Rick Steves' Europe Travel Center In Washington Is A Cozy Spot Offering Helpful Resources
While Rick Steves' travel empire is comprised of guidebooks, television shows, and tours that are mostly focused on Europe, the company does have a home base. Steves is a proud resident of Edmonds, Washington. This quiet, yet vibrant city is where you'll find Rick Steves' Europe Travel Center. It may sound strange to think that a European tour company headquarters is a worthwhile stop to add to your Edmonds itinerary, but it offers more than the title suggests.
When you step inside the Rick Steves' Europe Travel Center in Edmonds, you'll meet with trusted travel advisors who can answer questions about booking a Rick Steves' tour. Onsite staff all have previous experience going on Rick Steves' Europe tours themselves and are eager to show you which options best fit the type of tour you're looking for and what you want to see on the trip. However, the Travel Center is not just a place filled with travel agents trying to sell you on a Rick Steves' Europe tour. The company headquarters is for anyone thinking about planning a European adventure.
Get help packing light at the Rick Steve's Europe Travel Center
Think of the Rick Steves' Europe Travel Center as a resource center for all things travel. "Our bookshelves are bursting with hundreds of books and maps about Europe — all packed into our cozy library with a stay-a-while fireplace," Rick Steves explains on his website. Feel free to pick something off these shelves and do some planning at the Travel Center's tables.
Steves emphasizes the importance of packing light when traveling in Europe. Therefore, the Rick Steves' Europe Travel Center is the place to go for this aspect of trip planning. "My self-imposed limit is 20 pounds in a 9" × 21" × 14" carry-on-size bag," Steves says. The Travel Center sells multiple types of bags, money belts, and more to help you also become an expert packer. Gear for sale here is tested and approved by Steves' team of travel advisors as well.
Edmonds is less than 20 miles from central Seattle and even accessible by Amtrak. The Rick Steves' Europe Travel Center is within Edmonds walkable downtown full of shops, creativity, and charm. So, before you put your European travel plans into motion, stick around to enjoy what else Edmonds has to offer.