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, airfare strategies, packing suggestions, and first-hand insights from more than 17 years of planning small group tours.

Since 2009, we have helped solo travelers, couples, and friends enjoy adults-only small group tours and luxury river cruises with quality hotels, expert local guides, thoughtful pacing, and personal service.

Explore articles on Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Iceland, Peru, Newfoundland, Paris, Normandy, Santa Fe, Canada, Italy, and AmaWaterways river cruises — then view our current Small Group Tours and River Cruises.

Why Choose Our Normandy D-Day Tour?

Since 2012, Small Group Tours by The Traveling Professor has proudly guided travelers across the historic Normandy Invasion Beaches. In 2017, we were selected by the National D-Day Memorial to lead their first official tour to the Normandy Beaches—an honor that reflects our commitment to quality and authenticity.

Many companies offer D-Day Normandy tours, and many do them well. But here’s why we believe our small group D-Day Normandy Invasion Beaches tour stands above the rest.


Small Groups, Big Advantages

We limit our groups to just 16 travelers. That means:

  • No waiting on latecomers.

  • Faster, smoother travel days.

  • Access to places big buses simply can’t go.

For example, large coaches are not allowed on Easy Red Sector—a crucial landing area on Omaha Beach. Nor can they reach WN 60, the easternmost German stronghold on Omaha Beach. Our group does both, walking the exact ground where Allied forces faced unimaginable challenges on June 6, 1944.


Expert, Licensed Guides

Many companies hire guides, but with us, you know who you’re traveling with. Our Normandy guides have worked with us for over a decade. They don’t just know the facts—they bring history alive with personal stories, insight, and a passion for telling the story of Operation Overlord. With small groups, they can also give every traveler the attention they deserve.


A Smart Itinerary

Our Normandy itinerary is carefully designed so you see and experience more in less time. Because we aren’t waiting on large groups, we cover more ground and enjoy exclusive stops most tours miss.


For Adults Only

Our tours are for adults. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, a veteran, or a senior traveler, you’ll find our tours welcoming, comfortable, and enriching.


The Best Hotels in Bayeux

We stay in top-rated hotels in central Bayeux—the perfect base for visiting all five landing beaches. After touring, you’ll be within walking distance of restaurants, cafés, shops, ATMs, and major attractions like the Bayeux Cathedral and the Tapestry of Bayeux.


Personalized Research

Do you have a relative who served in Operation Overlord? Before your trip, provide us with their name and unit. Our guide can research their movements and report back to you during the tour—a deeply personal and meaningful connection to history.


Exclusive Access

Because of our size and long-established relationships, we often gain entry to locations other tours can’t. One example is the Hillman Bunker, a privately owned German bunker, perfectly preserved and only open to select small groups.


Responsive Customer Service

When you have a question, you’ll speak directly with someone who knows the details of our tours—not an inexperienced call center clerk or chatbot. We respond quickly, usually the same day, and always with accurate information.


Fair Pricing

We believe in providing outstanding quality at a better value than large companies like Smithsonian or Beaches of Normandy Tours. We don’t tack on unnecessary registration fees, and in almost all cases, our prices are lower—while offering higher quality accommodations, itineraries, and service.


Experience the Best Normandy D-Day Tour

If you’re looking for an authentic, expertly guided, small group Normandy D-Day tour, join us at The Traveling Professor. Walk the beaches, hear the stories, and honor the heroes of June 6, 1944 with a truly unforgettable journey.

Related

Why Visit Iceland?  Here’s Why Travelers Are Obsessed With the Land of Fire and Ice

Why Visit Iceland? Here’s Why Travelers Are Obsessed With the Land of Fire and Ice

Explore Iceland’s stunning landscapes and cultural gems on a small group tour with The Traveling Pr...

Read More >
Best Scenic Rail Trips in Scotland

Best Scenic Rail Trips in Scotland

Discover Scotland’s best scenic rail trips with ScotRail, including Mallaig to Fort William, Fort W...

Read More >
Mistakes of the Inexperienced Traveler

Mistakes of the Inexperienced Traveler

Avoid common travel mistakes with these smart tips for inexperienced travelers. Learn how to pack li...

Read More >
Best 2 Star Hotels in Paris

Best 2 Star Hotels in Paris

Finding a good, inexpensive hotel in Paris is not easy. However, we have done the groundwork to res...

Read More >
A Visit with Vincent Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise

A Visit with Vincent Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise

Discover Auvers-sur-Oise, the charming village where Vincent Van Gogh spent his final days. Explore ...

Read More >
What Hotel Star Ratings Really Mean in Europe

What Hotel Star Ratings Really Mean in Europe

Hotel star ratings reflect amenities—not location or room size. Learn how factors like restaurants,...

Read More >

Who Writes the Small Group Tour Blog?

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.

Each article is written or reviewed from the perspective of a working tour operator who plans real itineraries, works with local guides and hotels, and helps travelers prepare for successful small group trips.

Receive destination ideas, travel tips, early tour announcements, and special offers from Small Group Tours by The Traveling Professor.

Since 2009 | IATA Accredited | JourneyWoman Partner | AmaWaterways Certified Advisor | Google Reviews | NTA Member