PBS Star Rick Steves Donating To ACLU On Inauguration Day

EDMONDS, WA — Local travel guru Rick Steves will host a fundraiser for the American Civil Liberties Union on Inauguration Day through his website, saying that the group will probably be busy during the coming Donald Trump administration.

All day Friday, for every dollar you spend at his online travel store, Steves will donate $1 to the ACLU.

"So, to celebrate and help fund the ACLU — which will be working hard for civil liberties in the coming years — I’m happy to send them a donation equal to the entire amount of money spent at [the online store] on Jan. 20," Steves wrote on his travel blog.

Steves is famous for his long-running PBS show "Rick Steves' Europe," his NPR radio show "Travel With Rick Steves" and numerous travel guidebooks. His media company is based in Edmonds.

Steves also said in the blog post that he canceled his planned trip to the inauguration after it became clear Trump would become president. He endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016.

"Even though I canceled my flight and hotel reservations for the inauguration in Washington DC after Election Day, I still want to celebrate this important day for all of us Americans. And I want to do it in a way that reflects my values and what I love most about America: tolerance, diversity, and freedom," he wrote on his blog.

Steves, a University of Washington graduate, is open about his political and philanthropic leanings. He's campaigned heavily for the legalization of marijuana, but he's also active in local organizations, like the Edmonds Center for the Arts, Trinity Lutheran Church and the Lakeside School.

Image courtesy Rick Steves' Europe Inc.