This was a great informative tour. We took the hour tour and enjoyed it with our guide, Hondo. Me…read moreand my friend were the only ones to tour at this time, so we could ask a lot of questions and really have a unique tour for us My friend and I were staying with her daughter, who lives in Erie. We enjoyed our trip from the Albany NY area. What an awesome Colorado time we had. Saw all the highlights of Golden. It's a beautiful city with so much to do so we'll be back. We thank our tour guide so much.

We had the most amazing experience!! Our tour guide was such a great storyteller- we loved learning…read moreabout the history, and enjoyed the pub stops along the way! 10 out of 10!!

We have visited this location years ago before covid hit, and fortunately, we were able to visit…read moreagain in 2026. We were unable to go on the tour because we had a baby with us and an adult would have to sit back with her, which we did not want to do. If you have children over the age of life and want to do the tour, it was $5 per ticket which seems pretty fair. Fortunately, we were able to go to the tea tasting and taste different type of teas. They did not have honey to sweeten the teas, but they did have sugar and an alternative sugar. They had three cold teas, and four hot teas. We especially liked the cold blueberry tea. They had almost eighty different type of teas to choose from on the menu and I got the iced black tea and a warm jasmine tea, both were delicious. The restrooms were clean and everyone seemed very helpful in the tea tasting area. Like I said, we were not able to do the tour, but we were able to go to the gift shop. It was a good mix of things, like snacks, tea towels and cups and measuring spoons. Everything was really cute but I wish I had more options with their name on it, and the picture of the sleeping time bear. I liked a lot of the mugs, but I wanted one that had the bear and the celestial seasoning's name on it, so I left with a magnet and of course, tea. Overall, I would definitely come back when we are in Boulder next time and recommend it to everyone to go at least once.

I cannot say enough good things about this experience. For $6, you get a 45 minute tour and the…read moreability to sample sooooo many teas before and after. The staff were all so friendly, and you could tell they knew their stuff and also just loved their job. It was truly a blast! I walked away with quite a bit of new tea knowledge. Excellent vibes all around. The hippie founders of Celestial Seasonings would be proud. And the GIFT SHOP. I think I blacked out. From every Celestial Seasonings tea you could think of to the cutest merch, there's something for everyone. I was glad the tour was so cheap, because I could really enjoy myself. Slap the sleepy time tea bear on anything and I will certainly buy it.

2 years ago, on the dawn of June 6th, we crossed the English Channel onto the beaches of Normandy,…read morejust like they did 75 years earlier. Except it wasn't just like they did. While we enjoyed good weather and the freedom and time to reflect on their Rendezvous with Destiny, they had faced torrential rain and life-threatening obstacles as they ran towards the artillery exploding around them and bullets flying at them; many cutting into their brave young bodies and souls. Though our experience on the beaches was very different from the Allied Forces, Brian DeToy summoned his unique ability to take us back in time to imagine what it was like for them. His military experience, research, education and love of history equip him to set the stage in every facet and mood and bring it to life. One place in particular where he did an exceptional job was upon entering the American Cemetery. As visitors were nonchalantly streaming in, Brian pulled us to the side and spoke solemn, focused words that were appropriate for revering the site and honoring, in a personal way, those who had lost their lives and were buried there. It will always be with me. Sheryl's many strengths include her meticulous administrative and organizational skills, as well as graciousness and the patience of a saint. She handled every detail beautifully - and there were many! This was truly a life-changing trip for us - our favorite - the trip of a lifetime!

Having just returned from Essential History Expeditions' February 2023 Vietnam tour, I cannot say…read moreenough good things about it! As a retired Army general, I was hoping to better understand the Vietnam War, which shaped my training and the Army which I served in from 1979-2016. I also looked forward to viewing my Dad's experience as a military advisor in 1962-63 & 1968-69 in a new light after seeing the terrain. Brian and Sheryl delivered that and more. Our tour traced the major political and military struggles of both the French and American wars, and helped to understand the Vietnamese point of view at every turn. Their approach, which incorporated both Brian's historical expertise (honed by his PhD and 12 years teaching at West Point) along with assigning voluntary "character backgrounds" presented by the tour participants, encouraged not only study in preparation beforehand but also a collaborative discussion of the issues in the long struggles of the Vietnamese people. Sheryl's precise planning and use of 5-star accommodations made the trip luxurious throughout, with meals, 4 internal flights, 12 bus trips, and a 2-day opulent boat excursion into Halong Bay all handled seamlessly. One of the best travel experiences of my life!

I'm not going to lie, it started a little slow and we discussed escape plans about 2 mins into it…read moreBUT by the end, we were totally engaged and found ourselves repeating our new knowledge to friends at the bar the next day. Kevin may have skipped the "hi, my name is Kevin" part and I feel like there could have been a little, "hey, any of you from Denver?" chat but ok, he just got down to business. We took the Denver Wildside tour. I know Denver pretty well but don't really know anything about the history. At some point (somewhere around 15th and Market), I caught myself laughing at the jokes and getting into the stories. Once we got past the awkward beginning we really enjoyed the stories of murder, ghosts and "ladies of the night". I'd recommend it to those of us who are looking for something to different to do and like hearing about the more salacious parts of history. Insert your own jokes about how "Stranglers Row" includes the old real world house and Lodo's or how Gaslamp is where the cheaper women could be found.

