My Way Experience

My husband and I took the My Way trip to Spain and also Italy. The trip to Spain was with 5 other family members, (50s-70s in age) who all had different interests and walking abilities. Some of us went on a hike in Rhonda but the trail was rocky and not every one wanted to do it but they found a great museum instead. Our family members are all experienced with making reservations and finding things on their own. I appreciated the flexibility of this trip and the convenience of having transportation and hotel logistics taken care of but enjoyed the freedom to do our own thing during the day. We did have to make reservations well in advance for sights such as The Alhambra in Granada and the Picasso Museum in Barcelona. We did that several weeks in advance before leaving for Spain.

The My Way in Italy was great too but it was just the two of us not our whole family. We especially appreciated the tour of the hills above Florence in a 500 Fiat followed by wine and cheese at the end in an old Villa. We found out about it from the tour leader. On the My Way tours, the leader usually gives historical details of the specific villages and towns while on the bus and makes suggestions of places tour members might be interested in but does not lead any tours. Museum tip: make reservations for the Uffizi Gallery in Florence well in advance and find a guide too. We found a great guide on Trip Advisor. In Rome at the spur of the moment we visited a dog park after seeing the Borghese Gallery. The dogs and owners were very friendly and we got to practice our 5 words of Italian. The advantage of the My Way experience is too have unexpected encounters that aren't prearranged. Rick Steve's tours are so well organized and the guides are usually top notch and always helpful. There were a few group meals that were very enjoyable and part of the tour.

Thank you. Very helpful.

We’ve done the My Way Italy and My Way Spain for exactly the reasons you mention. Actually, we’ve done them as a back-to-back tours with Best of Sicily and Best of the Basque Country respectively.I’m early 70s and Bill is late 70s. Both My Way tours included places we’d already been, but either wanted to see again at our own pace or wanted to explore additional sites. Because we’ve made (and paid for) our own activities, if something’s not working we feel free to walk away. Sometimes we’ll find a plan isn’t what we thought and we can either spend more time or exit. One of the surprises was how congenial the groups were. Everyone made their own plans, but there were enough gathering points (breakfast, bus time and breaks and frequent evening meet ups) where we shared plans and possibly joined up for an activity. We love our regular RS tours but at our stage we never know from one day to the next how we’ll feel and we do find that prolonged standing is becoming more of an issue.

We continue to lobby for more My Way itineraries.

Thank you Steilacoom via Las Vegas (we are Camano Island via Las Vegas, a long time ago in the military). We were concerned about losing connection with the rest of the group but as you explained, plenty of opportunities for meet up.

I did the My Way Alps tour as a solo. I was beyond pleased. The camaraderie of the group was fabulous (as most RSE tours are) and the exchanging of ideas and notes was helpful. I knew there would be a lot of hiking opportunities and I wanted to make my own plans at my own pace using as guidance the tour book, our RSE guide, and the local TI office when convenient. Just the right amount of group dinners so more time to experience the local culture and opportunities never anticipated or planned. PLUS you visit the alpine regions of Austria, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and France all in one tour!

We did the My Way Best of Europe back in 2013 as a high school graduation trip for our daughter. They don't offer that itinerary as a My Way anymore, which really surprises me. It was a fantastic trip. (Anyone have any insight on why they did away with it?)
We had not done much international travel and it was our way to get experience without being led around by a guide every day. We covered a LOT of ground, which would have been difficult on our own. Because of the timing - we went in mid-June - there were a couple of other families with teens, although it wasn't specifically a family trip. We made great friends that we still communicate with. The kids hung out together, the adults hung out together.

I highly recommend the My Way format for those with no experience traveling or lots of experience but too busy to plan or no interest in going it alone.

Our family of 5 adults (mom 55, dad 55 and 24 y.o. triplets) went last year on the My Way Alpine tour in early June. We adored it! It was our first and only RS tour, or any tour for that matter. It was so impactful and amazing that we have booked our 2nd RS Alps My Way for this coming June, as well. Worth every penny. Not a bad thing to say about it. Guide, bus driver, fellow travelers, the locals, the hotel owners... all lovely. Even the weather was fabulous until our last 2 days. No complaints and can't begin to imagine trying to do this trip without the ease of the accommodations and bus transportation supplied for us. And, did I happen to mention the wonderful breakfasts that were included with each hotel stay ? We're hooked on the My Way tour. Just want to acknowledge that I realize my crew is not in their mid 70s as you've stated you are. Our RS group had plenty of age range. I would estimate the oldest were in their mid to late 70s. Our younger gents carried the bags of those that had some difficulties in the more strenuous terrain when arriving at a hotel destination. They weren't asked to help, but they just did it because we all liked each other and the world is a nicer place to live when we help one another out at times.

I think you'll love the My Way option.
Sure wish they still had the My Way Best of Europe option! We would definitely do that one!

We took the My Way Alps tour last September. ( we had previously taken the RS Turkey Tour.). We really enjoyed the My Way Alps Tour and would definitely recommend. It seemed that within a few days we formed a little “pack” with people who were interested in doing the same things we wanted to do and off we went.

I've taken two RS tours: My Way France in 2023 and Best of London in 7 Days in 2025. I enjoyed them both, though the tour mates on the 2025 tour were more compatible. I figured out that people on the My Way tour are more apt to be loners (like me!) who like to do their own thing, so I think you're a bit less likely to find new friendships on those tours. We had one person who could barely pass the "no grumps" test. Just my opinion. On my recent London tour, the group seemed to bond very quickly (perhaps partly because of the great guide), and I enjoyed the tour mates more.

I actually believe 28 different people are going to have a different flavor every time. The first
RS My Way we took in '24 was a group that seemed to bond well, some of them did stuff together, some of them didn't. We were all friendly towards one another, and, I believe, genuinely got along quite nicely. In '25, with the same RS guide by chance, the group was not as cohesive. No grumps, really, but just not as much 'chemistry' and not as bonded as the first group.

We're going on a 3rd adventure next year with RS so I'm excited to see what (and who!) lies ahead!

We've done two 'classic' RSE Tours and one 'My Way' (France) variety. Each provides the same benefit of leaving the driving to someone else and staying at comfortable, centrally located hotels. Both types also place you in a group of like-minded travelers wanting to see a particular region and/or surrounding sites. So on that score, in all three instances our travel companions were friendly and considerate. People routinely ate meals together, and we didn't notice any change of behavior from one type of tour participant to someone who takes the other type of tour.

Where the two types of tours differ starts with the distinction between Tour Guides (who run point on classic tours and are responsible for managing reservations and group activities) and a [My Way] Tour Manager, who is along for the ride to answer questions and provide assistance as needed. In deciding between the two types, it really comes down to Efficiency vs Flexibility. Classic tours are amazing in cramming so many experiences into a finite number of days; while My Way tour days go at a pace of the traveler's choosing, and getting to prioritize which activities you want to include.

I will say that our Tour Manager for My Way France in 2024 was every bit as knowledgable and experienced as were the two primary Guides we had on the regular-style tours. Bill really went the extra mile to ensure everybody got out of the trip what they were after.

We are doing our first My Way tour in a few weeks. We believe the less structure will be good for us and our son, who is on the autism spectrum and a go-go type of tour is too stressful for him. I think (but won't know until afterwards) that the my way is a perfect combo of logistics management and information without the forced march feel of many tours. To be clear, though, I don't think that RS tours are forced march at all.