Events & Adventures Reviews

I like that everyone is accepted. I'm 80 years old. I'm the oldest one, I think, that travels with Events & Adventures. Most of them are in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. I don't like traveling with old people that's why I travel with my daughter, who's 47, with this group. We've traveled so much that we've become travel friends and we look forward to seeing our travel friends on another Events & Adventures trip.

One thing that my daughter and I do not like is they do not leave us in a resort long enough. One night is not long enough. Two nights is much preferable. The negative part about the Kenya trip is we spent the majority of our time in a safari van, and it was hours traveling from one resort to the next, and we discovered that on the last resort, we saw all the animals we had seen on the first four resorts, so that was unnecessary. The food has usually been very good. We just did not care for Morocco. I don't know if it's just Moroccan cooking or where they took us, but most of the places they take us is very good.

We have switched from the complete package to land only. I live in Hudson Valley, New York. My daughter lives in New Hampshire and for us on the East Coast, it's so much easier to fly to certain places than to meet up with the group in Los Angeles or Dallas or wherever they meet up. If they meet up on the East Coast, that's fine but it seems like most of the initial flights are taken from the Midwest to the western part of the United States.

The hotels have been very nice. They seem to be clean. We were in a hostel in Galapagos, but that could not be helped because Galapagos doesn't encourage a lot of tourists anyway because of the animals. Everything about Easter Island was fabulous. Our native hosts were very good. The food was delicious. The resort Hotel was beautiful and well-located. The island was small so we took an AT vehicle around it on our own, and that was really great. I would like to have opportunities to do hot air balloons in more countries. I've been on three in foreign countries and two in the United States. One in Mojave and one in San Diego, which was on my own. Mojave was through the Denver group. There was one across Morocco, and one in Kenya, too.

The E&A host is with us for the trip. They've been very nice, very thorough, and very polite. Eric was the only one that is an extreme athlete, and he took us up to two hikes that most of us could not do. He also discouraged us from doing a night boat trip. Some of our travel mates took that trip purposely to do that, and he made every excuse in the world not to. We found out that we should have been persistent and said, “No. It's scheduled. We're going. We don't care what your objections are. We're going.” We didn't, and we've all regretted that. Eric is a nice person but he runs it like the military, and he's an extreme athlete and is very verbal about that. I have the feeling that, “Why weren't the rest of the extreme athletes like him?” Now, I take trekking poles. I'm just slower, but I do everything that everybody else does.

One of the other things I would like to comment on is our trip to Italy is only four days between Italy and Greece. My daughter and I chose to do it, but we wish their trips were at least 3 to 4 weeks apart. I'm 80 and my goal in life is to travel the world and do high adventure with my daughter. We love to travel. We're great travel mates. It's nice to have everything planned for us. I know E&A tries to pack each trip as full as it can be. One of the things my travel mates and I would like is when we're in a place that has great shopping, it doesn't have to be high-end. It doesn't have to be focused on tourists, but artisans and things that we can't get in the United States, because those craft people aren't in the United States. We would like to have more time to be able to do that, and we would like more information where these are.

For example, in Santiago, Chile, there is a historical park. In the back of the park is a large hacienda under type complex. Behind that complex, attached to it, but out in the open air, with little tarps over each artisan's booth are these phenomenal craft people. They have things from glass, jewelry, wood, plants, and all kinds of things. We had so much fun spending money there and talking to the artisans. We got to meet the people who made their products. In one of those trips, they took us to a huge pearl store. It was like a warehouse but it was beautifully presented in jewelry cases. I don't know that we were there an hour. If you're gonna buy pearls, you need more than an hour. They had pink, yellow, white, black pearls and every color you could think of. They were high quality. I just didn't have a chance to buy any. They said, “We gotta go. Gotta go.” So, that was a bummer.

