What types of pants to wear...?

It's ALLLLLLLLLLLL about comfort. Most people say stay away from wearing jeans since they are heavier than other trouser choices and, if they get wet, take a lot longer to dry. Look for clothing (tops and bottoms) made from lightweight and quick-drying fabrics. And, to be honest, since no one cares what you wear, it makes it even more important to prioritize comfort over any other factor. I've never felt the need to dress up any clothing choices in the 5 RS tours we've taken.

I wear leggings. They pack small and are comfortable. With a tunic they are presentable and you will see them worn in Europe. Personally I wouldn’t take jeans because they take a long time to dry when wet.
On a RS tour there is no need to dress up. Comfort is more important be clean and neat.
You will need a rain coat. I just bought one for next year on sale at Eddie Bauer. The thread I started had lots of ideas. As for what men wear, I have no idea.
If you use the search feature above, then forum, 6 months. You will find lots of packing threads.

Although these don't suit my travel style, I wear them at home and find them comfortable and presentable. They might suit somebody who wants something a bit more presentable than leggings.
https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-noga-classic-slim-leg-pants-15770.html?color=MBE&queryID=939ccb34d869e5389d250b364dab51b9

I like the leisure wear company XCVI, ( they were founded in 1996, in LA.) I order online when there are sales. I believe Bloomingdale's carries the line, along with small specialty shops. Once you know the line and sizes, you can find steals at Marshall's and T.J. Maxx ( also online ordering.)
Many of the capris and pants have ruching, which hides any wrinkles. The waists are pull up. They also have interesting colors and washes. The fabrics dry quickly after sink laundering, and- the clothing is comfortable. I size down. They also offer coordinates, so if I bring a Xcvi skirt, I'll also bring the leggings or bottoms that match, and the corresponding top.

I agree with the above posters that RS tour travelers dress very casually. You can wear leggings, jeans, whatever is your style, just pack light and use carry-on luggage only.

Have a great trip and safe travels!

What do you wear at home in fall weather? I wear jeans so that is what I wear most days when traveling.

I agree with LIz in PA about the pants example she included. I have found similar at Lands End and J Jill. SInce I live in MN, I'm all for Duluth Trading Co. I also pack leggins which I wear with skirts sometimes and tunic tops at other times. I even include them in colder months for an extra layer under my slacks. I pack 2 pair of slacks, wear 1, then some tops in coordinating colors that can give me daily options. Black slacks & a nice top combined with a scarf do very well for dress up. Casual comfort is the look to go for and don't forget comfy walking shoes.

OP due to my work November became my travel month to London. Now retired it’s still when I like to go. I always wear jeans. Regular Levis as I like having pockets. To dress up I wear black thin legged jeans I bought ages ago at JC Penny. They work great with tunics and turtle neck tops. Occasionally I’ll wear leggings.

Trust me very, very few people dress up for theatre

As far as standing out, the attire you’ve mentioned is fairly universal these days. Besides even if you “dressed up” the moment you speak will give you away as a Yank.

Honestly, nobody cares what you wear.

EDIT: born when Truman was in office

Wear whatever you want, you’re going to be on a tour with a group of people that all have whisper systems on. You will stand out. And yes, it’s all about comfort because some days you will be hours on a bus. Most people don’t dress up, maybe a scarf and wear travel clothes that are lightweight, can be easily rinsed out, dry quickly and can be layered. I like my Athleta Trekkie jogger pants, Orvis shirts, merino sweaters and Brooks Ghost sneakers. Don’t forget a good raincoat. I love my jeans and people do wear them but I’m not comfortable wearing the same jeans day after day and as others mentioned, they’re heavy to pack and take forever to dry so they stay home. Have a good time, it’s a great tour!

