Trip Ideation
WHAT I OFFER
Where good trips start
Most trips don't start with a booking. They start with a vague idea:
"We want to go somewhere warm…"
"We have two weeks but don't know where to use them"
"This might be our last big trip before kids / after kids / before school starts"
"We've always talked about Italy, but we're not sure if now is the right time"
Trip ideation is about turning those fuzzy ideas into clear, realistic directions.
What ideation actually looks like
This is the early thinking phase. No pressure, no commitments.
We talk through:
Where you're dreaming about going (and why)
When you can realistically travel
How you like to move: fast, slow, or somewhere in between
Budget ranges, not exact numbers
What would make the trip feel worth it for you
Sometimes the biggest win here is ruling things out.
What I help with
During ideation, I'm acting more like a guide than a planner.
That might include:
Suggesting 2–3 destinations that fit your travel style
Talking through seasonality and timing tradeoffs
High-level pros and cons (resort vs cruise, one country vs two, city-heavy vs slower pace)
Helping you pressure-test expectations you've picked up from social media
Sanity-checking whether an idea matches your budget and timeline
No spreadsheets. No itineraries. Just clarity.
What this is (and isn't)
Ideation is:
Free
Low-pressure
High-level
A way to see if working together makes sense
Ideation is not:
Deep research
Specific hotel or room recommendations
Price monitoring or deal hunting
Day-by-day planning
If we decide to go deeper, I'll clearly flag when that moves into planning support.
Why this step matters
A lot of travel stress comes from skipping this phase.
People jump straight into booking before they've answered basic questions like:
"Is this the right trip for this season of life?"
"Are we trying to do too much?"
"What would we regret not doing?"
Ideation slows things down just enough to avoid expensive mistakes later.
Where this usually leads
Sometimes ideation is all people need.
Other times, it naturally turns into planning support, where I start researching and building a bookable plan. Or you might already know what you want and just need booking and support.
If we move into planning, I'll always talk through next steps and expectations first. No surprises.
Ready to start?
You don't need a destination picked out. You just need a rough sense of wanting to go somewhere.