A personal guide to authentic experiences
from a veteran travel journalist

Hong Kong Harbour from Four Seasons Hotel

Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Bugattis at Grassmere Sheep Station, New Zealand

Trip Planning Help Just For You

July 12, 2016 | Updated: July 12, 2016 | By Elizabeth | Reply More

Good trip planning led me to the beautiful Saratoga Arms in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Trip planning making your head spin? I feel your pain. Even though I’ve been planning trips for myself and others for a long time, I still spend hours sorting out the options. It doesn’t help that I’m somewhat obsessive (ok, strike somewhat) about finding the perfect lodging and figuring out ways to avoid crowds of tourists. I want unique, boutique, off-the-beaten-path, very comfortable (but never glitzy), and I don’t want to spend an arm and a leg. Oh – and I rarely do my trip planning very far in advance.

Having said that, I don’t stress over trip planning if I’m returning to a familiar destination – and after many decades as a travel journalist that includes lots of places. In fact, one of the best things about not being a spring chicken is feeling like I know my way around at least part of the world.

On our last trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, my goal was to stay in only authentic lodging – with nary a corporate logo in sight. The trip planning wasn’t easy, but it was well worth the effort.

Trip planning and Authentic Luxury Travel

That’s why I created this site. I wanted to share my travel experience with you – and I still do. The best days, weeks, months of my life have been on the road, and I’m guessing you also love to travel or you wouldn’t be here.

What floats my boat won’t necessarily float yours. You’ll do your best trip planning because you know what you like, what your priorities are. I just think I may be able to help, to point you in the right direction. I want you to find places where you can discover the joy of real travel experiences and authentic connections.

I loved writing about the best places to eat in my hometown: La Jolla, California.

No trip planning was required for this article about places to eat in my hometown: La Jolla, California.

So ask me a question

I’m convinced that we all travel best when we get ideas and information from each other. That’s why I wrote the 300+ articles on this site about everything from my favorite Airbnb rental in New Zealand to the best places to eat in my hometown. However, if you can’t find what you need for planning your next trip in any of the articles – ask me.

Use the comment form at the end of this post (beneath the map and the subscribe box where it says “Leave a Reply”). I’ll respond ASAP (also on the comment form).

Please be specific. I’m not offering total trip planning, but I’d be happy to suggest a great place to stay in a certain location or maybe help you chose the best route or prioritize your sightseeing options or suggest a way to connect with locals.

Please be patient. There’s just one of me, so my response might not be immediate. However, it will be custom crafted just for you (not “made in China”). Subscribers can ask questions from now until September 1 when I leave on my next big adventure.

I loved everything about our most recent trip to New Zealand, especially this glamping experience on the North Island.

I loved our most recent trip to New Zealand, especially this glamping experience on the North Island.

Why am I doing this?

Because we share a love of traveling – and I think it just makes sense to pool our knowledge. You help other travelers with their trip planning by sharing your experiences. I publish travel articles on this site – and answer questions. We’re all in this together…exploring our beautiful world the best way we can.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,