I’m Not a Travel Agent—Here’s What I Actually Do. You Might Be Surprised!

 

“Wait… how much does a travel coach cost?”

"What exactly do you do?"

These are some of the first questions I get asked, and it’s totally fair. When you’re planning your next family vacation, the last thing you want is to tack on extra stress… or extra expenses.

But here’s the thing: working with a Family Travel Coach isn’t about spending more, it’s about planning smarter. It’s about having support, saving time, and creating a vacation that works for your family (not someone else’s version of it).

At Seldom A Dull Moment, my coaching services are flexible, approachable, and designed to work with your timeline, your style, and your budget. I use a simple yet powerful framework called Dream, Design, Depart to guide you from overwhelmed to ready-for-takeoff.

And here's one of my tried and true secrets... Starting early. Really early. Ideally, a full 12 months in advance.

Let’s walk through what travel coaching looks like, and why it might be the missing piece in your vacation puzzle.

💬 Start with a Free 30-Minute Discovery Call

This is your no-pressure starting point. We'll talk about your travel hopes (and your planning headaches), and I’ll share how travel coaching works. It’s casual, personal, and completely free.

Ready to chat? Book your free call here!

I’ll never forget a recent conversation with a new client.
We were sitting down for one of our first sessions, she shared her travel dreams, and I was offering suggestions, asking clarifying questions, and helping her explore options she hadn’t thought about yet.

Then she paused and said with a smile,
“It’s like you’re my coach! You’re helping me figure all of this out so that I can do it by myself.”

Exactly. That’s exactly what a travel coach does.
I’m not here to take over your trip, I’m here to guide you through it, so you can make the best decisions for your family and feel confident doing it on your own.

🧭 What’s the Difference Between a Travel Coach and a Travel Advisor?

It’s a great question, and an important one.

A Travel Advisor or Agent typically books your trip for you. They may recommend hotels, cruises, or packages, often based on partnerships or commissions. If you're looking for a full-service booking experience, that's their specialty.

A Travel Coach, on the other hand (hi, that’s me!), doesn’t sell travel.

Instead, I help you:

• Clarify your travel goals
  

• Get your family or travel group on the same page
  

• Explore what’s possible within your timeframe and budget
  

• Curate ideas, inspiration, and strategies so you can book with confidence
  

You stay in charge. I’m just your guide, copilot, and behind-the-scenes brainstorm partner.

🌟 What Is Dream, Design, Depart?

Planning a trip shouldn’t start with booking, it should start with intention. That’s why I developed Dream, Design, Depart, a simple 3-step process to help you:

• Dream: Get clear on your “why” for this trip, what it means to you, your family, your season of life.
  
  

• Design: Gather input from everyone involved, explore options that actually match your vibe, and shape a plan that feels right.
  
  

• Depart: Put it all into motion with confidence and clarity, no more guesswork or second-guessing.
  
  

This method turns planning into part of the adventure, and helps avoid the common vacation regrets of “we should’ve planned sooner” or “we tried to do too much.”

🗓 Why 12 Months Out is the Sweet Spot

Here’s the truth: the best vacations don’t happen last-minute, they’re designed with intention, often months in advance.

Planning 9–12 months out gives you time to:

• Dream as a family (yes, even with tweens/teens!)
  
  

• Take advantage of early pricing, points, or seasonal deals
  
  

• Reserve in-demand experiences and lodging before they’re sold out
  
  

• Build in payment flexibility or budget over time
  
  

• Actually enjoy the process, instead of racing the clock
  
  

And to make it even easier…

🎁 Everyone who books a travel coaching package gets a FREE copy of my 12-Month Vacation Planning Guide, Design That Dream Vacation—a printable workbook that breaks it all down month by month.

This guide is your step-by-step roadmap to keep your planning on track and your dream trip within reach.

✨ A Coaching Package That Fits You

If we decide to move forward, we will design a personalized travel coaching package just for you. Here’s what’s typically included:

1. A Family Travel Coaching Session

We’ll gather your travel crew and talk through everyone's vacation hopes, wishes and dreams. Whether it’s downtime or adventure, national parks or city lights, we’ll align on what matters most.

2. Resource Gathering (So You Don’t Have To)

While you’re handling everyday life, I’ll dig into:

• Destination ideas that match your energy and style
  
  

• Lodging, activities, and local tips
  
  

• Travel strategies for kids, teens, and mixed-age groups
  
  

• Budget-friendly finds or meaningful splurges
  
  

3. Itinerary Support

Together, we’ll map out your vacation in a way that fits your timeline, your budget, and your travel style. You’ll walk away with a flexible but clear plan that makes the whole experience feel easy and exciting.

🚀 So… Is It Worth It?

If you’ve ever…

• Spent hours online and ended up more confused than when you started
  

• Felt like your last trip didn’t quite match what you envisioned
  

• Wished your kids (or partner!) were more involved in the process
  

• Wanted to slow down, plan intentionally, and actually enjoy the planning part
  

…then YES—travel coaching is worth it.

