All you need is a route, a script and a community

Discovery. Curiosity. New Perspective. A good tour and good journalism both deliver these. 

Now, let’s take your reporting for a walk.

A Tour Guide for Journalists will help you go from “someday I’ll try tours” to intentionally stepping outside with your community. Walking tours bring local journalism alive, while also building trust, engaging new audiences, and generating revenue.

The first step is a simple pilot. You don’t need perfection; you need a route, a script, and a community.

This free guide introduces key concepts like:

• Why media organizations should consider tours
• The theory behind “tours-as-journalism”
• Practical information about operating tours

Along with actionable steps including:

• How to plan your first tour with a signature itinerary
• Launching a pilot and measuring the results
• Deciding what to do next after a pilot

It also includes interviews and case studies from four independent publications and one freelance writer who are putting these theories into practice.

The guide takes a few hours to review and includes brainstorming exercises. Planning and executing a pilot can take as little as 40 hours. 

Take the time and discover the potential of tours, an impactful in-person experience ripe for journalists.

Who is this guide for?

Local news organizations, niche or topic-specific publications, and independent journalists, writers or creators.

Why does this matter?

Local publications have a crucial role to play in their communities, and news consumption habits continue to change. Journalists need to consider all options when it comes to providing news and information. 

In-person connection is important to build trust and stand out in the modern media ecosystem. Tours create a space for information to flow both ways, and for journalists to be present in their communities.

Tours offer an alternative to events, which can be time consuming with high up front costs. They can help drive revenue too, through grants, sponsorships, memberships or donations.

Who is behind the guide?

Well, me! I’m Cara Kuhlman, founder and editor of Future Tides, and now a tour guide. I also work in public media leading digital strategy at KNKX Public Radio. An avid sailor and boat nerd, Future Tides merges my maritime and media passions — which I get to share via tours.

I first considered tours as part of Future Tides’ business plan in 2021. I launched a pilot in 2024 and am preparing for Future Tides’ third tour season this year. 

My experience with journalism events, niche and nonprofit media, teaching, and traveling all influence how I approach this new venture. Now, I am thrilled to share what I’ve learned in the field and through my research as a 2025-2026 RJI Fellow. 

Subscribe to receive occasional email updates about my work with tours and digital journalism. 

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Cite this article

Kuhlman, Cara (2026, Feb. 27). Plan your walking tour pilot with ‘A Tour Guide for Journalists’. Reynolds Journalism Institute. https://rjionline.org/news/plan-your-walking-tour-pilot-with-a-tour-guide-for-journalists/