I know a lot of experienced travelers may feel like there’s no need to bother with a tour guide on a vacation after all, between books, the internet and our own innate senses of adventure, what’s the point?

While I’m all for wandering the streets of a new city, happily stumbling upon new and exciting hidden gems, there are plenty of times when a tour guide can not only enhance the experience but actually make it possible in the first place. In Buenos Aires, would not have ventured into La Boca without a guide, since certain streets can be dicey; once I picked my guide, she not only kept me safe but opened my eyes to a lot of the magic in the neighborhood that I never would have found on my own.

How can you tell the expert guide from the somebody looking to make a quick buck off a naive tourist, or the leader who just read Frommers and now calls herself an expert? For starters, check and see if your destination has a professional tourist guide associationmost cities or countries do, and this narrows the field of choices before you even step foot off the plane. Members of a professional guild will have to meet certain standards, so you can at least know that your guide will be well versed.

Leading you on a journey that meets your interests is the real challenge. If you book in advance, sites like Rent-a-Guide.com allow you to connect with a tour guide before you land. This gives them a chance know you better and tailor excursions to fit your travel style. In this day and age, it’s silly not to check reviews before selecting a tour provider.
Power of a personal referralsask friends or your hotel concierge. If your hotel doesn’t have a concierge, find a really nice hotel in the area that does have a concierge and if its face to face questions, make sure you leave a tip. I have even hired the hotels concierge before to take me on a tour on their day off. Some of the best guides have no website but have insider knowledge and years of experience that will warrant them repeat recommendations.