Majority of our travel mates are female, but there are males who like to shop too. And on the trips, sometimes, we'll have two or three males. Sometimes we'll have eight or nine males on a trip. It depends on the trip. Most of us who travel a lot have become friends, and so we tell each other which trips we're gonna be on. Some of our travel mates book those trips because we want to be together.

E&A is so difficult for me to traverse. I can never seem to get in to the trips I'm going on or the trips that are coming up. My daughter does it and she has trouble. Somebody needs to program their connections to the internet more people-friendly. They're very difficult. My daughter and I aren't the only ones who complain about that. I feel that their Facebook page and their website should have a total separate area for the club and a separate area that's easy to access for the travel.

We are not members of the club because there's no club near us. We're not interested in being members of the club, so that worked out very well for us. We just travel. I would like to access just the travel section. Curtis put up a very nice list of things that he thought were important for our Italy trip. That's the first time I've seen that. That was through our personal email, and he had 1 through 12 listed. We knew most of the way ahead of time because we've been traveling so much, but for anybody who is new to it, that would be very useful. And that was the first time I've seen that type of list deliberately sent to all of us that are going to Italy, and that was very helpful.

I was very much considering going on some of the trips that they were sponsoring and the only thing that was holding me back was I had a full calendar of everything else to do that I scheduled. And I really was always conflicted and I had no more time-off or vacation time. I also took a break because I knew the months of November and December were going to be hectic for me, and there was no problem with them. I then asked to be reinstated as of the end of this month and my time got added on at the end of contract. So, that was a very easy process and there were no questions asked. I still had to keep on paying but I wasn't paying for a month that I wasn't going to use.

For most of the time, you pay for the events upfront. And so, there's no need to bust out any money, unless you're buying something or you want to wear a $10 bill on you. But the safety was the most important part for me because I'm not aware of what is around. They have a bunch of contact people who make themselves available and there's always somebody that you have to contact, because if you don't show up to these things that you're signing up for, somebody's looking for you. That's cool because that's the kind of person I am. It almost feels like an adult field trip where you get to do whatever you want but you're accounted for.

As for the price, everybody wants it cheaper but I wasn't bothered by it because of the fact that I was looking for that type of person who can afford that too and not have to go through my friend list and see which one I could possibly not have to pay for. So, I could have the same membership for $10, but you're going to get that $10 quality. Then, everybody with $10 is potentially going to be there.

Aside from that, the reps at Events & Adventures are very personable. They also have a website which is used to schedule events. They prefer that you stick to that calendar and the schedule. That's how everything gets organized and how you're informed. You even see who is the organizer because they put a picture of them. The website is pretty easy to use, but I can see a lot of people having a problem with it who aren't tech-savvy. So, you have to have a little bit of a skill to maneuver through that website.

On my first event, I went to a happy hour situation at a restaurant. There was only one bartender, which was weird, because everybody was there to have a margarita. So that took some time. But when you're waiting in line, you're talking to people and we wound up sitting with two different sets of people at any given time throughout the night. So, you wind up figuring out some people and making some friends. Then, there were talks of what we are gonna do next so that part was cool. I'm good at blending in and making my way so I just did that and I met some cool girls that we still go on all these events with. But the guys stick to their own or find somebody they like and just talk to that one person. So, I'm always the one trying to break all that up.

I've been to volleyball once and one of the girls that I do a lot of things with goes there too. That event was fun because everyone was there to play volleyball and it's not cliquey. I went to the Perot Museum, which was super fun. Bell is great at making sure her group knows each other and that she keeps her group together. If you don't know someone and ask who that is, she's good about that part. And everybody likes to be around her, so we all interact with her differently. That one wasn't awkward at all because I knew who she was. Perot Museum had certain exhibits and people wanted to see certain things so those groups would go off. Other groups that wanted to hang out in the sports arena area where you could play some basketball stayed over there or stuck with the dinosaurs. So that was a good mix of people. That was probably the most fun before the 4th of July.