Comfort, comfort, comfort. Wear whatever you want and what is comfortable. Nobody on the tour cares what you are wearing; or pays attention; though on our most recent RS tour, I'd say 80% (we were all over 50) wore their Hoka walking shoes! The only time that anyone tries to "elevate" their style is sometimes women on the tour add a scarf to wear to dinner; just to break up the monotony of wearing the same few outfits for two weeks.

As far as looking like an American, you are! But believe me you won't stand out, no matter what you wear. Nobody is looking. We've been on 3 Rick Steves tours, but not England. We've been to England on our own multiple times; and nobody near us was even dressed up for the theatre.

I bring/wear 2 pairs of NYDJs (jeans), sometimes both black or one a dark wash blue or charcoal.. They have some stretch and dry overnight, usually. For my third pair, I take a loose fitting yoga pant, which is what I wear in my room, but are nice enough to wear out if I have to do so. I only have worn leggings in the gym. If I have a nicer dinner or event planned I will pack a pair of dress trousers.

I've taken several RS Tours and agree nobody will care (nor remember) if you are re-wearing clothes. Whatever clothing is comfortable for bus rides and everyone's in your groups shoes and effective outerwear are frankly more important.
At that in-between season, layers are also best.
Example- I just traveled late September - early October to Berlin and when there's cooler temps I am so happy to wear and REwear jeans. I wore them 5 days in a row, turning inside out at night, as with my SmartWool black t shirt, spritzing with Poesie (smells so good!).
I also had a WoolAnd merino black moto style jacket, lightweight beige cashmere sweater and a couple white tees. A lightweight pretty cashmere scarf was nice in the cooler mornings.
Besides me, everyone, all ages, was wearing clean white trainers!
The weather forecast when you're nearing your departure will help for waterproof layers and shoes or warmer layers beneath. I also always take lightweight gloves and a beanie since I'm always cold.
What a fantastic family adventure!

In Britain pants are male undergarments and knickers are those for women. Why don’t Americans use proper English and use the word ‘trousers’? If you use the word ‘pants’ to describe what we call ‘trousers’, then what word(s) do Americans use to refer to undergarments?

James……we refer to undergarments as underwear.

As for standing out, London is a global city with plenty of visitors, so what you wear is not going to make you stand out - your American accent will, which is absolutely fine

And yes, 'pants' are underwear. We call them 'trousers'.

I concur that denim is not a good choice because they are heavy and not quick drying. In fact, generally speaking, cotton is not an ideal travel fabric material.

I have a specific set of clothes that I wear when I travel far. They aren't cheap but are worth every penny. They are moisture-wicking, quick drying, lightweight, and breathable. I also suggest layers in case of sudden weather changes. On days when you have to fly, it's a good idea to wear tops and bottoms with large, secure pockets to store IDs, passports, and boarding passes handily. I purchased my travel wardrobe from various places such as REI, Backcountry, Outdoor Research, Uniqlo, Muji...etc. One special mention is Uniqlo's Airism line of clothes. This fabric is better than linen for summers. My husband swears by Airism underwear, which fulfills all of his travel fabric requirements.

For the guys I would suggest black jeans, which are becoming my standard for travel "trousers." When I was in Poland back in April, black was the predominant trouser color for men of all ages. An advantage of black is that it's perceived as a bit dressier if you happen to be attending theatre, opera, etc.

And my preference is for cotton - denim will be warmer than synthetics in cooler October weather. I prefer laundromats, so drying not an issue.

For the plane I prefer cargo pants - Land's End - just a bit looser fit, so more comfortable. And the extra pockets are handy when walking around cities.

My husband only wears jeans, unless it is a hiking vacation in which he wears hiking pants. Anything else though is jeans.

For city trips, I do a mix of leggings as well as jeans. My jeans are not heavy though and dry pretty quick if I would need to wash them. I wear leggings with tunics, or in the winter with a dress. Sounds odd, but coordinated it looks like it was meant to be.

