans.
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▶ G Adventures’ Morocco Kasbahs & Desert tour offers both visits to must-see spots and free time for exploring on your own. The eight-day trip, which includes experiences like a desert camel ride and a guided tour of the Fès medina, still has availability in June, July and August.
Last-minute summer vacations in Asia
▶ Intrepid’s South Korea Family Holiday explores everything from Korean BBQ and K-pop culture to mediation, martial arts and other Korean cultural traditions. The eight-day tour still has space on departures in late June, July and August.
Last-minute summer vacations in the Middle East
▶ Float in the Dead Sea, overnight in a Bedouin tent, and explore the ancient city of Petra on G Adventures' Highlights of Jordan tour. The eight-day trip still has good availability in June, July and August.
It's not too late: Here are 26 tours you can still book for summer 2024 originally appeared on TourScoop.com.
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The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. FamilyVacationist.com and TourScoop.com are owned and operated by Vacationist Media LLC. Using the FamilyVacationist travel recommendation methodology, we review and select family vacation ideas, family vacation spots, all-inclusive family resorts, and classic family vacations for all ages. TourScoop covers guided group tours and tour operators, tour operator reviews, tour itinerary reviews and travel gear recommendations.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Last-minute summer trips you can still book in US, Europe and more
