Stewart's Ridge

Why a Food Tour Should Be On Your Travel Itinerary

Not going to lie – the first time a discussion came up about going on a food tour while traveling, I wasn’t sold. I thought it sounded kind of hokey. Plus, as a picky eater, I really wasn’t looking forward to spending money and then maybe eating a quarter of the food.

You won’t hear me say this often but BOY WAS I WRONG.

Someone suggested a food tour when we were in the planning process for our second girls trip, which was to Vancouver, BC. While it wasn’t something I was really looking forward to, my opinion changed after the first stop! We were lucky to do our first food tour in an amazing foodie town, and we had an unbelievably good guide, which made our first experience the best one to date.

The history nerd in me was excited to realize that not only would we get to try lots of tasty food, but we’d actually be getting a mini walking history tour along the way, too! Anything that combines food and history is a win in my book.

We also quickly realized doing a food tour early on in your trip is a great idea. It’ll give you a good overview of the city you’re visiting and the various food options, and you’re bound to sample a restaurant that you’ll want to try again for a full meal. And, the guide and other attendees are often a wealth of information when it comes to recommendations on where to eat, what to do and things to see. We often take those tips and add them into our itinerary for our trip as we go.

It’s also a really cool experience to be on a tour with a variety of other people from all walks of life. We’ve met so many unique people and heard interesting life stories and experiences as we wander around a city together. There’s nothing like food to bond you with others, no matter how different you are.

And of course, we can’t forget about the food – the most important part of taking a food tour! We’ve experienced five-star restaurants in Vancouver, met Sarabeth herself of Sarabeth’s in NYC and tried homemade ice cream in Asheville. You typically get to visit 4-6 restaurants or food spots on each tour, giving you the opportunity to experience way more restaurants than you would during a 3 or 4 day trip. And, in our experience, food tours generally last 2.5-3 hours each. While each portion is typically small, you are going to eat a lot, so plan the time of your tour and the rest of the meals that day accordingly!

Have you taken a food tour before? Share your favorite experiences or food tours with us in the comments!