First Impressions

To be honesty I thought he was dorky (word stolen from my kids) for the same reason as Allan. How to walk across a street, really?😁
It didn’t take me long to see him differently. His travel shows helped us decide to take one of his tours. Our first was to Turkey. We were sold! He grew in us!

First heard of Rick when PBS first started his TV show. I'd always wanted to visit Europe, but never had the opportunity. His shows were my vicarious European visits. When the opportunity finally came to go to Europe, I headed straight to my local bookstore for his Europe Through the Backdoor and Best of Europe books. And I read them voraciously before the trip. This was years before Internet research was a thing.

This was during the Gulf War and DH was stuck on a destroyer out there. His 50th birthday gift to me was a 3 week Best if Europe bus tour. I was the only one on the bus with those books, and the only one who "dared" to go off on my own. It wasn't long before the others started asking to look at what Rick recommended for our next stop.

Back in the mid-late '80s, there was a wholesale travel bookstore in my city, where I would go very few months to pick through their stack of remaindered and outdated books, maps, and accessories. I picked up a copy of one of Rick's early books - I think it was called "Europe in 22 Days". I thought it was interesting, as it seemed to be written for a young middle class traveler with just-past-college budgets and interests. It included advice about couchsurfing, poaching uneaten food off college dorm trays, and other cheap travel tricks. I had already traveled some, with Let's Go Guidebooks, so understood the style. But it didn't really impress me, and I was ready for a more adult style of travel. A few years later, when his TV show appeared, I didn't put his name together with the old book I had read for some time. Then I appreciated his unassuming manner and willingness not to skip the little details an independent traveler might need to know. Life got in the way, and it wasn't until years later that I realized that he ran actual tours, and started picking up his ETBD and country specific guidebooks as much for the reading pleasure than for planning. Then as our travel picked up as we got older, he became more of a comfortable source of information, in a way the nameless faceless guidebook writers, and the show-off TV luxury travelers did (and do) not.

1990 or 91. In those days the company was known as "Europe Through the Back Door" and they had representatives who held seminars on European travel. That's where I learned about packing light and only using carry on sized bags. They also sold his books and bags. I bought the original "Back Door Bag" that looks nothing like his carry on bag today. It was made of ballistic nylon, was very simple in design, hideaway backpack straps, and the internal tie down straps did not have clips. You actually had to tie them together. The tag inside says 1988. I still have the bag in storage.

I believe I also bought "Europe Through the Back Door"--the book.

They also promoted his tours but I decided not to take one because in those days you couldn't get a single room. You had to share.

I don't remember how I first heard of him.

I think I learned about him from PBS. In 2001, I was returning to Italy after 20 odd years and though I had a travel companion, she was upfront from the start..she had no time for a lot of planning discussion and was essentially along for the ride. I used RS Italy Guide exclusively that trip, but I don't limit myself to them.
I had previous travel experience and he leaves out stuff or places I want to see, so I tend to get books from the library and read them all. The one that best suits my travel an gets bought and includes Post Its with notes from other references. I do think for Europe practical advice I am more apt to buy his, however.
For food or lodging, it is only for the tips and area of a town to stay in. It is infrequent now that his recommendations fit my budget particularly given the Cdn$ exchange.
I always watch his videos for places and dorky or not, I don't mind the jokes.
I doubt I will ever do the tours. Cost and pace are the reasons.
Reality is any guide or travel guru is a practical guide to fulfill my independent plans and I am not committed to any one. Though I have never bought a Fodors or Frommers as the are so not me.

Our first trip to Europe (1999) was with a music group and completely planned for us. When we decided to return on our own the following year, I spoke with a friend who had traveled in Europe and she recommended Rick's books. Her statement was that each time she had stayed in a lodging recommended by RS she had been pleased with it and the ones she had chosen on her own not so much. We took her advice, studied the Italy book and had a wonderful trip - and many succeeding ones.

We used to spend our Sunday mornings having a bacon and egg breakfast and watching Rick on the local KCTS station in Seattle in the mid to late 80’s. I absolutely devoured all the shows and fantasized about someday going to Europe.
For our 30th wedding anniversary in 2013, my husband surprised me and said we ARE going on one of Rick’s tours. I started crying with surprised happiness, we set off on his Germany Austria Switzerland 14 day tour and have never looked back. Love the good information about Europe in his guidebooks and all the tours we’ve taken. I look forward to many more... when we can travel again.

