Spring and Summer Group Tours Leaving from Columbus: What Prime Tours Has Planned
Every spring I sit down and look at the calendar we have built for the coming months and think the same thing: this is a good year to travel.
This year I mean it more than usual.
The Prime Tours 2026 spring and summer lineup is as strong as anything we have put together in recent memory. We have short weekend escapes for travelers who want something close to home. We have multi-day domestic adventures for people ready to stretch their legs across a few states. We have international trips that will take Columbus travelers to Scotland and Italy. And we have the streets of Washington D.C. during one of the most historically significant years in American history.
All of it leaves from Columbus. All of it is planned, operated, and traveled by our team. And several of these trips are filling up faster than I expected.
Here is what we have coming.
Close to Home, Worth Every Mile
Not every great trip requires a passport. Some of our most popular departures are the ones that remind Central Ohio travelers how much is worth seeing right in our own backyard.
Mystery Day Trip — June 2
If you enjoy surprise and a little adventure, this is the trip for you. Our Mystery Day Trip is exactly what it sounds like: a single day, a surprise destination, and a group of travelers along for the ride. People who have experienced our mystery trips sign up for more. It is one of our most fun departures of the year and always sells out quickly. Starting at $235. Details at goprimetours.com/tours/mystery-day-trip.
American History on a Big Stage
Liberty and Legacy: Philadelphia to DC — July 7-12
This one deserves special attention. 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, and there is no better way to mark it than a six-day journey from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. that takes in the birthplace of American democracy and the nation's most iconic monuments at one of the most meaningful moments in a generation.
We will move through Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the streets where the founding documents were debated and signed, then head to Washington D.C. for the memorials, the Mall, the Capitol, and everything that makes this city worth seeing. This is a moderately active trip rated at a higher activity level, so plan to walk and engage fully. It is the kind of trip that changes how you think about where you live. Starting at $1,648 per person. Details at goprimetours.com/tours/liberty-legacy-philadelphia-to-dc.
Scotland, Two Ways
We have two Scotland departures on the calendar this summer and fall, and they could not be more different from each other. If Scotland has been on your list, 2026 is the year.
Royal Tattoo and Highland Games with Les and Mandy — SOLD OUT
Royal Tattoo and Highland Games with Les and Mandy is fully booked for 2026, and it is worth pausing on that for a moment. This was an eleven-day journey built around two of Scotland's most iconic events: the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, one of the most spectacular live performances in the world, and the Highland Games, where centuries-old tradition plays out against a backdrop of castle ruins and mountain scenery. Les and Mandy bring a passion for Scotland that makes every mile feel personal, and travelers who booked early secured what turned out to be an extraordinary experience. If seeing a trip like this sell out before you had a chance to book it sounds frustrating, the Haunted Highlands departure below is still available, and the lesson from Royal Tattoo is the same one I share every spring: the trips worth taking fill faster than most people expect.
Haunted Highlands and Ancient Islands with Sherri Brake — September 1-10
Ten days in Scotland through an entirely different lens. Haunted history author Sherri Brake leads this trip through the country's most legendary and spine-tingling sites, blending storytelling, history, and adventure in a way that makes Scotland feel like it is revealing something it does not show to ordinary tourists. If you have been on a Prime Tours haunted tour before, you already know what Sherri brings to a trip. If you have not, this is the one to start with. Rated moderate. Starting at $3,798 per person. Details at goprimetours.com/tours/haunted-highlands-ancient-islands.
Wine, Water, and a Little Wandering
Wine Down in Ohio Wine Country — August 19-21
Three days along the shores of Lake Erie in Geneva-on-the-Lake, winding through Ohio's wine country with tastings, scenic views, and the kind of relaxed pace that a late-summer escape is supposed to have. This is a light-activity trip that is as much about slowing down as it is about the destination. Rated light. Starting at $898 per person. Details at goprimetours.com/tours/wine-down-in-ohio-wine-country.
Italy for Food and Wine Lovers — September 13-23
Eleven days in Northern Italy built specifically around the food and wine culture of one of the world's great culinary regions. We will be based in Asti, in the heart of Piedmont, exploring vineyards, local markets, hilltop villages, and the kind of Italian table experiences that simply do not exist outside of the region itself. This is a small-group trip rated moderate, and it is the kind of itinerary that lends itself to making new friends and truly feeling Italian. Starting at $5,613 per person. Details at goprimetours.com/tours/italy-for-food-and-wine-lovers.
A Story Worth Traveling For
Come From Away: The 9/11 Story NYC to Newfoundland 25th Anniversary — September 5-12
This one is different from anything else on our calendar. Seven days tracing the story that inspired the Broadway musical Come From Away, beginning in New York City and traveling to the small island of Newfoundland, where the residents of Gander took in nearly 7,000 stranded airline passengers in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001. The 25th anniversary of that day makes 2026 the right year for this trip, and this itinerary brings the story to life in a way no stage production can fully capture. Rated moderate. Starting at $4,699 per person. Details at goprimetours.com/tours/come-from-away-the-9-11-story-nyc-to-newfoundland-25th-anniversary.
