Making Memories with MaKayla

08/31/2026

A new resort opened today!!

Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana is an adults only, all inclusive resort right on the water at Cabeza de Toro, and it brings something a little different to the Caribbean. Mornings can start with paddleboard yoga, there’s a hidden speakeasy you access through a painting workshop, and the spa treatments are built around local cacao and Dominican botanicals. Add in five restaurants, seven bars, and guided stargazing at night, and there is a lot here to love.

I’m already thinking about which of my couples this would be perfect for. If you’re dreaming about an anniversary trip or a getaway that feels genuinely relaxing, this one might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Curious if it’s a fit for your next trip? Send me a message and let’s talk.

Here is the virtual tour!

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07/14/2026

I am working on research for an anniversary trip to the Big Island and Oahu right now, and I am loving every minute of it.

Pairing these two islands is one of my favorite combinations to plan. The Big Island offers something wild and unexpected: black sand beaches, coffee farms, an active volcano within reach. Then there is Oahu, with the classic warmth most people picture when they hear the word Hawaii, plus a little more polish for a milestone celebration.

An anniversary trip deserves more than a resort picked off a map. It deserves a plan built around how you actually want to feel while you are there, whether that is slow and quiet or full of new experiences together. That is the part I get to shape long before a single detail reaches my clients’ inbox.

I will share more once this couple has seen their proposal. Until then, if a milestone trip is on your mind for next year, I would love to start that same kind of thoughtful planning for you. Comment PLAN and I will send you my calendar link.

06/19/2026

Travel should feel welcoming for every family, and I love passing along news that makes that more true.

BermudAir now flies direct to Turks and Caicos, which puts Beaches Turks & Caicos within much easier reach for the families I help plan for.

Here’s what makes this pairing special: BermudAir has partnered with Autism Double-Checked and trained its team in autism awareness, and Beaches Turks & Caicos holds Advanced Certified Autism Center status through IBCCES, the only resort company in the WORLD to reach that level. A family can be welcomed and supported from the flight all the way to the sand.

If the airport and the trip tend to be the part you quietly worry about when taking your family somewhere beautiful, this is the kind of news that helps. As a travel advisor who specializes in all-inclusive family getaways, I take care of the details that shape how your trip actually feels, so you get to focus on being together.

Dreaming of a calm, stress-free family escape to Turks and Caicos? I’d love to help you plan it. Send me a message or leave a comment, and we’ll take it from there.

More on BermudAir’s program:

06/11/2026

It has been a little quiet around here, and that one is on me. Between hospital shifts and chauffeuring my own kids around, my own page got neglected while I was busy planning everyone else's getaways. So... a proper hello is in order.

I'm MaKayla, the planner behind Making Memories with MaKayla. I help couples and families escape to all-inclusive resorts across Mexico and the Caribbean, with a real soft spot for honeymoons and the kind of romance trips you'll still be talking about years later. I also book Alaskan adventures and group getaways for the crews who travel better together.

What I really do is take the planning off your plate so the only thing left for you is the good part. If you have been quietly daydreaming about somewhere warm, consider this your sign to say hi! Tell me where your mind keeps wandering.

05/19/2026

Something I love about my email community is that they get the good stuff first.

This week’s newsletter was all about international travel prep — the things that actually matter before you ever step foot on a plane. We talked about passport timelines, navigating customs, and a couple of things that trip people up even when they’ve traveled before.

It’s the kind of information I’d tell a close friend before a big trip. And if you want that in your inbox, I’d love to have you.

Drop an emoji in the comments and I’ll send you the sign up!!

05/14/2026

Something a little different from me today, and honestly one of the most personal things I’ve ever shared here.

I wrote a book!

What Cosmo Carries is a children’s picture book about a little girl named Marigold who finds a magical talking suitcase named Cosmo in her grandmother’s attic. Cosmo doesn’t carry clothes or shoes. He carries memories. The glowing, precious memories of every person who has ever traveled with him.

If you’ve worked with me or followed along here for any amount of time, you already know that this is exactly what I believe about travel. It has never been about the stuff you bring home. It’s about what you feel, what you see, and who you’re with when it happens.

That belief is why I became a travel advisor. It’s why I plan every trip the way I do. And apparently, it’s why I wrote a children’s book. That, and apparently I’ll do anything to avoid doing laundry! 😆

What Cosmo Carries is for the little ones in your life who are just beginning to understand that the best moments can’t be packed in a suitcase. But maybe, if they’re lucky, a suitcase can help them find those moments.

Available now on Amazon. 🔗 in the comments.

And if you’ve already grabbed a copy, a review would mean the world to me right now. 🧳

05/12/2026

You planned the trip. You packed the outfits. You showed up to the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen.

And then you handed your phone to a stranger and hoped for the best.

There’s actually a better way, and I wish more of my clients knew about it before they left.

Flytographer connects travelers with hand-picked, professional local photographers in over 350 destinations worldwide. We’re talking Cancun, Punta Cana, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, plus hundreds of cities beyond.

You book a session in advance, meet your photographer at your location, and have your edited gallery delivered within five days. No awkward tourist photos. No “good enough.” Just real, beautiful images of you actually in the moment.

I’ve had colleagues use this for honeymoon shoots, family beach sessions, and anniversary trips, and the photos are genuinely stunning. The photographers are vetted, the process is simple, and sessions start around $325.

If you’re already planning a trip with me, ask me about adding this to your experience. I have an affiliate link that makes it easy to get started, and I love helping my clients come home with photos that are actually worth framing.

📸 Drop the destination you’re heading to in the comments. I’ll let you know if Flytographer has photographers there.
I’ll add the 🔗 in the comments!

04/12/2026

For those of you who don’t know, I wear two hats: registered nurse and luxury travel advisor. Most days those worlds stay separate. This post is where they meet.

This week, TWO advisors I know personally had clients air-lifted out of Mexico on emergency medical flights. Two!!! Neither had travel insurance. Both families are now facing bills well over $60,000, out of pocket.

From the nurse side of me, a few things most travelers don’t realize: Your US health insurance typically does NOT travel with you.

Tourist hospitals in resort areas often expect payment UP FRONT, in FULL.

Emergency medical coverage on its own is surprisingly super affordable. Full cancellation policies are what drive prices up, and there’s almost always a middle option.

From the advisor side of me, walking clients through this before they travel is part of what concierge-level planning actually looks like.

Every booking I handle includes a conversation about coverage, through a TRUSTED company I recommend with confidence.

If you have a trip on the horizon, please take a few minutes to look into a policy. You can view the same coverage I offer my clients if you’d like, I can put the link in the comments.

Just PLEASE please get the insurance, at bare minimum an emergency medical policy - somehow, some way. 🫶🏼