How It Started

I saw on FB years ago that meeting “mom friends” was kind of  like dating.  You see them across the playground, decide they look normal (enough), strike up a conversation, and decide, “Yep.  I’m going to be friends with this one.” 

It’s funny, because it’s true. 

Cindy and I met when my oldest daughter (who is now 16 and driving all around town) was 2.  Our kids went to the same preschool.  It was the mom friend equivalent of love at first sight.  Not only did we have kids the same age, we also had the same outlook on life, insisted on seeing the good in people, and, ironically enough, we both were teachers.  I had recently moved to the Chicago Suburbs from Florida and, although I didn’t know how our friendship would map out, I knew that, in Cindy, I had found a friend I could laugh with, raise kids with, and, let’s be honest, have a few cocktails with. 

Since then we’ve both relocated to other (slightly warmer) parts of the country.  I live just outside of Orlando in Mickey’s backyard and Cindy and her family have moved to Charlotte, NC.  In fact, the very last thing we did before we headed south, like literally the night before without beds in our house, was go sledding with Cindy and her boys (including her husband Dan)!  A cross country move could have easily put distance between us, but, really, it only made us value the time we spent together even more.  And let’s be honest, she’s a Disney Adult (IYKYK) and this made seeing each other very easy!

Through the years we found ourselves on similar trajectories, but hundreds of miles apart. 

We both became Stay At Home Moms. 

We both volunteered the equivalent of a full time job at our kids’ schools. 

We both became Board Members on our schools’ PTOs. 

And eventually we both found ourselves wanting to build an identity outside of our kids. 

So, naturally, we both became travel advisors! (I owe this part of my journey to Cindy.  She started in the industry before I did, but encouraged me to take the leap!)

After years of learning the industry, traveling the world, and crafting different areas of expertise, we found ourselves wanting to build a business that reflected us.  We wanted to join forces to share our love of adventure and memory making in a way that celebrated who we are at our core…friends. 

This means talking to every client like they are a friend.  And doing more than just hearing, but also listening.  It means taking the time to build a truly individualized vacation itinerary that is perfect for each family.  Because no two families are alike…no two vacation itineraries should be alike. 

And so, after many long conversations, a few Zoom cocktail hours, and a giant push from our incredibly supportive husbands, we decided to take the biggest leap of our lives!

And from 14 years of friendship and a shared love of wanderlust, Destination Exploration Travel was born. 

We hope you’ll  join us on this journey!