Lustig Tours

 
 
What is Lustig Tours, Holiday?
Trips to Europe, and trips in the continental US for small groups, organized and hosted by Ross and Valina Polka from Das ist Lustig Band. 
 
Each Europe trip is unique, visiting different regions of Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and more.  Excursions are hand picked, and guests are guided in English through palaces, castles, cathedrals, museums, monuments, breweries, wineries, smithies, foundries, historic city centres and more.  Outdoor adventures to water falls, open air museums, folk festivals, dinner cruises, horse drawn carriage rides, and scenic mountain tops too.  Free time in most places for shopping and exploring too.  Plus, there’s live music daily!  Local musicians play for guests, we attend a concert, or Ross and Valina play.  They bring their instruments along to entertain you. 
 
Trips in the continental US are fun, with local gatherings to see Texas history, breweries, wineries and other fun places.  Party buses to German festivals around the country where we play, or where we just want to go!  The Road Trip 2022 took us through several top notch German restaurants, two really great Dutch restaurants, a fascinating bone museum, American history at a sunken river boat treasure, adventure at the Gateway Arch, a village of Dutch heritage, a village of German heritage, the pre-prohibition US wine country, and old Route 66. Lots of music and laughs all along the way!

Would you like to go to Europe and visit the places about which you've always heard?
Would you like to tell your friends about places you got to visit?  Would you like to travel with a small group, in a private bus with drinks, air conditioning, a lavatory, and no worries about where to park, or who's going to drive you home?

What have our past trips been like?  Drop in on the pages of our previous trips to see what we experienced! 
 
“Music, fun and dancing every where we went....such a merry band of travelers....were we”

— Carole W

Our group trips are unique.  It's more like a family vacation with friends, complete with vacation movies!  Carl Henderson has joined us for every trip so far.  He takes footage and photos everywhere we go, then he edits the footage together to share the experiences.  Click on the links below! 

2016 Germany Trip

2017 Germany Trip part 1

2017 Germany Trip part 2

2018 Germany and Netherlands Trip part 1

2018 Germany and Netherlands Trip part 2<br>


In July 2015, we embarked on an exciting research trip to Germany and the Netherlands, where we picked up a whole suitcase full of brochures from places we visited with the hopes of taking you with us for our next visit!  There is so much to be seen, tasted, experienced, discovered, and photographed.  Beautiful landscapes, imposing fortresses, romantic vinyards, relaxing waterways, exciting cultural displays, breathtaking palaces, basilicas and cathedrals...the list could go on and on!  From the centuries old cobbles under your feet to the tops of the cathedral spires, when you're in Europe, you're surrounded by unbelievable beauty and history!  
 

About the tour hosts:  Ross and Valina of Das Ist Lustig have each traveled and performed in Europe many times.  Valina visited the Netherlands every other year since she was born, and lived there as an exchange student 1991 - 1992.  Ross toured with his family as a child, then toured and performed with the UMKC accordion orchestra in the early 2000's.  Bus driver Helmut speaks a little English, and goes above and beyond on each trip to make travel a breeze for guests.  Sam is Valina's brother.  He has also traveled in Europe since childhood.  He acts as an assistant, schlepper of luggage and general good humor guy.  Ross and Valina are familiar with some of the local customs, and speak some German, as well as Dutch. 

Why travel with Das Ist Lustig?  You will experience Europe with a group of people who love laughter, history, architecture, nature, live music, a variety of ethnic foods, and beverages.  Many travelers are repeat clients who are happy to share their prior experiences and can't wait for the next trip with the group.  Hotels are in friendly villages where the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities is left behind, and a little bit of the old ways are still alive in the day to day activity of the people who live there.  Lustig Tours strives to find unique places to visit as well as ensuring you get to see the popular places too.  We bring some of our instruments, and provide music for evening parties and fellowship. 

Keep an eye on this website for updates.