You can easily find summer tour guide jobs that require no experience. When thinking about guiding, many people think of the jobs that require extensive experience and are physically demanding, such as a hiking or mountain biking guide. However, there are tour guide jobs that anyone can do that require little to no experience and are not as physically intense. This post will provide you with 10 unique tour guide jobs, how you can find them, and what qualifications you need to apply.
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FAQs About Summer Tour Guide Jobs
What is a summer tour guide?
A summer tour guide interacts with guests while taking them on site seeing tours/experiences. The jobs on this list are summer seasonal tour guide jobs that require little to no experience.
These are not adventure guide jobs. They do not require high physical demand.
What are the qualifications to work as a tour guide?
These jobs are for people who enjoy interacting with others and have public speaking skills. These jobs require you to memorize a lot of information that you can then explain to small or large groups of people. Most of these jobs only require you to be a certain age and will train you on everything else.
How much can you make as a tour guide?
Pay will vary depending on the state/job/company you work for. Usually these tour guide jobs make hourly minimum wage. Tour guides usually make a fair amount in tips.
Can you work as an international tour guide?
The jobs on this list are US based, but there are international tour guide jobs. Working internationally requires you to obtain the proper VISA and meet different working requirements.
10 Summer Tour Guide Jobs in the USA
1. Whale Watching Guide / Naturalist
Whale Watching Guides are also referred to as Naturalists and/or Marine Life Guides. They work on ships and educate the guests onboard about the marine life and history of the area while attempting to spot whales. They may also assist with onboarding guests, ticketing, cleaning, and other shipboard duties.
Job Length & Locations
These seasonal jobs usually take place from May-Oct, but follow the patterns of marine life migration in their specific area. You can find these jobs off the coast of Alaska, New England, the Northern Pacific, and other costal states via private and public tours/charters.
Qualifications & Training
You must be 18 years of age or older and most companies will require a CPR/first aid certification. While some companies prefer you to have experience in marine biology, the majority will train you in the information you need to know. They will assist you in obtaining any Coast Guard certifications you may need.
Where to Start Applying
- Gastineau Guiding
- Icy Straight Point
- Alaska Tales (Hires via CoolWorks and Indeed)
- Gentle Giants
- Jersey Shore Whale Watch Tour
- Juneau Whale Watching Tours
Where to Job Search
- Seasonal work websites like Coolworks or one of these these 19 websites
- Alaska job search websites like Alaska Jobs
- General job search websites like Indeed
- Costal resorts, lodges, and outfitters that offer these tour
2. Caves & Caverns Tour Guide
Cave, cavern, or mine tour guides are also referred to as Naturalists who take groups of guests on underground walking tours via pre-established paths that range between 30 minutes to 4 hours. Guides provide insight on how these ecosystems below the earth were discovered, utilized, and function. Guide tasks also include assisting with booking tours, assisting in the gift shop, cleaning helmets/equipment, and ensuring safety procedures are followed.
Job Length & Locations
Some caves/caverns are open all year round but most hire seasonally. You can find these jobs in any US state that boasts underground caves/tunnel systems. Many are protected by the National Park Service.
Qualifications & Training
To be a cave guide you need to be over the age of 16 and have the ability to enter and exit the cave you will be working in. The information you need on the cave system, history, and sciences will be provided to you via training.
Where to Start Applying
- Crystal Cave
- Cave of the Winds
- Cave of the Mounds
- Meramec Caverns
- Onyx Cave and Rock Shop
- Marengo Cave
Where to Job Search
- The National Park Service‘s caves, monuments, and parks
- General job search websites like Indeed
- Caves, caverns, tunnels, or mines in your area that offer tours
3. Train Tour Guide / Host
Train tour guides are also referred to as Rail Guides or Hosts. They ride in train cars with their guests while pointing out beautiful landscapes and/or explaining the history of the railways they are riding. Other responsibilities may include taking tickets, helping serve meals/snacks, boarding and debarking passengers, and more.
Job Length & Locations
Most train tours follow the summer season, running from April/May to October, but there are some in warmer locations that operate year round. They are popular in locations with breathtaking scenery such as Alaska, the Rocky Mountains, the Smokey Mountains, and various US National Parks.
