Segway Tours, Atlanta, GA

Stop snickering, these things are awesome

by Anna Bentley | September 17, 2010

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You can laugh, but what I’m about to tell you is the indisputable truth: Segway tours are really fun.

I know what you’re thinking. Only mall cops and Gob from Arrested Development ride Segways; Segways are embarrassing; I would kill/seriously injure myself on a Segway; Segways are embarrassing; I’d rather sightsee from the top of a two-decker bus, thanks; Segways are seriously embarrassing.

The thing about Segways is that they’re almost an illusion. When you’re not on one, they’re awkward and kind of pointless. But when you’re on one, they’re the most awesome things ever.

Your Segway tour will start with about 20 minutes of practice led by your Segway sensei, the tour guide. You’ll learn how to get on and off the Segway, how to accelerate and decelerate, how to handle bumps and how to turn. Unfortunately, your tour guide will not be able to teach you how to ignore your lurking self-doubt, and you’ll start the tour certain that you won't leave this tour without a bruise, whether it be to your shins or your pride. This is normal.

After a few minutes, you’ll loosen up. Once you’ve successfully crossed a few streets and handled some bumpy patches, you’ll start to become a Segway tour believer. Then, you will have the most awesome tour experience of your life. I know because it happened to me.

The Shrader clan and I booked a Segway tour during our trip to Chicago last fall on an “I don’t know anyone in this city, so who cares how embarrassing this is” whim, but it turned out to be my favorite part of the trip. Sometimes you just have to break out of your comfort zone, and sometimes you have to do it on self-balancing people movers.

City Segway Tours offers four specialized Segway tours of Atlanta ranging from one and a half to three hours long and from $50 to $70 a person. While all of the tours deserve your consideration, the Legends and Lore tour sounds particularly amazing.. and perfect for an October vacation. It’s basically a ghost tour with Segways. Can you imagine? So awesome.

Check citysegwaytours.com for tour specifics, prices, schedules and rules. Segway tours are best suited for children 12 and over, and you must weigh 100 pounds to participate.