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ARE WE THERE YET?

Backroads Re-invents the Family Vacation

With Backroads, there is no waiting to get there, because families who travel with Backroads discover that the journey truly is its own reward. Parents and children share a vacation built around activity—bicycling, walking, hiking—instead of seeing the world through car windows. Together they take in natural wonders, culture and history at every turn and celebrate the exhilaration of meeting new challenges. A relaxed pace allows time to pause and watch quietly as two bear cubs wrestle in play; to exhale in awe at the sight of bald eagles soaring above; and to see how cheese is made, glass is blown and how humans lived long ago.

As on other Backroads trips, Family Trips offer several daily mileage choices to allow everyone in the family to ride at his or her own pace, secure that the support van is never far away. Special activities—such as hiking on a glacier in the Canadian Rockies, wildlife cruises in Nova Scotia and exploring mysterious caverns in the Dordogne—create memories for the whole family.

Leaders come prepared with favorite games and a sense of fun that children of all ages will appreciate. Our family vacations offer the luxury of inn accommodations as well as carefree camping, with families recounting adventures around the campfire while Backroads Trip Leaders prepare hearty meals and handle all of the camp chores.

In 2000, Backroads offers 24 itineraries with 121 scheduled family departures, in eleven North American destinations, eight European destinations, as well as Belize, Costa Rica and Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. Youths under 18 must be accompanied by at least one adult. On all camping trips, and on all inn trips when sharing accommodations with two adults, youths receive the following discounts: 40 percent off for children ages 3 through 6, 20 percent off for ages 7 through 10 and 10 percent off for ages 11 through 16. Children age 2 and under receive a 75 percent discount on family trips.

Backroads 2000 Family Vacations

Bicycling Vacations

Europe
Czech Republic Inn
July 16, 30 (minimum age: 6)

Denmark Inn
July 16, 23

France:  Brittany and Normandy Inn
August 6 (minimum age: 10)

France:  Loire Valley Inn
July 23, August 13 (minimum age: 10)

Hungary Inn
July 16, August 5

Italy: Tuscany Inn
July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (minimum age: 10)

Netherlands Inn
July 9, 23, August 6

North America: West

Arizona: Colorado Plateau/Sedona Inn (Mountain Biking)
June 11, 18 (minimum age: 6)

Canadian Rockies:  Banff/Jasper Camping
July 12, 21, 26, August 4, 9, 18

Canadian Rockies:  Banff/Jasper Inn
July 17, 24, 31, August 7, 14

Idaho:  Sun Valley/Sawtooth Mountains Inn (Mountain Biking)
June 25, July 2, 9 (minimum age for rafting: 6)

Idaho:  Sun Valley/Sawtooth Mountains Camping (Mountain Biking)
July 9, 16, 23 (minimum age: 6)

Washington: San Juan Islands Inn
June 19, 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, August 7, 14, 21, 28

Washington: San Juan Islands Camping
June 5, 12, July 10, August 7, 14

North America: East

Nova Scotia Camping
July 29, August 5 (minimum age: 6)

Walking Vacations

Europe

Czech Republic Inn
August 6 (minimum age: 6)

Latin America

Costa Rica Inn
March 26, 2000, April 8, 2001 (minimum age:10)

Multisport Vacations

Europe

France:  Loire Valley Bike & Walk Inn
July 9, 16, 30, August 6 (minimum age: 6)

Switzerland: Alps Bike & Hike Inn
July 14, 21

North America: West

Canadian Rockies:  Kananaskis Mountain Bike, Hike and Raft Camping
July 23, 30, August 6, 13

Montana:  Glacier Road/Mountain Bike, Hike & Raft Inn
July 12, 19, 26, August 2 (minimum age: 6)

Washington: San Juan Islands Bike, Hike & Sea Kayak Camping
June 25, July 2, 23, 30, August 27 (minimum age: 6)

Washington: San Juan Islands Bike, Hike & Sea Kayak Inn
June 19, 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, August 7, 14, 21, 28
(minimum age for kayaking: 6)

Wyoming:  Yellowstone/Tetons Road/Mountain Bike, Hike, Raft & Kayak Inn
June 12, 19, 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, August 7, 14, 21, 28
(minimum age for rafting, kayaking: 6) 

Wyoming:  Yellowstone/Tetons Road/Mountain Bike, Hike, Raft & Kayak Camping
July 20, 27, August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
(minimum age for kayaking: 6)

North America: East

Maine:  Bike, Walk & Sea Kayak Inn
June 25, July 2, 16, 23, August 6

Maine:  Bike, Walk & Sea Kayak Camping
July 17, 31, August 14, 28

North Carolina: Bike, Hike and Raft Inn
July 30, August 6, 20 (minimum age for rafting: 8)

Edited by Kerry Cohen

-Updated 10-23-00-

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