Meet our Travel Advisors
Whether picking the perfect hotel in Paris, or choosing just the right travel gear, our expert team of Travel Advisors has just the right suggestion for customers. With a combined 44 years of working and traveling for Rick Steves, they know Europe frontwards, backwards and, most importantly, Through the Back Door. Discover what makes our Travel Advisors the best in the business!
Aaron
5 years at ETBD • Has traveled to Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, England, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Wales, Belize, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, & Mexico
Perfect Travel Day: 1) Skiing powder on a crisp day in Chamonix or Switzerland's Berner Oberland, followed by a hearty dinner and laughs with good friends, capped by a stroll, a mellow soak in some hot water and some quality late-night conversation. Or 2) Hiking and lounging by the water in Salema, Portugal, followed by amazing seafood.
Favorite travel product: Velocé Shoulder Bag
Abe
2 years at ETBD • Has traveled to Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Guatamala, Dominican Republic, Mexico, & Canada
Perfect travel day: So far, one of the best travel days I have had was in the Dominican Republic. I spent the majority of the day in the hot sun painting the roof of the school and joking with my brother. At lunch I bought a pineapple from a guy driving by in a truck and shared it with my brother and a friend. After painting, I visited a nearby Vacation Bible School program and played games with some of the local kids. Very tired at the end of the day but very fun.
Favorite travel product: Travel Journal & Thumb Beam Illuminator
Amanda
2 years at ETBD • Has traveled to USA, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Turkey & Morocco
Perfect travel day: Start with a good American breakfast, followed by a morning hike in the Alps, an afternoon on a jungle lined beach in Costa Rica, an evening full of delicious Italian cuisine, vino, and gelato, and concluded by a night out in Mexico.
Favorite travel product: Travel Towels: Not only are our travel towels fast-drying and compact, which makes it easy to fit them in your one carry-on size bag, but they also help your laundry dry faster. When traveling for an extended period of time you will need to do laundry along the way, since you packed so light! Ring your laundry out with the towel and your clothes will dry faster. They are a great dual purpose product!
Ann
8 years at ETBD • Has traveled to Canada, Nepal, Thailand, Tanzania, Botswana, Mexico, Ecuador, Argentina, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, & Turkey. (Plus 37 of our united states and impatiently waiting for Cuba!)
Perfect vacation day: warm sun, moderate temperatures, birds chirping, water, clean air, good beach-type book, naps, good food, family laughter, peace.
Favorite travel product: Packing Cubes, Packing Cubes, Packing Cubes!
Jennifer
15 years at ETBD • Has traveled to England, Wales, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, France, Monaco, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, Greece, Canada, Mexico, and Tahiti & Moorea
Perfect travel day: sleeping in, a local walking tour, picking up a picnic lunch at Harrods or Mark & Spencers, shopping at H&M, getting a spa treatment, dinner out without kids, ending the day at the theater going to a musical.
Favorite travel product: Hide Away Tote. It holds so much and keeps my H&M purchases safe. I wouldn't travel without it.
Pat
12 years with ETBD • Has traveled to Ireland, UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Spain, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Costa Rica, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Columbia, Mexico, Canada, Australia...and of course Omaha
Perfect travel day: a photo safari hike among the cliff perched ancient monastic ruins of isolated Skellig Michael off the County Kerry coast, followed by an evening of Irish traditional music in the pubs back on shore.
Favorite travel product: This must be the moneybelt because it's the most essential thing we sell to ensure a happy trip...a second choice would be the Europe 101 read-before-you-go book which does such a great job of making European history and art accessable and fun.