book a tour to

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Search vacation packages & trips.

As a  One Key member , earn up to 10x more OneKeyCash on your flight when you book a package.

Enjoy flexibility with our Book now Pay later option & fully refundable rates on most hotels

Customize your vacation with ease all in one place

Las Vegas Vacation Packages

Book your trip to Las Vegas and save by bundling a flight + hotel!

Time to get away?

Grab a deal on last-minute travel

Top Destinations by Month

Choose from incredible vacation destinations.

Top domestic vacation destinations

Tick one more destination off of your bucket list with one of our most popular vacations in 2024

Los Angeles

Top international vacation destinations

Explore the world with international vacation packages and visit one of our most popular destinations in 2024

Cabo San Lucas

Playa Del Carmen

Find your perfect vacation

Take a break from work and soak up the sun at one of our hottest vacation destinations

• Beach Vacations

Build a beach vacation package to suit your every need. Life is better on the beach!

• All Inclusive Vacations

All your needs are catered for with an all-inclusive vacation package. All the extras that make a lifetime of memories.

Family Vacations

Great offers for the entire family. Find peace of mind when you book a family vacation package with Expedia.

• Northern Lights Vacations

Get a front-row seat for one of nature's greatest spectacles with a Northern Lights vacation package with Expedia.

Last Minute Vacations

Planning a romantic break for 2 or an impromptu trip with the whole family? Expedia helps you find last-minute vacation deals.

Romantic Getaways

From honeymoon packages in far-flung destinations to a weekend luxury spa break, find your perfect couples vacation.

Find your next vacation package 

Are vacation packages worth it.

Vacation packages can save a lot on your 2024 vacation, as discounts may be available when booking multiple aspects of your vacation at once, such as the hotel and the flight. Flights and hotel packages can include a car rental at your destination. Check our package deal today on Expedia!

How much do vacation packages cost?

The exact cost of a vacation package varies based on various factors such as destination, accommodation quality, flight class, and even the time of year you visit. The type of vacation you embark on can also affect cost with options like family packages and all-inclusive packages . You can search for your specific price range, too, with plenty of vacations under $1,000 , for example. 

How to choose your vacation package?

To find the best vacation package, you'll need to consider the type of vacation you're looking to enjoy and the destination. Using the site's search function, you can find a wide variety of packages available for your chosen vacation location, while search filters can narrow down options based on vacation type. Browse our deals now.

How to find cheap vacation packages?

If you're looking to save, be sure to set filters for any budget limitations you may have in your search. Additionally, you can sort by price to automatically put the cheapest options first in your search results. Weekend getaway packages can be relatively inexpensive as well if you are looking for cheap getaways. 

How to vacation on a budget?

Budget-friendly travel is easy when you book with Expedia, as we can help you keep prices low via search filters, but that's not all. There are general trends to keep in mind regarding prices, such as travel packages generally being cheaper during the off-season of your vacation destination. Additionally, the higher the quality amenities you opt for, the higher the price typically is.

How to get great vacation deals?

Vacation deals are common with Expedia, as we offer plenty of discounts on great packages, with packages already being a deal compared to booking hotels and flights separately.

How to find last-minute vacation deals?

To book last-minute vacation trips, simply input your travel dates into the search and see what's available at that time for your destination. You can still filter based on virtually anything you can imagine, including amenities, price, star rating, and more.

Where should I go on vacation?

Booking a Hawaii vacation package is especially popular with all sorts of travelers, whether it's families or couples, and Disney World packages have much to offer for families. Consider the kind of vacation you're looking for to determine the perfect destination. 

What are some of the best vacation spots?

Top vacation spots include cheap Caribbean vacations and European vacation packages . With rich culture, history, and stunning natural beauty, a vacation package to these destinations can provide an unforgettable adventure. 

Where to go on a vacation in the US?

Staying in the US still offers easy access to great vacation places with Vegas packages and a Grand Canyon vacation being popular choices among other options. Whether you’re seeking the thrills of the Vegas Strip or the majestic views of the Grand Canyon, browse your options today.  

Where to go on vacation on a budget?

Cheap vacation ideas can still take you to a variety of great cheap vacation destinations, including Yellowstone vacations and Glacier National Park vacations . Parks and outdoor experiences tend to be free, so national park vacations are excellent for a budget-friendly trip. 

What are some great all-inclusive vacation packages?

All-inclusive vacations to the Bahamas and all-inclusive vacations to Cancun are some of the best options available, putting you in a Caribbean paradise. However, all-inclusive vacations are more varied than you might think, with worldwide options. 

What are the best destinations for a family vacation?

Traveling with kids means you'll need to find fun for the whole family, and Orlando vacation packages can put you and your little ones in the world's theme park capital. Of course, a vacation package to Anaheim offers a similar experience on the West coast. 

Where should I go on vacation this summer?

If you're looking to embrace the season, head to the beach with a summer vacation package to Destin . Of course, you may be more interested in escaping the heat with something like a vacation package to Vancouver . 

How to find cheap beach vacations?

In your search, you can apply search filters for beach trip packages and sort your results by price to see the cheap vacation options first. With those standards, you can find amazing cheap trips with beach vacation packages like vacation packages to Panama City and vacation packages to Myrtle Beach . 

What are some great couples' vacations?

Traveling with your partner means a more romantic adventure, which is easy when you book vacation packages to Honolulu . However, you can always opt for the classics and get a vacation package to Paris . Even a simple 3-day cheap getaway can be suitable. 

What are the best destinations for a luxury vacation?

One of the best destinations for luxury is a Las Vegas vacation package , as the city was essentially designed to make visitors feel luxurious. Of course, a Lake Tahoe vacation package can be just as fulfilling as a more outdoor-oriented experience. Golf vacations also tend to be quite elegant. 

How to find great Christmas vacation packages?

To find an excellent package for a Christmas vacation, simply put your travel dates into the search and discover what's available. Vacation packages to New York and vacation packages to Chicago are trendy around Christmas. 

Where to get ski vacation packages?

Ski vacation packages are readily available on Expedia, including vacation packages to Aspen , vacation packages to Vail , and packages to other notable ski resorts. Check out the deals now and book your next ski vacation today.  

Can I cancel my vacation package with Expedia?

Yes, you can cancel your vacation package via your itinerary page on Expedia or by contacting customer service. Remember that some packages are fully refundable, but the details vary based on each unique booking. A fully refundable package may depend on how far out from the travel dates you're canceling and what airline you are travelling with.

Why should I book my vacation package with Expedia?

Booking with Expedia makes it easy to plan your entire vacation in advance. Vacation packages with airfare included can also feature a rental car and even activities in some cases, with discounts typically coming with booking more than one aspect of your trip at a time. One Key members will earn  OneKeyCash  with every eligible booking that you can use to save on future eligible bookings. Membership is free, sign up today!

*OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia,  Hotels.com  and Vrbo.

Explore a world of travel with Expedia

Domestic vacation packages & getaways.

• New Orleans Vacations
• Fort Lauderdale Vacations
• Chicago Vacations
• Phoenix Vacations
• Williamsburg Vacations
• Laughlin Vacations
• Atlantic City Vacations
• Portland Vacations
• Austin Vacations
• U.S. Virgin Islands Vacations

Popular Vacation Destinations in Mexico

• Mexico Vacations
• Tulum Vacations
• Quintana Roo Vacations
• San José del Cabo Vacations
• Puerto Vallarta Vacations
• Cozumel Vacations
• Acapulco Vacations
• Tijuana Vacations

International Vacation Packages & Trips

• Paris Vacations
• Greece Vacations
• Bahamas Vacations
• Aruba Vacations
• London Vacations
• France Vacations
• Bali Vacations
• Colombia Vacations
• Belize Vacations
• Toronto Vacations
• Honolulu Vacations
• Nassau Vacations
• St. Thomas Vacations
• Bora Bora Vacations
• Montego Bay Vacations
• Dominican Republic Vacations
• Negril Vacations
• Tampa Vacations
• Puerto Rico Vacations

Vacations from

• Vacations from Atlanta
• Vacations from Austin
• Vacations from Boston
• Vacations from Chicago
• Vacations from Dallas
• Vacations from Houston
• Vacations from Las Vegas
• Vacations from Los Angeles
• Vacations from Miami
• Vacations from New York
• Vacations from Orlando
• Vacations from Philadelphia
• Vacations from Phoenix
• Vacations from Pittsburgh
• Vacations from Seattle
• Vacations from Washington

Best Vacation Destinations by Month

• January Vacations and Deals
• February Vacations and Deals
• March Vacations and Deals
• April Vacations and Deals
• May Vacations and Deals
• June Vacations and Deals
• July Vacations and Deals
• August Vacations and Deals
• September Vacations and Deals
• October Vacations and Deals
• November Vacations and Deals
• December Vacations and Deals

Other Vacation ideas

• Vacation Payment Plans
• Weekend Getaways
• Last Minute Vacation Deals
• 3 Day Getaways
• Plan a Trip
• Thanksgiving Getaways Deals
• Vacations Under $500
• Christmas Vacation Deals
• Vacations Under $1000
• New Year's Vacation Deals

More Types of Vacations

• Adventure Vacations
• Golf Vacations
• Kid Friendly Vacations
• Luxury Vacations
• Romantic Vacations
• Ski Vacations

Tours and Trip packages, Globally

Search, compare and book 15,000+ multiday tours all over the world.

Customize your trip with an Expert Trip Designer

Book your trip when it is perfectly designed and customized, just for you.

• Customized Tours

A strict screening process ensures that we only offer the best tours and trip packages globally.

We guarantee you the best price. Found a lower price? We will match it. Learn more

We CO 2 offset all tour bookings via investments in carbon reduction projects. Learn more

Customers have rated our trips 4.8 of 5 stars out of more than 25,000 trip ratings.

Top Destinations

Our top destinations. See them by continent.

Top Deals Worldwide

The best tours and trip deals, globally.

Featured Trips

Popular tours and trip packages. View them by travel style.

Highlights of Portugal

Highlights of Madagascar

Langtang Trek with Chopper Return

Cocktail History Tour

Mexico Highlights (from Cancun) Express Travel Pass

Jewels of France including Normandy

Best of Holland

Customize your trip with an expert trip designer.

Latest Travel Guides

View our travel guides giving you travel insights, ideas, and tips across the world.

