Here’s the deal: the travel industry is over run with so many small businesses, it’s hard to even know what all the choices are! So, we’re up for the challenge of helping you make the right travel choices for your needs. We know! Even if you don’t pick us for your adventure, we want you to know that we support every traveler finding the right kind of travel to fit their vibe. Let’s level the playing field just a little!

Rule number one: Time is money.

The first rule of travel is that you will always pay for your time. Without a slower travel pace and a flexible calendar you are not going to see a huge savings in this department. But what about all those great deals we see? They are going to people who don’t have to be back in the office on Monday. This is especially true of the thousands of TikTok influencers who are out to show you how their points work to their advantage and that they’ve only spent $15.73 on an 18 hour flight from San Francisco to New Zealand. 

Instead, expect 5 bands of travel.

These bands range from everything is planned for you to do it yourself. Each band can cost a lot or be accomplished on a budget. It all depends on what you are willing to pay for. As always, refer to rule number one as you sort through these incredible choices.

• All inclusive stays and tours including cruises are exactly what they sound like. This is a great choice if you don’t want to lift a finger except to order the next cocktail. Often the experiences included are “best of” or icon based and excursions often just scratch the surface. Yes, it can be a bit more relaxing but it can also not be as satisfying. One last note, beware of those really great deals! Cheap package prices can also mean lots of nickel and diming fees.
• Multi city, large group tours that include bus transport can be appealing as they seem to hit all the high spots in a region readily. However, they can also feel a little grueling as they often try to cover a lot of ground. I don’t know about you, but 60 people on a tour bus going through 6 countries in 3 weeks does not sound like fun. The upswing here is the price is usually good. 
• Pre-slugged itinerary purchases that may or may not be part of a larger grouping are similar to large group tours but can be pre-purchased for a specific group. The downside is that there is no customization to these excursions and they basically cover the same best of sites that larger groups flock to.
• Boutique travel could be considered the sweet spot. Customizable itineraries for no more than 10 travelers at a time. Boutique travel is full of immersive experiences that focus on getting to know a region or meet a very specific purpose. Boutique travel mixes the icons with the hidden gems by getting rid of the industry middle men as they approach travel from the perspective of experience rather than just thinking about the big sites. 
• DIY travel has been a huge trend in travel for ages. However, DIY can wind up causing a lot of stress if you are worried about getting a good deal, finding a great reservation or concerned that you are missing out on one activity or another. Some people have embraced the DIY attitude feeling that it allows for all their money to go to exactly what they choose and some really like the process of planning itself. Even Disney has caught on to the popularity of DIY planning as you have to pre-book and arrange almost every move you make up to a year in advance of your big trip. It’s a good choice if you are up for the challenge.

The second rule of travel is that something will go wrong.

Murphy’s law will always find a way to wreak havoc on anyone’s travel plans and being ready for this is an important aspect of any level of travel. We highly recommend travel insurance no matter what kind of travel you are interested in. This is particularly important, though, if you plan to develop your own travel plans. It takes just one moment, from a cancelled flight to a lost suitcase to make things miserable. Some of these things can come out of nowhere like when Italian train workers go on strike for the day or when a freak August snowstorm knocks out a good Swiss hike in the Alps. The bottom line is get the insurance.

The third rule of travel is that you’ll NEVER, EVER get to everything on your bucket list

There is not a set of travel plans that ever existed that got to every tic on the checklist. And that’s okay. Regardless of your tier of travel, don’t get your hopes up that everything is going to happen. Not the “best of”, not the “DIY”, not even the customized small group boutique travel will get to absolutely everything on the itinerary. Instead, be prepared that something will fall through and that it’s okay. When looking at the different tiers, it seems that boutique travel has the most success in hitting the mark. With flexible timing, small groups have a better chance of bouncing back as compared to the bigger ideas that will simply cancel an activity and move on. 

The fourth rule of travel is that DIY isn’t always the best option.

The myth that DIY travel is budget travel is a bit of an issue in the travel industry. While creating bespoke plans is quite the draw there are a few reasons that DIYers may want to look at other options. First, a lot of DIYers do not have access to the same relationships that professionals do and, as a result they miss out on hidden experiences and venues. Additionally, these relationships often offer a discount to professionals that can often be passed on in a package price. Moreover, travel professionals have a unique perspective that can meet certain travel goals. Boutique travel experiences can create bespoke itineraries for specific goals like literary or musical trips, historical or artistic trips, or simply teaching good travel skills. These kind of experiences include a consultation, and a lot of preplanning. We like to include a lot of pre and post trip communication and will even add in workshops for things like packing or passports.

 

Regardless of your comfort level of travel, we wish you the best and hope for amazing memories! If you are interested in boutique travel, check out our current offerings by clicking here!