"Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. It hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you; it should change you."

- Anthony Bourdain

What do you mean..a trip alone with my teen?

My journey as a travel designer began with some pretty personal reasons, mainly because of how deeply my oldest son's lifetime disability affected our family dynamics.  Given my son's long-term illness and the amount of time we spent in hospitals, it became a real challenge for us to plan and go on trips as a whole family. I started taking my other 2 children on one-on-one trips, including overseas, as I wanted them to see the world. It took a long time of getting over my guilt before I actually took the first step, but once I did I wish I had started sooner.


These one-on-one adventures ended up bringing us closer together in ways I never expected. For my kids, they craved that time alone with me when I wasn't pre-occupied with Casey's health issues or spending my days at the hospital. But even for kids who don't have siblings with special needs, they all think in their heads that they're getting less time with mom or dad than their brothers and sisters. It seems to be a universal thought, but definitely magnified for kids with special needs siblings.


I seemed to hit the goldmine for creating amazing memories, having heart-to-heart chats, and truly getting to know each other. Trust me, trying to navigate through a foreign country in a stick-shift car and stalling out in a crazy roundabout will teach you and your kids some serious communication skills! It was during those trips that I discovered how incredible it is to have uninterrupted, focused experiences with your teens.


I want to make sure other parents have those 1:1 experiences with their teens. They will be leaving home before you know it.


So let’s get started!