The Compliment That Inspired My Travel Planning Business

A few years ago, one of my closest friends from college and I decided to take a trip to Oregon with our sons. Suzanne and I don’t see each other often, but she’s always been one of those friends that I cannot speak to for months, but every conversation feels like we just talked yesterday. Our sons would be 10 and 11. They had only met once before, but got along great.

Planning a family national park trip

I knew our travel styles were a bit different, but I’ve always been the trip planner and was happy to do the research. Horseback riding was important to her son, and white-water rafting was a must-do for mine. We tended to have every minute of the day planned, while their style was a bit slower-paced. Our itinerary had lots of options, and my son knew in advance that we weren’t doing everything on the list. I built in flexibility to account for different travel priorities.

In a week, we covered the Oregon coast, Crater Lake National Park, Smith Rock State Park, and the Columbia River Gorge. We relaxed by a campfire, played cards at a winery, and ate Tillamook ice cream. There was something for everybody. It was an amazing trip reconnecting with an old friend and watching a second-generation friendship grow.

A new way to think about vacations

About a year later, Suzanne and I were on a girls’ trip, discussing how much we had enjoyed the Oregon trip. She said to me, “That trip completely changed the way I think about travel and my future retirement. I didn’t know you could plan a trip like that.” I was surprised and touched, and told her it was one of the best compliments I have ever received.

I have always loved planning vacations, but didn’t realize until that moment that it was a unique skill that could truly inspire people. A few years prior, when I visited Suzanne’s family cabin in Colorado, I had done my usual pre-trip homework. I found some hikes and a hot springs water park that Suzanne had never been to, despite years of vacationing in Colorado.  Suzanne and her family typically did the same things in Colorado. They were traditions, they enjoyed them, and as a busy executive and working Mom, she simply didn’t have time to find the hidden gems that were in their backyard.

I was thrilled when I saw Suzanne return to a hike I discovered on subsequent trips to Colorado. And our Oregon trip brought that to another level. It wasn’t just a single hike or their first time white-water rafting. It was a new perspective on travel. Discovering that Oregon had 7 wonders and then visiting 4 of them in one trip without an organized tour.

The inspiration for a travel planning business

There’s so much to be explored in this country and world, but you need the time, desire, and energy to find it. Until Suzanne actually said, “You changed the way I think about travel,” I took for granted that anyone could plan a trip like I do if they wanted to. It may not be rocket science, but it’s a passion. So many people may see filtering through endless blog posts and even AI results as a task to be checked off their list, but I love it. It’s inspiring and exciting. And I love constantly discovering something new. That compliment made me realize that I can bring that discovery to other people. And that’s exactly what I’m doing now.

Ready to discover travel in a new way?

Does the idea of a DIY vacation that you do at your own pace sound more enjoyable than a pre-planned, highly scheduled packaged tour? If you don’t really want to figure out the “do-it-yourself” part, that’s exactly where I can help.

Whether you want to scale mountains or just enjoy the views from a lookout point, I can plan a trip based on your interests. Stop scrolling through endless reviews of conflicting advice and set up a free call with me. You can tell me where you want to go, or we can brainstorm trips that fit your style. Learn more at nationalparkescapes.com