12 Private Shore Excursions in the USA Worth Booking

1.Private luxury shore excursion Skagway, AK to Emerald Lake, Yukon.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) Our pick

Travel from Skagway to Emerald Lake and Carcross in a private, climate-controlled vehicle for up to six people. Guides such as Vanessa, Jaren, Emiliano, and Jerry share gold rush and Yukon stories, stop for photos, and watch for wildlife. Bring your passport, buy lunch in Carcross, and expect a flexible five-hour ride.

“Good driver (Emiliano) and good assistance. Frequent stoppages in interesting point within time allowed.”

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2.Private Shore Excursion Hilo Volcanoes National Park up to 10 PPL

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · 6 hours (approx.)

Ride in a private Mercedes Sprinter with a guide such as Rob, Skylar, Jodi, or Dash for a six-hour Hilo excursion. You’ll visit Kīlauea’s crater, Thurston Lava Tube, steam vents, Chain of Craters Road, Rainbow Falls, and possibly Liliʻuokalani Gardens or Big Island Candies. Park admission, snacks, water, umbrellas, and transportation are included.

“A cool experience in Hilo. Skylar was our guide & he was very kind, knowledgable & professional. We enjoyed our time Volcanos National Park (volcanic craters, steam vents & lava tubes!), Rainbow Falls, then a stop at Mauna Loa macademia nut factory (yummy ice cream). Skylar took photos of us the entire day with his nice camera then we got access to them for free.”

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3.Private Charter Scenic Wildlife Excursion for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Join Captain Chris of Outer Coast Charters for a private three-hour boat trip from Sitka. Your group of up to five rides in the enclosed, Coast Guard-approved Suzy-Q, with routes shaped by weather and wildlife. Look for whales, otters, sea lions, eagles, seabirds, and the volcanic cliffs of St. Lazaria Island.

“Captain Chris was great and he took us to several different spots to find wildlife and one spot for a little peace and tranquility. The weather wasn't the best, but since the cab was fully enclosed we could stop, pop out for photos and then get back inside to stay mostly dry. We always felt safe, even with rain and wind creating some rough seas at times. We saw seals, eagles, a sea otter (that Captain Chris somehow spotted as we were zooming by), gray whales, and jellyfish! A very good time was had by all! Thanks Captain Chris!”

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4.New York City Shore Excursion: Post-Cruise Half-Day Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.)

Leave your cruise port with a private guide and climate-controlled vehicle, then see Midtown, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Ground Zero, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Brooklyn Heights. The route can fit your interests and ends at your hotel, residence, or area airport. Guides including James, Isaac, and Lori have earned praise for making short visits personal and informative.

“The 8 people in my group were terribly disappointed in this excursion. The driver, Jose, was very polite and professional, but provided no tour. It felt more like a very expensive extended airport transfer. The only commentary provided was to let us know where we were. When we first got into the shuttle he asked us where we wanted to go. As far as I was concerned the tour outline told us where we were going to go before I ever booked it and I should not have needed to figure that out. Our taxi driver getting us to the cruise was more informative and provided a better tour than…”

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5.Private Hilo Shore Excursion to Volcano Waterfall and Black Sand

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.)

Adam guides this 6 to 7 hour private Hilo outing for groups of up to 14, linking Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Thurston Lava Tube, Rainbow Falls, Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, coffee country, and local food stops. The route can change with weather, volcanic conditions, and your interests.

“Adam was fantastic! We booked this excursion for our group of 12 during our recent visit to Hilo, and it ended up being the highlight of our trip. Our group had been closely watching the activity on the live cameras for a potential eruption of Mt. Kilauea, and when we saw lava flowing, we headed straight for Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Thanks to Adam’s quick planning and expert guidance, we were lucky enough to witness Mt. Kilauea fountaining in person—an absolutely breathtaking sight. His dedication to making sure we didn’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime moment was truly appreciated. Highly recommend this tour and Adam’s outstanding service!”

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6.Private Shore Excursion Tour: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews

Travel in a private Ford F-150 with guide Scott or another Apau Hawaii Tours guide on a five-hour trip from Hilo or Pahoa. See Kīlauea Caldera, steam vents, Chain of Craters Road, old lava flows, Rainbow Falls, and Big Island Candies. Park admission and water are included, with room for up to four people.