My fourth event was on the 4th of July. We got two pontoon boats and there were slides and we were jumping in the water. Events & Adventures had wings and brisket and potato salad, and everybody was in their swimsuits and running around. We were dancing and having a good time. I met a lot more people on that one. But we paid too much for that event because we each had to pay 100 bucks. There were 50 of us and I didn't know what all that money went toward because if we chose to drink, we had to bring our own drinks. But it seemed like everybody was there to have fun. We got out to the middle of the lake at some point when it got darker and there were 15 fireworks shows all around us, which was cool, and we had a good time.

At my first event, I was a little nervous. It was paintball. So, that was something I was pretty excited about. I felt I seem more nervous I felt at the new members meeting than I was at paintball. Other than that, it was also a little hard to locate the host of the event. That's been something that I've seen at a few events. I'll have to walk into a place and start asking the question like, "Hey, I'm here with E & A or Events & Adventures." They're pretty good at getting you located to where you need to go. But with paintball, since it's like in an open area, I was just kind of wandering around looking for people or looking for a sign. Eventually, I found the group and had a great time and met a bunch of people.

I'm about to turn 31, and I have found that the Houston group down here are more like 40, 45, 45 to 50. So, they're a little bit older. That's just how it is. It makes it a little bit easier too. The people that are in the group are really friendly, nice and welcoming. Last week, it was like I had an event every single night. I try to stay as active as I possibly can because there is that membership fee, and I'm gonna try to use it as often as possible.

I really like the kayaking event that we did. They advertised that you could go swimming in the river but the river that they do here in Houston, at least, isn’t something that you particularly would wanna get in. I did a volunteering at a food bank. That's something that I personally enjoy doing and giving back to the community is something I really like. The only thing is I would like to see more things that involve dogs. I was hoping to have something where more hiking that would have dogs allowed. There are a few, but there aren't too many that offer that, at least, here in the Houston club.

I have two dogs. They're super friendly, but they are pit bulls. We did a sand volleyball thing one day. The bar that it's kind of attached to is dog-friendly. They have a dog park there. So, I did bring my dogs to that event. I was kind of told that it's not really welcomed. I was like, “Well, if I have to not be an E & A member today and just be a regular person who knows you guys that ran into you here at the volleyball court, then that's who I'll be. I won't bring the dogs kind of around the reserved area and just kind of do my own thing." I do try to get out a lot and go and doing a lot of events. Tonight, I'm doing a steak and trivia. Last night, with the 4th of July, I did the red, white and blue badge. That was a lot of fun. For me, because I am getting out all the time now, I do feel like I'm just trying to entertain my dogs a little bit more.

Other than the dog thing, I just wish I was kind of informed, prior to or during the interviewing process, of the age group. I was hoping for more of a younger crowd. I found it to be a lot of more elderly people who have been divorced. I thought this is more of singles kind of going out meeting people, not really like a dating app, but that's been the negative. I would definitely recommend E & A to a friend. I've already done that to other people. I've been like, "Hey, this is something I've been doing. It's really cool. Check it out, see if they're in your area." I do think it's a good way for people especially my age to do it. You may not meet people entirely your age, but you are getting out and still doing activities. The activities that I've done so far are quite fun.

I just went and found a seat. I was sharing a pot with a girl across me and she would not look at me the first hour I was there. I could not get eye contact with her to make a friend. I was like, "Wow, is this how this club's gonna be?" It was really a bad experience. To this day, I don't know her name and I haven't seen her at another event. I was at the Japanese Dinner event for one and a half hours.

After that, I attended six other events. When I went to the one after the Japanese dinner, I was really nervous. It was called "Naughty Coloring Night" at this place called World of Beer in Fort Worth. That was really far for me to drive. But I liked the whole naughty part of it. It ended up just being little drawing pages where you just draw on these coloring books. They were inappropriate. It was like a pub and we sat and everybody was just laughing about it. I met a couple of new people and I was okay. We exchanged numbers. It was a friendship kind of thing. I was getting into Events and Adventures now. That first night was just a fluke.