Top 10 things to do in the Maldives

A trip to the Maldives might just revolve around lazy beach days and admiring the breathtaking scenery from every angle, but for t ...Read more

Cairo to Petra: Top 3 Travel Routes

A trip from Cairo to Petra opens a passage to ancient wonders and breathtaking landscapes of the Middle East. Cairo is an ideal st ...Read more

Hanoi to Hue: How to Travel

A journey from Hanoi to Hue opens the door to Vietnam’s rich culture, history, and natural beauty. If you are taking a trip ...Read more

Best Time to Visit Egypt and Jordan

From the ‘Rose City’ of Petra to the iconic pyramids of Giza, a trip to Jordan and Egypt offers a kaleidoscope of anci ...Read more

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City: How to Travel

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are two vibrant metropolises at opposite ends of Vietnam, each possessing unique charm and characterist ...Read more

Sweden in July: Weather, Outdoor Activities and More!

Sweden sees almost 24 hours of daylight in July when summer reaches its peak. Across the country, vibrant cities host lively festi ...Read more

South Korea in August: Weather, Beaches and More!

August bids farewell to the peak of summer in South Korea yet retains its warm weather ideal for exploration. Expect a mix of warm ...Read more

• Italy Tours
• France Tours
• Spain Tours
• Portugal Tours
• Hungary Tours
• Holland Tours
• Croatia Tours
• England Tours
• Greece Tours
• Turkey Tours
• Vietnam Tours
• Nepal Tours
• India Tours
• Thailand Tours
• China Tours
• Combodia Tours
• Indonesia Tours
• Japan Tours
• South Korea Tours
• Sri Lanka Tours

North America

• Costa Rica Tours
• Mexico Tours
• Canada Tours
• Panama Tours
• Nicaragua Tours
• Belize Tours

South America

• Argentina Tours
• Chile Tours
• Brazil Tours
• Ecuador Tours
• Bolivia Tours
• Colombia Tours
• Tanzania Tours
• Kenya Tours
• South Africa Tours
• Egypt Tours
• Morocco Tours
• Zimbabwe Tours
• Uganda Tours
• Zambia Tours
• Namibia Tours
• Rwanda Tours
• Australia Tours
• New Zealand Tours
• Papua New Guinea Tours

Central America

• Guatemala Tours
• El Salvador Tours

East Africa

• Ethiopia Tours
• Madagascar Tours
• Seychelles Tours
• Sudan Tours

Northern Europe

• Iceland Tours
• Norway Tours
• Denmark Tours
• Finland Tours
• Sweden Tours

Middle East

• Jordan Tours
• Israel Tours
• Romania Tours
• Albania Tours
• Serbia Tours
• Montenegro Tours
• Bulgaria Tours
• Antarctica Tours
• Greenland Tours

TTC family of brands

My Trafalgar

Destinations

Get Inspired

866 513 1995

Shop The Seasonal Sale

Today's Best Travel Deals

Last minute deals, september deals.

These deals won't last long

Save on tours departing soon

Save on top tours in our most popular travel month.

See All September Deals

Popular searches

Domestic Trips

See America in a new light

Vacations under 14 days

Limited availability. Selling fast.

Today's best travel deals

Save now. Don't miss out. 

Offers for travel groups of 9+

Save when you book 9+ guests

Past guest benefits

Savings with Global Tour Rewards

Tours under $2000

Browse our value vacations

All Last Minute Deals

Simply the best and most relevant way to travel

Everything Taken Care of

Value for Money

100+ Years of Travel Expertise

We MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Looking for inspiration?

Order or download your free brochure

The top 10 'travelling solo' myths debunked

The power of shared experiences: how travel bonds us together

7 reasons why fall is the perfect season for travelling

Got questions? Find your answer in our popular FAQs >

See All Destinations

See happy guests traveling now #simplyTrafalgar

We are the world's most loved tour company.

Ready to be inspired?

Get your free brochure and plan your next escape.

Request a Brochure

5 million happy guests...

...and counting. See what our past guests have to say.

Read Reviews

Help & Info

WE MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Unedited Reviews

Our Destination Management Companies

Frequently Asked Questions

Travel Updates

Media & Press Room

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Travel Planning

Get Your Free Brochure

Travel Insurance

Booking Conditions

Trip Deposit Level

Recommendations

Trafalgar Tours Limited is a proud member of  The Travel Corporation  family of companies.

#SimplyTrafalgar

Travel House, Rue du Manoir St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2JH

Selected Region

United States

United Kingdom

New Zealand

South Africa

Copyright 2024 Trafalgar. All rights reserved.

Terms and Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

Elliott Report

Home » Ultimate Consumer Guides » The ultimate guide to booking a tour

The ultimate guide to booking a tour

By Christopher Elliott

Published September 12, 2022

Updated January 21, 2024

What is a tour?

• An independent tour , which usually consists of transportation, lodging, and sometimes meals and activities, and which you can assemble on your own to fit your itinerary;
• An organized tour follows an itinerary set by a tour company and is led by an experienced guide. It typically includes transportation, lodging, activities and some meals. Both of these options have advantages and disadvantages.

When to choose an independent tour

• You value flexibility and don’t want to be limited to a seven- or ten-day “experience.”
• You like to explore new places and would prefer to determine where you eat and what you do on vacation.
• You like to keep tabs on how much each component of your vacation costs and who is directly responsible for it.

When to choose an organized tour

• You would like to have everything planned for you, from where you stay to what you see and how you get there. An escorted tour includes at least some meals. (A few new tours also have more “flex” time built into them, so they aren’t as rigid as a traditional escorted package.)
• You don’t like exploring a place alone and enjoy meeting like-minded travelers.
• You’re concerned about dealing with another country’s language and customs.

What’s so great about a tour?

It’s affordable, you pay upfront, you get better access, where can i book a tour, the economics of a tour explained, what’s a dynamic package, what are the risks of buying a package, refunds of individual components, loyalty points, an airfare warning for tour packages, do i need insurance for my tour, is there a “good housekeeping” seal for tour operators.

• Requiring each member company to set aside $1 million of its own funds specifically to protect consumers’ deposits and payments.
• Being committed to truth, accuracy, and clarity in advertising.
• Adherence to a code of ethics, which includes a pledge to encourage and maintain the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and service.

What’s a tour participation agreement?

Don’t hold us to our brochure prices, mind the fees, beware of “single” supplements, passport problems not our problem, we can cancel, but you can’t, this isn’t the only contract, other gotchas, when should you not book a package, here are the most common tour problems, i don’t like my tour guide or fellow travelers, i have a special need, the food, accommodations, or tours are not what i expected, canceled tour don’t expect a full refund, how to resolve a tour dispute, beware of tour operator math, avoid “laundry list” complaints, take it to the top, will viator see the light.

Christopher Elliott

Related posts.

Here’s your insider guide to spring break travel in 2024

Here’s your ultimate guide to holiday travel in 2023

Eat this! The ultimate guide to travel food

Here’s how to buy the best luggage for your 2024 trip

Don't miss a story.

Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. Plus, we have insightful letters, insider tips, and more. 

APRIL SALE:   Book now and get   up to 60% off!

Europe Tours & Trips

With so many cultural experiences, it's no wonder why a European tour is top of mind for many. Step back in time when visiting London 's famous landmarks, sample the finest wines in Paris, or get lost in the alleyways of Rome . Whether you want to relax on a Danube cruise , or don your hiking boots in Iceland , there's so much to see on a tour through Europe.

250+ Europe tour packages with 83,760 reviews

• Coach / Bus

Europe Escape

It was a fantastic, whirlwind trip. We saw all the highlights of Europe, and had a fantastic time!

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Europe Jewel

The Europe Jewel was so well planned and packed with exciting adventures, the tour guide and bus driver did an amazing job of keeping us safe and informed. We made some amazing friends from all around the world which made this tour even better. We had a blast!!

• In-depth Cultural

The Best of Eastern Europe

A well organised varied and interesting tour . The tour leader was delightful and aimed to please everyone. A variety of travel modes . Felt safe well cared for and accommodated Our tour group were all friendly and supportive

• Christmas & New Year

The Great Adventure

Eva and Rene were amazing tour guides. Disappointed that we didn't see the Eiffel Tower at night. Several times we were dropped in town at night with not enough time to get a meal before being taken to the hotel. Some hotels were out of town with nothing within walking distance. Thank you to Rene for arranging for a group of us to go to the Moulin Rouge.

Best of Central Europe

Great tour... cesky krumlov the best!, great suggestions by guide, great travellers!

European Delight

Overall the trip was excellent. The guides fantastic and knowledgable. Accommodation ok.

• Walking Adventure
• Sightseeing

European Discovery (Summer, Start London, Classic, 12 Days)

The trip was fantastic, I had the best time ever, making memories that will last a lifetime.

• £100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• Train & Rail

Berlin to Venice (15 Days)

Zagreb to Athens: Adriatic & Ancient Capitals

A great fast-paced tour that was well led by our wonderful guide Ivan!

• Photography

European Discovery (Summer, Start Amsterdam, Classic, 12 Days)

All About Balkans (4 Star Hotels)

It was amazing experience all together, visited multiple different places different cultures and full of history. Guide Boyjan and driver Sasha were incredible. I would be much prefer little space i between for a little breath also bit more priority for dining

Balkan Discovery (4 Star Hotels)

It was overall a wonderful experience. Our Tour Guide, Dusan was amazing!

• River Cruise

Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2024

Excellent service and staff. Wonderful meals, very clean accommodations. We enjoyed the included tours and activities. Having English speaking staff was a big advantage. We would recommend Avalon as a cruise company.

European Cavalcade (End Paris, 18 Days)

It was FANTASTIC!! I would recommend this tour to anyone. We were so happy to have Steve as our tour guide.

• £130 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Britain and Ireland Delight (Summer, 8 Days)

We had an awesome experience, made possible by our tour director Damian and driver Dave. Damian’s knowledge was exceptional and Dave was an amazing driver.

What people love about Europe Tours

Great experience. Very fun.

The tour was awesome. Too bad it was short. Our Tour leader Noddy perform extremely well job organizing and controlling our big group so we was on time everywhere. Our driver Dennis professionalism is off the charts. Especially when we was driving through narrow streets of Italy. I would recommend this tour to others

Very good tour , something’s we didn’t find out right until the moment. But, overall good tour.

