guided tour

You usually use this phrase with verbs like take, book, or join. For example, you can say, "I want to book a guided tour of the museum." It acts as a single unit. You can use it for physical places like cities or buildings. You can also use it for digital experiences, like a guided tour of a new software app. Just remember, a guided tour always implies there is a leader or a narrator involved.

Use it when you are traveling and want to see the highlights. It is perfect for museums, historical sites, or even large factories. Use it at work when showing a new employee around the office. You might say, "Let me give you a guided tour of the breakroom." It sounds helpful and organized. It is also great for websites. Many apps offer a guided tour to show you how buttons work. It is a very versatile phrase for any "show and tell" moment.

Do not use it for a casual walk with a friend. If you are just strolling in a park, it is not a guided tour. It sounds too formal for a date unless you are being funny. Avoid using it if there is no specific information being shared. If you are just following someone to a meeting room, that is just "following" them. A guided tour requires some level of expertise or planned stops. Don't call a GPS navigation a guided tour either; that is just "directions."

In English-speaking cultures, guided tours are a staple of the "tourist experience." In cities like London or New York, you will see "hop-on, hop-off" buses. These are famous versions of the guided tour. There is a certain etiquette involved. You are expected to stay with the group. In the US and UK, it is common to tip the guide at the end if they were funny or knowledgeable. It is a small way to say thanks for the stories.

You will often hear audio tour if you use headphones instead of a person. A walking tour is a guided tour where you stay on your feet. If you are looking at houses to buy, you might take a home tour. For a very fancy experience, you might book a private guided tour. This means it is just you and the guide. No annoying strangers taking selfies in your way! Each variation changes the method, but the goal of learning remains the same.