Q My husband and I are planning to travel to Europe next year. I have found tours through several tour operators, and we are trying to select the best one. Is there a website or other means we can use to evaluate these companies to make sure we choose a good one?

A When looking for a group tour, your best bet may be to work through a travel agent. There are so many variables -- mode of travel, size of group, destinations -- and a travel agent could help you sort through the offerings of reputable companies to find a trip that suits your style. Many travel agents have been on such tours and can offer personal insights.

That said, if you've already found a few appealing options, you can vet them in a few ways. See if they are affiliated with the U.S. Tour Operators Association, whose members offer tours worldwide and must meet certain ethical and business standards, including carrying at least a million dollars in liability insurance. At its website (www.ustoa.com), you can search for members by name. You should also inquire at travel website forums. At sites such as www.fodors.com/community and www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree, you can post a question and wait for replies. You could wind up with some eye-opening reviews from travelers who have been on the same tour.

Answers to travelers' questions appear weekly in Travel and at startribune.com/escapeartists; send your question by e-mail to travel@startribune.com.

kerri westenberg

WEB WATCH

Log onto www.dailygetaways.com and you'll find daily travel deals offered through the U.S. Travel and Tourism Association (Discover America). Trying to drum up more business for U.S. tourism, the website is being marketed worldwide. It features really good "buy now" offers open to anyone (example: two nights' stay at Harrah's in Las Vegas for two, plus limo service -- for $225) and travel deals you can bid for. (The catch: Auctions accept American Express cards only.) At the site, you can check out today's offers, preview upcoming offers, bid on trips and sign up for an e-mail newsletter.

MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

TRIP TIP

Steven Slater's unusual method of quitting his job as a flight attendant for JetBlue Airways -- fleeing down the emergency chute -- raises the question: Why have the friendly skies become so unfriendly? Could it be all the extra fees, the long security lines, the crowded planes? All of the above, says Robert Reid, U.S. travel editor for Lonely Planet. So what can passengers do to avoid another Slater moment? Reid has some tips: If the ticket-counter agent doesn't give you an upgrade, don't be rude; that agent will probably also be your flight attendant. Be friendly; say hello to your flight attendant. Don't get mad if your flight attendant asks you to put your iPod away; follow the rules. "If you treat people with the respect you want to be treated with, even on an airline, you'll have a better flight," Reid said.

WASHINGTON POST

READER REQUEST

Going somewhere near or far? The students of Robbinsdale Middle School (RMS) would appreciate getting a postcard describing something unique about the region you're visiting. To celebrate becoming an all International Baccalaureate School, the students and faculty plan to showcase an evolving collection of postcards sent from around the world. The address: RMS c/o IBMYP; 3730 Toledo Av. N.; Robbinsdale, MN 55422.

KERRI WESTENBERG

SIDEROADS

Spend the day hiking and exploring the scenery of Itasca State Park, about 20 miles north of Park Rapids, Minn., on Saturday during the fourth annual North Country Trail Hiking Fest. Visitors can take guided or self-guided hikes along the North Country Trail and other park trails, and trek to the headwaters of the Mississippi River. In the morning, an "Animals of the North Country" program will be held. Hikes and family activities will be held from noon to 4:30 p.m. and include a scavenger hike, geocaching (limited GPS supplies will be available). A social hour, barbecue dinner, North Country trivia talk and concert by the Holker Family will round out the day (1-218-699-7259; www.north countrytrail.org/llc/?page_id=92).

COLLEEN A. COLES

NEXT WEEK IN TRAVEL

A local company that offers adventure vacations -- with a dose of volunteerism -- heads to Guatemala.