Sue’s Travel – Team Whittington

Sue’s Travel

Travel Deams Come True with Sue!

Ready

Let’s take time to understand what you are looking for in a trip before I begin recommending a destination. Every traveler is unique and every trip creates memories.

And before we go any farther, let me make this clear: I do not charge a fee. I am compensated by our travel partners.
And I want to make something else clear, there are a few travel vendors I prefer not to work with and I will be honest about those if you ask.

You may be looking for adventure.
You may simply want to relax.
Maybe you are celebrating a special occasion.
Maybe you just want someone you can trust to guide you through the planning process.

When we work together, I’ll help you:
• Choose destinations that match your interests and budget.
• Compare cruise lines, land tours, resorts, and vacation options.
• Plan anniversaries, family reunions, and special celebrations.
• Understand the details before you travel.
• Navigate unexpected changes if they arise.
• Enjoy peace of mind knowing someone is looking out for you.

For me, great service doesn’t end when your reservation is made. It continues until you’re safely home, sharing wonderful memories with family and friends.

Set

Once we choose your dream vacation, the planning begins. These are examples of questions I will ask you:
• Do you have a REAL ID? If not, you need to go to your local Division of Motor Vehicles and get one.
• When does your passport expire? Passports cannot expire within 6 months of your trip outside the country.
• Do you have TSA precheck or Global Entry? If not, I will walk you through that process.
• Do you prefer to book your own excursions on your trip (if they are not included) or would you like for me to do that for you.
• Would you prefer for me to hire a local private driver for you one or more days while you are traveling?
• Do you need transportation to and from your home and airport, or transfers while on your trip?

Many countries have changed their entry requirements, and I will prepare you for those.

We will discuss local currency and how much money in that currency you should have on hand for your trip.

We will discuss every detail of your planning, and if I get wind that you might be an over-packer, I might have some advice for you. ☺

Go

Travel is a privilege. It is not just about visiting new places. It is about celebrating milestones, reconnecting with family, discovering new cultures, and creating memories that stay with us long after we’ve returned home.

Whether you’re planning your first cruise, a European river cruise, an Alaskan adventure, an all-inclusive resort, an active tour on land or the vacation you’ve dreamed about for years, I’d love the opportunity to help you every step of the way.

Planning a vacation should be exciting—not overwhelming.

With so many destinations, cruise lines, land tours, resorts, and travel options available today, making the right choices can be challenging. My role is to simplify the process, answer your questions, handle the details, and help you travel with confidence.

Why I Love to Travel

I grew up on a farm. I have a wonderful (big, loud, rambunctious) family and I love the way I grew up. But I couldn’t wait to see the world. My parents encouraged learning and reading and when the Bookmobile came to our home in rural Virginia, I checked out the
maximum number of books allowed. I transported to every part of the world through those books. In high school I was involved in a Youth in Government program sponsored by the YMCA and my independent (a/k/a without my parents) travel began. In fact, one of the counselors I met through that program almost 50 years ago called me recently and I booked a trip for her and her friends!

At age 19, my dad made a bet with me and he lost. My prize was a 2 week trip to Hawaii as a college sophomore. That was it. I knew the world is big and I wanted to see it.

Throughout my career when someone needed to travel, I was the first to raise my hand, but it was always domestic. I did have a business trip to Canada, and thanks to my sister and brother-in-law I had fun trips to the Bahamas in my early adult years.
Europe did not come for me until I was in my 40s, but I made sure both my children did high school trips to Europe so they would understand that the world is a big place, and
we are all more alike than different.

Fortunately, I have a friend based in Europe and I have made the most of her expertise! I am very lucky to have a wide network and if I don’t know the answer, I can usually find someone who has firsthand experience to help me find it.

Some of my “escapades”

Travel with Friends:

I am lucky to have college buddies who love to travel, too. We have planned trips for as many as 16 of us, resulting in us renting an entire bed and breakfast and talking the proprietor into cooking dinner for us as well. It was a weekend long pajama party!