Because a vacation isn’t just a break—it’s a chance to reconnect, reset, and make memories that last.

Let’s Dream, Design, and Depart—Together.

✨Click Here to schedule your free Discovery Call.
Let’s build the vacation you’ve been dreaming of—without the stress or overwhelm.

📘 And remember: book a coaching package and you’ll receive my 12-Month Vacation Planning Guide completely free.

Because every great trip starts with a plan—and the best plans start now.

Which Type of Travel Planner Are You? Meet Louise, Violet, Denny, and Peter

 

Planning a vacation sounds fun... until the Google tabs multiply, your group chat spirals, and someone says, “Let’s just wing it.” Sound familiar?

Whether you are someone who loves the thrill of planning or secretly wishes someone else would just handle it, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to getting a trip off the ground. 

Some people thrive on spontaneity. Others won’t sleep until every museum ticket is pre-booked. Some dive headfirst into the dream destination, while others just want the when and where.

The truth is: how you approach vacation planning says a lot about you. Are you decisive and take-charge? A go-with-the-flow team player? A spreadsheet lover? A big-picture dreamer? All are valid. All are valuable.

This has been adapted from the Center For Leadership and Educational Equity, Compass Points: North, South, East, and West - An Exercise in Understanding Preferences in Group Work. The Illustrations were designed and drawn by my wonderful husband, Don Rahn.

Here’s the best part—once you understand your personal travel planning style, you can actually make the process more enjoyable, less stressful, and totally tailored to how you work best. As you identify the planning styles of those traveling with you, the DREAMING, DESIGNING, and DEPARTING process becomes a time for sharing, listening, collaborating and fun! Everyone is able to contribute in their own unique way.

So before your next getaway, let’s find out: Which type of travel planner are you?

Meet the four fabulous personalities that just might sound a little (or a lot) like you…

Let’s Go Louise

Are you the one in the group chat typing “Just book it!” while everyone else is still thinking? Do you have your eye on the goal and a calendar reminder set for 6 AM flight check-in?

You might be a Let’s Go Louise if:

• You thrive on action and making decisions fast
  
  

• You’re assertive, confident, and task-oriented
  
  

• You love a good itinerary and don’t mind taking charge
  
  

Louise is our leader—decisive, goal-centered, and always ready to roll. If there’s a problem, Louise has already solved it, packed a snack, and scheduled the Uber.

Visionary Violet

Your head’s in the clouds—but in the best way. You dream big, you think outside the box, and you’re always cooking up the next creative travel idea.

You might be a Visionary Violet if:

• You’re full of enthusiasm and spontaneity
  
  

• You value flexibility and freedom
  
  

• You get more excited about possibilities than reservations
  
  

Violet may not have booked the hotel yet—but she’s got a Pinterest board full of dreamy spots and a camera roll of screenshots that could inspire ten amazing trips.

Detailed Denny

If you're the one with the color-coded spreadsheet, multiple tabs open, and a backup plan for your backup plan—welcome to Team Denny.

You might be a Detailed Denny if:

• You crave structure, logic, and precision
  
  

• You’re focused, analytical, and organized to the core
  
  

• You take pride in researching all the options
  
  

Denny finds joy in the planning itself—and usually ends up saving the day with that crucial piece of info no one else remembers.

Patient Peter

You’re all about the journey and the people on it. You take your time, listen carefully, and want everyone to feel included.

You might be a Patient Peter if:

• You’re supportive, calm, and generous with your time
  
  

• You don’t love confrontation and prefer going with the flow
  
  

• You value the process more than the destination
  
  

Peter is the glue that holds the group together. While others are stressing over logistics, Peter is making sure everyone feels heard and no one gets left behind.

So, which one are you?

Or maybe you’re a mix! A little Violet sparkle with a Denny checklist? A Louise go-getter with Peter’s steady hand? No matter your style, knowing your strengths helps you plan (and enjoy) a vacation that feels just right for you—and your travel crew.

Because here’s the thing: every planner type has something essential to offer.

• Louise helps the family depart—keeping things moving, on time, and confidently headed out the door.
  
  

• Violet keeps the dreaming alive, inspiring fresh ideas and unexpected adventures you’ll be talking about for years.
  
  

• Denny makes sure the design phase is rock solid—organized, thorough, and full of well-researched choices.
  
  

• Peter ensures everyone feels included, heard, and cared for—making the entire process feel less like a task and more like a team effort.
  
  

In the Seldom A Dull Moment world, we believe planning a trip should be a family adventure in itself. When you honor the strengths of every style—whether you’re dreaming, designing, or departing—you set yourself up for a vacation that’s not just memorable, but meaningful.

Take the quiz to find out your travel planner type, then share your results and tag your travel buddies. Who’s your Louise? Who’s your Violet? And who’s in charge of snacks?

Let’s Dream, Design, and Depart—your way.

At Seldom A Dull Moment, we believe every vacation starts with a dream—and ends with a story worth telling. Let’s figure out how you plan, so your next trip is less stressful and more spectacular.

Ready to Dream, Design, and Depart? Let’s go.