Meeting Uncle Rick

Posted on by Stephen Edwards

Raleigh, North Carolina

I have had some major travel influences in my life, but no one has probably shaped how I plan and prepare for a trip more than Rick Steves. Growing up and watching his shows on PBS brought Europe to life. It was through Rick‘s eyes that I was able to see real people in the real places that dotted the entire continent. Then, travel seemed like some far-off goal, an unfulfilled desire to subdue my wanderlust. I did not realize that it was through his shows that I was developing a philosophy of travel that was very similar to his own.

Much like Lisa Simpson, I also would also say something similar to, “Some day, Rick. Some day.”

For every trip I’ve ever planned to Europe (seven so far, plus two planned for Summer 2026), I have used a Rick Steves guidebook. Those trips include three to the United Kingdom, one down the Danube River going through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary, one to Spain with side trips to Portugal, France, and Morocco, one to Italy and the Vatican, and, most recently, one to Denmark and Sweden. All of them involved me watching all of Rick Steves’ specials and reading the respective books in detail. Preparing for this summer, I have been reading his books on the Netherlands and Scotland in depth, as he quotes in many of his books the following: “Read and reread this book. To have an ‘A’ trip, be an ‘A’ Student.” I took this quote verbatim from the most recent edition of Rick Steves’ Amsterdam & The Netherlands (p. 29), but I have read it in other Rick Steves’ Guidebooks. For a nominal fee, you get a real traveler and insider’s perspective, including information about the best of the best in each destination. Even if you do not purchase a book, Rick Steves’s guidebooks are found in many public libraries.

Practicing what I preach, I am in Florence in December 2023 with the Rick Steves’ Florence and Tuscany Guidebook. My picture was taken outside an establishment featured in Rick Steves’ Italy book. As I have told many people, my trip to Italy was the most emotional and spiritual travel experience I have ever had. I really look forward to writing about that trip and, hopefully, many more in the future.

I happened to be glancing at my phone this past fall, on Facebook, when an ad popped up for Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey with the North Carolina Symphony. I was familiar with what the experience would look like because I had watched a video on Rick Steves’s YouTube Channel where he did something similar with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The goal of the show was to play songs from the Romantic Period (roughly early 1800s) that highlighted a song from eight different nations (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, France, Norway, and Spain), along with songs from the United States and Beethoven’s Ode to Joy from his 9th Symphony. For each country, Rick Steves would introduce its music, and then images of people playing would appear in the background. Some of the footage was previously used on his TV shows, while some was from a B role that had been recorded earlier. The combination of Rick’s introductions, musical pieces, and video footage provided a lovely concert experience.

The video is a little under an hour in length, but was similar to what we experienced in Raleigh.

A lot of people do not realize that Rick Steves is a trained pianist and set out to be a music teacher after graduating from the University of Washington; however, he decided to start his travel agency instead in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington. Rick Steves always showed an incredible ability for teaching, photography, and journaling, much of which is seen in his book titled ‘On the Hippie Trail from Istanbul to Kathmandu: A Personal Journal Through Afghanistan & India in 1978.’ I received a copy of his book through a promotion. I bought three books to prepare for our trip to Italy, and the Hippie Trail book was included for free. It was fascinating because it focused on the travel Rick took when he was 23 years old. He journaled about leaving Germany for his trip to Bulgaria, Istanbul, Iran, India, and Kathmandu, Nepal. Although he was young, you can see his storytelling style, his emphasis on people and experiences, and his practical advice to make the journey yourself. As for me, my European travel only really began when I was 23, when Adrienne and I went on our honeymoon to London, but I know I have been blessed to keep many memories and reflect on them when I write blog posts. Thankfully, we have kept many photographs that help bring words to life.

In 2021, Adrienne, Henry, Simon, and I had just gotten off a ferry in Edmunds, Washington, when I noticed the Rick Steves Europe headquarters. Obviously, we did not see him that day, but it is very respectful that Rick Steves kept his staff employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. International travel was greatly limited at this time, and we were in Washington while also taking a cruise to Alaska. We were not allowed to cross into Canada on our trip.

The concert itself is pretty cool, as the North Carolina Symphony is extremely talented. I recommend going to see them whenever you can make it to an event. Rick Steves was obviously in his element when he said that the concert combined his three favorite things: travel, music, and teaching. Rick surprised us by announcing after the event that he would be glad to meet anyone who wanted to show up at a location downstairs. I did not want to miss the chance to meet Rick Steves, so Adrienne and I went to the main lobby after the show. Rick said the meet-and-greet would be Italian mosh-pit style, which meant we would gather in a circle, and he would spin around it, signing things and briefly talking to us as he did. Once your item was signed, you slid out of the circle, and someone else took your place. We make fun of Italians for not being orderly, but this was a heck of a lot more organized than many lines that I have been in my life. Italian trains and sports cars typically run with precision, so maybe the Italians are much more organized than we give them credit.

Adrienne worked into the circle a little after I did, so went over to the steps to get this shot of her with Rick Steves in the Italian mosh-pit circle.
The whole reason that he provided handouts for the show was so that people would have something to sign. It was a clever marketing scheme, as people were reading about the trips, and they would obviously keep the handout because it had his signature. The trips are a great option for anyone who is looking to experience Europe.

One thing I noticed when I was looking back on my brief meeting is that Rick and I kind of towered over most of the crowd. I guess his Nordic roots, along with mine, shone through in our DNA. Something else that I noticed about meeting Rick Steves in person was how affable and genuine he was when he met with all of us. The words that appear on the page, on the screen, or on the radio are genuine. In a time where so many travel-related things are AI-generated, Rick’s genuineness is rare and extremely valuable for anyone when they are preparing for a journey.

People asked me what I said, but it was along the lines of “Thank you.” I was just glad that Rick was willing to meet all of us. When you have watched so many of someone’s videos and read so many of their words, you feel like you get to know them, so this has to be an incredible pressure for all celebrities. I’m very thankful Adrienne was able to capture our meeting.

The bread and butter of Rick Steves’ travel business are his tours. I have never been on one of his tours, but they would be a great starting place for someone who’s unsure about tackling Europe on their own. For me. I enjoy the challenge of piecing things together and trying new ideas with very small groups. Typing this post, I realize how fortunate I am to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip a couple of times a year. Not everybody gets this opportunity, and if you have that one chance to go to Europe and there are bucket-list items you wanna see, a Rick Steves tour could be the best option for a visit.

Thanks Mr. Steves, this has become a welcome addition to my office. I appreciate having a framed memento from “Uncle Rick.”

Sometimes, during our European travels, my sister-in-law, Logan, started joking that we were traveling with “Uncle Rick.” Rick Steves’ guidebooks have been a  constant travel companion for our family. I’m glad I finally got to meet my “Uncle,” and to him, I just want to say thank you for what you do and for how many people you have positively impacted, providing them with great and lasting memories.