Travel Meetings in Various Cities

They are organized by people from this forum who decide to see if there are others in the area who want to get together to give advice to newbies, or talk about previous trips and share ideas or just get together with obsessed Europe travelers:) There is no formal group in my area, but I have gotten together with Zoe and Diana from Ohio a few times. We met in Toledo and it was fun to just hang out with some people from the forum. I also met Ms. Jo (from Frankfurt) when I went to Germany a few years ago. We hung out at the Heidelberg Christmas market and then she showed us around the Frankfurt market and a few other areas and we had a great dinner.

So... you probably did the right thing by posting here and maybe some from your area will respond. I travel in the US a lot so one of these days hope to make it to a few of the meetings in other states... just seems I am never somewhere when a meeting is happening.
Good luck

If you want a meeting you have to organize it yourself. The first was in Denver a couple of years when two posters on this site said, "lets meet for coffee at Panera" And as they say, the rest is history. Denver copyrighted the idea and have been trying to collect a franchise fee from the others to pay for our trips. No luck. Panera has been a common site but no requirement. The third Sat of each month as evolved as the meeting date. If want to group to meet in your area, organize it.

Dee, I think you are taking the first step. Our Ohio-Michigan group has met twice - not so easy to organize when everyone is addicted to travel. Good luck.

Yes, we got started here in N. Idaho because several of us noticed posters in the local area. Fortunately we don't have a Panera within about 300 miles so we don't have to pay the rather extortionate franchise fee to the Colorado outfit. We meet at a local coffee place.

Start looking for people who post who live near you and see if there is an interest. Or move to Idaho and join us!

You could even move to eastern Washington and attend our meetings! For our Moscow (Idaho) group we've even had people drive from near Spokane as well as Clarkston.

@ Pam in Troy and Darcy in Lewiston, Idaho:

Thank you for the invite! Haven't been to Idaho in years, but have great memories river rafting with my two sons when they were young. Haven't been to eastern Washington, but am sure it is lovely there, too. Maybe I can plan my next domestic vacation to coincide with these travel meetings. You folks are sure friendly! It sounds like your meetings are fun.

Seriously thinking of starting meetings here in Orange County. Maybe next month since I already have plans for weekends in June. There is a Panera nearby, but maybe I better pick another location since the Colorado people want us to subsidize their travels if we used their copyrighted idea. Maybe Starbucks...(hee hee).

Dee

Like others have mentioned, someone has to get the ball rolling. I saw that there was a Denver meeting and put out some feelers to see if there were people in the Sacramento area interested in doing the same. We've been meeting monthly for 4 years now. It's a great way to indulge our passions for travel with like minded people. I've made some very good friends through our meetings.

We have a fledgling Chicago group that has met a couple times. We are probably due for another soon.

I've been wondering the same thing! There seems to be several people posting from the Portland, OR/SW Washington area. And there is a brand new Panera bakery opened in Jantzen beach... Is anyone interested?

Angela, we're absolutely interested, although we're heading for Ireland/Paris this a.m.

I put a call out a few years ago about getting one going around the 401 East corridor but got no response.

Anyone interested now? I could do from Toronto (east end) to Belleville area, and of course north to Peterborough....

I just posted asking about the Piedmont Triad area in NC! Wish you and I lived nearer to each other Dee!

Deanne, Me too! Never been to North Carolina, but hope to one day. I might try posting for a meeting for my area next month.

Douglas, I sent you a PM. I'll be in Chicago in 3 weeks, so now it's up to you to organize something then. Any place that serves a decent thin-crust will work for me.

Good luck Dee. I hope others from your area see your post, and if they are really interested in travel they should contact you. I have watched the boards for a couple years trying to find people in the Nashville, middle Tn area hoping to get a little travel club started. Has not worked out yet. When I talk about european travel, everyone around here says, "O, were going to Florida again." It really surprises me how high the percentage is of people who rarely go on a vacation more than a few hours from home. I know grown adults who have never been out of the state they live in or the states that surround them. Sad, as there is so much to see in this country and the world. I really like where I live but envy all the people in the northwest who have the opportunity to attend all the travel classes, meetings, trip reunions etc at Ricks offices. Even if they can't travel this year, they still have the opportunity to meet and greet so many others who enjoy their travel experiences.
Tony (Nashville)

@Tony in Nashville. Been to Lookout Mountain and drove through Nashville on my way to Lexington KY 3 years ago. Would love to drive on Blue Ridge Parkway and see Smokey Mountains one day. Also, you were the one that wondered if there were any others "obsessed" with travel especially to Europe. Well, count me as a recent convert. Been looking through RS Travel Forum every day to see what new info has been posted. I have not traveled as much as others to Europe but at least I have been there 5 times and planning to go again soon - most likely Paris/France. Last time there was 28 years ago. But I have been to Asia - Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and China (8 times just to China since 1986). My sister does not like to travel. Farthest she has been is Hawaii. To each their own. Some people travel the whole world and never have a "good" time while others just go "local" and have a great time.

Anyone interested in getting a group together in the Minneapolis area? I live in Andover and would love to get together with other like-minded travel buffs. We're taking a RS tour in September. It's our 15th trip but our first tour.
Barb

To add to David's great suggestions...

When we first started meeting in Sacramento we chose a Panera location that worked for the people who had indicated they were coming to the meeting. After meeting there for two months we relocated to our current Panera because it was more central for more people. Same day and time each month is important.

We've never advertised anywhere besides mentioning the meetings on this website. We can barely accommodate the people we have some months. I think our biggest group was 18. I believe there is a group in Arizona that usually just posts to a Meet Up site.

"we got started here in N. Idaho because several of us noticed posters in the local area."

Unfortunately, there are a lot of posters here who don't include their location. It would certainly help if you did.

And while I am at it, go to your profile and add a little something about yourself. We want to know you better.