Ronni Hannaman: Travel while you can to great destinations

There are many travelers who enjoy traveling on guided tours because just about everything is planned and anticipated in advance.

The traveler needs only to board the airplane and try to be comfortable until arriving at the first destination where a friendly and efficient tour guide awaits to whisk the now weary traveler to a comfortable hotel.

From the moment of arrival, everything is orchestrated as outlined in the tour brochure. The hotels, the number of meals, the attractions to be explored, transfers, free parking at the chamber, and the services of the tour guide are all included in the published price which also includes air from Reno.

Tours are no longer featuring the go-go tour schedules of the past with every moment planned. For those who want time on their own, many tours now feature free time to explore separate interests to include time to dine on your own in popular restaurants or with newfound friends, yet another benefit of traveling on a tour.

New, too, is the two-night hotel stay in each city allowing more in-depth cultural experiences. We always advise travelers to book early and for good reason. While we think we may have plenty of time to book a tour, that is not always the case since all tours offered can be booked by travelers nationwide and are often sold-out way in advance.

Thus, when there is a “book by” date sometimes six months out or more, travelers think they have oodles of time to book a tour. Sorry, but that is not the case. Airlines hold seats only so long at a certain price before releasing them for public sale. The adage of the early bird catching the travel worm holds true.

This article features two tours with the “book by” dates just around the corner. If you have a yearning to go to spectacular Scandinavia or explore the scenic and amazing English Countryside, now is the time to contemplate, check your calendar, and make that commitment to travel by putting down your deposit to hold your space.

Departing on May 14, 2025, the 13-day Spectacular Scandinavia tour is one to consider. The three countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are better seen on tour since all transportation between countries is included along with 12 nights of accommodation, 12 breakfasts, and eight dinners.

If you love ABBA, there’s a tour to the museum. This is but a thumbnail sketch and must be booked by Nov. 18 to receive a discount of $250 per person. We’re particularly excited to offer a tour to the English Countryside departing on June 18 starting and ending in London.

It’s the in-between that gets us particularly excited. We’ll be exploring the western coastline of Cornwall and then the charming villages of the Cotswolds. If you are a fan of the PBS Masterpiece series, you have already become familiar with this picturesque part of southern England often missed by travelers.

Picture Doc Martin, picture Poldark and so many of the other great stories filmed here. Accommodations are a highlight, for this tour features two-night stays in manor houses and a castle. June is a wonderful time to explore England.

Want to stay longer or depart earlier, that can be arranged. The book by date for this wonderful tour is Dec. 19, but we think it will sell out earlier. We’re beefing up our tour offerings for 2025 even though we are already featuring so many currently.

Upcoming will be a Collette trip to Branson departing on Nov. 4, 2025, led by guide extraordinaire Jay Fehan. Details soon. For those who want to travel off the beaten tour track, on Nov. 13, 2025, we’re venturing to South America featuring Chile, the Mendoza Wine Region in Argentina, and Buenos Aires (think Evita!)

We’ll immerse in the culture through a cooking class, vineyard tours, tango lessons, and the opportunity to enjoy an Asado lunch and wine-paired lunch as well as two ethnic dinners. As you can see, this is a tour centered around wine.

Japan has become so popular that it is sold out a year in advance, so we jumped on the band wagon this year and put in our request for seats for this great 13-day tour during the famous cherry blossom season departing April 4, 2026.

We know this will go at the blink of an eye. Yes, some of these tours seem so far out and life happens in between booking and departure. That’s why we recommend the “cancel for any reason” travel insurance. We’ll tell you more when we meet you.

If you haven’t joined our free Chamber Travel Club, call us at 775-882-1565 to join. Or just stop by Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 1900 S. Carson St. and pick up a brochure. If you like instant gratification, peruse our Travel Club page link on our home page at www.carsoncitychamber.com.

Travel keeps us young an engaged in the vast world around us. Travel while you can!