Destinations

• Western Europe tours (6912)
• Mediterranean tours (4747)
• Central Europe tours (2381)
• Balkans tours (2307)
• UK and Great Britain tours (737)
• Nordic / Scandinavia tours (590)
• Eastern Europe tours (505)
• Baltic tours (174)
• Italy tours (1196)
• Greece tours (876)
• Turkey tours (658)
• Germany tours (647)
• France tours (611)
• Spain tours (567)
• Croatia tours (399)
• Portugal tours (316)
• Austria tours (274)
• Iceland tours (271)
• Ireland tours (256)
• Romania tours (204)
• Scotland tours (184)
• England tours (162)
• Albania tours (136)
• Norway tours (112)
• Switzerland tours (95)
• Finland tours (92)
• Slovenia tours (90)
• Bosnia tours (81)
• Netherlands tours (73)
• Poland tours (56)
• Czech Republic tours (54)
• Bulgaria tours (47)
• Sweden tours (38)
• Montenegro tours (27)
• Serbia tours (23)
• Malta tours (22)
• Slovakia tours (21)
• Hungary tours (16)
• Moldova tours (15)
• Svalbard tours (15)
• Macedonia tours (14)
• Estonia tours (12)
• Wales tours (10)
• Lithuania tours (9)
• Belgium tours (9)
• Northern Ireland tours (9)
• Denmark tours (6)
• Latvia tours (6)

Travel Styles

• Small Group (2977)
• Budget (1142)
• Luxury (1452)
• Singles and Solo (8852)
• For Couples (4729)
• Young Adults (444)
• Seniors (5151)
• Group (7816)
• Fully Guided (6756)
• Family (6112)
• Explorer (5784)
• Personalized (3266)
• In-depth Cultural (2810)
• Private (2074)
• River Cruise (1624)
• Partially Guided (1542)
• Self-Guided (1542)
• Coach / Bus (1190)
• Bicycle (896)
• Hiking & Trekking (782)
• Active (703)
• Sailing (338)
• Intl. Flights Included (249)
• Custom (184)
• Food & Culinary (161)
• Self Drive (159)
• Ocean Cruise (140)
• Train & Rail (111)
• Northern Lights (91)
• Festival & Events (57)
• Romantic (26)
• Educational (18)
• Honeymoon (18)
• Health, Spa & Wellness (17)
• Gay Travel (7)
• Jeep & 4WD (6)
• Hop On/Off (5)
• 3 Day Tours (576)
• 7 Day Tours (2804)
• 10 Day Tours (4160)
• 2 Week Tours (1481)
• 3 Week Tours (964)
• 4 Week Tours (187)
• 1 Month+ Tours (50)
• Spring 2024 (5643)
• Summer 2024 (7847)
• Fall / Autumn 2024 (7993)
• Winter 2024 / 2025 (3039)
• Spring 2025 (3940)
• Summer 2025 (2964)
• Fall / Autumn 2025 (2913)
• Winter 2025 / 2026 (1072)
• May 2024 (6346)
• June 2024 (7105)
• July 2024 (6897)
• August 2024 (7027)
• September 2024 (7350)
• October 2024 (6421)
• November 2024 (3324)
• December 2024 (2809)
• January 2025 (1918)
• February 2025 (1937)
• March 2025 (2458)
• April 2025 (2569)
• May 2025 (2832)
• June 2025 (2738)
• July 2025 (2632)
• August 2025 (2637)
• September 2025 (2673)
• October 2025 (2217)
• November 2025 (1261)
• December 2025 (1061)

Europe Tours starting in

• Starting in Athens (764)
• Starting in Istanbul (534)
• Starting in London (442)
• Starting in Rome (442)
• Starting in Amsterdam (343)
• Starting in Madrid (327)
• Starting in Paris (280)
• Starting in Budapest (252)
• Starting in Bucharest (240)
• Starting in Dublin (235)
• Best 3 Weeks Europe Itineraries 2024/2025 (with Reviews)
• 10 Best Luxury River Cruises & Lines 2022
• Hiking in Europe in February
• Hiking in Europe in January
• Hiking in Europe in March
• Hiking in Europe in April
• Hiking in Europe in May
• Hiking in Europe in June
• Hiking in Europe in July
• Hiking in Europe in August
• Hiking in Europe in September
• Hiking in Europe in October
• Hiking in Europe in December

Search Vacation Packages

Featured travel.

Vacation Packages Under $400

Book your flight and hotel together, and together, we can make it happen.

All-Inclusive Resorts 

Get More Bang for Less Buck.

Discover airfare

 Flights under $200

Travel advice and inspiration from the experts

A road trip for every season

In a country as vast and geographically diverse as the USA, it’s ALWAYS road trip season somewhere. 

The best glamping in all 50 states

There’s nothing like immersing yourself in nature on a woodsy getaway where days are wiled away outside. 

Let's find your ideal travel companion

Knowing up front whether or not you’re travel compatible can save a lot of heartache. 

Deals designed for you

Last minute

All-inclusive

Pet-friendly

Solo traveler

Destination ideas to plan your next trip, beach vacation destinations.

• Bahamas Vacations
• Bali Vacations
• Bora Bora Vacations
• Cabo San Lucas Vacations
• Dominican Republic Vacations
• Jamaica Vacations
• Kauai Vacations
• Key West Vacations
• Maui Vacations
• Montego Bay Vacations
• Myrtle Beach Vacations
• Playa del Carmen Vacations
• Punta Cana Vacations

International city vacations

• Amsterdam Vacations
• Barcelona Vacations
• Dublin Vacations
• London Vacations
• Paris Vacations
• Rome Vacations
• Tokyo Vacations
• Venice Vacations

City vacation destinations

• Denver Vacations
• Grand Canyon Vacations
• Lake Tahoe Vacations
• Las Vegas Vacations
• Miami Vacations
• New Orleans Vacations
• New York Vacations
• Orlando Vacations
• San Francisco Vacations
• Seattle Vacations

International vacation destinations

• Australia Vacations
• Caribbean Vacations
• Costa Rica Vacations
• Dubai Vacations
• Fiji Vacations
• Mexico Vacations
• Puerto Rico Vacations
• Thailand Vacations
• United Kingdom Vacations
• U.S. Virgin Islands Vacations

Destination deals

• Daily travel deals
• Vacation package deals
• Travel coupons and promo codes
• Last minute travel deals
• Best vacations by country
• Travelocity reviews
• USA vacation packages

The BEST Paris Tours

Book tours to the eiffel tower, louvre, and versailles tours with 1000s of 5-star reviews and plenty of options.

41 Tours Found

Price - Lowest First

Price - Highest First

Most reviewed

Most Popular

Ultimate Palace of Versailles Tour from Paris

Breeze past the lines for the palace and gardens with a friendly English speaking guide

Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa

Get to know Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading the People, and Napoleon's Coronation like never before

Paris in a Day Tour with Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Seine River Cruise

See the Mona Lisa, Sacre-Coeur, and Moulin Rouge with organized transportation and an expert guide

Louvre at Closing Time Tour with Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo

See the best of the Louvre with fewer crowds and a passionate guide on this late afternoon tour

Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Tour with Seine River Cruise

See beautiful Paris with second floor Eiffel Tower elevator tickets, a river cruise, and champagne

Semi-Private Louvre Tour with Mona Lisa

See the World's greatest art with a friendly English speaking guide and max group size of six!

Eiffel Tower Climbing Tour with Summit Access

Get your steps in to the second floor before taking the elevator to the summit for epic Paris views

Paris Catacombs Tour with Secret Rooms & Privileged Access

Skip the line and gain exclusive access to secret parts of the Catacombs

Premium Access Eiffel Tower Summit Tour with Seine River Cruise

Fulfill your bucket-list dream of viewing the City of Lights from the best spot in the city

Montmartre Food and History Walking Tour

Sample traditional French dishes and pastries while learning about Montmartre’s fascinating history

Private Louvre Tour in Paris with Expert Guide

See the Louvre your way with the help of an expert guide, with Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and more!

Versailles Gardens Tour from Paris with Skip the Line Palace Access

Guided tour of the gardens and the château, and round-trip transportation from Paris

Private Paris in a Day Tour with Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Montmartre

See the most iconic Paris sites and cruise down the Seine in just a day with a dedicated local guide

Skip the Line Eiffel Tower Tour with Seine River Cruise

Cruise past Paris' landmarks and the Eiffel Tower's famously long lines and enjoy elevator access

Private Musée d'Orsay Tour with Skip the Line Tickets

Discover the incredible Paris museum that most tourists miss, with Monet, Van Gogh, Gaugin, and more

What "mega" monuments are there in Paris?

Paris is a treasure trove of monuments! The most visited are the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Versailles. You also have Musée d'Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, Saint Chapelle, Paris Pantheon, Sacré-Cœur, and much more including a miniature copy of the Statue of Liberty! Check out our article on the top things to do in Paris for more!

Are tours in Paris worth it?

Yes, absolutely. The smaller the group the better. Tours take a lot of guesswork out of acquiring tickets and even just entering massive monuments which can be intimidating. From there, friendly and passionate local guides will make your experience more memorable by adding context to what you're looking at. Great stories, anecdotes, and history bring art alive.

Which Paris tours are the best?

It really depends on your interests, but these are the most popular tours in Paris:

Ultimate Palace of Versailles tour from Paris

Paris in a day tour with Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Seine River cruise

Semi-private Louvre tour with Mona Lisa

Eiffel Tower climbing tour with summit access

Secrets of the Louvre museum with Mona Lisa

Are there long lines in Paris?

For most the year, yes. The good news is that its easy to book tours or tickets in advance. This way you don't have to queue up. We offer many tours, all of which skip the line for tickets.

Do tours ever have to wait in line?

Unfortunately yes, but its for the best. Tours to major monuments almost always have to go through security which tends to get backed up. That said, its a necessary step and you won't have to wait in line for tickets.

When is the Louvre closed?

Tuesdays, Jan 1st, May 1st, and Dec 25th. For more info, read how to visit the Louvre .

When is Versailles closed?

Mondays, Jan 1st, and Dec 25th. For more info, read how to visit Versailles .

Where should we stay in Paris?

Paris is well organized in arrondissement which means "district" or "neighborhood". We recommend staying close to the Seine for convenience to monuments and beauty. Learn more in our where to stay in Paris article.

What are the best restaurants in Paris?

There are tons of great restaurants in Paris and others a bit touristy. Luckily, the French care about cuisine. Check out our restaurant recommendations in Paris .

