End of Summer Editon

No matter what season of life you are in, I’m sure the return-to-school season has touched you in some way. Maybe it’s navigating the increased traffic, sending a young adult off to college, or watching your children or grandchildren begin another school year. Each season brings new experiences, new adventures, and, of course, new emotions.

If you’ve been following my newsletters for a while, you know that I reduced the frequency this year. I’m currently recovering from a knee replacement—a journey that has been a long time coming. Almost 10 years ago, I experienced a traumatic break, and I’ve been on borrowed time ever since.

I appreciate your patience as I work to get myself back to normal, and hopefully, with my new knee, better than normal!

A New Look for the Newsletter

For this newsletter, I’m trying something a little different. I’m using a web-based format in hopes that it will eliminate some of the glitches that have been problematic in the past.

I’d love to hear what you think! Is this format easier to read? Do you like the layout? Your feedback is always welcome.

It’s Never Too Early to Plan Your Next Adventure

As we approach Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about future travel.

Schedules and calendars begin to take shape, making it easier to identify those precious windows when you can get away. And the earlier we know your target travel dates, the more options we have to work with.

And don’t limit your planning to the next 12 months. We’re already looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, and many cruise lines and tour companies have already opened—or are beginning to open—their 2028 itineraries for reservations.

Keep in mind that high-demand travel periods need to be planned farther in advance if you want the best selection of destinations, accommodations, and flights. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and summer vacation are just a few examples.

I’ll be sharing some ideas for these popular travel periods in upcoming newsletters, but I also encourage you to think outside the box.

When everyone else is heading to the beach for Spring Break, why not consider a ski trip or a mountain escape? And when summer temperatures are soaring and Europe’s beaches and cities are at their busiest, consider a cooler destination, a mountain getaway, or another type of experience that takes you somewhere a little different.

Sometimes the best trips are the ones that take you away from the crowds.

So, Where Will You Go Next?

Take a look at your calendar and think about when you’d like to travel in the coming year—or even the next few years. You don’t have to know exactly where you want to go. That’s where I come in.

Have a trip in mind? Reply to this newsletter with your approximate travel dates and where you’re dreaming of going. I’ll help you start exploring the possibilities.

There’s a whole world waiting for you. Let’s start planning!

There are so many different styles of travel, and sometimes, when you want to cover a lot of territory, see tons of attractions, and learn as much as possible from someone who really knows the destination, an escorted tour is the perfect choice.

That’s exactly what we opted for in Scotland.

For this trip, letting someone else do the driving, deal with parking, navigate the roads, secure skip-the-line tickets, and keep us moving from one experience to the next was exactly what we needed. We could simply sit back, enjoy the scenery, and soak it all in without giving a thought to the logistics. The photos above are from our trip.

One of the things I particularly liked about this itinerary was that we generally stayed two to three nights in each location before moving on. The one exception was our overnight needed to visit Loch Ness. That pace gave us enough time to experience each place without feeling like we were constantly packing and unpacking.

We started in Glasgow, which gave us the true city experience on our itinerary. And with the FIFA World Cup taking place, we were treated to a little Scottish humor and competitiveness along the way. The Scots have a tradition of “swiping” traffic cones and placing them on top of every statue they can manage. We even learned they were doing the same thing in Boston during the World Cup!

Once we left the city, we headed into the Highlands, and the cooler temperatures were very much appreciated after spending three nights in a hotel room with no air conditioning during their heat wave. In case you didn’t know, many hotels in Europe do not have air conditioning!

The Highlands delivered everything I hoped for—castles, spectacular scenery, basalt columns, and, of course, the historic battlefield of Culloden.

We also visited a farm to see Highland Cows, or “Coos,” and watched some amazing sheepdogs put their skills to work herding sheep. I’ve watched sheepdogs in Ireland, but these were true masters. I was fascinated by how closely they responded to the farmer. He could make a simple hand motion, whistle a tune, or make a particular sound, and they knew exactly what he wanted them to do. It was amazing to watch.