Wear what is comfortable and presentable, and you will all be fine:)

I pack jeans, joggers from Old Navy (if you fold the ankle up once, they don't look like joggers!) and pants from Athleta (Elation) that look somewhat dressier when paired with a blouse or sweater. But really, no one cares. Or they should have more interesting things to look at, if they are on tour lol

mikliz, I chuckled at your comment of leggings with dresses because I do the same thing. You’re right, it surprisingly works.

Linda--Especially if you pair them with a cute pair of boots:)

I used to recommend Starfish pants from Lands End but I haven't bought any in a few years. The early ones from probably 10+ years ago were soft, almost silky, combed cotton, but the last ones I bought, maybe four or five years ago, were not nearly such a nice feel. Maybe someone can weigh in who has bought them more recently. Also, the straight leg ones I like don't have pockets except for the tiny zipper one in front, which can be inconvenient. I found a similar pair at Talbots a few years ago with back pockets but, alas, they no longer make them, so I save my one black pair for travel days now. Good for sleeping on the plane.

Last year I got a couple of pairs of these from LL Bean and I think the black ones could be dressed up. They are very comfortable.
Ultrasoft sweats

One pair of jeans, one pair of black knit pants should be plenty. I wear knit pants on the plane over because of the comfort.
Remember that the Rick Steves folks ask you to pack light for this tour.

Lands End has some great pants that are not jeans, but cut like them for men....I just buy and wear those. I think they are called travel pants LOL
Love that they hem them for free!

I have been wearing for travel the extremely comfortable, quick dry Prana Halle pants (REI or anywhere online) for many years now. I bought several pairs in grey and they go with everything, pack well, don't wrinkle and look nice all the time (quite flattering). Prana may make another Halle version by now, but I really like Prana in general and travel with several skirts made by them as well. If traveling in warmer climates, I really like North Face Aphrodite Motion Capri pants which are wicked comfy, very lightweight, breathable, packable, look nice all the time. I have many pairs in grey, black, blue. I just wore these to death through very hot Greece and they held up great along with Prana skirts. Hope this helps.

On our trip to the U.K., I brought 2 pairs of lightweight, stretchy Jordache jeans, one in black, and one in a dark-wash denim, a pair of black leggings, and a pair of Columbia hiking pants. I wore the denim-look ones on most days, and the black ones were great for going out in the evening if I wanted something a little dressier. I did bring three pairs of shoes: black Skechers Go-Walks )worn on the plane with my black leggings, and great with the black jeans), my white Brooks Ghosts, and my Columbia waterproof hiking shoes. I had a mix of long- and short-sleeve t-shirts, and a long striped cardigan that coordinated with all of them. The sweater, worn with the black pants, made a nice evening outfit. I never felt out of place, from Edinburgh to the Highlands to London.

hard to 'dress' those up

Who cares what you are wearing? The days for complentary upgrades to first based upon how you dressed are long over. What does each of you consider comfortable now, and equally important, what will you wear while in England?

I travel in Under Armor. Very comfortable, compresses down to nothing when packing, and very quick and easy to clean. I don't wear it out to restaurants in the evening, but wear it during they day for walking tours, museums, etc.

First, England is not France or Italy. We aren’t known for our dress sense here so don’t even worry about being too casual or whatever.

I wear jeans pretty much every day. You can wear them day, evening, theatre, the lot, so if you like to wear them at home definitely bring them.

It’s probably a good idea to also bring some pants/trousers that will be better in the rain - either leggings or walking trousers. These will be good if you’re in the countryside and spending time outside in bad weather.

Believe it or not, in the North East of England people do call trousers pants. Like a lot of Americanisms it’s probably just a usage that largely died out here and was sustained across the pond.

For the Village Italy tour I bought three pair of Athleta Brooklyn ankle pants. i am very short so length is crucial. These did not need to be hemmed. I bought black, brown and navy and brought tops that would go with the various pants. We were in Italy two weeks and those are the only pants I brought. They can be dressed up or down and take almost no room in the suitcase.