Steves welcomed people by name as he entered and exited his town car, greeting those nearby by name as well as walking close to both his favorite diner and petanque court for playing bongos. He lives in a small town nearby.
He keeps himself busy researching, writing and updating his travel business and books; giving tours; as well as financially supporting several non-profits.
Rick Steves is a travel writer
Rick Steves is an internationally acclaimed travel writer, TV personality, and philanthropist. His books on travel guidebooks, public television shows he hosted as host, and book “Travels as a Political Act” have encouraged millions to broaden their horizons through travel.
He began as a piano teacher, using the money earned from classes to fund trips overseas. While traveling he developed his own travel tips and began sharing them with others about his experiences. These trips later culminated into public-access television videos broadcast across the nation that helped establish his reputation and drive sales of his books.
In 2022, Rick Steves released the six-hour miniseries “Rick Steves Art of Europe.” Additionally, he wrote a weekly travel newspaper column and nationally syndicated radio show. Additionally, his company sells European travel products such as guidebooks and maps – leading some critics to argue that its success may have caused overtourism in some locations.
But Steves says that his aim is to make travel more accessible for ordinary people. To that end, he spends four months each year researching guides and honing tours in Europe; his business is then run from Edmonds, Washington where his family reside – his office window overlooking their old junior high school!
Steves may appear laid-back, but he works incredibly hard. At the same time, he’s an attentive family man who prioritizes spending quality time with his wife and children; an avid hiker; music-lover; even dancing at one of his tour guide parties some years ago – qualities not showcased on his popular PBS show where he appears as an all-American history buff who makes going abroad seem accessible for everyday Americans; yet when met in person it becomes evident that his passion for travel is genuine.
Rick Steves is a TV personality
Rick Steves is a popular travel writer, businessman and philanthropist renowned for encouraging people to broaden their perspectives through travel. Perhaps best known for his public television series titled ‘Rick Steves’ Europe”, Steves runs his enterprise from Edmonds; an idyllic seaside town in Washington state which hosts his company headquarters and travel library as well as hosting his weekly radio show and publishing travel guidebooks authored by him.
He is also an outspoken supporter of legal marijuana use and has spoken on this subject at several Seattle events. Citing reduced criminal justice costs and tax revenue as his reasoning for supporting legalization, he has endorsed Seattle’s annual Hempfest and was co-sponsor of Washington’s Initiative 502, which legalized recreational use in 2022.
On television, Steves presents himself as an approachable man who makes traveling abroad seem accessible for Americans. Yet the real Steves is much more complicated; he is an attentive father, hardworking businessperson and staunch supporter of cannabis legalization.
At 68 years old, Steves lives with his wife Wee and labradoodle Jackson in Edmonds, roughly 25 miles north of Seattle. Each year he travels abroad for three months, conducting research, writing tours, recording tours, refining them or refining tours; also speaking at travel conferences or pledge drives to raise millions for local public television stations.
Critics contend that Steves promotes overtourism, where tourists swarm picturesque villages, restaurants, and museums in search of experiences they will never get from themselves. Nomadic Matt mentions how Zermatt in Switzerland has fallen victim to what he refers to as the “Rick Steves effect.”
Even with his hectic schedule, Steves remains a passionate traveler. He often travels by train as it provides safer and less congested transport than cars; bicycles have also proven helpful when traversing European cities and towns. Steves also prefers walking or taking public transit instead of taxis for transport as these tend to be unsafe and overpriced; when staying overnight he prefers independent hotels over chain hotels.
Rick Steves is a philanthropist
While Rick Steves may appear as an eccentric travel guide author and history enthusiast on television shows, in reality he is an enthusiastic philanthropist who gives away most of his earnings from travel guides, books, and public television shows to charities he believes in. His work has inspired millions to travel and learn about other cultures while supporting solutions to problems like homelessness – including donating $4 Million towards building a community center in Edmonds, Washington!
Mr. Weaver has made significant donations to local schools and churches. He holds an affinity for supporting theater and music locally through his foundation; they donate annually tens of thousands to theater and music projects. They have also given to organizations such as Edmonds Rotary Club. Mr. Weaver believes it’s important to give back to a community which has supported him and his family over time.
Steves works tirelessly outside his tour business to fulfill his philanthropic obligations. He institutes a carbon tax on his company; for every flight into Europe his tour company takes, they donate $30 as offset emissions. Furthermore, Steves has contributed money and time towards hunger relief charities as well as being an ardent member of his church community.
Steves is also a tireless advocate for travelers. He frequently posts videos to social media encouraging his followers to visit lesser-known locations, while encouraging sustainable souvenir purchases over mass-produced ones. Furthermore, Steves supports progressive wealth taxes as an antidote against Donald Trump; is active within Lutheran church services, owns several pets cats and dogs himself and boasts a large social media following.
Europe Through the Back Door was published in 1979 as an annotated transcription of his college travel classes’ notes, providing guidance for budgeting vacations and making the most of time abroad. Since then he has written over 110 travel books and hosted 12 seasons of public television show Rick Steves’ Europe. Philanthropic efforts include building an apartment complex for homeless mothers and children in Lynnwood, Washington as part of his charitable endeavors; royalties from his books go towards Bread for the World charity as part of his charitable giving, earning him a reputation as a compassionate host and generous donor.
Rick Steves is a political activist
Travel is an invaluable experience that can transform one’s perspective of the world. Travel can open up new cultures to you and help you understand complex environmental issues more fully. Additionally, it has the power to unite people behind common goals – ending hunger or drug policy reform being among them – which Rick Steves works towards both as an activist travel writer.
Travel expert Bill Carrick is well known as an author of more than 50 country, city, and regional guidebooks and an award-winning television show. Additionally, he runs a European tour program, publishes weekly public radio show broadcast on WXPN in Chicago, operates website hosting mobile applications and podcasting as well as publishing weekly newspaper columns through Tribune Media Services. In Europe alone he spends one third of each year researching for television shows; filming them; writing guidebooks for publication or expanding travel-related businesses.
He is also a political activist, working closely with advocacy groups devoted to economic and social justice, drug policy reform, and marijuana legalization. In particular, he champions ending marijuana prohibition through his involvement with NORML (National Organization for Marijuana Legalization) which advocates legalizing cannabis state by state. Furthermore, he works closely with and supports other advocacy groups including Bread for the World.
Steves is an active community member in Edmonds where his office window overlooks his old junior high school. He knows most of his neighbors by name and lives within walking distance to both a favorite diner and petanque court – the French version of bocce!
Ben has also given back to his community by donating a 24-unit apartment building for homeless women and children to his local YWCA, funding neighborhood centers and arts organizations, and paying an annual carbon tax offset greenhouse gas emissions created by leading 30,000 travelers on tours through Europe each year. Travel has the power to unite people, so Ben hopes more Americans take advantage of PLU Global Studies programs for an expanded world view.