Things to do in Paris

Paris Tours | Paris Catacombs Tours | Day Trips from Paris | Eiffel Tower Tours | Full Day Paris Tours | Half Day Paris Tours | Last Minute Paris Tours | Louvre Tours | Musee d'Orsay Tours | Paris Attractions | Paris Food Tours | Paris Museum Tours | Private Louvre Tours | Private Tours | Private Versailles Tours | Versailles Tours | Seine River Cruises | Montmartre Tours | Boat Tours in Paris | Normandy Tours | Paris Wine Tours | Normandy Tours from Paris

All Destinations

Rome Tours | Venice Tours | Florence Tours | Pisa Tours | Tuscany Tour s | Cinque Terre | Siena Tours | San Gimignano Tours | Amalfi Coast Tours | Capri Tours | Positano Tours | Prague Tours | Amalfi Town Tours | Sorrento Tours | Pompeii Tours | Cinque Terre Tours | Dubrovnik Tours | Split Tours | Bath Tours | London Tours | Normandy Tours | Paris Tours | Versailles Tours | Athens Tours | Reykjavik Tours | Dublin Tours | Jerusalem Tours | Milan Tours | Lake Como Tours | Naples Tours | Palermo Tours | Alberobello Tours | Matera Tours | Polignano a Mare Tours | Taormina Tours | Sicily Tours | Krakow Tours | Barcelona Tours | Granada Tours | Madrid Tours | Segovia Tours | Toledo Tours | Amsterdam Tours | Istanbul Tours | Boston Tours | Las Vegas Tours | New York City (NYC) Tours | San Francisco Tours | Napa Valley Tours | Yosemite Tours | Phoenix Tours

OUR BEST SELLING TOURS AT A GLANCE

Most Popular Tours

Rome in a day tour with colosseum and vatican museums.

Explore the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and more!

Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour with Sistine Chapel

Skip the line and gain direct access to the Raphael Rooms, Creation of Man, and St. Peter's Basilica

Venice in a Day Tour with Gondola Ride

Visit St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, Rialto Bridge, and hidden areas of Venice

Florence in a Day Combo Tour with David and Uffizi

Explore Accademia Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, Florence Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, and so much more

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Tickets

Skip the line and gain quicker access to the Vatican so you can explore at your leisure

Subscribe for New tours

All our destinations.

The Trace Tour

The Trace Tour is an incredible introduction to the history and science of bourbon at Buffalo Trace Distillery. You will walk amidst the path of rolling bourbon barrels. You will be captivated by the alluring smell and atmosphere of bourbon sleeping inside the aging warehouses. Our engaging tour guides can teach guests of all levels and will bring the story of Buffalo Trace to life.

The Trace Tour is open to all ages and is ADA accessible.

All tours are complimentary and include a tasting of some of our award-winning products.

Reservations are required.

Tour Details

Tour sizes are limited. Check availability of all tours by time and date. 

The Trace Tour leaves at least hourly or more frequently as needed. 

Due to limited quantities of our whiskeys, we only offer a few brands for tasting and purchasing in our Visitor Center.   Learn More

Tour & Tasting

113 Great Buffalo Trace, 

Frankfort, KY 40601

Buffalo Trace Distillery Tours & Tastings

Distillery hours.

Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 11:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m.

Buffalo Trace Distillery is closed Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.  

Gift Shop Hours

Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 11:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m.

Photography Guidelines

Click here to view information on our Photography Guidelines

Driving Directions

Other tours you might like.

Old Taylor Tour

Botanical Gardens Tour

Taste of the Trace

Hard Hat Tour

National Historic Landmark Tour

How Can I Tour the White House in Washington, DC?

Everything you need to know about planning a visit to the country’s most famous house., requesting a white house tour.

Touring the White House requires some advance planning. Public tour requests must be made through your member of Congress ( find your member of Congress and contact information ) and submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days prior to your visit. If you're an international visitor and wish to schedule a tour, please contact your home country’s embassy in Washington, DC.

You are encouraged to submit your tour request as early as possible as tours fill up quickly and a limited number of spaces are available. Tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. All White House tours are free. Please note tours are subject to last-minute cancellations based on the official White House schedule.

Public, self-guided tours are 45 minutes and are run between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays unless otherwise noted. For complete details on White House tours, visit the White House tours and events page or call the White House Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041. The White House is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Touring the White House - Washington, DC

What to expect on a White House tour

If there is a tour slot available during your visit to DC, you will be given a specific date and time to arrive and be instructed on where to check in. All guests over 18 years old will be required to present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon check-in. Foreign nationals must present their passport. Please bring as little as possible (avoid backpacks, food, large handbags, bottled water, etc.). Note that smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are permitted on the public tour route, but video recording devices and flash photography are not allowed inside the White House. Visitors will go through security prior to entering the White House. There are no restrooms available at the White House. The closest restroom is located at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion nearby.

Public tours of the White House include the public rooms in the East Wing, which includes the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden. Secret Service members are stationed in each room and are available to answer questions about the history and architecture of each room.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center   before or after your tour.

Stephen Melkisethian

How to get to the White House

The closest Metro stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (Blue and Orange lines), Metro Center (Blue, Orange and Red lines) and McPherson Square (Blue and Orange lines). Please note there is NO PARKING near the White House. Public transportation is strongly encouraged.

@abroadwife

How to tour the White House Garden

Another opportunity to visit the White House is to attend either its fall or spring garden tour. Check whitehouse.gov in early October and April. The announcement of the garden tours is usually made within a week or two of when they take place. Garden tours generally run for two consecutive days. They may be canceled due to poor weather. A ticket is required for all attendees (including small children). Usually, tickets are distributed by the National Park Service at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on 15th and E streets NW on each tour day beginning at 9 a.m. Review the announcement for specific details.

Will I still be able to see the White House without going on a tour?

While visitors are not allowed entry to the White House without requesting a tour through your congressional representative, you will still be able to see the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue NW at Lafayette Square and view the White House and the South Lawn from the Ellipse. Please note that a new fence is currently under construction at the White House, as the current 6-foot fence is being replaced by a stronger, wider fence that will be 13 feet.

Where can I store my belongings during the tour?

It is important to note that security at the White House is extremely high. If your hotel is nearby, we suggest leaving your belongings in your room during the tour. If this is not possible, there are a few other options. You can designate one member of your tour group to hold everyone’s belongings. That person can take the self-guided tour once his or her group has finished the tour.

If you're a ticketed Amtrak customer, you may be able to check luggage in advance at  Union Station . These are located near Gate A. Lockers are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. A photo ID is required and lockers must be paid for via cash or credit in advance. Rates are $3-$6 per hour per bag depending on the size of your bag. For questions on bag storage, please call 202-906-3000.

Catch up on White House history with the free podcas t The 1600 Sessions and enhance your trip with the  White House Experience app  from the White House Historical Association. The app offers three tour experiences, including a virtual tour of the White House (with rooms you normally don't see on the tour), a neighborhood walking tour and a room-by-room guide for visitors on an in-person tour of the White House.

Now that you have read up on the White House, explore DC’s other awesome  monuments and memorials .

More About DC

You may also like..

80+ Things to Do This May in Washington, DC

Things to Do This Weekend in Washington, DC

Things to Do This Week in Washington, DC

• Skip to global NPS navigation
• Skip to this park navigation
• Skip to the main content
• Skip to this park information section
• Skip to the footer section

Exiting nps.gov

Alerts in effect, may 5th - may 18th, 2024, may 19th - june 30th, 2024, july 1st - july 31st, august 1st - august 10th, 2024, tour reservations.

Cave tours often sell out during the summer and early fall seasons, and reservations are strongly recommended. Reservations are the only way to ensure a spot on a tour is available for your party. Please plan accordingly by visiting Recreation.gov or calling 877-444-6777 to secure your tickets in advance. Availability of walk-up tickets is not guaranteed.

Visit Recreation.gov To

Contact recreation.gov.

By Phone:  (877) 444-6777 TDD (hearing impaired):  (877) 833-6777 Online:   www.recreation.gov Call Center Hours:  9:00 am - 9:00 pm Central Time

Cave Tour Cancellation Policy

Refunds will be processed if you cancel before your tour time and date. There will be $1 per ticket charge regardless the reason for the cancellation. Customers who cancel any tour after the reservation time and date or no-shows will forfeit the tour fee.  For Wild Cave, Introduction to Caving, and Trog tours:

• Cancellations made 10 or more days prior to the Tour Date will be no charge.
• Wild Cave Tour: $12.00
• Introduction to Caving Tour: $6.00
• Trog Tour: $4.00

Descriptions of Cave Tours

Accessible tour ♿, call the visitor center at 270-758-2180 on the day of your visit for availability..

Utilizing the Elevator Entrance, this tour emerges near the famous Snowball Room. Continuing through historic Cleaveland Avenue, this tour passes through areas of the cave highly decorated with historic signatures and sparkling geological formations. This tour is ideal for people who wish to see the cave and are looking for a tour with no stairs. This is an accessible tour. This tour is designed for persons with a disability, limited physical mobility, or any other reason for a tour with no stairs. If no one in your party needs an accessible tour, please consider selecting another tour unless this is the only tour available at the time of your request. Wheelchairs, scooters and other assistive devices are allowed. Accessible restrooms are on this tour.   Participants meet at the visitor center for a caravan in their personal vehicles to drive approximately 2 miles to the elevator entrance. Assistive devices will need to be decontaminated upon exiting the cave to limit the spread of White Nose Syndrome. Please note that no transportation or mobility assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers or canes are available. NPS employees will not transport or assist visitors or visitor equipment. If visitors need assistance with the Park's accessible features, they must bring a companion with them for aid. Duration:  2 hours Distance:  0.5 miles (0.8 km) Total Stairs:  No stairs Difficulty:  Easy Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  Yes Tickets available for each tour time: 14 Fees:  $27 Adults, $21 Youth, $13.50 Senior Pass Holder, $13.50 Access Pass Holder.  

Mammoth Passage - Not Always Offered.

An introductory tour into the Historic Entrance, this section of cave houses many great artifacts left behind by historic and prehistoric people. Staying along broad walkways in some of the largest rooms in Mammoth Cave, this tour is ideal for those who do not like tight spaces, have small children, or anyone looking for a tour with limited steps. This tour is the guided version of the Self-Guided Discovery Tour. Includes part of the Historic Tour and all of the Discovery Tour routes. Includes a steep outdoor hillside trail to and from the cave’s natural entrance. This tour does not see dripstone formation areas. Duration:  1.25 hours Distance:  0.75 miles (1.2 km) Total Stairs:  135 Difficulty:  Easy Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time:  70 Fees:  $15 Adults, $13 Youth, $7.50 Senior Pass Holder, $7.50 Access Pass Holder

Discovery Tour (Self-Guided) Not Always Offered

This tour is not always offered. Please call the visitor center at 270-758-2180 on the day of your visit to check its availability. This tour is typically offered Memorial Day to Labor day.

