A little bit about me..
Hi! I’m Laura! A travel advisor, world traveler, and most importantly just a regular gal who who has a passion for experiencing the world!
I started this blog a few years ago as a way to share our family’s travels and hopefully inspire you to explore the world too.
Along the way I discovered something I didn’t expect: not only did I love planning trips for my family, but I loved planning trips for others. It brings me such joy to help someone turn a dream trip into a reality.
Whether you are here for travel inspiration or need some extra help to make that trip a reality – I’m here to help any way I can.
79 Countries and Counting
My expertise was built over decades of travel, with my own family of four. We didn’t always pick the easiest places to explore, but we always showed up, ready to experience, be curious and simply see the world.
We’ve trekked through Colombia’s jungles, gotten lost in the side streets of Croatia, rode motorbikes through Hanoi’s bustling city center, witnessed wildlife awaken across the Kenya savanna at sunrise, stood in awe at the Eiffel Tower, and swam with nurse sharks in Belize. These aren’t places I have researched, these are places I know.
Having a number goal might make it seem like I’m just checking boxes, and sure, I keep count! And while I have a goal I am striving to reach, it has always been about so much more than the number. I travel to explore the country, meet the locals, and better understand the culture and people of the country I am visiting. So while my travels will eventually bring me to my 80th country, the experiences along the way with my family are why I do it.
How Travel 80 by 80 was Born
As a kid, I didn’t travel internationally (okay, maybe to Tijuana, Mexico but as a San Diegan, it’s just like visiting another neighborhood nearby). My first trip abroad was in college when I flew to Europe for a quick two-week trip before studying abroad for a semester in Sevilla, Spain. About two years later, I graduated from college, and my friend, Melissa, and I packed our bags and moved to Prague, Czech Republic, for a year and a half of work and fun adventures. That is probably when my wanderlust and passion for traveling began.
But it wasn’t until Melissa’s grandmother was having her 80th birthday party that my Travel 80 by 80 goal came to life. Melissa’s grandmother, Nana, had traveled to 80 countries by the time she turned 80, and she was celebrating this accomplishment at her birthday party. She loved to travel and went to so many unique places. I was incredibly inspired and decided that is how I wanted my life to look like – that when I’m 80 years old, I want to have traveled to 80 different countries. And just like that Travel 80 by 80 was born.
The Ride of Reaching 80 Countries
I was 37 years old when I really started working towards this goal. At that time, I had traveled to 31 countries and decided to make 40 countries by age 40, my half-way goal. Those three years were kind of crazy. I did it, though, with my two young children and husband in tow. By age 40, I had reached my 40th country (the beautiful island of St. Lucia), or so I thought. Read more here about my most recent discovery.
I have been adventuring and striving to reach my 80 by 80 goal ever since, with my wonderfully patient husband and two kids along for the ride. What started out as a hopeful dream with my kids age 4 and 6, became a true family passion to travel together to reach this goal. Today my kids are 18 and 20 years old and I’m at 79 countries.
It’s been a wild ride and as the adventure continues, we enjoy every travel moment together.
Travel Didn’t Just Take Us Places. It Built Our Family.
When our kids were young, Steve and I decided to make travel a priority for our family. We didn’t hesitate to take our kids to corners of the world many people hadn’t been. We sought out local experiences, exploring neighborhoods beyond the typical tourist path and connecting with the people and everyday moments that truly define a place.
I whole-heartedly believe that travel contributed to how close our family is. We get along, our kids are best friends, and we genuinely enjoy spending time together. Navigating an unfamiliar city together, trying unknown foods that you can’t even pronounce, getting lost and figuring it out together and simply being a team as we navigate the world – these experiences build something in a family that you just can’t create any other way.
I realize not every family can travel the way we do, and I don’t take that for granted. But I have seen first-hand what a well-planned, meaningful trip can do for the people involved and that is a big reason I do what I do. Being able to help other people experience the world is what truly drives me as a travel advisor.
From Event Planning to Travel Design
Before I became a travel advisor, I spent over 15 years in event planning organizing everything from corporate events to complex gatherings. I learned how to manage all the moving parts – the logistics, vendors, budgets and timelines. If there were ten things that could go wrong, I would find the twenty ways that would ensure it wouldn’t. It taught me the difference between a good experience and an unforgettable one isn’t based on luck; it exists from careful preparation, attention to detail and a genuine care for each of my clients.
This is exactly what I strive to bring to each of my planned trips – whether it’s a mother/daughter celebratory trip to Italy, a multi-family group adventure in Costa Rica, a group trip to Japan, or a luxury escape to Bali.
Every trip is an event and every event deserves to be unforgettable.
Who I Work With
I plan trips for people who want their travel to mean something – families creating memories before the kids leave for college, couples celebrating milestones, friends finally making that dream trip happen, group trips for like-minded travelers, honeymooners wanting everything to be perfect, and independent travelers who want expert guidance and VIP access while still enjoying the freedom to explore at their own pace.
As a proud affiliate of both Virtuoso and Fora Travel, I have access to preferred partnerships, VIP hotel perks, and a global network that gets my clients more – upgrades, resort credits, daily breakfasts, early check-ins, and insider access you simply can’t get booking on your own.
Ready to see how I can help plan your next trip? Head over to my Work With Me page to learn more.
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