I don’t remember how we came across Rick Steves. I only know that my husband had discovered Europe Through the Back Door in 1993. We planned our entire honeymoon around the Rick Steves books, starting in holiday and ending in Paris. We even ran into Rick Steves in St. Goar Germany. We had the old backpack style suitcases, the day bag and his books. It was our first time to Europe and we had a blast. We have traveled together in Europe many times over the past 27 years, sometimes with kids, sometimes with friends, but always through the Back Door.

Sandy

I stumbled across Europe Through The Back Door a long time ago, it stimulated my travel gland and gave me the confidence to plan my first trip to Europe, a solo trip to Italy, Rick's Italy guide book was my bible. The trip was the start of an ongoing odyssey. I have since evolved away from guide books in general but I still take Rick's phrase books with me. I am thankful for the early advise that got the ball rolling.
Ran into the guy once in Assisi

Travel Guru....yeah why not?
Cheapskate..........that seems a little strong.
Brad

I've posted this elsewhere, but I ran across this forum before I ran across Rick while googling something like "best tour company Italy trip." The results brought me to a forum post, and I started reading more and more posts, ultimately deciding I didn't need to do a tour to travel to Italy -- I could do it on my own. Then I explored the website more -- watched some videos, watched some travel skills videos. Then I bought Europe Through the Back Door. Then I pulled off my first trip to Europe... to Salzburg and Innsbruck... not to Italy. The Italy trip was planned for 3 weeks in 2015; my travel companion and I decided to do a 9-day trip in 2014 to make sure we could stand each other that long before doing a 3-week trip together. It worked out great, and we hit Italy the next year.

Had never heard of Rick until my M-I-L came to visit us in 2007 from Ohio and had one of his books. The only thing on her list of things to see in Frankfurt that she had gleaned from the pages, was the Red Light District. She insisted that I take her there to see it, since Rick went on and on about it. I was shocked and could not figure out why this figured so prominently in his book when there were so many wonderful things to see here that he never mentioned. So, off we went to the RLD.
She left the book at our house and I began to read more about what he wrote about Frankfurt. Again, I was shocked, but this time because of the numerous inaccuracies that it contained, one after another. So, I made a 2 page list and sent it to them. They thanked me and the next year, an editor touched base with me and we went around correcting all the mistakes except for 2 of them. Those would take longer, one would only happen after touring with Rick himself, and he corrected it in his book the next year. The next year, the last mistake was corrected when the editor was sent multiple examples of facts, so that she could present them to Rick. This has now been corrected in the book. Seriously, why should it take so long to correct mistakes? Guides in Berlin and Munich think he is a hoot, and laugh about the stuff he says about their cities. So much of it is simply not true.

This has left me with the thought that this was just one city, how many other cities need to have multiple corrections? Frankly, as nice as he is, he isn't accurate and this bugs me since so many people use his books as a bible.

Anyway, found my way to the Forum and have made lots and lots of friends and hopefully, helped a few people with tips and information about traveling around this area of Germany or those doing a Camino.

I stumbled across RS books in the late 1990s and used them extensively to travel in Italy. They were a good starter to prompt me to do more research. I liked the "how-to" functionality. When I started the RnR website in 2007, no doubt it was based on answering those same basic questions - How to ride the Metro - How to buy a train ticket - How to get from the Airport... etc.

As Ms. Jo remarks, providing the "correct info" was imperative but the flexibility of a webpage vs. a book in print did make that easier. Step-by-step photos also helped!

Thus, no doubt, the RS influence was impactful in the initial postings on that website.

I stumbled across Europe Through The Back Door a long time ago, it
stimulated my travel gland and gave me the confidence to plan my first
trip to Europe,

We loved our Mediterranean Cruise but the one thing it was missing was an opportunity to see those same places at night. When we got back, I also stumbled across Europe Through the Back Door and then his travel skills 3 part TV series which gave the basics for such things as how to buy a train ticket. Once again, small details that I appreciate and gave me the confidence to spread my wings and travel other ways. So I find it curious how his travel philosophy is almost opposite of someone who is also promoting tours, but it all seems to work. It's because of that independent travel philosophy even promoted within his tours that my wife and I decided to try out one of his tours-for us it was Loire to the South of France, and we loved it. It still gave us a lot of independence so we could plan things on our own as well.

