Our family has traveled to a few European countries on our own using Rick Steves' Guidebooks. (see photos below of some of our trips with our boys over the years). We have always enjoyed Rick's recommendations and felt that they made our trip experiences much better than we could have possibly managed on our own (or with any other guidebook!). |
No Planning Hassles!
Planning can be an enjoyable task for us, but sometimes planning everything just right for weeks in another country can be daunting! Valuable time can be lost on your trip as you are navigating to your next stop or you are trying to figure out the best times to arrive, things not to miss, where to park... Seeing & Learning more! Too many times on our own trips we were disappointed because we just missed or couldn't find the event or place we were looking for, or stayed somewhere far from ideal. On our Rick Steves tour, having a well thought out schedule with hotels, tours, events, and restaurants all prearranged was wonderful! We did, learned, and saw much more than we would have on our own! Good Balance of Group & Free Time! The balance of group time and free time was just right! We enjoyed learning so much from our guide and never tired of being with the group during planned group time. The meals together were amazing -- both good food and good company! We also enjoyed having time for just our own family to be together during our free time. The size of the group was just perfect as well. We can't imagine being on another tour with more people or a less perfect blend of group time and free time. Friends! A surprise bonus was the comradery of the group! It was so nice to have our new friends together throughout the tour! Even during our free time it was fun to run into our guide and group members and enjoy a bike ride, shopping, or a meal together -- or a bit of silliness like posing in a wheat field (pictured above). |