It's About Who Goes With You

The best trips aren't just about where you go — they're about who goes with you.

Some of my favorite travel memories aren't defined by the destination; they're defined by the people I shared them with.

One of my favorite trips was a big family vacation to Disneyland. Watching my granddaughter experience the magic alongside her cousins and great-grandparents is a memory I'll treasure forever. Seeing generations of our family laughing together reminded me that the best moments aren't found on an itinerary — they happen in between.

Some of my best memories were made with groups brought together by a shared passion. As a high school student, I had the opportunity to perform at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. Years later, I had the privilege of watching my daughters perform on that very same stage. Watching them perform at Pearl Harbor for our veterans was another moment that filled me with pride and emotion. Those full-circle experiences are memories our family will cherish forever.

Not all affinity travel is centered around family. Some of our favorite trips came through my husband's Presidents Club incentive trips. Those experiences introduced us to incredible all-inclusive resorts and destinations we might never have chosen on our own. While he enjoyed being recognized and celebrated for his hard work, I loved getting to know the other spouses and building friendships that made each trip even more memorable.

A Mother's Day trip to Lake Tahoe with my mother-in-law seemed like just another wonderful family getaway. None of us knew it would be our last trip together before she passed away just a few months later. I will always be grateful for those conversations, the laughter we shared, and the gift of that time together.

That's the beauty of affinity travel. Whether it's a multigenerational family vacation, a dance team, an incentive trip, a church group, a school trip, a sports team, or friends who share a common passion, traveling together creates connections that last far beyond the trip itself.

As a travel advisor, helping people plan those experiences is one of the greatest privileges of what I do. Anyone can book a vacation — my goal is to help create the kind of journeys that become family stories, lifelong friendships, stronger teams, and treasured memories. Because long after the suitcases are unpacked, it's the people you shared the journey with that you'll remember most.