Is there a RS forum for Italians or other Europeans visiting the USA?

Rick Steves' business is selling advice for travel to Europe and providing tours to Europe. The forum targeting wouldn't seem to useful in promoting his business.

That said, it would be interesting to see if Europeans traveling to the USA would benefit from understanding the American perspective in the same way that we Americans learn through travel that foreigners can also live good lives and thrive with their non-American political-economic systems. Sort of a reverse Travel as a Political Act.

I agree it would be a nicety but it is not rick steves' mission.

This has been a very rewarding aspect of home exchanging for us. We get to ask them questions during the year leading up to our exchange and they email us asking questions about practical things but also cultural things sometime. A real added bonus is if we get to spend a day with our family on either end of our exchange. We find that we all have some deep and interesting conversations and continue to stay in touch with some of them many years later.

There used to be a forum on our oldest home exchange agency where these types of cross cultural discussions happened. They were really interesting and a lot of fun to participate in. That ended about 5 years ago when they changed their website.

I don't know how something like that would work on the RS site since the focus is for travel in one direction. Too bad, a missed opportunity.

I go on my citys forum all the time.. on tripadvisor.com

I was in a bookstore in York, England, several years ago and picked up a guide book for San Francisco, I was interested in what they said from the English tourist visiting SF perspective. I found it fascinating and the advice very good... do's and don'ts, how to stay safe, explaining different cultural nuances... very much like Rick's guides. Ever since, I often imagine what the Japanese, German, Israeli, etc tour books say...

Isn't that what Trip Advisor is for?

I use Trip Advisor's forums for the U.S. and Canada (and Europe too, shhhh). There are forums in many foreign languages. I wouldn't be surprised if there are U.S. forums in Italian. I've seen lots of reviews of hotels and sights in Italy in Italian while planning my upcoming trip to Italy.

Many foreign visitors use the Tripdvisor forums for the various states in the US and Canadian Provinces, and get their questions answered there. I participate actively in the forums of a number of states, notably Alaska, which attracts people from around the world. Also the individual forums for the national parks in the West, particularly Yosemite and Grand Canyon.

Some people view Tripadvisor in a negative light, but is because of the reviews, which are in a completely separate section frommthe discussion forums. The people who contribute to the forums are just as friendly and knowledgeable as the volunteers who post here. It is a great place for information on travel anywhere in the world.

If you would like to give advice to visitors to the US, I suggest you go take a look at the Tripadvisor forum for the particular state or city where you live, and jump in.

Ha I hadn't thought about TA as a forum for general travel advice although sometimes I get emails from TA asking me if I'll respond to someone's question, usually about lodging I've reviewed.

If I spent as much time on TA as I do on this forum I'd be in trouble, even in my recently retired life. While it looks tempting, I think I'll have to "just say no".

I didn't notice there was a Beyond Europe forum!

I use Trip Advisor a lot but you have to be careful. For example, an Expert who always tells people the only decent area to stay is a certain expensive area. On the whole Rick's is a kinder forum.

Jim

Besides the usual international websites, like TripAdvisor.it etc, many of my friends, and I presume many Italians, use the following Italian sites to organize their trips. They are the most famous Italian language (only) travel websites. I also use them a lot for Italy itself.
I didn't know you spoke some Italian.

http://www.paesionline.it
http://turistipercaso.it
http://www.zingarate.com

Turisti Per Caso is a popular travel program on RAI Television.