The word tour, derived from the Latin for "circle," describes the shape tour groups create as they surround and attack their "guide," which is French for "fact piñata." Obtain candied information by any means necessary with today's Groupon: for $20, you get one ticket to a Saratoga Springs Food Tours (a $40 value).

For 2.5 hours, tourists can thrive on historical, architectural, and edible tidbits courtesy of Saratoga Springs Food Tours in Saratoga Springs. The walking tour begins at the Saratoga Farmers Market, where locally grown legumes flaunt their healthy stuff to the tune of live music as tasters sample various dishes such as Greek–style yogurt, jams, tapenade, and goat cheese. After visiting the Olde Bryan Inn, a historic restaurant named for a Revolutionary War hero, carefully crafted olive oils and vinegars lube tongues at the Saratoga Olive Oil Company, and spicy concoctions highlight the region's diversity at Saratoga Salsa. Tours end on a sugary note at Bettie's Cupcakes with toothsome drinks and tiny treats that hold rampaging sweet teeth at bay.

Tours encompass far more than food tastings, thanks to an expert guide who fills brains with historical facts and knowledge about the architectural significance of buildings around the town. Afterward, minds are a bit wealthier, tummies a bit fuller, and unknown history a bit less unknowable.