My husband and I have had the pleasure of traveling with Venture Out on nearly twenty occasions. Robert is a consummate professional. One of the things we most enjoy about traveling with him is that there is nothing to worry about. Robert attends to every detail. And, his trips always include locations, hotels and adventures you could never find on your own. I know for a fact that Rich and I are not the only ones who feel this way. We have friends here in the Bay Area who have traveled with Venture Out on many occasions and we have made friends on Robert’s trips, whom we see again and again on subsequent Venture Out tours.
— Dave M & Rich K, San Francisco, CA
VIETNAM & CAMBODIA
I very highly recommend Venture Out as a gay travel company with tours throughout the world. The company owner, Robert Driscoll, goes on most of the tours himself. Not only is he a wonderful and well-informed travel companion, but his trip arrangements are simply superb from hotels to local transportation to local guides to what we see, etc. His travel groups are small, and this makes it feel like a family-type tour you are on. He is extremely responsive to group and individual needs. His web site and the materials you get before the trip including a well-written itinerary are marvelous. As often as I can, I’ll travel with Venture Out!
— Ron M, Phoenix, MD
Just want to tell you what a memorable trip it was. All of our adventures with you have been outstanding, but this one really left an impression on our minds and hearts. Not just for the beauty of the wonderful places we went, but for the people and their history. We thought the people in both countries were quite wonderful and a great pleasure. As usual, you had a perfect program and everything worked like a well-oiled machine.
— Ingrid D & Judy O, Marin County, CA
SPAIN & PORTUGAL
The whole experience was a series of unanticipated pleasures. Great food from animals and their parts I had never planned to touch let alone enjoy. Much more developed architecture than I had been led to believe existed there in cities I would have visited with no one but you, and two different peoples where I had expected only two variations on a theme. As the son and brother of teachers learning that you were a teacher explains a lot to me why your tours are so much more that just a group of happy homos seeing the sights. While we did have fun and our escort certainly recharged a number of our hunk fantasies as well as intellectual curiosity, we got a feeling for civilizations beyond just a series of good photo ops. As you mentioned earlier, it was a more expensive and longer trip than usual, but the quality of the hotels (hot boutique to former palace), dining experiences (over the top drag restaurant to patio of a Chateau and Relais resort), and large variety of sites gave full value for the time and money.
— Tom B, Washington, DC
AMALFI COAST, ITALY
I want you to know that I had a truly wonderful time — again! Several times I was literally overwhelmed. I will never forget our lunch on Capri with the Faraglioni far below us. I have to say I got tears in my eyes standing in the house of that lovely family who cared for the monks of San Domenico. Just seeing the house and the wine casks and the oven and knowing they had lived there for generations, above the sea, was a real gift. So, thanks, as always for providing the means for delightful travel in wonderful accommodations with great guides.
— Jerome M, New York, NY — Amalfi Coast, Italy
The trip was sensational — the usual exquisite attention to detail and the experiences we know we simply would not have had if we’d been on our own . . . the meals we cooked, the special lunches, the conviviality of the group. Sergio is a real treasure, needless to say.
— Steve M & Chris D, San Diego, CA — Amalfi Coast, Italy
SOUTHWESTERN FRANCE
We can’t express enough how wonderful this trip has been. It exceeded our expectations. Thank you for putting together such a wonderful experience.
— Judy O and Ingrid D, Marin County, CA
UMBRIA, ITALY
I would not have seen myself as the “tour type,” having always made my own arrangements when traveling. What I learned is that letting someone else arrange things makes for a very relaxing trip. The food was incredible, and I would not have had those kinds of culinary experiences on my own. This was a trip I will always remember. I enjoyed my fellow travelers and felt very comfortable. Thanks for a great trip.
— Janet L, Sacramento, CA
HOLLAND
The trip was great and I want to thank you for all your silent organization that made it smooth and very much fun. I would do a trip with you again any time. I was very impressed with your way of having everything in readiness.
— Lawrence H, Dallas, TX
How lucky for me to have found Venture Out and to have taken this trip! It was an experience I’ll never forget thanks to your expert planning and management. Many thanks!