There is a fee for this tour. When tickets are sold, the time on the tickets will be the last time you can enter the cave. This tour has designated multiple hours that you can enter the cave, between the time you bought the ticket and the last time being the one displayed on your ticket. Please do not wait until the last minute to use the ticket. Many people visiting Mammoth Cave ask, “May we visit the cave without a guided tour?” The answer is yes! This self-guided tour requires a ticket, and proceeds into the Historic Entrance. Focusing on early history and prehistory of the cave, this section of cave houses many great artifacts. This tour is ideal for people wanting to move at their own pace or are looking for a cave experience without much time commitment. This tour is the self-guided version of the guided Mammoth Passage Tour. Includes part of the Historic Tour and all of the Mammoth Passage Tour routes. Please Note:  Advance tickets are not available. Duration:  0.5 hours Distance:  0.75 miles (1.2 km) Total Stairs:  135 Difficulty:  Easy Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time: Unlimited Fees:  $12 Adults, $9 Youth, $6 Senior Pass Holder, $6 Access Pass Holder.

Frozen Niagara Tour

The naturally decorated Frozen Niagara section remains one of the most famous at Mammoth Cave, and serves as the last stop for a variety of cave tours. While many tours require long hikes and numerous stairs to reach this point, this short tour offers a chance to visit this area. This tour is ideal for anyone with difficulty walking long distances or negotiating stairs. This tour requires a short bus ride to and from the visitor center to the cave entrance. This section of cave is seen in its entirety on the Domes and Dripstones, Grand Avenue, Introduction to Caving and Wild Cave Tours. Duration:  1.25 hours Distance:  0.25 miles (0.4 km) Total Stairs:  64, plus an optional 98 Difficulty:  Easy Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time:  34 Fees:  $26 Adults, $22 Youth, $13 Senior Pass Holder, $13 Access Pass Holder.

Domes & Dripstones Tour

This classic tour visits areas of Mammoth Cave that have been used for nearly 100 years. This tour begins in a sinkhole, passes through huge domes, amazing breakdown, and ends in the dripstone section known as Frozen Niagara. Please note that this tour ascends and descends hundreds of stairs and several steep inclines, which can be difficult for many visitors, as there are no alternative routes. Focusing on the natural formation of the cave, this tour is ideal for people interested in science and wanting to see stalactites and stalagmites. This tour requires a short bus ride to and from the visitor center to the cave entrance. This tour includes the entire Frozen Niagara Tour route and a small portion of the Grand Avenue Tour route. Duration:  2 hours Distance:  0.75 miles (1.2 km) Total Stairs:  640 , including 280 on the initial staircase descent and an optional 96 Difficulty:  Difficult Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time:  110 Fees:  $30 Adults, $25 Youth, $15 Senior Pass Holder, $15 Access Pass Holder.

Historic Tour

This classic Mammoth Cave Tour visits many of the historic areas that originally made Mammoth Cave famous. Going through tunnels that humans have used for thousands of years, this tour not only explores huge rooms that gave Mammoth Cave its name, but also descends to much tighter places deep inside the cave. Please note that this tour ascends and descends hundreds of stairs and several steep inclines, which can be difficult for many visitors, as there are no alternative routes. This tour is ideal for people with an interest in history and a sense of adventure.   Portions of this tour are also seen on the Violet City Lantern, Star Chamber and Gothic Avenue Tours. It is seen in its entirety on the River Styx Tour. Duration:  2 hours Distance:  2 miles (3.2 km) Total Stairs:  540, including 155 at Mammoth Dome Difficulty:  Moderate Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  Yes Tickets available for each tour time:  110 Fees:  $24 Adults, $18 Youth, $12 Senior Pass Holder, $12 Access Pass Holder.

Grand Avenue Tour

At 4 hours long, this lengthy tour explores the geologic diversity of what Mammoth Cave has to offer. Going through slot canyons, tubular passageways, tall canyons, and tunnels sparkled with gypsum. This tour also encounters hundreds of steps and ascends and descends many tall, incredibly steep hills.  Covering a wide variety of the history and geology of Mammoth Cave, this tour is ideal for those wishing for a lengthy, half-day hike inside of the cave.  This tour requires a short bus ride to and from the visitor center to the cave entrance. This tour includes the entire Frozen Niagara Tour route and all of the Domes and Dripstones Tour except for the 280 stairs descending the vertical shafts at the entrance. Duration:  4 hours Distance:  4 miles (6.4 km) Total Stairs:  1521 pluse an optional 96 Difficulty:  Strenuous Ages:  6 years and older. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  Yes Tickets available for each tour time:  78 Fees:  $42 Adults, $34 Youth, $21 Senior Pass Holder, $21 Access Pass Holder.

Gothic Avenue Tour

Gothic Avenue was named because of its unusual rock formations resembling Gothic architecture, and was the site of some of the earliest 19th century tourism. Early visitors left behind signatures, artifacts, and monuments in this area of the cave, which also features stalactites and stalagmites. This tour focuses on 1800s tourism and uses of Mammoth Cave, and is ideal for people with a high interest in history. Portions of this tour are also seen on the Star Chamber, Historic and Violet City Lantern Tours. Duration:  2 hours Distance:  1.7 miles (2.7 km) Total Stairs:  170 Difficulty:  Moderate Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time:  40 Fees:  $23 Adults, $19 Youth, $11.50 Senior Pass Holder, $11.50 Access Pass Holder.  

Extended Historic Tour - Will Be Offered Beginning March 16th, 2024

Enjoy this Historic Tour with a bonus side trip to one of the sites of the famous 1840s Mammoth Cave experiment to treat consumption. This tour is ideal for people who want a Historic Tour and have a little extra time to spend in the cave. Portions of this tour are also seen on the Violet City Lantern, Star Chamber and Gothic Avenue Tours. Duration:  2.25 hours Distance:  2 miles (3.2 km) Total Stairs:  540, including 155 at Mammoth Dome Difficulty:  Moderate Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  Yes Tickets available for each tour time:  60 Fees:  $27 Adults, $21 Youth, $13.50 Senior Pass Holder, $13.50 Access Pass Holder.

Great Onyx Lantern Tour - Will Be Offered Beginning March 16th, 2024

A beautiful cave in its own right, Great Onyx Cave houses an abundance of beautiful geologic formations that sparkle in the lantern light of this tour. Visitors on this tour can see many stalactites, stalagmites, gypsum crystals, and helictites. This cave was also the site of very important cultural history in the early days of Kentucky cave tourism. This tour is ideal for people with an interest in cave tourism history and unusual rock formations. Please note: this tour is in Great Onyx Cave, which is separate from Mammoth Cave.   This tour requires a short bus ride to and from the visitor center to the cave entrance. Please Note:  This cave is toured within Mammoth Cave National Park, but is not known to connect with the Mammoth Cave System. Duration:  2.25 hours Distance:  1 miles (1.6 km) Total Stairs:  82 Difficulty:  Moderate Ages:  6 years and older. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time:  38 Fees:  $31 Adults, $26 Youth, $15.50 Senior Pass Holder, $15.50 Access Pass Holder.

Violet City Lantern Tour - Will Be Offered Beginning March 16th, 2024

A truly historic way to experience Mammoth Cave, this tour travels exclusively by lantern light. At three hours long, this tour winds through the history and prehistory of Mammoth Cave as you wander through huge, broad tunnels. This tour climbs and descends many incredibly steep hills on historic dirt trails as you experience the cave in the light of the earliest explorers. This tour is ideal for visitors who like to hike and are wanting a unique way to experience the cave.   This tour requires a short bus ride back to the visitor center from the cave exit. Portions of this tour are also seen on the Historic, River Styx and Mammoth Passage Tours. Only visitors age 16 and over may carry lanterns. Be prepared, the rugged nature of this tour possesses steep hills, low lighting, uneven terrain and no handrail or electric lighting infrastructure. To preserve the nostalgic nature of this tour, the use of flashlights is prohibited. Duration:  3 hours Distance:  3 miles (4.8 km) Total Stairs:  200 and numerous hills with no handrails. Difficulty:  Difficult Ages:  6 years and older. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time:  38 Fees:  $32 Adults, $27 Youth, $16 Senior Pass Holder, $16 Access Pass Holder.

Star Chamber Lantern Tour - Will Be Offered Beginning March 16th, 2024

An evening tour in Mammoth Cave by lantern light, this tour winds its way to historic Star Chamber. Described as more of an experience tour than a sightseeing tour, the Star Chamber Tour explores historic sections of the cave in the lighting of the earliest explorers, emerging from the cave in late evening. Focusing on early history of Mammoth Cave, this tour includes a trip into Gothic Avenue. This tour is ideal for visitors wanting a unique way to experience the cave and its history. Portions of this tour are also seen on the Historic, River Styx and Gothic Avenue Tours. Only visitors age 16 and over may carry lanterns. To preserve the nostalgic atmosphere of the activity, there is no flashlight use permitted on this tour. Duration:  2.5 hours Distance:  2 miles (3.2 km) Total Stairs:  170 Difficulty:  Moderate Ages:  6 years and older. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time:  40 Fees:  $30 Adults, $25 Youth, $15 Senior Pass Holder, $15 Access Pass Holder.

Cleaveland Avenue Tour - Not Currently Offered

For nearly two centuries, Cleaveland Avenue has attracted people from all over the world to see its sparkling walls of gypsum and unique tube-shaped passages. Evidence of early visitors can still be seen on the walls and ceiling as you travel Cleaveland Avenue to the Snowball Room. This tour is ideal for people looking for a unique part of Mammoth Cave and an interest in geology and history.  This tour enters the cave by descending nearly 231 stairs and exits the cave via an elevator. In the event the elevator is not available due to unforeseen circumstances, the tour extends its time 30 minutes, retraces the route, and ascends the near 231 stairs back out of the cave. This tour requires a short bus ride to and from the visitor center to the cave entrance. Includes all of the Accessible Tour route. Duration:  2 hours - (2½ hours if the elevator is unavailable) Distance:  1 miles (1.6 km) - (2 miles [3.2 km] if the elevator is unavailable) Total Stairs:  231 - (462 if the elevator is unavailable) Difficulty:  Moderate Ages:  All ages. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  Yes Tickets available for each tour time: 34 Fees:  $30 Adults, $24 Youth, $15 Senior Pass Holder, $15 Access Pass Holder.  

