I'm sure this store caters well to some people but I'm not one of them. I felt the pricing was a bit high. I also felt the staff was not eager to help or lend assistance.
Helpful staff, great tours available, excellent books and resources available for sale. Places to sit and peruse maps and dream of or plan a trip. There is a large viewing room where you may view dad's about international travel. Public restrooms. Personal consulting available for planning your trip. They also offer great presentations on Saturdays narrating slides of their tours, travel tips, and other interesting helpful topics. Took off one star for very limited selection of travel accessories and clothing for sale.
Over the years - okay, twist my arm, decades - a Rick Steves guidebook accompanied my every holiday to Europe. I find the books indispensable, especially for logistics. For example, I can afford 5 star hotels, but why stay at such properties when they isolate you from the culture you came to see and experience. Rick's guidebooks identify hotels that offer charm, excellent location, and less cost to make up for a lack of a few non-essential amenities. And as for restaurants, I recall one memorable meal in Siena, Italy that I never would have found on my own. Plenty of other examples I could share. So when life relocated me to Edmonds, WA, I made certain to visit his shop. Glad I did. As others have commented, the staff, Rick included, offer free seminars on all manner of topics. Lots to learn, and not merely the obvious. Only a few presenters are good speakers but they all, to a one, know their topics very, very well. I have enjoyed learning first hand the ins and outs of successful (read: fun!) travel from Rick and his excellent staff, an invaluable local resource for travelers of all types and ages.
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