Take the Trip: Why Meaningful Travel Matters More Than Ever

If you’ve been craving that feeling of stepping away from your routine and into something memorable, you’ll love this conversation. Travel Coach Laura Rahn and I talked about why travel isn’t just about getting away — it’s about reconnecting with yourself and the people you love. And if you know me at all, you know I believe in that with my whole heart.

Growing Up Everywhere (Literally)

Laura’s love for travel didn’t start in adulthood. It started because she grew up in a family that moved constantly — the very real, very nomadic life of a military kid. By the time she entered high school, she’d already lived in about ten different places, including three deeply formative years in Naples, Italy.

She told me those teenage years in Europe shaped everything — her independence, her adaptability, her appreciation for cultures and people, and her belief that the world is meant to be explored, not observed from afar. And she carried all of that into motherhood, making sure her daughters grew up with rootedness and the sense of wonder that comes from seeing the world.

As she put it, she wanted them to have “a hometown… but also to know what else is out there.”

Honestly? What a gift.

From Instructional Coach to Travel Coach

When Laura retired from education, she wasn’t looking to sit still. Her husband stumbled across an article about “travel coaching,” asked if that sounded like her… and the rest is history.

The more she learned about the Travel Coach Network and their certification program, the more she realized how perfectly her teaching and coaching skills translated into this unexpected new chapter. Active listening, asking powerful questions, supporting people in getting to their why — she’d already been doing this her entire career.

Now she uses those same skills to help families, couples, and solo travelers figure out not just where they want to go, but why they want to go. Because designing a meaningful trip starts with intention, not logistics.

Her method is simple and brilliant: Dream. Design. Depart.

Dream

What do you crave? What do you want to feel? What do you hope happens on this trip?

Design

What kinds of activities matter to you? Do you want mountains… beaches… bookstores… coffee shops… adventure… rest?

Depart

How do we make this real — and enjoyable — from the moment you start packing?

It’s travel planning that’s less “checklist” and more “transformation.”

The Piece Most Families Miss

Here’s the part that had me thinking about every mom listening:

Laura insists on including every single traveler in the first conversation — even the 10-year-old. Even the college kid. Even the teen who swears they have “no opinion” but definitely does.

This comes from a very real moment on one of her own family trips when her two teenage daughters were in full teen-angst mode, and it hit her:
They didn’t help plan the trip. They had no ownership in the experience.

Once she started bringing all voices to the table — even the small or quiet ones — everything changed. Kids were more invested. Teens were more cooperative. Parents were less frustrated. And the trips themselves became more meaningful because they were built together, not handed down from the “planning parent.”

There’s a life lesson tucked into that one, isn’t there?

When Everyone Wants Something Different

Ever planned a family trip where one person wants to hike, another wants luxury, another wants history, and someone else just wants a nap?

Laura has seen it all.

She shared the story of a family who was torn between Hawaii and Alaska — and whose travel styles were wildly different. Dad wanted history and adventure. Mom wanted luxury and foodie experiences. Teen daughter wanted fun activities. Instead of treating this as conflict, Laura approached it as a puzzle.

By the end of their second session, they had a potential plan that honored everyone. It didn’t matter that they were more than a year away from departure. The joy and connection started the moment they began dreaming together.

That might be my favorite part of her work:
The trip doesn’t start when you leave. It starts when you start imagining it.

Experiences Over “Stuff”

If there’s a message threaded through everything Laura shared, it’s this:

We remember the moments — not the merchandise.

It’s the bookstore you wandered into. The sunset cocktail. The laughter in the car when someone butchered the playlist. The gelato shop you still talk about years later. The zipline that made your teenager smile for the first time all week.

Travel isn’t about checking off destinations. It’s about connection — to your people, to yourself, to the world around you.

And if you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, restless, or ready for something new?
That connection is often the thing that brings you back to life.

Your Invitation to Take the Trip

You don’t need permission.
You don’t need a perfect itinerary.
You don’t need to wait until life slows down — because it rarely does. (Does it ever?)

What you do need is intention.

A moment to ask yourself what you’re craving.
A willingness to hear your own voice again.
And maybe a nudge from someone like Laura to help you begin.

So if you’ve been waiting for a sign… here it is, friend.

Take the trip.
Make the memory.
Take the part of you that’s been quietly hoping for more.

Your future self will thank you for it.

And hey — if you’re ready for an experience that’s equal parts adventure, connection, and pure joy… grab your girlfriends and come to Wine Camp with me. It’s the ultimate “take the trip” moment, and I’d love for you to be part of it.