Wondering Woods Tour - Not Currently Offered

Take a leisurely bus ride with a ranger across the park landscape and learn about the communities and people that were once here. After a short bus ride, enjoy a hike in the Tranquil Valley of Wondering Woods. At the end of the hike, a short cave tour awaits you where you'll be surrounded by beautiful cave formation! This tour requires a short bus ride to and from the visitor center to the cave entrance. Please Note:  This cave is toured within Mammoth Cave National Park, but is not known to connect with the Mammoth Cave System. Duration:  1.5 hours Distance:  1 miles (1.6 km) Total Stairs:  194 includes 54 being optional Difficulty:  Moderate Ages:  All Ages Restrooms:  No Tickets available for each tour time:  30 Fees:  $26 Adults, $22 Youth, $13 Senior Pass Holder, $13 Access Pass Holder.

River Styx Cave Tour - Not Currently Offered

Following along the Historic Tour Route, this tour focuses on the unique geologic and natural history of Mammoth Cave. Including a brief side trip to the underground water level, this tour takes an in-depth look at the millions of years of formation of Mammoth Cave. This tour is ideal for visitors with a high interest in geology.  Please use extra caution when visiting the river level. To access this section of the cave the tour leaves modern tour trail to uneven terrain that may be wet, muddy, and/or slick. The tour route travels next to bodies of water, some of which can be very deep depending on river levels. Viewing of this area will also be conducted with electric lanterns and not the modern lighting system on the rest of the route. This tour covers the entire Historic Tour route. Limited sections of the Star Chamber, Violet City Lantern and Mammoth Passage are also seen. Duration:  2.5 hours Distance:  2.5 miles (4 km) Total Stairs:  Approximately 600, including 155 at Mammoth Dome. Difficulty:  Moderate Ages:  6 year and older. Youth under the age of 16 years, must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Restrooms:  Yes Tickets available for each tour time: 40 Fees:  $26 Adults, $20 Youth, $13 Senior Pass Holder, $13 Access Pass Holder.

Wild Cave Tour -  Not Currently Offered

Introduction to caving - not currently offered, trog tour - not currently offered, wild cave and introduction to caving crawling tour requirements.

Boot tread must be a minimum of 1/4 inch in depth, and boot height must be sturdy and cover the ankle bone completely. You will not be able to participate if your footwear does not meet safety requirements. There will be no refunds or ticket exchanges for not having the proper footwear.

Learn more about the special requirements for crawling tours in the informational video below.

Embed video.

The Willd Cave and Introduction to Caving Tours are the most extreme cave tours offered at Mammoth Cave National Park. Learn what to expect and what to wear for these challenging crawling adventures.

Tour Route Photo Galleries

2 hours | 2 miles (3.2 km) | 540 stairs

2.25 hours | 2 miles (3.2 km) | 540 stairs

2.5 hours | 2.5 miles (4 km) | 600 stairs

2 hours | 1 miles (1.6 km) | 160 stairs

1.25 hours | 0.75 miles (1.2 km) | 135 stairs

0.5 hours | 0.75 miles (1.2 km) | 130 stairs

1.25 hours | 0.25 miles (0.4 km) | 64 stairs, optional 98 stairs

2 hours | 0.75 miles (1.2 km) | 638 stairs

1.5 hours | 1 mile (1.6km) | 140 stairs, optional 54

2.25 hours | 1 mile (1.6 km) | 82 stairs

2 hours | 1/2 mile (0.8 km)

3.5 hours | 1 mile | 300 stairs

2 hours 45 minutes | 1 1/2 miles | 200 stairs

Other Cave Tours

Mammoth Cave offers numerous cave tours throughout the year. The selection of tours changes seasonally and with staffing availability. You can read descriptions and learn more about these other cave tours before planning your trip to the park. Check back with our cave tour schedule or park calendar to see future offerings of these other cave tours.

Last updated: April 25, 2024

Beyond the Cave

Park footer, contact info, mailing address:.

P.O. Box 7 Mammoth Cave, KY 42259-0007

270 758-2180

Stay Connected

Book a Tour

Reservations are recommended .

The Capitol Visitor Center is open Monday-Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tours begin every 10 minutes until 3:20 p.m. All tours are led by our professional tour guides and visit the  Crypt , the  Rotunda  and  National Statuary Hall . The tour does not include the  Senate and House Galleries . The tour route is subject to change.

Reservations are recommended, but not required. Visit the  schedule a tour  page to select a day/time for a reservation. Same day passes may be available. Visitors without reservations are encouraged to arrive at the Capitol Visitor Center as early in the day as possible, but no later than 2:30 p.m., to obtain passes.

All tours, programs and activities are free of charge.

Visitors enter through the Capitol Visitor Center, located underground on the east side of the Capitol. Please leave time to go through security and review the U.S. Capitol’s  prohibited items list  before your visit.

You can begin your Capitol experience at the Visitor Center by visiting Exhibition Hall , perusing our Gift Shops or getting a bite to eat at the Capitol Cafe.

For information on tours offered in Mandarin and Spanish, please view the Foreign Language Tours page.

How Do I Cancel My Reservation?

You can cancel your reservation through your account in the Capitol Visitor Center’s online reservation system.

• Go to  https://tours.visitthecapitol.gov  (A new page will open.)
• Beneath the blue banner reading “Reserve a Tour of the Capitol,” click on the link to log in. (A sign in/signup dialog box will open.)
• In the sign in section, log in with your email address and password.
• Search for reservations by clicking “More” in the “My Reservations” tab.
• Once you have located your reservation, click the link to “Cancel.”

Many airlines have 'stopover' programs that let travelers tour a city between connecting flights, and some will even pay for a hotel — here's how to book them

• Many people intentionally book flights with long connections so they can explore the layover city.
• Airlines capitalize on this trend with "stopover" programs, some even offering free hotels and food.
• These stopovers benefit travelers, airlines, and the carrier's home country by boosting tourism.

A special segment of adventurous travelers will purposely book itineraries with long connections in layover cities just to leave the airport and explore for a few hours or days between flights.

Airlines have jumped on this growing trend with built-in "stopover" programs, which can come with free or discounted hotels, excursions, transportation, and food at the layover destination.

It's basically a vacation within a vacation.

Although it sounds too good to be true, stopovers benefit everyone involved. Travelers get more choices and don't have to be confined to an airport, airlines gain customers who may have otherwise chosen a nonstop option on a competitor, and the carrier's home country sees a boost in tourism.

Plus, the cheap or complimentary accommodations typically come at a small cost to airlines, thanks to partnerships with local hotels or tour companies.

Not all stopover programs are structured with an emphasis on tourism, though, as some were created simply to offer conveniences during long layovers. Still, they are a way to secure a free hotel and explore an extra city.

Here are 22 global airline stopover programs, each lasting anywhere from hours to months.

Many carriers allow stopovers to be added to a regular cash booking, but some are only available via award tickets . This means the flight was paid for using points/miles or a combination of points/miles and cash.

Air Canada has a stopover option built into its Aeroplan loyalty program. It allows customers booking award flights to add a stop on international journeys and explore practically any city the airline flies to outside the US and Canada.

The add-on costs 5,000 Aeroplan points each way and can only be booked if the stop is at least 24 hours, capping out at 45 days.

Air France/KLM

Air France and Dutch carrier KLM's Flying Blue loyalty program offers a stopover of 24 hours or more in a connecting city on either carrier or their airline partners.

The option is free to add to award tickets, and passengers can stay up to a year in the stopover city.

China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines offers a free one-night hotel stay for transfer passengers with connection times lasting between six and 30 hours, though there are some time and route restrictions.

Breakfast and transportation are included for eligible travelers.

Copa Airlines

Copa Airlines' Panama stopover program allows customers to spend anywhere from 24 hours to seven days in the nation's capital, Panama City, on their outbound or return trip.

The option is free for the first stopover, but a second stopover can cost up to $250 plus taxes. Copa offers discounted hotels and tours that can be booked via its stopover website.

Emirates allows a stopover in Dubai with the option to add discounted tours or hotel bookings to the itinerary via its website.

The UAE carrier also has a " Dubai Connect " program that gives passengers with layovers between 6 and 26 hours, depending on the cabin, a complimentary hotel, transfers, meals, and any needed visa.

Dubai Connect only triggers if the customer takes the next available flight. Essentially, you can't intentionally book a longer layover to quality for the free stopover hotel.

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines' transit program gives customers flying via Addis Ababa a free hotel, transit visa, and transfers during layovers lasting between eight and 24 hours.

The hotel on the airline's website is the Ethiopian Skylight In-Terminal Hotel, located inside the airport.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways offers a stopover in its Abu Dhabi hub, which comes with an undisclosed discount at select three-star hotels for up to two nights.

Two and four-night stays can be booked at more luxurious four and five-star hotels at a 40% discount. The minimum stay is 24 hours.

Although Etihad's website says it is temporarily unavailable, the airline used to allow eligible travelers to use a so-called Transit Connect Package that provided a free hotel near the airport for layovers lasting 10 to 24 hours. It is unclear when or if the program is returning.

Fiji Airways

Fiji Airways offers a stopover program in Fiji for those traveling to and from Australia, New Zealand, and other South Pacific nations.

Related stories

Hotels and activities like ziplining and beach resorts can be booked through the airline as part of the stopover package.

Finnair allows passengers to book 6, 12, or 24-hour layovers in Helsinki at no additional fare charge and outlines itinerary ideas and information on its website , like transportation, free walking tours, and restaurants.

Customers can book a hotel through the airline and earn Finnair Plus points.

Iberia customers can plan a stopover in Madrid to or from an international destination for one to six nights at no extra cost.

Discounts on hotels, excursions, and transfers in the Spanish capital are available through Iberia.

Icelandair offers a stopover option for one to seven days in its capital city of Reykjavik on transatlantic itineraries for no additional charge.

The airline offers itinerary help and assistance in booking excursions and tours. Hotels need to be booked separately.

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines considers itself one of the "most stopover -friendly" carriers in the world.

The stopovers, which trigger at 24 hours, are not limited to JAL's hubs in Tokyo but can be enjoyed in places like Osaka and Kyoto using the airline's multi-city booking tool.

