Rick Steves: America’s Favorite Travel Host Works Towards Transforming His Hometown
Rick Steves advocates for pedestrian-friendly town square in Edmonds
EDMONDS, Wash. — At first glance, it is hard to tell that Rick Steves is protesting. In the center of his hometown, America’s favorite travel host is perched on the edge of a fountain roundabout engaging in some friendly civil disobedience. As cars circle the intersection, Steves smiles and waves, looking more like an Elf on a Shelf than an angry picketer. This is his way of reminding people he wishes they’d stop driving here.
Bringing European Sensibilities to Edmonds, Washington
Steves’s family moved to Edmonds when he was 12, and the 68-year-old is still happy to call it home. Rather than relocate to his beloved Europe, he dreams of bringing some European sensibilities to the edge of the Puget Sound, less than 20 miles north of Seattle.
Advocating for a Lively Town Square in Edmonds
When he’s not traveling around Europe, writing about Europe or running his multimillion dollar European tour company, the prolific TV host and author likes to squeeze in some local activism. The roundabout routine is his push to block off Edmonds’s very American Main Street for pedestrians. If you squint at it, you can see what Steves sees: this would be the perfect place for a lively town square.
Rick Steves: Beyond the Travel Guru Persona
The average Rick Steves fan has likely missed this side of him. On TV, they see an always-sunny history lover who makes going abroad feel approachable for the average American. That’s an incomplete picture, like thinking you know Paris because you’ve seen the Eiffel Tower on YouTube. Meet him in Edmonds, and he’ll fill in the rest.
Rick Steves: The Relentless Workhorse
It may look like a lot of gallivanting, but being Rick Steves takes a lot of work. He spends three months of the year overseas, researching, writing, recording, refining tours, and updating guidebooks. If he’s not planning or producing content, he’s often doing promotional events across the United States. He has built a privately held company that generates $120 million in revenue a year, published 110 books, filmed 12 seasons of “Rick Steves’ Europe,” and produced more than 750 podcast episodes.
Practicing and Advocating for Conscious Capitalism
“It’s more of an American work culture,” Amy Duncan, Steves’s communications director, told me. “He’s an unapologetic capitalist but he is also a socialist.” Steves walks the talk when it comes to practicing conscious capitalism. He invests in causes he believes in, such as affordable housing, the arts, and supporting the elderly. He also enforces a self-imposed “carbon tax” on his tour company to atone for emissions created by their flights. Steves believes his success allows him to make a positive impact on the world.
The Rick Steves Effect and Overtourism Debate
His critics argue the “Rick Steves Effect” can turn a charming destination into a tourist magnet, leading to overtourism. Steves, however, assesses whether a place wants tourism and can handle it gracefully. If they can’t, he may mention it but not promote it. His travelers are the kind that take only pictures and leave only footprints. Steves believes his clients share his values and are respectful travelers.
A Life Committed to Making the World a Better Place
Rick Steves serves as a reminder that success can be a means for doing good. He is not only an inspiring travel host but also a force for positive change in his community and beyond. His dedication to bringing European influences to his hometown reflects his belief that cultural exchange and creating vibrant public spaces can improve the quality of life for all.