What I'm finding now is that I don't have a favourite method of travel and it all comes down to what best suits what we want to see and do. Scotland is next up and we looked at the RS tour, but it didn't go to some of the places that were important to us. But thanks to his books, we feel comfortable with multiple choices of travel style.

I was not interested in travel until 2015. Prior to that I had only one travel dream and that was for me to travel by myself on a guided tour. The by myself part was due to the fact that I am a caretaker and I wanted to experience Ireland (genetic roots) selfishly for myself. The guided tour part was because I did not have the skills or desire to do it by myself. I took a CIE tour which I enjoyed immensely, however I was not completely satisfied with the style.

After I returned from Ireland, I wanted to keep traveling. So I got out the internet and started searching for a tour company that better fit my needs and style. My search returned companies like OAT, Road Scholar and others. I kept returning to RS Europe. It was also a plus that this forum existed and there were so many people that were happy with their trips. I went on the Scandinavia tour in 2017, Best of Italy 2018 and Turkey 2019.

I am now ready to try an independent trip (with my adult son as companion). We hope to go next year once travel is safer and before the bus tours start back up. But I hope to take many future RS tours. Even my 22 year old son enjoyed the bus tour and hopes to take more RS tours.

I also stumbled upon Europe through the Back Door and used it for my first visit to Europe in 1986. I had that book until just recently, because I can't find it anywhere in the house now. But I pulled it out all the time to revisit some of the suggestions he had.

We now use the Rick Steves books when we travel and I love the audiotours. Maybe sometime we will save enough for a tour!

1997-Our neighbors and good friends had lived in Germany a number of years on an USAF assignment that caused them to fall in love with Europe. Sadly, we were not able to visit them while they lived there but when they returned to the US, they invited us to take a trip with them to their previous German “home” to celebrate their landlord's 90th birthday in the tiny village where they had lived. Having not been to Europe together, my husband and I were thrilled and of course said we would love to! They sent us a book, one of the early Rick Steves' ETTBD, and asked us to plan the rest of our 3 week trip. It was the beginning of a wonderful love affair with travel to Europe, sometimes with them or other friends, sometimes with our family (kids and later grandkids) and often on our own. As someone else said, always with a Rick Steve’s guide book in tow. Yes, we did use others, too, but his were our chief informational source back then and still are. His method of travel suits us! I think his books are also fun and easy to read.

I first stumbled upon Rick while scrolling through the guide to see what was on tv. I was immediately hooked on his approach to travel. We've always been big planners- not to the point of sucking the life and opportunity for spontaneity out of a trip- but if you're gonna pay that much at least go in being informed so you can get the most out of it. But travel for us had always been on the domestic level- we'd never seriously talked about travelling abroad. But one episode of Rick Steves Europe and I was immediately starting the research. Now it's pretty much what I want to do for every summer vacation.

One thing that inspires me about Rick's approach to travel is how he kind of soaks it all in, doesn't rush, and takes the time to interact with the locals. That's still a work in progress for us, as we are the type who typically try to cram in as much as possible, sometimes at the expense of taking a little time to really appreciate where you are, such as siting back on a rooftop, and soaking it all in. Same thing with interaction with the locals- not to the point that Rick does maybe, but still stop and chat with them more. We did that when we hired a personal guide to walk us around the Forum in Rome. It was more than just a factual walk; the one on one experience really allowed us to have a more personal conversation and experience. I'm not sociable by nature but I want to try more of that next time we travel.

We had wanted to go to Europe for awhile when our kids were 15/17 yrs. old back 14 years ago- we needed a push - Rick was the push and we have not looked back ever since. He has been a confidence booster, a walking guide and a wealth of knowledge for us! Rick is great!

We first ran across the RS Edmonds Store (we lived near Seattle) in 2003 when I saw an ad that they were having a travel guides reunion weekend. We went to go find out about taking their GAS tour for our 25th anniversary. We liked what we heard, and Margaret was the guide speaking about the GAS tour. She has a classical music background which made me excited, and she ended up being our tour guide!

We saw Rick when we would go to their travel classes. One time he happened to be my French language partner to practice the words we learned! He had a nice sense of humor!