Latam Airlines

Latam Airlines offers stopovers for between one and three days on flights that connect in São Paulo, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Recife, Manaus, Curitiba, and Belem. Only international itineraries that connect in São Paulo.

Hotels and amenities can be booked via Latam, but the stopover booking is free.

Oman Air offers customizable stopover packages to give travelers time to explore the country's capital, Muscat, and beyond. An additional fare charge may be applicable, though the airline does not fly to the US.

Packages and a-la-carte options include discounted hotels for up to three nights, as well as organized tours, meals, and transfers.

Australian flag carrier Qantas offers its stopovers in a similar manner to JAL in that multi-city bookings can be manipulated to add extra days between flights in layover cities, like Bangkok, Osaka, or San Francisco.

This comes at no extra cost on eligible Qantas fares and can be used on its Oneworld partner airlines.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways' stopover program allows passengers with a minimum layover of 12 hours and up to 24 hours to choose from a list of deeply discounted four and five-star hotels. Certain flight itineraries allow for up to four nights.

Nightly hotel rates start at $14 per person for 1 night at four-star standard hotels, with premium five-star beach hotels starting at $30 per person for one night.

Royal Jordanian Airlines

Royal Jordanian Airlines' transit program gives economy and business-class travelers with at least eight and six-hour layovers, respectively, a free hotel room, meals, and transit, assuming certain fare conditions are met.

However, the connecting flight must be the earliest possible — meaning, similar to Emirates, passengers can't intentionally book a longer layover to be eligible for the complimentary perks.

Swiss International Air Lines

Swiss International Air Lines, or SWISS, has a multi-city stopover booking tool on its website that allows passengers to find itineraries with extra days in Switzerland.

The cost of hotels and other perks is on the customer, though.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines' stopover program is available via the multi-city tool, similar to other carriers, where travelers can add hotels, transfers, and activities. The stopover can last one to seven days.

Singapore also offers free transit tours to passengers with layover times between five and a half and 24 hours at Singapore's Changi Airport. It's first-come, first-serve and includes sightseeing around Singapore.

TAP Air Portugal

TAP Air Portugal allows customers to add a stopover in Lisbon or Porto between one and 10 days, offering discounts on hotels, food, and activities.

It also offers 25% off a domestic flight to a second Portuguese destination, like the Azores or Madeira islands, to take during the stopover.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines' stopover program gives economy travelers a one-night free hotel stay and business flyers a two-night free stay if the period between their connecting flights in Istanbul exceeds 20 hours.

Those traveling from the US in economy class can stay up to two nights in a four-star hotel, while those traveling in business can stay up to three nights in a five-star hotel.

Watch: Thousands of bags pile up at US airports after flight cancellations

• Main content

'Sweet Wild and Vicious' is a tour through the reason Lou Reed deserves biographies: the songs

In 2023, a decade after the death of Lou Reed — songwriter, singer, guitarist, mercurial rock ‘n’ roll change-maker— his literary-minded fans got two fresh volumes: “Loaded: The Life (and Afterlife) of the Velvet Underground,” Dylan Jones’ oral history of Reed’s influential band; and “Lou Reed: The King of New York,” Will Hermes’ heavy biography of the man.

Just months later, literary-minded Journal Sentinel arts and books editor Jim Higgins adds “Sweet, Wild and Vicious: Listening to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground” (Trouser Press Books) a tour through the reason Reed deserves biographies and histories: the songs.

Together with Journal Sentinel music critic Piet Levy, Higgins will talk about his new book at 6:30 p.m. May 9 at Milwaukee's Boswell Books.

Higgins approaches Reed's discography by release date instead of recording date, smartly using the concert LPs, boxed sets and demo collections as opportunities to compare different versions of songs — and nascent ideas — to the “official” versions Reed let the public hear shortly after he laid them to tape.

The approach is brisk enough that Higgins gets through the Velvet Underground’s four studio albums, released between March 1967 and November 1970, in less than 40 pages, and he’s more or less done with Reed’s 1970s output, plus a pair of concert recordings, by page 90.

Fortunately, Higgins pours a great deal of information into those pages: his exploration of drummer Maureen “Moe” Tucker backs his claim that she “brought a fresh conception to playing drums in a rock band,” and his overview of “Transformer,” the 1972 solo commercial breakthrough co-produced by David Bowie and Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson, shrewdly describes Reed’s “dominant vocal personality” as “sardonic, intimate, (and) superior.”

His summaries display a jeweler’s eye for flaws in the beautiful (the 1989 album “New York” is both “fully committed emotionally to the music” and “a crabby evisceration of (Reed’s home) city”) and a conscientious journalist’s efforts to be fair-minded — Reed's final studio album, the 2011 Metallica partnership “Lulu,” clumsily combined Reed’s “wrecked voice” with Metallica’s “machine-tooled thunder,” but Higgins manages to “salvage a couple songs."

Higgins extends the insight and fair-mindedness to Reed’s collaborators, including John Cale, “who brought noise and aggression to the Velvet Underground"; Reed’s artistic descendants, including Nick Cave and Violent Femmes; and even to the bibliography, although the absence of the late Lester Bangs, one of the best cheerleaders and gadflies Reed ever had, is a puzzling omission.

Such omissions are rare, however, and “Sweet, Wild and Vicious” benefits not only from Higgins’ attention to detail but also from his ability to write as though he is opening discussions rather than shutting down dissent.

Jim Higgins will speak about "Sweet, Loud and Vicious" in conversation with Piet Levy at 6:30 p.m. May 9 at Boswell Books, 2559 N. Downer Ave. To register for this free event, visit jimhigginsmke.eventbrite.com .

Billie Eilish announces ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ arena world tour

The Associated Press

April 29, 2024, 1:16 PM

• Share This:
• share on facebook
• share on threads
• share on linkedin
• share on email

NEW YORK (AP) — Billie Eilish is hitting the road.

The pop performer will embark on a worldwide arena tour this fall, kicking off in Quebec City in Canada on Sept. 29 and concluding in Dublin on July 27, 2025. She’ll hit many major cities in North America in 2024 before heading to Australia and then Europe.

Presale begins Tuesday, and any remaining tickets will become available Friday at billieeilish.com . A percentage of proceeds will benefit the environmental nonprofit REVERB.

Earlier this month, Eilish announced her highly anticipated third studio album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” will be released May 17.

The news arrived via Instagram, where Eilish shared the album artwork showing the pop singer floating in a body of water after being ejected from a door. In the caption, she wrote that she will not drop singles in advance of the release.

“I wanna give it to you all at once,” she captioned the image. “I truly could not be more proud of this album.”

Eilish worked with her brother and longtime collaborator Finneas on “Hit Me Hard and Soft.” The pair recently took home their second Oscar for their big “Barbie” ballad “What Was I Made For?” In doing so, Eilish, 22, became the youngest person by far to have won two career Oscars.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Related News

Music Review: SEVENTEEN’s ’17 Is Right Here’ is a study of their impressive evolution

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ hits No. 1, experiences largest streaming week ever

Book Review: Rachel Khong’s new novel ‘Real Americans’ explores race, class and cultural identity

Recommended.

Demonstrators at GW dismantle barriers as Israel-Hamas war protests continue

Nearing 90 degrees: Will the DC area break heat records today?

Want a four-day workweek? You might regret it

Related categories:.

• Environment
• Immigration
• Openings & Closings
• Restaurant Guide
• Restaurant Reviews
• Top 100 Bars
• Top 100 Restaurants
• Concert Calendar
• Just Announced
• Local Music
• Touring Artists
• Food & Drink
• Fun & Games
• Goods & Services
• Megalopolitan Life
• Readers' Choice
• Newsletters
• Advertise with Us
• Flipbook Archive
• Promotions & Free Stuff
• Where To Find Phoenix New Times In Print
• Sign Up/Sign In

TikTok star Drew Afualo's book tour will come to Mesa in August

Newsletter Sign Up

Enter your name, zip code, and email, sign up for our newsletters.

Metro Phoenix art community flocked to Tempe's Danelle Plaza for 'All In' show

By Jennifer Goldberg

One-night-only Tempe show brings together big names in local art

Arts & Culture News

Phoenix venue the trunk space leaving its longtime home. here’s why.

By Benjamin Leatherman

5 great comedy clubs in metro Phoenix

By Kelly Walsh

• View This Week's Print Issue
• Arts & Culture
• Things to Do
• Advertise With Us
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Voice Media Group
• Dallas Observer
• Denver Westword
• Miami New Times
• New Times Broward-Palm Beach
• V Audience Labs
• V Digital Services

Do you worry that you worry too much? Don’t, you’re just human.

In his new book, samir chopra says that anxiety is a way of honoring who and what we are.

Long before anxiety became a clinical affair, it was an existential predicament. The medical condition, an illness in want of treatment, emerged in the 19th century; the philosophical orientation has probably existed for as long as we have, and it cannot (and ought not) be eradicated. Unfortunately, in recent years, an army of gurus and pathologically positive thinkers have colonized the concept. Along the way, they have forgotten what philosophers have known for centuries: that to be human is to worry, and, accordingly, to excel is to worry well. As the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once put it, “Whoever has learned to be anxious in the right way has learned the ultimate.”

The philosopher and philosophical counselor Samir Chopra invokes the long and distinguished lineage of anxiety in his wise, if sometimes circumlocutory, new book, “ Anxiety: A Philosophical Guide .” “My anxiety made me who I am,” he writes in the introduction, “and I could not get rid of my anxieties without ceasing to be myself.”

Though he includes several moving accounts of his own traumas and perturbations, his slim volume is for the most part dedicated to staging a whirlwind tour of the intellectual history of an unjustly reviled emotion. Of course, “Anxiety” is not a comprehensive study. Chopra focuses on four schools of thought that illuminate his subject with special acuity: Buddhism, existentialism, psychoanalytic theory and critical theory. All of these traditions are topics of tomes in their own right, and Chopra’s summaries can sometimes feel rushed. It is hard to do justice to thinkers as thorny and disparate as the vehemently anti-Christian iconoclast Friedrich Nietzsche and the Christian existentialist Paul Tillich in a book of this modest size.

Still, “Anxiety” is a useful introduction to the work of thinkers who confront, rather than recoil from, our most fruitfully unpleasant feeling. Perhaps more important, in an age that strives for easy analgesics, Chopra’s book represents an urgent attempt to recover anxiety from those who threaten to medicate or counsel it out of existence. It leads by example, providing a rewarding and challenging alternative to the facile self-help that it implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) critiques.

