Ireland Tour - Average Age?

Linda,
What I would suggest is that you click on the Our Tours section of Rick Steves' web site, then within that link click on the Scrapbook Contest link. When you quickly glance thru the winning on-line scrapbooks, you will see what various tour goers look like on several different tours. I think that will likely answer your question more than the average age.

We've traveled a lot, and we've taken a variety of group tours. The one thing that really sets the Rick Steve's group tours apart, is that his company is very, very clear about the physical demands of a tour. When one is expected to be able (if needed) to carry his/her own luggage up 3 flights of stairs, along with walking/standing for so many hours, the tour will not likely attract those that cannot keep up.

It is my GUESS that the summer months MIGHT attract a few more younger participants (high school/college students) also traveling with their parents/grandparents. That was the case with our RS Paris tour years ago. Our very late summer Heart of Italy tour did not have students on the tour, as school had already started.

But, I've also learned that age is often just a number. I've met (and traveled with) 80 year olds who are much more fit, trim, intellectually curious than many 30 and 40 year olds. I think you will find the RS companions to be a cut above in fitness than most low-cost stereotypical bus tours. I don't think you will have to wait for someone to slowly make his/her way off the bus and then huff, puff their way up stairs..........not with RS tours (not if they have read the tour disclaimers/requirements).

When we traveled to Antarctica with National Geographic, I am guessing the average age on our ship was probably somewhere in the 70s, but I would put any one of those people up against any typical 40 year old any day. They were all great fellow travelers. Seeing people well into their 80s (actually several of them) choose to take the Polar Plunge (swimming in Antarctica) was inspirational. So, we all need to use care not to SOLELY use age as a predictor.

But, if you want more flexibility in traveling in Ireland, consider hiring a driver, so you can pace your travels to your liking and see/do what you want, when you want, and also have a local showing you the way and telling you about their country. We did that in Ireland, stayed in some fabulous high-end castles and also some modest B&Bs. In the end, the cost for both of us was what the cost of one tour would have cost for just one person. And, it was nice to not have to board the bus at a specific time each morning.

Just depends on what you are looking for and how you want to experience a country.

I have been on 14 tours and found all age ranges. I have also been on the Ireland tour and again it was all age ranges. Many of the Rick Steves tours are mostly ( not all) repeat business, meaning many have already been on RS tours and know what to expect. What many happen is if someone feels they can't do an activity, they sit it out. They don't hold up the tour. They just don't go on that activity. As long as you tell the guide in advance, they don't mind you sitting it out. Many people read that these are active tours and know that they need to keep up and be in pretty good shape to do the tour. I don't think you have anything to worry about. I loved this tour and it was very scenic and beautiful.

I have done 10 RS tours so far and believe me it wasn't the "older" people who were the problem keeping up! Most of them could run circles around everyone including the tour guide while carrying their suitcases and in one instance carrying other bags in addition to their own! :-) Why? Most of them are regular travelers and repeat RS tour members who know what the required level of activity is and they prepare for it by doing strenuous walks or hikes before the tour. I believe those (of any age group) who would have difficulty keeping up realize RS tours are not for them and gravitate more toward those tours that provide a greater level of pampering.

I took the Ireland tour a few years ago. It was June and there were a couple full families in the group. The age range was from 10 to 75. Everyone kept up just fine and seemed to enjoy all of the activities.

On the other tours and specifically the ones that were not in the summer, the average age range tended to be much closer to retirement age. But the groups have always been fun people and excited/interested about the sites. There have been a couple of tours where some of the members didn't do some of the activities on the more active days (including me once). But they all knew they needed to take the time to be on their own and not slow the rest of the group.

On our Best of Paris tour in June 2015, there were travelers of all ages, from 12 to 80, including our then 17-year-old son. One of the women from that tour, in her 30s, I think, took the RS Ireland tour in September, and said she and her husband were the youngest by some 30 years. She also said it was still a good, active group and she enjoyed the tour very much.

I second the suggestion to look through tour scrapbooks to get a good idea of what to expect. I think most of the people you see in those photos likely fit the Rick Steves active, no-grumps model.

We are going the end of June (25th). We will be 62/48. This will be our 4th RS tour. People tend to be in tune with the program. Occasionally you will get some slow walkers, especially the hand holders, but most travelers know what is required of these tours. If you are going to let the little things bother you, maybe independent is better. I hope every future tour in my life is a RS tour. Too bad he doesn't do the final tour.

We did the 8-day Ireland tour last June. in hindsight, I think we were probably on the upper end of the age scale (63-70). the youngest were in their early 20s. Going in the summer meant there were more families, so while the age was younger, there was less interaction between the whole group. This wasn't a bad thing, just different than the other tours we'd taken in May. On the initial page of each tour there is a graph bar of of the tour difficulty. I'm not sure how much people take that into consideration when planning their tours, but we do. We're trying to do the more strenuous ones now, while we still can. We've done tours with other small group tours and there is much less hand-holding with RS tours. I think that contributes to the fact that most people keep up the pace or opt out of an activity.