First heard about him in the mid-90’s. A friend in high school had used the Europe Through the Backdoor book and told me about it. Didn’t really start following him and using his books until after college though. I’m 2003, my husband and I went to a lecture in the Edmonds theater that the company uses and used his guidebooks for the first time on a trip to Spain/Portugal. I like that there are good, practical tips and he often recommends places that are a bit more off the beaten path for Americans (like Salema in Portugal). We love the shows this forum has really helped me refine our travel planning. My husband and I talk about how much better we’ve gotten at planning over the years - less driving, not cramming as much in, etc. The advice I get here is so helpful with that.

We did that when we hired a personal guide to walk us around the
Forum in Rome. It was more than just a factual walk; the one on one
experience really allowed us to have a more personal conversation and
experience. I'm not sociable by nature but I want to try more of that
next time we travel.

I wrote on another post that I didn't like private guides because I'm introverted and feel awkward in one on one situations because my tolerance and skills in the art of small talk are limited. But when I read comments like this I have to wonder if I need to reevaluate.

Allan, I pegged the "I" meter in the Meyers-Briggs test, so don't find introvert to be a negative description. However, the classic definition of introvert (its not "shyness") is someone who finds being around a lot of people to be draining, and spending time alone in reflection to be recharging. But that doesn't mean not doing well in small groups or one-on-one, when you're actually talking about something, not pointlessly nattering away like an extrovert. 🙂

I wrote on another post that I didn't like private guides because I'm introverted and feel awkward in one on one situations because my tolerance and skills in the art of small talk are limited. But when I read comments like this I have to wonder if I need to reevaluate.

Allan - You don't need to worry about small talk with private guides. For one thing, the good ones are professional talkers and know how to put all kinds of people at ease; and another thing - you have a ready-made subject so you don't have to wrack your brain for something to talk about.

It was a dark and stormy winters night during August 2004. I had been watching the morning swimming heats from the Athens Olympics. It was nearly midnight, but I was not tired, so I channel surfed and settled on the national tv channel that featured foreign language films and programs and other events that the commercial channels tended to ignore. Montalbano, Inspector Rex etc, sporting events like soccer World Cup, Giro, Le Tour. I think I was hoping for an Italian movie featuring a gorgeous star, perhaps Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, or similar ilk.

Instead, I stumbled on a new travel series fronted by a lanky yank espousing the joys of Venice. A phonetical foreign language of sorts. Would have been happy with an Italian movie. A few years later realised that this was from the first season. I knew the place where he was filming, a mates nono and nona lived in the area and we had stayed with them on a few occasions. I rather enjoyed the gregarious, at times quirky self-effacing nature of the presentation. Programmed the VCR to tape the rest of the series.

In 2010 my 16-year-old daughter’s high school class undertook a 3-week Italian tour as part of their curriculum. Rome, Florence, Venice. She was given several tasks. Got the Wheeler’s latest Lonely Planet and then remembered the series from 2004 and found the website, watched the relevant episodes with her and purchased an Italy 2010 edition from a local online seller. She put these resources to good use. Turned her into a travel tragic. She is currently suffering withdrawal symptoms; with I suspect another 12 months to go. I often commiserate with her husband, and then thank him for taking her.

Since then, I have frequently checked into the website watching how the business develops and see what I can learn and apply elsewhere. Admirable business ethics combined with meeting client expectation and one is rewarded with business success. Have never tried packaged travel offerings but Steve’s are the best I have seen.

Stay alert and safe.

Regards Ron

Our first European trip was to Italy for our 25th anniversary in 1997. I had heard of Rick from my parents, who had seen some of his shows. I read Europe Through the Back Door and used his Italy guide as my main resource for planning the trip, and it was great. Since then I have always used his guidebooks to get a sense of what I want to do, although now of course I supplement it with online resources and this forum.

We watched the tv show first and continue to do so today. The travel bookcase has is full of RS guide books from all our Europe travels. We are independent travelers who like traveling close to the ground. The practical info on transportation and ratings on sites to see are invaluable. The rooms and restaurant info has become less important with the internet and just finding food in areas we visit. We do pay attention to recommendations to save time. Lonely Planet books are purchased for places not covered by RS books. Also purchase other guides when renting a car for rural areas not covered in RS books. Have taken one RS tour out of curiosity. It was very good, but feel Europe is more approachable traveling on your own. We have used his travel bags for 20 years. The Civita day bag is soft and weighs almost nothing. You can stuff it full or empty. Used the rolling carryon soft side suitcase for 18 years. The old bag is just a little too big for European carry on. At 73 I just changed to the RS soft backpack. I pack light and have to cinch it way down. No more dragging a roller over cobblestones waking everyone up during early morning departures. Found the Forum 3 years ago and enjoy the interactions. The scrapbooks are great. I get teased about how much the RS travel philosophy has shaped our world travels. It came along just as we started traveling abroad.

