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10/29/2026

A few river cruise myths I hear all the time…

“River cruises are only for older travelers.”

“You’ll be bored.”

“They’re all basically the same.”

“You’re stuck following a tour group all day.”

After spending time onboard, I think the biggest thing people miss is that there really isn’t one single “river cruise experience.”

Some cruise lines are more active. Some are more luxurious. Some are better for food and w**e. Some have a younger or more social feel. Some are designed beautifully for families or multigenerational travel.

And the itinerary matters just as much.

Most days, the ship is really your moving boutique hotel. You wake up somewhere new, step off the ship, and spend the day exploring — often right from the center of town.

For me, the appeal is being able to see several places without constantly packing, unpacking, changing hotels, or figuring out transportation between every stop.

The key is finding the right cruise line and itinerary for how *you* like to travel.

That’s exactly why I like experiencing these trips firsthand.

10/27/2026

Travel insurance is one of those topics that comes up in almost every planning conversation I have — and it's also one of the most misunderstood.

After planning hundreds of international trips, I've seen clients surprised by what's covered, what isn't, and what they wish they'd known before they bought their policy.

Swipe through the carousel for real scenarios and real answers.

Save this before you book your next trip.

10/24/2026

Back in Amsterdam, and honestly, I’d forgotten how much I love this city.

This trip I’ve had a little more time to explore beyond the big highlights, and it’s reminded me why Amsterdam works so well for so many different kinds of travelers.

It’s compact, easy to get around, full of character, and there’s a really nice balance between culture, food, history, and just enjoying the city itself.

A few things I’d absolutely make time for:

• One of the major art museums — the Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum depending on what you’re most interested in
• A canal cruise, especially if it’s your first visit
• The Anne Frank House, with tickets booked well in advance
• Renting a bike if you want to experience the city the way locals do
• Trying some Dutch food, but also leaning into Amsterdam’s international food scene
• Leaving some time to wander the Jordaan, stop somewhere for coffee or w**e, and not rush from sight to sight

One of the things I also really like about Amsterdam is how easy it is to build into a bigger Europe trip.

It’s a perfect place to spend a few days before boarding a Rhine River cruise through Germany and France, which is exactly what I’m doing next.

Or, if you’re planning a land trip, Amsterdam pairs perfectly by train with Paris and London.

It’s the kind of city that can be the destination itself or the beginning of a much bigger adventure.

Interested in a trip like this? Send me a message any time.

10/21/2026

I'm so excited to be headed to Amsterdam tomorrow to hop on a Rhine river cruise.

One of the things I love about river cruising is how easy it makes it to experience several places without constantly packing and unpacking or figuring out the logistics in between.

Not all river cruises are the same — and choosing the right one can completely change the experience.

I'll be going with my travel advisor brain fully switched on so I can see how the ship feels, how the days flow, what the excursions are like, and all the little details you have really only understand by experiencing it firsthand.

If river cruising has ever been on your radar, feel free to send me your questions along the way.

10/19/2026

Winter doesn't have to mean staying put. Here are some of the places my clients are heading so far — and why each one is worth considering.

🇯🇵 Japan — Winter is genuinely one of the most underrated times to visit. Snow-covered villages, outdoor onsens, world-class skiing in Hokkaido, stunning winter illumination festivals, and the cities without the crowds that come with cherry blossom season.

🇨🇭 Switzerland — Charming alpine towns, scenic train journeys through snowy mountains, fondue, and skiing. The kind of trip you can make as active or as cozy as you want.

🇿🇦 South Africa — Safari paired with Cape Town and w**e country is one of my favorite trip combinations. It's summer there, which means long days, warm weather, and a beautiful mix of adventure and downtime.

🇦🇺 Australia + New Zealand — Trade your winter for their summer. Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, Queenstown, Mount Cook — two countries that can fit a lot into two weeks without any single day feeling the same.

🇦🇷 Argentina + Patagonia — Buenos Aires paired with some of the most dramatic landscapes on earth. Hiking, incredible food, unforgettable scenery, and a trip that earns its place on any bucket list.