“Scott was an amazing guide. We saw more overwhelming volcano sites than I could imagine, and his depth of information was very impressive. Beautiful scenery - great guide.”

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7.Private Hilo Shore Excursion Volcano National Park up to 10

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Join Don for a seven-and-a-half-hour private Hilo shore excursion for up to 10 people. You’ll visit Liliʻuokalani Gardens, Rainbow Falls, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, a macadamia nut farm, Big Island Candies, the Hilo Farmers Market, and Richardson Ocean Park, with photo stops and local stories along the way.

“Don was hilarious and very informative. He's a laid back tour guide that goes at a great pace. You gey a chance to see a lot like the Rainbow Falls, Volcano National Park, Lava Tubes, Mauna Loa, and into the town but he still gives you a chance to explore the places on your own and at your own pace. Highly recommend!! Thanks for the tour Don!”

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8.Private Hilo Shore Excursion – Volcanoes, Waterfalls, & Beaches

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 7 hours (approx.)

Start at Hilo’s cruise pier with a private guide, then visit Rainbow Falls, Boiling Pots, Richardson Ocean Park, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. You’ll walk beside Halema‘uma‘u Crater, enter Thurston Lava Tube, and see steam vents and volcanic terrain. Shawn may also help with lunch choices, snacks, photos, and changing weather.

“What we an amazing day!! We booked the Fire and Water tour. My husband and I had been to Kona several times before but were never able to make it to the volcano. Since that was our priority this trip, we reached out to Shawn for a private guided tour. We cannot say enough anazing things about him or our day. We were incredibly lucky in that the volcano has been erupting periodically for the last several”

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9.Private Shore Excursion Hilo Land of Frozen Fire up to 14

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews

Join Don of Hawaii Volcano Tours for a private, full-day Hilo outing for up to 14 people. You’ll visit Liliʻuokalani Gardens, Rainbow Falls, Kaumana Caves, Pahoa, Pohoiki and Kehena black-sand beaches, the 2018 fissure area, a macadamia farm, Big Island Candies, and Hilo Farmers Market. Lunch is not included.

“Don was extremely knowledgeable about the area and knew how to get around. We learned a ton about local plants. Very friendly guide and highly recommend as an alternative to cruise ship offerings.”

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10.Private Kilauea Volcano Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 6 hours (approx.)

Meet your Wayfind Hawaii guide at Hilo Harbor for a private six-hour visit to Kilauea. You’ll see the caldera, steam vents, Thurston Lava Tube, Volcano House, and Chain of Craters Road in an air-conditioned van. Guide Jim is noted for his geology and history knowledge, while lava viewing depends on current volcanic activity.

“Booking our tour was quick and we were given great information on what to wear and bring. Jim, our guide, incredibly knowledgeable and gracious. He seemed to have a great depth of understanding of the geology and history everywhere we went. The absolute best part was the amazing view of the lava fountaining from the volcano! I highly recommend Wayfind Hawaii and Jim as your guide.”

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11.PRIVATE Shore Excursion – ‘Best of Hilo and Hamakua coast

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews

Choose your Hilo highlights with guide Joel on a private four-hour drive for up to six people. You can visit Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, Onomea Bay, Laupahoehoe, the farmers market, and Big Island Candies, with snacks and water included. The route is flexible, though fitting every stop into four hours is not realistic.

“I’d give Joel more than 5 stars if I could. He was wonderful! So knowledgeable, and fun! He even treated us to his wife’s homemade cookies. I highly recommend this tour.”

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12.Juneau Private Tour or Shore Excursion Authentic Alaskan Cuisine

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 2 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $245Best value

Join Midgi and her local team for a private Juneau food walk through five to six eateries. Taste Alaskan seafood, sweets, local beer, a cocktail, and Ice Cave Blue tea while learning how food connects to Alaska’s people and past. Expect about 1.2 miles of walking, some stairs, and a reusable bag with treats, recipes, and coupons.

“This was a fantastic walking tour of downtown Juneau. Had some wonderful bites and learned a lot about the city and history. I fully recommend Midgi and her team if you’re looking for a foodie tour in Juneau!”

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