The first thing I want to do when I land in a new city is to get out and walk around, but I quickly get overwhelmed by all there is to see. Then, I don’t know what I’m looking at, and I get frustrated. I quickly figured out that for our family, walking tours are the best way to see a new city. But how do we do that when tours feel like they cost so much money? Why, you take “Free” Walking Tours, of course! Okay, they aren’t really free, but walking tours that only charge tips are one of the best ways to get oriented in a city. Check out why I think free walking tours are the best tool for your family, or even your solo travels, for the best value.
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Is it really free?
No. I’m going to get that out of the way right now. We all know nothing in life is free. However, the way these free walking tours work is that they usually take no fee or a nominal fee to book the tour. Then, at the end of the tour, you tip the guide whatever you think the tour was worth. Most sites will give you a guide, and I have generally tipped as little as $10 a person and as much as $30 a person. It has always been worth it.
Why Take Free Walking Tours?
Budget: One of the main reasons you take these free walking tours is budget. This allows you to get a walking tour for a very reasonable price and leaves you more money to do other activities. You know that all the money goes to the tour guide. Note that these tours will generally pass by places you may want to see later, but don’t usually enter locations that have a fee.
Local Expertise: These tours are almost exclusively run by locals. Sometimes they are students who are trying to earn extra money. Sometimes it’s a local historian who just loves talking about where they are from. But you always get true local insight, and they give the best recommendations for food and what you really want to see.
Orientation: Often, when you first get into a city, you don’t know the neighborhoods, things worth seeing, or really anything about the place you are visiting. A good walking tour will help you get oriented in at least one section of the city and help you quickly learn what is worth seeing and what isn’t.
How to Find & Book Free Walking Tours
I’m going to be honest: the majority of the time, to find a free walking tour, I simply Google “[City Name] Free Walking Tour” and immediately get a few options. There are a few aggregators that cover cities. Make sure to read the reviews; they should suggest a tipping amount.
If you don’t find a tour that works for you, you can look to see if there are audio options. In Europe, I have had great luck with Rick Steves Audio Europe and highly recommend that everyone download it before heading there. I have also used WalkNTour, which is not free, but a low-cost audio tour app where you can buy tours in different cities for $7 – $15 per tour. (Use the code Fam20 to save 20% off any purchase on their website!)
Booking Best Practices: Book online in advance! Often, they will try to keep the tour small so they can fill up. Also, if no one books, then the tour guide does not come that day. Make sure to look online and book it.
Real Destination Recaps: Four Cities, Four Walking Tours
Mexico City, Mexico: Historic Downtown
We used GuruWalk to book this tour when visiting Mexico City with my Dad and Stepmother (who is from the city). Even she learned something new about the city she had spent her whole life in. My favorite part was entering Palacio Postal, the inspiration for the administrative building in Coco. Not only was it beautiful, but we got to see some amazing free historical exhibits they had set up that included vintage mailboxes, important stamps, and even a motorcycle. Plus, after the tour, he pointed us to one of the best taco restaurants in the historic district, where we enjoyed tacos and beer for less than we paid for our tour guide.
Tip: We ended up tipping ~$10 per person.
Warsaw, Poland: The Best of Warsaw Tour
Our tour of Warsaw was a total accident. We went to Old Town on our first day and quickly realized that we didn’t really know what to look at or enjoy. We noticed a guy with an orange umbrella and asked for help. Turns out he was the guide to a free walking tour, told us it was starting in 10 minutes, and he had space for four more. We ended up leaving the old town and learning so much about the modern city, its growth and layout post its destruction in World War II, and seeing how Warsaw had grown and changed over the years. He ended the tour in the perfect cross-section of old and modern Warsaw by the Palace of Culture and Science built by the Soviets and the Skysawa, a 40-story modern glass-covered skyscraper just recently finished. The best part was seeing Kubusia Puchatka (Winnie the Pooh) Street, named by the children of Warsaw in a contest that went terribly wrong for the Soviets. Afterwards, our guide directed us to some great places to get food, and gave us recommendations on what we had to see when we were in Warsaw.
Tip: We tipped 20€ a person.
Krakow, Poland: Old Town Kraków Walking Tour
After our fantastic experience in Warsaw, we booked a free walking tour with Walkable in Krakow to explore this ancient city. Krakow did not see as much damage during the war and therefore had the most amazing historical buildings. Our tour guide, who was the funniest one we had in Poland, told us about these historical walls, the McDonald’s with ancient archways in the basement you could still see (and had the best free bathroom), and even the American bagel, which had its origins in the Obwarzanek krakowski native to Krakow. He also gave us a deep history of the pride of the Polish people and how they fought to keep their identity through many different occupations. At the end, he walked us up to the best views of the city at the Wawel Royal Castle and gave us directions to the Wawel Dragon, which my kids loved, even as they were getting older.
Tip: We tipped 20€ per person.
Savannah, Georgia (USA): Historic Savannah Tour
I joined my husband on a trip to Savannah and had some free time without him, so I decided to take a walking tour of the historic city. Starting in Johnson Square, we walked the picturesque squares of the city, learned about the famous people who helped shape the city and their statues all around, passed by my favorite, the Juliette Gordon Low birthplace, home of the founder of the Girl Scouts, and ended in Forsyth Park at the fountain in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. My favorite was being told the exact spot where the famous bench scene in Forest Gump was. (I was disappointed to learn it wasn’t a real bus stop and the bench was only placed there for the movie). I only wish I had done this tour at the beginning of the trip and not towards the end.
Tip: I paid a $20 tip to the tour guide.
Tips for a Great Walking Tour
- Good Walking Shoes: I say this in almost every blog post, and I’ll continue to say it. Have good walking shoes. This is a walking tour. Expect to walk. A lot. My whole family loves the Skechers Go Walk Step-Ins.
- Tours Go on Rain or Shine: Make sure you are packing layers. That includes rain gear and sun protection. For the rain, I love my Columbia Rain Jacket. For sun protection, I love this packable sun visor to keep my face protected.
- Be Prepared to Tip: Unless the tour guide doesn’t show up, tip them! While it’s advertised as free, they are usually doing 2-3 hours of work for you. Show them your appreciation with a tip. Be prepared with cash (cash is usually king). Some will take Venmo, PayPal, and other services, but cash is usually easiest.
- Ask for Recommendations: Our tour guides have pointed us to the best tacos in downtown Mexico, amazing groats in Krakow, and even explained why we HAD to have McDonald’s in Eastern Europe. They will also tell you what to see and what to skip, and the best hidden gems. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; they have heard them all.
When I first started suggesting walking tours to the then pre-teens, they groaned about having to do all the walking. On the last trip we went on, when I asked what they were most looking forward to, it was the walking tour. These tours have become some of our favorite family memories, and when I’ve taken one, I’ve never been disappointed. To be honest, some of these tours were better than the expensive food tours I have pre-booked and paid significant money for. It’s okay to do the budget option to get acquainted with a city. Google “Free Walking Tour” for the next city you visit and be prepared for everyone to learn more than they ever expected.
* Starred Photos taken by Atma Photography
Edited by: SKS
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