I'm sure it was in 1991 when he first aired on OPB. Europe Through the Back Door. I remember thinking he wasn't an "active" traveler and that was disappointing but he did open the world up to me. I didn't travel outside North America for another 15 or so years. We went to Italy to drink wine. I must have run into 20 people carrying the RS blue travel books …. almost everyone from the PNW. I put the books away after that only taking small snips of pages as to not look "too touristy". I know now I will always look like a tourist no matter how many pairs of German made travel shoes I buy. I never followed his "travel with one pack back" nor the courage to just show up hoping to find lodging with some local family. But we are RS loyalist watching and re-watching his shows. We even have used his consultants to help plan a few itineraries. We tend to agree with his "travel as a political statement" philosophy. But we continue to we have hike and bike way more than the RS travel books ever mention! Cheers.

Stan... I'm a strong "I" on the MB and your definition is spot on. I used to be MB trainer in another life and I also think the I/E is doomed to be misinterpreted. Words matter.

the classic definition of introvert (its not "shyness") is someone who
finds being around a lot of people to be draining, and spending time
alone in reflection to be recharging.

I will respectfully submit that this is the classic 20th-century professional psychologist definition of the term.

The Oxford English and American English dictionaries define an introvert as "a quiet person who is more interested in their own thoughts and feelings than in spending time with other people." Merriam Webster defines it as a "shy or reserved person." The Cambridge Dictionary defines an introvert as "someone who is shy, quiet, and prefers to spend time alone rather than often being with other people." Shyness therefore appears to be a substantial part of the classic English dictionary definition of the term.

I've been watching him since I was a teenager and he had his first show on PBS. Long before I traveled internationally. He was always a bit nerdy to me but I did like the fact that his hotels were not break--the-bank like Rudy Maxa, Burt Wolf or even Samantha Brown. When I started to travel I used a mixture of his ideas plus other travel sites. Didn't want to be one of those Americans you see clutching his books in Europe.

I will say that he helped convince my parents to go to Turkey after I took them to one of his lectures. I argued that if RS took people there, how dangerous could it be? So many thanks to Rick for letting us experience Turkey. After hearing him speak and his philanthropy I have a new appreciation even though I probably will never tour with him or use his books extensively. And yes, I'm one of those fanatics who does the one suitcase rule-much to my travel partners irritation.

I also have one of his first rolling suitcases which still works and I love it!

@stan-I do remember the "grabbing all you can eat food from the breakfast buffet" advice! LOL I think old age has mellowed him.

1991, spent a summer during college in Portland, OR and ran across his books. The next year, spent the summer in Denver and was laying around with one of my roommates and all of a sudden Rick’s show came on. She’d studied abroad in Germany.

Spring 2009 sitting at home and surfing through the TV and landing on PBS, RS Salzburg & Surroundings episode. Once I saw Hallstatt I knew I was going to visit that place. After that I began looking up his videos on YouTube & found the online site. It took 5 years, but I made it Hallstatt as well as Salzburg, Prague & the Bavarian region of Germany. I use this site to get ideas, gather information & have questions answered prior to planning my solo, or with friends & family, trips. Maybe one day I will take a RS tour, but I enjoy the planning process and hitting the areas that interest me.

I started reading books and guidebooks about European travel as a pre-teen or very young teenager. That was many years before the first publication of ETBD in 1980. I stumbled on that first book after my third trip to Europe and devoured it. That was back before airline deregulation, when the back-door places Rick wrote about were not swamped--including the Cinque Terre.

My experience is the total opposite. I was planning my first visit to Italy (2008) and had been using either Fodor or Frommer's travel forum, which abruptly came to a halt (restructuring I think) just weeks before my trip. One of the folks there (I am sure it was Kent) directed me to the RS forum. I had no idea who Rick was. I had never seen an RS guidebook (they still aren't sold here in Israel).

The trip was a success, in large part thanks to help I got here. Since then I've bought several RS guides and even taken 3 RS tours.