Qualifications & Training
Age requirements range from 18-21. The information guides provide about the railroad history, stories of the area, geological information, and more is part of the provided training.
Where to Start Applying
- White Pass & Yukon Route
- Durango & Silverton Railroad
- Premier Alaska
- Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
- Rocky Mountaineer
- Yosemite Mountain: Sugar Pine Railroad
- Woodstown Central Railroad
Where to Job Search
- Rail companies with tour options such as; Great Rail Journeys or Amtrak
- Seasonal work websites like Coolworks or one of the 19 websites
- General job search websites like Indeed
- International train tour companies like Canada Rail or Europe-Journey
- For volunteer positons, search for state railway museums like Sacramento
4. Jeep Tour Guide
Some of these jobs will enable you to zoom over crazy terrain while others will allow you to cruise down smooth, pre-made paths. The types of tours a guide will take depends on the company they work for and specifics of their job. These jobs require guides to drive small groups of guests through beautiful scenery and stop at points of interest while providing information on the area.
Job Length & Locations
In states that see snow during the winter, like Colorado or Alaska, the season takes place from May to September. However, in the warmer locations like the Arizona or Nevada deserts, you can find these trips running the majority of the year. These jobs can be found in rocky mountains, sandy deserts, and calming forests across the USA.
Qualifications & Training
You must be 25 years or older (some are 21+) with a clean driving record and a valid driving license to be a jeep tour guide. Some jobs may require you to have a CDL. Guide knowledge of the area will be apart of your training.
Where to Start Applying
- Pink Jeeps
- Colorado Jeep Tours
- Smoky Mountain Jeep Tours
- Trail Dust Outdoor Tours
- Asheville Jeep Tours
- Adventures Out West
Where to Job Search
- General job search websites like Indeed
- Seasonal work websites like Coolworks or one of these 19 websites
- Lodges, resorts, and outfitters that offer jeep/atv tours
5. Coach Driver / Bus Tour Guide
Some bus drivers are the tour guides and they will give a tour over the intercom or provide tourists information during stops along the route. There are also tour guides who ride along with the bus driver and do not do the driving. Other responsibilities of this job may include ticketing, passing out snacks/beverages, keeping the bus clean, and loading and unloading guests.
Job Length & Locations
You can find these jobs wherever busses run. Most summer job opportunities are in high tourist areas like Alaska or the National Parks. Bus tours tend to run year round, changing their itinerary based off the current season and weather.
Qualifications & Training
Drivers must be 21 years or older (some locations 25+) with a valid drivers license, clean driving record, and have a CDL. Some companies (especially those in Alaska) will provide CDL training. Guide knowledge of the area will be apart of training.
Where to Start Applying
- Alaska Coach Tours
- HAP: Alaska Yukon Tours
- Xanterra Collection (For National Parks across the USA)
- City Sightseeing (Drivers and tour guides are separate positions)
Where to Job Search
- Lodges/resorts that offer tours
- The National Park Service‘s tour guide jobs
- Seasonal work websites like Coolworks or one of these 19 websites
- Bus tour companies like Big Bus Tours
- General job search websites like Indeed
- Alaska job search websites like Alaska Jobs
6. Segway Tour Guide
Segway tour guides takes tourists around the city via segway (a two-wheeled motorized personal vehicle). These tours can last from a few hours to a full day and usually focus on the city’s history, highlights, landmarks, and hidden gems.
Job Length & Locations
As a segway needs a paved path to run, you will find these tours taking place around busy cities like Boston, Chicago, San Fransisco, Auston, etc… You can find summer work contracts that are both full or part-time.
Qualifications & Training
Most segway tour guide positions require you to be 18 years of age or older with a valid drivers license. You will be trained on the information needed for the tour such as the history and landmarks of the location you are in.
Where to Start Applying
- ATL Cruzers
- Human on a Stick
- Boston Segway Tours
- Glide N.E.W.
- Segway of Scottsdale
- Chicago Segway (Hires via Indeed)
Where to Job Search
- Alaska jobs via the tourism job boards
- General job search websites like Indeed
7. E-Bike or Road Bike Tour Guide
If you enjoy cycling but don’t want to be mountain biking through crazy terrain, then why not try your hand as a tour guide via road bikes or e-bikes and stay on a more structured path. These bike guides take tour groups through paved nature paths, walkways along small towns, and down city sidewalks, stopping at highlights along the way to provide information.