Another event I went to was Rack Daddy's and it's a pool hall. It was called the New Members and Darts, Pizza, and Pool. They had pizza for us. When I first walked in, I thought it was dumpy because the place smelled like cigarettes. But I was gonna go with it. Some people said that it's really casual. I was there from 7:00 until 11:00.

In the beginning, they did a little meet new member meeting. You could go to at least one, so I went. You stay after to play darts and it was fun. That was a great event. There were so many people there and I got to meet them. I got to know a lot more people. Everybody was happy and just having a good time. The new member thing was cool because, Val, our coordinator spoke to us and there were quite a few of us. I met a really nice guy through that group and just mingled with other people. It must have been 50 people there or more and it was all ages. It was a great environment.

Another event I did was the Night at Perot, which is a museum in Dallas. It's once a month on a Thursday and it's called Perot on Tap. They have food trucks, beer, and wine set up outside. It's only for 21 and older, and it's after hours. You get free access to the entire museum. They had live music and it was really cool. I was nervous for that one because I couldn't drink at all. I took an Uber and it was a little bit of a drive. I just didn't wanna drink and then drive. I couldn't find the group and I didn't know where to meet. I found the host. It was awkward and nobody was talking to me. I knew no one. The host was so sweet. She took me in that night and introduced me to a couple of people so that I wouldn't be walking around by myself.

My favorites so far are the Friday night event and the New Members Darts and Pizza and Pool because I played pool and I won. On Friday night, I'm going to Cirque du Soleil with a group, and then Saturday, I'm going to Scarborough Fair. So far, I've made some good friends. I met a couple of women there. One of them's a little bit older than me. I'm 53 and the other one's in her mid-40s. We've been doing all kinds of stuff together. We text each other every day. We also did Thursday night which was Beer Bingo then Friday night which was the darts thing.

On Saturday night, we did what was called a 70s, 80s Night at a Winery. They played only 70s and 80s music. It ended up being more of a karaoke thing and I'm not a karaoke fan. And I don't like listening to everybody. They sound horrible. All in all, Events and Adventures is interesting because the people are so unique. I wish it had more diversity but it's okay. I've made some good friends out of this and I'm glad I did it.

Events & Adventures is a very good social gathering place for single people to hang out and do things with other single people that they wouldn't normally do on their own. I've come into it as a person looking to meet other people, network, and socialize. I had an interview with the person who led this particular branch at the time. She laid it to me straight. But I have heard stories of some people who came in and they thought it was something totally different than what the recruiter played it to them. Everybody says that they were told something different by their recruiter when they tried to apply and everybody pays a different amount. There are no two people who said that they paid the same fee to get into the club.

The first event I went to was the New Year's Eve event in 2024 and I felt nervous. But once I broke out of my own shell, it was not that bad. I was meeting new people, having a good experience, and having a good time. I've been to seven to eight events so far and every time I go to one of these events, I'm always having a blast. If you're looking lost and you don't know what to do outside of home and you're wanting to go find new stuff with new people that are in the same position as you, go try out Events & Adventures.

I've attended three events. I signed up for six. The first one was the bachata. The second one was the meet and greet. It's called Speakeasy club. I didn't really enjoy that one at all. It's not that it wasn't cool. It's just we were all super awkward. There was nothing to do. I like to do things when I go out and we were all just sitting there, which is not bad in itself, but that's not what I planned to do. The last one I went to was this past Wednesday. It was skating/pickleball spot. It was cool but there were only four of us who showed up and there were 12 of us that signed up for the event. So, that was a bummer. Overall, I wouldn't recommend somebody to join Events & Adventures if they didn't really want to because it is a lot of upfront expense. I'm not overly upset because I have met people. That was the initial goal.