I've lived in Denver for 16 years and why did it take me so long to do this? Even if you are from…read morehere you will learn a lot about Denver. It is fun and interesting and if you're looking for something to do with your family members, try this out.

Five stars all day long! Jason was fantastic and somehow managed to keep 8 people entertained while…read moreshowing us Red Rocks, buffalo, Lookout Mountain, and Golden, no small task! He answered every question, shared tons of interesting facts, threw in some jokes, and somehow made us feel like Denver experts by the end of the day. If Jason is your guide, congratulations, you already made a good decision.

Rocky Mountain Experience: Very disappointing. The guide immediately did an upsell when we got in…read morethe van to include a gondola ride for an extra $27. Four of the 9 ppl in our van took advantage of it - which meant the tour went an hour beyond the allotted time and we were rushed through the sites we paid to see. It ruined our last night in town as we missed our dinner reservation and after dinner plans - which didn't concern the driver in the least. Other lowlights were listening to the guide drone on and on about his life and opinions, pulling over THREE times as one lady thought she maybe saw some wildlife waaaayyy in the distant woods, and spending much too long in a small town where half the stores were closed so the gondola opters could have their unscheduled fun and the tour company could grab a few extra dollars.

This is an awesome tour. The guide is totally awesome and I could tell he was very knowledgeable…read more Even skeptical believers in ghosts will enjoy the history of Denver and the compelling storytelling by the guide as a narrator. I brought my whole family and it was enjoyable for all ages from 12 to 77- There is a bit of walking and standing but some chances to sit down. Totally more interesting than walking around the area without information. The fun part (all of it is fun) was going inside Union Station and hearing the history that has been glossed over by historians trying to attract visitors to Denver. As the tour progresses, it gets better and better. By the time we exited Union Station, it was dark and the area was lit up with people enjoying the beautiful evening- you see pedicabs and bicycles, lit buildings and a fountain with lights in addition to the story weaver guide. This is the authentic tour to take.

I fact-checked several of the "events" highlighted on the tour. All ghost stories set aside, some…read moreof the historical events were factually wrong, had no documented evidence, or were just made up. The one exception was the Chinatown massacre; but there was a meaningful historical omission: how local white-owned businesses and residents hid and protected over 100 Chinese people during that riot. The entire narration was full of Marxist-ish moral evaluations that were truly eyerolling. The real facts of Denver history in its full context (and, yes, the fun and eerie ghostly aftermath) are fascinating on their own. Falsehoods and innuendo are actually quite boring.

We stopped in after snowshoeing above the town. There is still a lot of charm in Central City - as…read morethe town is not totally overrun with Casinos. Blackhawk, on the other hand, is mostly casinos - with just a bit of the old Victorian homes. The visitor center in Central City is a worthwhile stop. It's along one of main roads (there aren't many!). The gentleman in the center was very knowledgeable and helpful. For example - the fire code adopted in the late 1800's focused buildings made with stone - to resist fires. As a fire in the late 1800's (1874?) destroyed almost all of the wood frame buildings and homes. They also have quite a few historical pictures of Central City. Recommended!

I wish I had the name of the person working there, but he was extremely knowledgeable about this…read morehistory of the city. What's more, he gave us a lot of insight about the future of the city, as well as the neighboring city of Blackhawk. I'm glad I stopped by. This city has a rich history and so much promise beyond casinos. Don't hesitate to stop by. You'll have a greater appreciation of Central City.

I was totally stood up by the tour guide and the website left no way to contact her. I signed up…read morefor the walking tour and received a confirmation. Cut to the day of the walking tour (10/19/2025), I sat like an idiot on a bench at the courthouse for 30 minutes trying to find a way to reach out. I used the chat function on the website and googled the tour guide's name to find other ways to contact her. I eventually found her Instagram and reached out there. Still nothing. I did notice through her public IG stories that she wasn't even in the country. So needless to say, my morning plans were ruined and I squandered one of the few days I had in Boulder when I could have left early for the mountains instead, had that date not been available to book the tour. Be leery of this tour. Confirmation emails mean nothing and there's no way to reach out to her to actually confirm she'll show up.

I had a great time on a walking tour with Jitka! I've visited Boulder a few times before for work…read moretrips, and Jitka's tour gave me a lot of new information and context about the history of the city. Everyone else in the group with me was a Boulder local, and they all learned a lot, too! The tour is a leisurely walk around the Pearl street area, and lots of stops had shade. You'll walk one flight of stairs at one point up to a great view. Jitka was so kind and even offered an umbrella for shade to one of the participants. There was a break halfway through at the Boulderado hotel where you could use the restroom or refill your water bottle if needed. As of summer 2023, tours are on Saturday afternoons or Sunday mornings and require an advance reservation. The tour is genuinely pay-what-you-want; there's no cost to reserve and no pressure to tip at the end of the tour. But you'll want to, because you'll have a great experience!