How to Tour Colleges on Weekends, Holidays, and School Breaks

For many prospective students and families, visiting college campuses is one of the most important steps in the college decision process. Yet there’s a common frustration: official college tours often aren’t available when families are actually free to visit.

Weekends, school breaks, holiday periods, and summer are the most practical times for families to travel. Unfortunately, these are also the times when many colleges pause or limit their official campus tours.

If you’ve ever tried to plan a college visit during winter break, spring break, or over the summer and hit a dead end, you’re not alone. Below, we’ll explain why this happens, what your options are, and how to still get a meaningful campus tour during these high-demand times.

Why Colleges Don’t Always Offer Tours During Breaks

Most official campus tours are run by admissions offices and staffed by student employees. When students leave campus for:

• Weekends
• Holiday breaks
• Winter break
• Spring break
• Summer

…those tour programs often scale back or pause entirely.

Common reasons include:

• Student tour guides traveling home
• Reduced admissions office hours
• Limited access to campus buildings
• Staffing and budget constraints

Ironically, these are exactly the times most families are able to visit.

Why Visiting During Breaks Can Still Be Valuable

Even though official tours may be unavailable, visiting during breaks can have real advantages.

Travel Without Missing School

Breaks and summers make it easier to visit campuses without missing classes, activities, or exams.

A More Relaxed Campus Feel

Without large tour groups, you can explore at your own pace and focus on what matters most to you.

A More Authentic Perspective

Seeing campus outside the polished admissions tour can still reveal a lot about layout, housing, and daily student life.

How to Tour Colleges on Weekends and Holidays

When official tours aren’t offered, families still have several options.

Self-Guided Campus Tours

Many colleges provide self-guided tour maps that let you walk campus independently and visit major landmarks.

Helpful resources include:

• Individual college admissions websites
• College Board campus visit planning tips

Limitations of self-guided tours:

• No access to residence halls
• No real-time answers to questions
• Limited insight into student culture

Student-Led Tours Outside Official Hours

For families looking to visit campuses on weekends or holidays, a SchoolScoops private student-led college tours can offer a flexible alternative when admissions offices are closed.

Current students can often meet during:

• Weekends
• Holiday breaks
• Winter and spring breaks
• Summer months

These tours allow families to ask candid questions and see campus through a real student’s perspective.

You can browse all colleges where SchoolScoops private tours are available and see which schools offer tours during weekends, school breaks, and summer.

Touring Colleges During Summer

Summer is one of the most popular times for college visits — and also one of the most limited for official tours.

Some universities offer reduced schedules, while others rely heavily on self-guided options.

To make the most of a summer visit:

• Schedule early, as availability fills quickly
• Walk residence hall areas to understand housing
• Visit academic buildings related to your intended major
• Explore student gathering spaces and nearby neighborhoods

For many families, summer college tours led by students provide a way to explore campus even when official programs aren’t running.

Touring Colleges During Winter and Spring Break

Break-period visits can be quieter but still worthwhile.

Helpful tips:

• Check academic calendars before booking travel
• Expect fewer students on campus
• Focus on layout, location, and surrounding areas
• Plan to ask detailed questions about student life

During these periods, college tours during school breaks led by current students can help fill the gap left by paused admissions tours.

What to Focus On When Touring Outside Official Tours

No matter how or when you tour, prioritize:

• Residence halls and dining options
• Academic buildings for your intended major
• Campus layout and walkability
• Student gathering spaces
• The surrounding town or city

Most importantly, ask real questions about workload, housing, social life, and support resources.

Final Thoughts

College tours shouldn’t be limited to weekdays during the academic year. For most families, that simply isn’t realistic.

While colleges may not always offer official tours during weekends, holidays, school breaks, or summer, you still have options. With a bit of planning — and by exploring student-led alternatives — you can visit campuses when it actually works for your schedule and still get meaningful insight.

If you want to explore campuses on your own timeline, you can book a private campus tour with a current student on SchoolScoops at many colleges nationwide.

SchoolScoops connects college applicants with current college students for private campus tours, personalized for you. Choose a tour guide you can relate to and trust, and get the inside scoop to find the school that fits you best.