Northern Michigan — September 15-18
Four days through some of the most beautiful scenery in the Midwest. Rolling vineyards, sparkling Lake Michigan views, towering sand dunes, and a horse-drawn carriage past the lovely cottages and historic forts of Mackinac Island and lunch at the iconic Grand Hotel. With a bonus stop at Bronners in Frankenmuth on the way home. Northern Michigan in September is spectacular, and this itinerary is built to make the most of it. Rated moderate. Starting at $1,595 per person. Details at goprimetours.com/tours/northern-michigan.
Amish Country with Brandy — September 29 to October 1
Three days in Shipshewana, Indiana, in the heart of Amish country, led by travel creator Brandy Gleason of Gleason Family Adventures and Ohio Road Trips. Local flavors, unique shopping, authentic Amish experiences, and the kind of unhurried pace that this part of Indiana is known for. Light activity, great company. Starting at $999 per person. Details at goprimetours.com/tours/brandys-barns-buggies-backroads.
And Looking Ahead
The fall calendar picks up right where summer leaves off, with the Acoustic Super Friends Castles and Highlands Scotland trip in October, the British Invasion Rock and Roll England Tour also in October, the Rocky Mountaineer Journey Through the Clouds in Canada, and our beloved New York Holiday Christmas trips in December. And for travelers already thinking about 2027, the Jungle, Volcano, Beach Costa Rica journey and the Australia and New Zealand Down Under Cruise are both on the books.
The point is that there is always something coming. The question is whether your spot on it is secured.
FAQs
Commonly asked questions about Tours or Travelling with Prime Tours
Prime Tours has a full calendar of group tours departing from Columbus in spring and summer 2026. Upcoming trips include a Cincinnati and Ark Encounter weekend in June, a Mystery Day Trip in June, the Liberty and Legacy Philadelphia to DC history tour in July, Wine Down in Ohio Wine Country in August, Royal Tattoo and Highland Games in Scotland in August, Italy for Food and Wine Lovers in September, the Come From Away Newfoundland 25th Anniversary trip in September, Northern Michigan in September, Haunted Highlands and Ancient Islands in Scotland in September, and Amish Country with Brandy in late September. Full details and booking at goprimetours.com/current-tours.
All current tours and availability are listed at goprimetours.com/current-tours. You can also contact the Prime Tours team directly at info@goprimetours.com or 614-766-5553. Deposits and payment schedules vary by trip and are listed on each tour page.
Are Prime Tours trips suitable for solo travelers? Yes. Prime Tours welcomes solo travelers on all group tours. The team can also connect solo travelers who are open to sharing accommodations with a compatible travel companion to reduce costs. Group travel is one of the best options available for solo travelers because the community and logistics are already fully built in.
Yes. Prime Tours welcomes solo travelers on all group tours. The team can also connect solo travelers who are open to sharing accommodations with a compatible travel companion to reduce costs. Group travel is one of the best options available for solo travelers because the community and logistics are already fully built in.
Inclusions vary by trip but typically cover lodging, daily breakfast, select meals, luxury motorcoach transportation, all listed admissions, and a Prime Tours director traveling with the group for the full duration. Each tour page at goprimetours.com/current-tours lists complete inclusions and exclusions clearly.
Yes. Travel insurance is available through Travelex Insurance Services and is strongly recommended on every trip. Options include standard coverage and Cancellation for Any Reason plans. Details are available on each tour page or by contacting the Prime Tours team.
As early as possible. Several Prime Tours departures are intentionally small-group experiences with limited spots, including the Italy food and wine tour, the Come From Away Newfoundland trip, and the haunted Scotland experience. These fill faster than larger group tours. Booking early also allows more time to secure group air at better pricing where applicable.
The Right Time to Book Is Now
I have been operating tours long enough to know how this goes. Travelers see a trip they love, think about it for a few weeks, and come back to find it is sold out or nearly there. It happened just yesterday. It happens every year, and I always wish I could have told them sooner.
So consider this your early notice. Several of these trips are small-group departures by design, which means they fill on a different timeline than our larger tours. The Italian food and wine trip, the Come From Away journey, the haunted Scotland experience, and the Northern Michigan escape are all capped at small or medium group sizes. When they are gone, they are gone.
If something on this list speaks to you, the right time to reach out is now. Browse the full calendar at goprimetours.com/current-tours, or call us at 614-766-5553 or email info@goprimetours.com. We are happy to walk you through any trip in detail and help you figure out which one is the right fit.