Segway tours are becoming a popular way to travel cities all over the world but certainly a luxury over just walking. Tours via Segway can be a nice change for the experianced traveler but can also make you a tourist attraction yourself.
My recent Segway tour of DC was undoubtedly fun but I wanted to put it to the test against the traditional walking tour.
Attention On You
Traveling around on a Segway, no less in a group of them, makes your stand out. People will stare at you, homeless will yell meaningless rants in your direction, and high schoolers may tease you. Touring a town by Segway is not ideal for those who like to wander around a city and blend in.
Time Management
Most Segway tours last about 2 hours, with a 15 minute saftey course beforehand. Getting to the office, filling out papers, and learning about the fifty ways to break your neck will cost you about 3 total hours – not to mention getting to the meeting point. This reduces your “travel efficiency“; the measure of how much actual travel experience you get vs. actual traveling or overhead.
Price
The average walking tour will cost you about $20 in Europe vs. the $65 on a Segway. It’s better to pay for at least one Segway tour, and most will show you the same spots in a city. Walking tours offer variety, cost a third less, and can be done for free (with a handy map and guide book).
Sights and Information
You’ll cover more distance and see a wider range of a city on a Segway but have to take the main routes and streets. Walking tours can get to alleys and other paths you’ll miss on the Segway. Both types of tours generally have good guides that are well informed and spoken. The advantage of taking a Segway is that you’ll be better able to map out the streets and get a sense of the roads, in case you plan on renting a car.
Overall
Both walking tours and Segway tours are better ways to learn about a city’s historical sights as opposed to bus or large group tours. Riding a Segway is both fun and easy as GlitchNYC writes.
We had a great time, and both remarked at just how intuitive the Segways are. You step on the and for 2 seconds you think ??this might be interesting,?? and then you??re off! It??s really incredible. If you get a chance to try one of these things, it was a cheap, fun way to tour the city, and you really have to ride a Segway once to understand the amazing technology inside them.
Walking tours are a great way to compliment any city travel plans, whether they involve a Segway or not. Children and older adults may find standing on a Segway not possible, although walking tours are more physically demanding. Either way at the end of a few hours you’re feet will be hurting!
Segway tours are available in most major cities.
Call me crazy, but I would ride around the city without a helmet 🙂 Unless… its a law that you have to ride around with one.
You do – I’m not sure if it’s a law in DC, but the tour requires you to do so. One of the helmets I saw was busted up pretty good, so I guess they come in handy 😉
Yeah… I just need to get over this idea of “i look bad with a helmet on”, and instead think of the protection it gives 🙂