Small Group Travel Blog: Expert Travel Tips, Destination Guides & Tour Advice

Welcome to the Small Group Tours by The Traveling Professor travel blog, featuring expert travel tips, destination guides, cruise advice, packing suggestions, airfare strategies, and first-hand insights from more than 17 years of planning small group tours.

Our articles are written for travelers who want more than ordinary sightseeing. Whether you are planning a trip to Europe, Canada, South America, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, France, Peru, or a luxury river cruise, our goal is to help you travel smarter, more comfortably, and with greater confidence.

Since 2009, Small Group Tours by The Traveling Professor has helped solo travelers, couples, and friends enjoy carefully planned, adults-only small group tours with quality hotels, expert local guides, thoughtful pacing, and personal service from real travel professionals who know our destinations inside and out.

Latest Travel Tips & Destination Guides

Archive by category: General Travel Tips & AdviceReturn

22Apr

What Are the Traits of the Affordable Luxury Traveler? Smart Travelers Who Want Comfort and Value

22 Apr, 2026 | luxury travel, affordable luxury travel, first class | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (36)

Affordable Luxury Travelers seek comfort, better hotels, smaller groups, and premium experiences—but at smart prices. Learn the key traits of travelers who value quality, convenience, and memorable trips without wasteful spending.

06Apr

How to Feel Like a Local in a European City: 5 Smart Ways to Travel Beyond the Tourist Traps

06 Apr, 2026 | travel like a local in Europe, authentic European travel, European city travel tips, how to feel like a local in Europe, local experiences in Europe | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (75)

Discover how to feel like a local in Europe with five authentic travel ideas, from neighborhood churches to buses, laundromats, theaters, and football matches. These experiences can lead to friendlier encounters, hidden gems, and a far more memorable trip.

26Mar

How to Travel Europe Without Looking Like an Amateur

26 Mar, 2026 | Travel Tips, No big bus, travel smart | Austria & Bavaria Travel Guide, Norway and Iceland Destination Guide, Italy Travel Destination Guide, General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (119)

Traveling Europe on a big bus, eating bad food, and standing in long lines? That’s not a vacation—that’s a group project. Learn how smart travelers avoid the crowds, skip the nonsense, and actually enjoy Europe.

24Mar

How to Travel Europe for Less Without Traveling Cheap

24 Mar, 2026 | Travel for Less, Travel Discounts, Smart Travel | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (199)

Learn how to beat the high cost of European travel with smart strategies for timing, hotels, dining, sightseeing, and airfare. This guide shows how to travel more comfortably, avoid crowds, and get better value without sacrificing the experience.

08Mar

Pack Your Popcorn: 4 Classic Travel Movies That Still Inspire Wanderlust

08 Mar, 2026 | Travel Movies, Roman Holiday, Catch a Thief, Classic Films | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (149)

Four timeless classics—Roman Holiday, To Catch a Thief, Kon-Tiki, and The Wizard of Oz—capture travel’s magic through romance, Riviera glamour, true adventure, and fantasy. They spark wanderlust, celebrate iconic destinations, and even connect to our Traveling Professor visit to Oslo’s Kon-Tiki Museum.

16Feb

The Smarter Way to Travel: Skip-the-Line City Passes That Save Time and Hassle

16 Feb, 2026 | Paris Museum Pass, Firenze Card, Bergen Card, Vienna City Card | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (229)

Discover how city passes like the Paris Museum Pass, Bergen Card, Firenze Card, and Vienna Pass can save time, reduce ticket hassles, and add value with skip-the-line admissions and, when included, local transportation—ideal for smart small group touring.

28Jan

Say Goodbye to Long Lines at the Airport: How Touchless ID Is Making Travel Easier

28 Jan, 2026 | Touchless ID, Airport Lines, Flying | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (471)

Touchless ID uses facial recognition to speed up airport security, boarding, and customs. Learn how this technology works, how to access it, and why it makes travel easier and less stressful for Traveling Professor travelers.

17Jan

Engaging Travel Speaker for Events, Libraries, and Community Groups

17 Jan, 2026 | travel speaker | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (190)

Looking for a knowledgeable and entertaining travel speaker? The Traveling Professor delivers engaging travel talks filled with expert tips, destination insights, and real-world advice—perfect for libraries, HOAs, clubs, and community groups.

01Jan

Big Experiences, Small Groups: Our 2026 Travel Collection

01 Jan, 2026 | Small Group Tours, 2026 | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (842)

Discover our 2026 small group tours featuring Europe, Iceland, Peru, and Canada. Enjoy expert-led itineraries, premium hotels, scenic rail journeys, and immersive experiences designed for adults, seniors, couples, and solo travelers.

08Dec

What is the Single Supplement and What You Need to Know About It

08 Dec, 2025 | Single Supplement, solo travel, hostel | General Travel Tips & Advice | View Counts (1903)

This guide explains what a single supplement is, why hotels and cruise lines charge it, and how solo travelers can reduce or avoid extra fees when booking accommodations, cruises, and small group tours.

About the Author

Professor Steve Solosky, The Traveling Professor, is the founder of Small Group Tours by The Traveling Professor, operating since 2009. A former college professor and author of The Traveling Professor’s Guide to Paris, Steve has planned and led small group tours throughout Europe, Canada, South America, and beyond. His travel expertise has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, WCBS Radio, and The New York Times Travel Show.

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