Job Locations
E-bikes are more popular in tourist towns/cities, like Chicago or Sedona. Road bikes can be found anywhere and are very popular in costal towns like San Fransisco or Bar Harbor, and in nature focused locations like National and State parks.
Qualifications & Training
Guides need to be 18 years of age or older and know how to ride a bike. Some companies require you to have a valid drivers license and/or a first aid/CPR certification. You will be trained on any other information you need.
Where to Start Applying
- Santa Barbara Bike Tours
- Wilderness Voyageurs
- Adventure Cycling Association
- Madison Adventure Tours
- Cycle of Life Adventures
Where to Job Search
- Seasonal work websites like Coolworks or one of these 19 websites
- General job search websites like Indeed
- The National Park Service‘s tour guide jobs
- International companies such as Cycle Europe
- Resorts, campgrounds, or tourist information centers that offer these tours
8. Rail Biking Guide
Rail Bike guides get to peddle along railroad tracks with their guests via peddle bikes built onto the tracks themselves. They lead the way, peddling from 7-12 miles per tour, while ensuring their guests are able to keep up and properly use the equipment. Other responsibilities include assisting with gear rentals, cleaning equipment, booking tours, and more.
Job Length & Locations
These jobs are usually seasonal and range from May to October, but warmer states can host these tours for longer durations and sometimes year round. This activity has been gaining popularity over the past several years and can be found in most locations with train tracks. You can find summer work contracts that are both full or part-time.
Qualifications & Training
These guides usually need to be 18 years of age or older and be comfortable peddling long distances that can range up to 12 miles per day.
Where to Start Applying
- Pennsylvania Rail Bike
- Skunk Train
- Scenic Railriders
- Granite State Scenic Railway (Hires via Indeed)
- Colorado Railbike Adventures
- Blue Ridge Scenic Railway (Hires via Indeed)
Where to Job Search
- Companies with multiple locations like Rail Explorers USA or Revolution Rail Co.
- General job search websites like Indeed
- Rail and train companies that offer guided rail biking
9. Ghost Tours Guide
Ghost tour guides retell haunting stories as they walk tour groups through victorian mansions, across old cemeteries, and down dark cobble stone streets. They also may help with booking tours, guiding daytime tours, and more.
Job Locations
Ghost tours take place all across the USA; from popular cities like New Orleans to historic locations like Gettysburg or Salem. They are especially popular in towns that were established in the 1600s-1800s. You can also find them in older establishments like hotels and houses that have been around just as long.
Qualifications & Training
Most tour companies prefer their guides to be 18 year of age or older. There is preference given to those with great story telling skills. Guides will learn the ghost stories and historic information during training.
Where to Start Applying
Where to Job Search
- US Ghost Adventures Job Boards
- General job search websites like Indeed
- Haunted hotels and locations in the USA that offer tours
10. Safari Guide
Safari guides take guests on tours through animal exhibits and enclosures via walking and/or off-road vehicles. They introduce and educate guests on the animals that the zoo/park/sanctuary cares for. Other responsibilities may include cleaning enclosures, caring for animals, assisting in the gift shop, and more.
Job Locations
These jobs take place across the USA at indoor and outdoor zoos, aquariums, animal sanctuaries, amusement parks, and other animal based locations. While many safari guide positions are seasonal, there are other jobs at these locations that you can apply to work year round.
Qualifications & Training
Safari guides must be 18 years of age or older and love animals. The specifics of the animals you work with and information you need to deliver will be taught to you during training. Any prior animal experience or education in the zoology field is a plus.
Where to Start Applying
Where to Job Search
- The Association of Zoos & Aquarium’s job boards
- General job search websites like Indeed
- Zoos and amusement parks that offer Safari rides
Conclusion
If you want to be a tour guide this summer but do not have any experience, there are still unique job opportunities for you to take advantage of. These tour guide jobs are generally easy going and can be found in various locations across the USA. Hopefully this list gave you some ideas and ways to apply for a summer tour guide job. Have you worked as a seasonal tour guide? Are there any jobs that should be added to this list? Please let me know in the comments below!