Indeed, “Anxiety” opens with a nod to the conventions of the self-help genre that it half-apes and half-mocks. “Every book on anxiety must, perforce, begin with a list of broad sociological observations and statistics, each showing just how common suffering from anxiety is in contemporary society,” Chopra writes. Even worse, he continues, every book on anxiety must insist that the epidemic it diagnoses is unprecedented. A recent book by Jonathan Haidt declares Gen Z the “anxious generation,” but a little historical consciousness suffices to show that any number of previous generations have deemed themselves the same thing. Why is our anxiety so persistent, so impervious to remedy? Perhaps, Chopra proposes, because it is a “universal, perennial human condition” — or at least, the philosophical version of it is.

What distinguishes this elevated brand of anxiety from its lesser cousin? Clinical anxiety is, paradigmatically, irrational, but many of the traditions that Chopra investigates regard existential anxiety as a clear-eyed response to our lot. Which aspects of the human condition provoke existential anxiety, however, depends on whom you ask.

Buddhists, for instance, believe that our suffering is bound up with “a true, unblinking understanding of the nature of the world and of human existence’s place in it,” Chopra writes. In other words, we despair not because we fear phantoms but “because we realize we are limited and mortal, in life, in capacity, in achievement.” Sigmund Freud and his followers echo Buddhist concerns, suggesting that anxiety is, roughly, a response to a world riddled with “painful, terrifying losses.” Existentialists like Jean-Paul Sartre and Kierkegaard take a different tack, arguing that anxiety is concomitant with freedom: Once we accept that we are not bound to a single path, we are left to fret about which path(s) to take. And leftist critics like Karl Marx regard anxiety as a social ill, a product of inhabiting “a world constructed on someone else’s terms.”

These accounts are not exactly conflicting — we might be existentially anxious because we are mortal, because we are free and because we exercise little control over the circumstances of our lives — but they are not smoothly congruous, either. If we are anxious because we are compelled to live in a world designed by the wealthy, then perhaps we are not as burdensomely free as the existentialists propose. Besides, it is not clear that what Marx famously called “alienation” — the sense of estrangement that laborers endure when they are forced to accept the dictates of their bosses — is really tantamount to anxiety. Chopra does not have the space to make a full case for this dubious identification, nor does he reconcile his characters’ different emphases, which can point in divergent directions.

After all, whether existential anxiety is to some extent curable hinges on what it is. The cure for Marxian alienation would seem to be social and political reform; the cure for the brand of anxiety the Buddhists describe is, in their eyes, recognition that “there is no enduring entity” that is the self, no being whose finitude can trouble us. Chopra’s sympathies, however, are clearly with those who believe that anxiety is — and should be — chronic. “Even if all material gains were to be secured,” he reflects in his chapter on Marxist accounts of alienation, “we would not be free of existential anxiety.”

Still, certain strategies can alleviate anxiety without eliminating or cheapening it. Chopra himself stopped worrying so painfully when he discovered existentialism, which reassured him that there is no one way to be, no single standard to live up to. And philosophy, like psychoanalysis, can reshape our fears. After philosophizing, Chopra writes, “what appears to be a problem is no longer one because in the process of reinterpreting it, we have changed its identity and nature.”

His goal is to show that, even if we are fated to anxiety by our very nature, we needn’t be anxious about being anxious. Contra those who would abolish every form of friction or frustration, he insists that anxiety is a way of honoring who and what we are. It is, in his words, “a fundamental human response to our finitude, mortality, and epistemic limitation.” Who knows what sort of truncated beings we would become without it?

Contemplating the prospect of life without anxiety we find, mercifully, yet another horror to worry about.

Becca Rothfeld is the nonfiction book critic for The Washington Post.

A Philosophical Guide

By Samir Chopra

Princeton. 185 pp. $27.95

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Tina Knowles borrows one of daughter Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour outfits for red carpet event

Tina Knowles seems to be taking a page out of Beyoncé’s book — or, rather, taking an outfit out of her closet.

The mother of the “Levii’s Jeans” singer recently stepped out at an event in Las Vegas, decked out a trompe l’oiel denim jumpsuit that looks identical to one Bey wore on her “Renaissance Tour” last summer.

Taking to Instagram, Knowles, 70, showed off the gray, acid-washed one-piece, giving a shoutout to “Love & Laughter,” a new show that features Cedric The Entertainer and Toni Braxton which opened on April 27.

Beyoncé’s jumpsuit — which she wore in Louisville, Kentucky — was a custom creation from Diesel that originally included a matching pair of gloves, though Knowles decided to skip that detail. The look also featured attached shoes and a zipper down the front.

Of course, the bold look was instantly recognizable to members of the Beyhive, who took to Knowles’ comments section with tons of compliments.

“Ate that bee lady up in her own outfit 🔥” one person joked while another said, “You in Beyoncés closet” and a third said, “SLAY! 🔥❤️ Waiting for The Miss Tina World Tour🔥🔥🔥.”

Actress Laverne Cox also joined in. “Let em know Miss Tina!!!” she wrote.

Of course, Knowles’ fashion-forward look should come as no surprise to Beyoncé’s most dedicated fans. The singer’s mom was responsible for designing some of Destiny’s Child’s most recognizable looks back in the day, including a number of coordinated ensembles they wore on the red carpet.

Back in January, Knowles also revealed that the Grammy-winning group, which also includes members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, sang to her in honor of her milestone 70th birthday.

“I even got serenaded by Destiny’s Child. How amazing is that?” she confessed in a video she shared on social media.

Earlier this year, Beyoncé officially launched her own haircare Cécred , which was partially inspired by her mom, who owned a popular hair salon in Houston, Texas in the ’90s.

Advertisement

Pittsburgh pirates at oakland a's odds, picks and predictions, share this article.

The Pittsburgh Pirates (14-15) and Oakland A’s (12-17) open a 3-game series at Oakland Coliseum Monday. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s  lines around the Pirates vs. A’s odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: First meeting; A’s won 2-1 last season

The Pirates are coming off a 3-2 road loss as basically a pick ’em at -106 vs. the San Francisco Giants Sunday with the Under (7) cashing at Oracle Park. Pittsburgh has lost 10 of its last 13 games and is on an 8-1 run to the Under in its last 9.

The A’s won 2 of 3 against the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend, wrapping up the series with a 7-6 victory Sunday as the Over (8.5) hit. C Kyle McCann  hit a go-ahead, 2-run HR in the 9th inning for the A’s, who cashed as +174 road underdogs.

Pirates at A’s projected starters

LHP Bailey Falter vs. RHP Joe Boyle

Falter (2-1, 3.33 ERA) makes his 6th start. He has a 0.89 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9 and 6.0 K/9 in 27 innings.

• Last start: Win, 7 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K in 2-1 home victory vs. Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday
• 2024 road stats: 1-1, 5.79 ERA (14 IP, 9 ER), 1.21 WHIP in 3 starts
• Career vs. A’s: 0-1, 7.71 ERA (2 1/3 IP, 2 ER), 4 H, 0 BB, 2 K in 1 relief appearance, a 4-1 home loss vs. Philadelphia Phillies April 10, 2022

Boyle (1-4, 7.06 ERA) makes his 6th start. The rookie has a 1.80 WHIP, 6.6 BB/9 and 10.0 K/9 in 21 2/3 innings.

• Last start: Loss, 3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 6 K in 7-3 setback at New York Yankees Wednesday
• 2024 home stats: 0-2, 9.39 ERA (7 2/3 IP, 8 ER), 2.35 WHIP in 2 starts
• Has never faced Pirates before

Win your fantasy baseball league with BaseballHQ.com. For decades, BHQ has been helping players just like you win! BHQ offers Draft Prep and full-season subscriptions. Sign up today and start winning !

Pirates at A’s odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook ; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:18 p.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML) : Pirates -125 (bet $125 to win $100) | A’s +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS) : Pirates -1.5 (+140) | A’s +1.5 (-165)
• Over/Under (O/U) : 8 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Pirates at A’s picks and predictions

Pirates 6, A’s 4

The  PIRATES ( -125 ) should have no trouble scoring against Boyle, who has allowed 7 or more runs in 2 of his 5 starts this season. While betting on Pittsburgh, which has lost 4 of 5, doesn’t seem like the safest play in the world, it’s a lot better than relying on Boyle and his 9.39 home ERA.

BET PIRATES ( -125 ).

Run line/Against the spread

Taking the Pirates to win by multiple runs seems aggressive since they’ve struggled to just win straight up recently. However, Oakland has lost Boyle’s last 3 starts by an average of 4.7 runs per game.

Lean Pirates -1.5 ( +140 ), but don’t risk more than 1.75 units between this play the Pirates’ moneyline wager.

Unders have been profitable in Pirates games recently, but I can’t trust Boyle to help keep this game low-scoring. I’m only betting the Pittsburgh ML, but if I had to play the total, I would take the Over and hope the Pirates jump on Boyle early.

LEAN OVER 8 ( -110 ).

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now !

For more sports betting picks and tips , check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW .

Follow Corey Scott on Twitter/X . Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook .

Additional MLB coverage: BaseballHQ Fantasy Baseball

Like this article?

Sign up for our newsletter to get updates to your inbox, and also receive offers from us, our affiliates and partners. By signing up you agree to our Privacy Policy

More MLB Picks and Predictions

Caesars sportsbook promo code sbwire1000 | $1000 offer for nba playoffs odds, nhl, mlb, philadelphia phillies at los angeles angels odds, picks and predictions, los angeles dodgers at arizona diamondbacks odds, picks and predictions.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

Tampa Bay Rays at Milwaukee Brewers odds, picks and predictions

St. Louis Cardinals at Detroit Tigers odds, picks and predictions

Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres odds, picks and predictions

Sports betting resources.

Sports Scores and Odds Hub Sports Betting Legality Map Parlay Calculator

Most Popular

Minnesota timberwolves at phoenix suns game 4 odds, picks and predictions, los angeles lakers at denver nuggets game 5 odds, picks and predictions, milwaukee bucks at indiana pacers game 4 odds, picks and predictions, edmonton oilers at la kings game 4 odds, picks and predictions, boston celtics at miami heat game 4 odds, picks and predictions, oklahoma city thunder at new orleans pelicans game 4 odds, picks and predictions, chicago cubs at boston red sox odds, picks and predictions.

Please enter an email address.

Thanks for signing up.

Please check your email for a confirmation.

Something went wrong.