My two “ride or die” college buddies and I hiked Croatia to celebrate our 60th birthdays. We are preparing for our next adventure and I’ll share more about that later. We found some unbelievable restaurants and places

A Bucket List Trip with my Sweet Husband:

My husband and I cruised to Alaska in 2022 and it was FABULOUS! Tom doesn’t hike and I do, so it was not a big deal when I decided to hike the Tongass National Rainforest alone in Ketchikan. My dad was a lumberjack and the forest is my happy place. I was having such a wonderful time when 2 miles into the hike, I encountered a very loud group of people going in the opposite direction. I made a joke about their noise level and they were sincere when they explained they were trying to scare away the bear they saw. Bbbbbbbear? I hadn’t even thought about that! I decided to keep going and shortly thereafter, respectfully kept my distance from a couple I spotted in front of me and made it out of the rainforest intact. Lesson learned: know your surroundings and don’t be as reckless as I was!

Combining Friends and Family:

We were in Italy in 2024 for a wedding and we made it a true vacation! We went a week early and stayed a week after, and drove all over Tuscany. We were with some of our best friends part of the time, with my son and daughter-in-law part of the time, and all alone part of the time, IT WAS FABULOUS! Here’s a little secret. You don’t really need an international driver’s license to drive in Italy, but my husband is a bit of a distracted driver, so I went to AAA and obtained my international license and told him that he couldn’t drive because he didn’t have one. It worked out well for all involved. ☺

My Sister Lodged a Complaint

One day my sister said to me, “how is it that you plan trips for you and everyone else in your life but you’ve never planned one for the two of us?” One thing you’ll learn about me, I may not remember what color your eyes are or what kind of car you drive, but if you say something to me, I will remember it. That’s how my sister and I ended up sailing through Greece and Turkey in 2025. From a pre-cruise trip in Athens to Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Ephesus, Thessaloniki and Kavala, we had a BLAST. We let no moss grow under our feet in spite of a few physical calamities, and we livened up the cruise ship when we were not touring – she even won a game show and got a behind the scenes tour for free! She doesn’t pack lightly but she is a hoot and easy to travel with.

Client Stories

Every vacation has a story.

One of the greatest joys of being a travel advisor is hearing from clients after they return home.

Sometimes it is the most amazing starry sky they’ve ever witnessed because they are in a place with no light pollution.

Sometimes it’s the perfect anniversary dinner overlooking the ocean.

Sometimes it’s watching grandchildren experience snorkeling for the first time.

Sometimes it’s an unexpected adventure that becomes everyone’s favorite memory.

With permission, I’ll occasionally share a few of those stories here because they remind us why we travel in the first place.
• Making the most of shore excursions
• Helpful travel apps
• Safety tips while traveling
• Lessons we’ve learned along the way
• The road less travelled (my personal favorite)

Sometimes the smallest tip can make the biggest difference.

What I’m Working On

I’ve had several people tell me they’d love to go on a group trip with me, so I have these in the works:

A Collette land tour of Iceland
April 25 - May 4, 2027

The waterfalls are at their most powerful from snowmelt, but snow still covers the mountains. You can experience between 15 and 17 hours of sunlight and temperatures ranging from 40 to 50 degrees. The puffins are returning and fields are turning green, and the crowds have not yet arrived!

An Armstrong Collective rail tour through the Canadian Rockies from Vancouver to Banff on the Rocky Mountaineer
August 4 - 9, 2027

Experience a view of Canada you cannot get anywhere else but on a train. Drink in the beautiful scenery while enjoying beverages of your choice and gourmet cuisine on the train, while enjoying time on your own in Vancouver (2 days), Kamloops (overnight) and Banff (2 days).

Women’s golf trip to Costa Rica
Date TBD

Stay tuned for more details! ☺

Let's Start Planning

Whether you’re ready to book your next vacation or simply want to explore the possibilities, I’d love to help.

Together we'll plan something that will make your Travel Dreams Come True!

I can be reached at Sue@TeamWhittington.com or via messages through this website.