We ended our tour with a few nights in Edinburgh, a UNESCO city with so much history, shopping, food, and drink to enjoy. Edinburgh Castle sits high above the city, looking down over the Royal Mile. After the more remote landscapes of the Highlands, Edinburgh was a wonderful way to end the trip.

This 11-day itinerary checked off so many things I wanted to see and experience in Scotland, but it is certainly not the only way to do Scotland. There are many different escorted itineraries to choose from, including those built around specific themes such as Outlander or whisky, among others.

And while not all tour operators include exactly the same things, most include nearly all meals. That takes much of the guesswork out of dining while you're traveling, but the meals that aren't included are generally scheduled during your free time. I actually love this approach because it gives you the opportunity to choose your own restaurant, try something local, and experience the food and beverages of the destination on your own. 

My very first escorted tour was only six days long and involved changing hotels almost every night. It was to Iceland, with the primary purpose of seeing the Northern Lights. It remains one of the most thrilling travel experiences I’ve ever had.

And you don't have to go far from home to experience an escorted tour. There are many offered throughout the U.S. and North America, including a very popular option focused on our National Parks.

Escorted tours aren't necessarily the right choice for every traveler—or every destination. But when your goal is to see a lot, learn a lot, and leave the logistics to someone else, they can be a wonderful way to travel.

Sometimes, the best way to see more is to simply let someone else handle the details.

It is always a challenge selecting my next travel experience when my wish list continues to get longer rather than shorter!

Some of my big bucket-list items will need to wait a little longer. What are they? An African safari and finally checking off my last continent with a visit to Australia and New Zealand.

For now, the experiences at the top of my list are a little more attainable and don't require quite such long flights.

I have my eye on two cruise lines that I would really like to experience for myself. One will likely have me cruising in Europe, especially since they offer Epicurean Cruises in the Mediterranean. The other may take me to Portugal and Spain, South America, or even Cambodia and Vietnam.

One of those cruise lines is Azamara. I've had wonderful feedback from clients, and I love their immersive focus on the destinations and their late nights in port. Their ships are also more midsized, with a maximum passenger count of around 700.

Their size allows them to visit lesser-known ports, creating opportunities for more authentic and immersive experiences.

The other cruise line on my radar is Atlas Ocean Voyages Their spacious small ships carry fewer than 200 passengers and offer both expedition and immersive cruises. Their size allows them to visit ports that simply aren't accessible to larger ships.

I like to think of it as a river cruise on the ocean because of the intimate atmosphere. With fewer passengers, you can easily get to know the people you see and mingle with each day, and perhaps make some new friends along the way.

Could a Women's Trip Be in My Future?

Additionally, I've felt increasingly drawn to create a women's-only trip.

I've met so many women who want to travel with other women. Some are solo travelers, while others want to travel with friends. I recently met a couple of ladies who were both married to husbands who don't enjoy traveling. So, they became travel buddies, and their husbands became golf buddies!

Two of my most-visited destinations are the ones I've been considering for this trip.

The first is Greece. I've visited many of its islands, although there are hundreds more waiting to be explored! Greece offers some of the world's oldest historical sites, wonderful food, beautiful islands, and incredible blue water.

My next consideration is an Amsterdam and the surrounding countryside experience. The city itself offers a multitude of museums, historical sites, and much more. Beyond Amsterdam, the surrounding countryside is filled with charming villages, windmills, and thatched-roof houses.

And then there's the food—cheese, Dutch pancakes, stroopwafels, and plenty of other culinary delights!

I'd Love Your Input

Would you be interested in traveling with a group of other women? If so, do either Greece or Amsterdam and the surrounding countryside appeal to you?

Drop me an email if you're interested in traveling with other women or have a preference between these two destinations. And if you have another destination in mind, I'd love to hear your suggestions, too!