REI Co-op is expanding its domestic multiday adventure travel trips, guided day tours, rentals and adventure center locations as part of a multi-year strategy to get 3 million people outside each year. Consumer interest in the outdoors and related activities has soared in recent years, and many have turned to spend time in nature for physical and mental well-being during the pandemic. And, REI has grown its experience offerings by more than 60 percent in the past year to meet the demand.
“The co-op was founded in 1938 by a group of 23 friends who loved to explore nature and share their passion and expertise with others. REI strives to build on this tradition and community through the expertise of our retail staff as well as our award-winning guides across the country,” said Mark Seidl, REI Experiences divisional vice president. “As the nation’s leading outdoor experience operator, we are working to expand our offering to new locations that will empower all to experience urban and iconic destinations in new and unforgettable ways.”
This month, REI opens the doors of a Bay Area Adventure Center in Richmond, Calif., with bike, paddling and camping gear rentals. The facility will be a home base for a 50-person guide team that leads day tours and multiday trips in the region. REI also hosts kayaking classes and day tours from the adjacent Richmond Marina and broader programming throughout the Bay Area.
To further complement REI’s regional ecosystem of experience offerings in the Bay Area, REI soon will launch bike and e-bike rentals in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf for urban cycling opportunities along San Francisco’s famed waterfront and minutes from the Presidio and Golden Gate Bridge. The location will open in early August.
In addition to the Bay Area facility, the co-op operates an Arizona Adventure Center in Scottsdale, Ariz., that offers gear rentals and day tours while serving as the base for the co-op’s multiday guide teams in the Southwest. REI also has seasonal rentals and programming through two boathouses in Bellevue, Wash., and winter snowshoe rental pop-up at Snoqualmie Pass outside Seattle.
REI Experiences offers 124 multiday adventure travel trips led by professional local guides. Fully hosted small groups explore the country’s natural places as guests hike, backpack, cycle, paddle, climb, snowshoe and more. So far this year, 22 new trips have been added to REI’s travel assortment, of which more than half are hiking and backpacking. REI now operates a private signature camp adjacent to Bryce National Park that is featured in five itineraries. Other new trips include:
- Four Shenandoah National Park trips offer classic camping, backpacking or lodge-based options.
- Two Death Valley National Park trips double REI’s assortment to four itineraries for hiking and cycling with nights spent camping or at a hotel.
- Three new Grand Canyon National Park trips bring REI’s offering to 14 total itineraries. Recently added trips offer new ways to experience the park, including a six-day family adventure of the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell, a four-day hiking and lodge-based trip, and a four-day Thunder River Loop women’s backpacking trip.
- A Point Reyes National Seashore backpacking trip to explore the scenic and diverse habitats and wildlife over three days.
- A Trans Catalina Islands backpacking trek features jaw-dropping views, pristine beaches and prolific wildlife over a 38.5-mile adventure.
- Three San Juan Islands trips bring REI’s assortment to 11 trips in the region with curated adventures for hikers, cyclists, families and women.
The co-op will continue to add more trips to meet the demand, especially for weekend adventurers, travelers 35 years and younger, women and families.
In addition to multiday adventure trips, REI offers day tours and educational programming in 14 cities through a range of expertise for anyone to learn or sharpen their outdoor skillsets for camping, cycling, paddling, climbing and more. The co-op’s most popular classes are Wilderness Survival Skills, Map & Compass, as well as the Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder training courses from a decade-long partnership with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). The co-op also is a leader in teaching youth and adults how to ride a bike.
For more information, visit https://www.rei.com/adventures/all-trips