— Doug C, San Francisco, CA
NORMANDY, FRANCE
Thank you for putting together such a memorable trip. Everything was first-class, and I couldn’t have asked for a better week… I especially enjoyed the opportunity to travel with such a nice group of people… You were all great tour leaders and added so much to the trip… It was a unique experience, and I’m looking forward to more adventures in the future.
— Eric S, San Francisco, CA
TUSCANY, ITALY
Thank you so much for all you did to make this a wonderful trip. We can only guess about how much you did behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly… We hope to join another Venture Out tour in the not-too-distant future.
— Dave and David, St. Louis, MO
CROATIA
Wanted to say thanks for the hard work you put in coordinating the trip. I had a wonderful time and discovered I came home very relaxed and happy. Nice people to travel with and a very beautiful, exciting destination. I never would have seen or experienced half of what we saw if you had not created the itinerary. Your hard work is appreciated.
— Robert L, Houston, TX
JORDAN
Just want to let you know how much I enjoyed the tour. It ran without a hitch and both the tour director and local guide gave it their all to ensure we all had a great time. It was planned such that every day got better and better. The food was great, the choices of accommodation superb, and I would definitely travel again with Venture Out knowing what caliber of client you attract.
— Rick A, Minnesota
TURKEY
Thank you for all your assistance with my arrangements for the Turkey trip. I had a wonderful time. The tour guide was tremendous. There was nothing she could not talk about or explain for us. She fit right into the group and was a delight to have leading us. The accommodations were exceptional. The staff in Istanbul were very attentive and the rooms were true to the pictures. The gulet was incredible in all ways (food, rooms, decks, lounging areas, service, etc). The Tour Manager was incredibly knowledgeable and well prepared for any scenario. He really has the right personality and skills for his job. The tour’s pace and balance of the itinerary was dead on to my expectations. We did enough sites, but we had enough free time to explore on our own… Honestly, if I had to come up with a negative comment about the trip, it would be that there wasn’t enough chocolate in the dessert menus… I look forward to another trip with Venture Out.
— Glen W, New York, NY
We loved the Turkey vacation . . . It was just the right mix of structured activities and free time to be on our own . . very well organized. The guide answered all our questions and offered up a concise history of Turkey with interesting insights into the lives of historical figures. The Instanbul hotel was way more than I ever expected! It was comfortable, convenient yet off the beaten path, the staff were great, and the shower was to die for. The gulet was incredible. A relaxing pace with a fun stop each day. The boat crew were very nice . . Being something of a picky eater, food options on a planned trip concern me a little but there were so many varieties of food offered at each meal that you couldn’t go wrong . . . I was most impressed with the open and welcoming feeling I got from all the Turkish people we came in contact with . . . Loved the tour. I would recommend it to friends and we will consider some of the other destinations you offer in the future.
— Mark P, Houston, TX
Thank you for a most enjoyable adventure! The trip was so well planned and well-paced. I can’t speak highly enough of the accommodations! The gulets were a highlight of the trip for me in every way–accommodations, service, food and camaraderie. That was an inspired addition to the itinerary. As for the sights, we hit all the highlights and then some! Elvan was terrific as a guide. She was so full of information. It really made a difference to my experience to have someone so knowledgeable on the trip. Eric was a superb manager. He kept things flowing with a minimum of hassle. Finally, the group as a whole had such a sense of camaraderie. It really enriched the entire experience. This is one trip I shall not easily forget!
— John J, San Francisco, CA
EGYPT
This was my first group tour, and I’m thankful that it happened to be through Venture Out. I think you provided one of the best possible experiences… I had a fabulous trip to Egypt, a once in a lifetime experience for me. What I liked most was Eric! He truly was a gracious host to what Egypt had to offer: sweet, patient, extremely organized and in control, with a great taste level, a wonderful sense of humor, knowledgeable and adaptable, and all around pleasant to spend time with. The restaurants and food in general were all outstanding and unique – I appreciated the focus on Egyptian cuisine. The cruise was first rate, such a unique and elegant experience. All of the site visits were worthwhile if not astounding. The hotels were unique, trendy, tasteful, clean and comfortable. The balloon ride over Luxor was transcendent; visit to Abu Simbel temple on the eve of the twice yearly sunrise penetration of the inner sanctum was very exciting. I know I could never have made the same kind of arrangements that Eric provided so effortlessly and I truly appreciate that.
— Gary R, New York, NY