🇵🇫 French Polynesia — Turquoise water, overwater bungalows, and the kind of escape that actually feels like one. Pair Tahiti with Moorea or Bora Bora for snorkeling, lagoons, and resorts that are hard to leave.

The best winter destination really comes down to what you want the trip to feel like.
Warm and adventurous? Snowy and scenic? Safari? Culture? Beaches? A once-in-a-lifetime experience?

Tell me what sounds right — and let's start building. Link in bio. 🌍✈️

10/17/2026

AI can be a helpful travel-planning tool. But visa requirements and international entry rules or the "best" hotel for you are not where I’d stop with an AI answer.

Use AI for the ideas. For the details that really matter, this is where the human expertise comes in.

I share more about AI travel planning vs. working with a travel advisor in my latest article — link in bio.

10/16/2026

This couple's first Europe trip started with about 20 places they wanted to see in two weeks. And honestly, that’s a pretty normal place to start.

You save the castles, museums, cities, day trips and historical sites… and then eventually have to figure out what can actually fit and what's most worth it.

For this couple, that meant narrowing down what mattered most to them, building a route that made sense, and deciding where a guided experience was worth their time versus where they could simply explore on their own.

They still covered a ton of ground through Germany and France — just without trying to turn their two week trip into a marathon.

Sometimes planning isn’t about finding more things to add. It’s figuring out which things deserve the time you have.

10/14/2026

It’s really easy to look at a map of Europe and think, “We could add one more city…”

But every hotel change comes with packing, checking out, getting to the train station or airport, traveling, finding the next hotel, checking in, and getting settled again.

And all of that takes more time and energy than it looks like on an itinerary.

I love a good multi-city trip. But I also want you to have enough time in each place to actually enjoy being there—not just arrive, see the highlights, and pack up again.

That’s why I often prefer choosing a few really good home bases and using day trips to explore the surrounding areas.

You still get variety. You still see a lot. But you also get mornings at the café around the corner, an afternoon with nowhere you need to be, and enough time to actually get a feel for the place you traveled all that way to experience.

It’s not always about fitting in more.

Sometimes the better trip comes from giving yourself more time to enjoy what’s already there.

If you’re trying to figure out what stops make sense for your next trip, send me a message and let’s talk through it.

10/12/2026

Some of the most expensive travel decisions don’t actually look like mistakes when you make them.

They look completely reasonable on paper.

Here are three I see all the time:

1. Choosing the destination before deciding what you actually want from the trip.

You book Italy because everyone loves Italy. Or an all-inclusive because you want a beach vacation. But does that version of the trip actually fit you? Before you start booking, think about what you want your days to look like, how active you want to be, what kind of experiences matter to you, and how you want the trip to feel. There might be another destination that would better align for you.

2. Booking based on price alone.

The cheapest flight might come with two connections and terrible arrival times. The less expensive hotel might be 40 minutes from everything you want to do. Sometimes spending a little more in the right place saves you money—or simply makes the trip significantly better.

3. Trying to fit too much into the itinerary.

Adding another city sounds easy when you’re looking at a map. But every move comes with transportation, checking out, checking in, packing, unpacking, and time you could have spent actually enjoying where you are.

Good travel planning isn’t necessarily about spending more. It’s about making sure the money you are spending is going toward a trip that fits you and works well from beginning to end.

And that’s where thoughtful planning really pays off.

10/09/2026

Already been to Italy and wanting somewhere new to travel?

Cue Croatia + Montenegro.

I truly love Italy and will keep going back again and again, but sometimes what clients are really asking for isn’t Italy specifically — it’s the feeling they had there.

Historic towns. Beautiful water. Long dinners. Boat days. W**e. A slower rhythm. A trip that feels scenic and special without needing to be overcomplicated.

Croatia delivers it all without the same crowds of Italy. And for the right itinerary, Montenegro can be a beautiful addition too.

The goal isn’t to find an “Italy replacement.”

It’s to figure out what you loved about that kind of trip — and build the next version of it in a way that feels fresh.

Which would you choose? Croatia, Montenegro, or both?

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