Definition of coach: “to teach, train and direct”

My philosophy is to teach  how to plan a trip independent of a tour or an all inclusive resort, to maximize the trip experience, and to save money.

1. For the beginner trip planner, we will meet  for an initial consult of one hour for $50. Prior to this consult, I will have you complete the questionnaire from this website to help determine your travel style, adventure barometer and budget. At the end of the session, together we will decide how much more coaching you would like and come up with a package plan.
2. For seasoned trip planners, I offer a review of lodging and itinerary choices you have already developed.  I can guide you to resources to help make your final choices as well as offer my expertise on questions you may have.  My fee rate for a review is $25/30 minutes. A review can happen over the phone, by Skype or email as well as in person.
3. For those who would like to have all their trips booked completely, I will be happy to provide referrals for travel agencies I recommend.

My Top Ten Travel Tips

1.  Consider traveling off peak season. Contact the local tourist office to see when their off season period is. Verify the weather conditions to make sure you are comfortable touring in that season. Make sure your destination activities are operating during that time. Than start shopping for lodging, transportation and activities. Not only you will often find cheaper options but you will avoid crowds and spend less time waiting.
2.  Maximize free airline miles and hotel points. Make sure you always sign up for reward programs when they are free. Research and select a good travel credit card that has no foreign transaction fees, travel insurance and points you can use towards your favorite airline. My top choice is Chase Sapphire. By using this credit card for as many purchases as possible and always paying them off to avoid interest charges, I average almost $3000 worth of free airline tickets each year.
3.  Google away for your trip planning using resources such as http://www.tripadvisor.com to read reviews on lodging, activities and advice from other travelers on the forums. You can maximize your experience on vacation but avoiding hotels or tours that look great on the internet, but the reviews indicate problems or not worth your time or money.
4.  Try renting a home as an alternative to a hotel. Our family has embraced this idea for years and we love the opportunity to gather together in a living area to play games, watch movies and visit. We also save considerable money by cooking meals and utilizing a kitchen. As our family has grown, renting a home is almost always cheaper than renting several hotel rooms. VRBO is one of my favorite sites for choosing lodging.
5.  Bring a travel journal. I have been known to even have my kids keep their own travel journal in their younger years as way to learn to record memories and extend the travel experience. We would have them record a few things from the day and then have them take turns sharing their entries at night. I have used my journals months later when recommending a trip to friends or when scrapbooking a vacation.
6.  The early bird gets the worm. Despite occasional complaints from my kids, we often tried to get out exploring early. There is always less traffic, less lines and less people and the biggest bonus is often more wildlife and amazing photo opportunities!
7.  Take too many pictures and have more than one camera. Multiple times we have learned the value of having a back up camera. You never know when you will lose a camera, drop and break it or just have it quit working. I also have never been sad that we took too many pictures! I love creating memory books of our photos from our trips and it is great to have lots of events to scrapbook.
8.  Have margin time and be flexible. Despite the best laid out plans, there will always be incidents that occur that such as lost luggage, an injury, getting lost, etc. If you build in some extra time to your itinerary for such events, it will be a lot easier to have a good attitude. You never know when you will find an opportunity that you were not planning for!
9.  Talk to the locals. Ask the people you meet, what is their favorite activity to do that tourists are unaware of! Learn the local greetings and customs to make sure you are being polite and respecting their city. It will be appreciated.
10.  Come prepared. Bring photocopies of important documents. Bring copies of important medical records and phone numbers. Make sure you have appropriate chargers and adapters. Check the weather to make sure you have the right clothing for that season. Pack a small ziploc bag of emergency medicines. And always bring more cash than you think you will need and store in different locations.
For more tips, check out my pinterest page for Travel Tips and for Camping Things I Love. (Click pinterest link on main page)