Activity Meter

Activity Meter Guidelines

As part of our commitment to helping you select the right tour for your interests and physical abilities, check out the Activity Meter for each tour to get a feel for how it matches your interests, energy and fitness. It’s important to note that more than one level may apply to a tour. For example, some will enjoy a visit to a national park by spending time in the visitor’s center and taking a seat with a view. Others might prefer to hike on a nature trail. Same destination, same tour, two different levels of activity.

The letter abbreviations for each departure can be found in the Vacation Details section (under the photo slideshow) on a vacation page, or in the annual tour catalog on the Table of Contents.

The meter is a guideline. It is impossible to predict every situation on tour, since conditions may change before or during a trip which require itinerary adjustments. There may be chances to add activities or do optional things which increase the amount of physical activity (standing, walking, climbing stairs, etc.); these activities are not included in the Activity Meter rating.

Activity Meter Ratings

1 Leisurely – A tour that can be enjoyed by all. A minimal amount of required walking on city streets or generally level surfaces, with few stairs. A theater day trip might be an example.

2 Moderate – A tour with some walking activities, and standing/strolling at attractions and museums and possibly some stair climbing. A day trip to the ballpark or a short regional trip (Monterey, CA Coast) might be examples. A moderate trip could include air transportation and navigating through airports.

3 Active – A tour which includes longer walks (3-5 city blocks). Shorter walks could be on uneven surfaces. Days could be longer (including longer travel days with layovers). Some of the trip could be at high altitudes.

This would be the level for most of our longer distance domestic and Canadian tours, the minimum level for an overseas international tour. Tours which mention the ability to walk 3-5 city blocks in a timely fashion a couple of times a day fit into this category, as would most of our national park tours. You could find a flight of stairs without handrails. A tour with a seaplane or jeep ride, and the ability to climb into the plane/jeep would be found in this category. Longer rail tours fit in this category.

4 Energetic – A tour with an accent on opportunities for walking and other physical activities. Many overseas tours would fit in this category. Long plane flights, perhaps standing or walking longer distances. If you need wheelchair assistance at the airport or other places, you should not consider a tour on this level.

5 Challenging – Tours like these are designed with daily physical activities like hiking and other vigorous activities and can be great travel experiences, but they are not typical of Sports Leisure Vacations trips.