How Our December Adventure Showed the Value of a Travel Agent
Two weeks ago, I shared why working with a travel agent can transform your vacation. For our December 2024 trip, I stepped into that role for my husband and me—serving as our own travel agent. Every detail was carefully planned, and the benefits I provide to my clients came to life in our journey.
The Adventure We Planned
This wasn’t just a getaway—it was a three-week adventure that blended ocean breezes, desert landscapes, and city discoveries.
✨ Cruise magic: We set sail on a roundtrip cruise from Los Angeles to Cabo, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta, each port offering its own unforgettable story.
Cabo San Lucas: We cruised past El Arco, the dramatic arch rising from the sea, while sipping a cool drink and listening to Jean-Michel Cousteau’s narration about the fragile underwater world. Later, we watched artisans shape molten glass into shimmering creations and ended the day at a scenic overlook with sweeping views of Land’s End and our ship anchored offshore.
Mazatlán: Our Sierra Madre tour took us beyond the city into villages rich with tradition. We tasted sweet bread fresh from an adobe oven, admired centuries-old churches, and wandered cobblestone streets in Copala, a colonial mining town. A hearty Mexican lunch and a bit of shopping in the Golden Zone rounded out a day that blended culture, history, and everyday life.
Puerto Vallarta: Here, we embraced pure fun aboard a pirate ship. Between sword fights, acrobatics, and laughter, we sailed to Majahuitas beach for snorkeling, kayaking, and sun-soaked relaxation. Back on board, the festive atmosphere continued with contests, prizes, and pirates walking the plank into the ocean.
✈️ Flights with intention: Our flights were timed perfectly—giving us space to explore the San Pedro port area before boarding, and a full day in Los Angeles on our departure day to sightsee and relax.
🏨 Hotels that fit the journey: A pre-cruise hotel stay let us ease into vacation mode. Later, cozy hotels in San Diego and Palm Springs became our home bases, each offering a different rhythm—city energy in one, desert calm in the other.
🚐 Seamless transfers: Transportation to and from the airport and cruise port meant no stress about parking or logistics. Once back in LA, we picked up our rental car and shifted into road trip mode.
🚗 Freedom on the road: With a rental car, we explored at our own pace, windows down, desert air rushing in, stopping wherever curiosity pulled us.
🌊 San Diego discoveries: Christmas week was spent in San Diego, where we balanced iconic sights with hidden gems. We paused in San Juan Capistrano to wander the Mission’s gardens, zipped through the city on a Segway, felt goosebumps on a haunted Old Town tour, and marveled at lions roaring at the San Diego Zoo. Balboa Park was a feast for the senses—cherry blossoms in the Japanese Gardens, comic art at the Comic-Con Museum, and festive lights twinkling everywhere.
🌵 Palm Springs & beyond: The desert portion of our trip was just as memorable. On the drive from San Diego, we stopped for warm, flaky pie in Julian and admired the surreal Borrego Springs sculptures. In Palm Springs, we hiked Joshua Tree, laughed at the towering dinosaurs in Cabazon, and ended our days simply relaxing under the desert sky.
How I Brought the Value of a Travel Agent to Life
Planning this trip for us gave me the chance to live out the same value I provide to my clients every day:
Time reclaimed: I handled the research and logistics so we could spend our time imagining the adventure instead of juggling endless tabs.
Stress lifted: With cruise schedules, transfers, and rental cars all aligned, we could relax knowing the details were covered.
Insider wisdom: I chose excursions and stops that went beyond the obvious—like artisan glass-blowing in Cabo and sweet bread baked in Mazatlán—so our experiences felt authentic.
Personal touches: I built in moments that reflected us. From quirky roadside stops for pie in Julian to stargazing under the vast desert sky in Joshua Tree, the itinerary blended adventure, food, and wonder in a way that felt deeply personal.
Unexpected perks: Thoughtful planning gave us bonus time in Los Angeles and excursions that felt curated rather than generic.
Human support: Even though this was my own trip, I felt firsthand how reassuring it is to know someone has your back when plans shift. That’s the same peace of mind I provide to my clients.
The Bigger Picture
This trip wasn’t just about Cabo sunsets or Palm Springs hikes—it was about experiencing firsthand how thoughtful planning turns a vacation into a story. Every detail, from the hotel before the cruise to the offbeat stops in the desert, reminded me why travel agents aren’t just planners. They’re storytellers, guides, and partners in adventure.
Our December journey was proof that the reasons I shared earlier aren’t just theory—they’re lived experiences. And whether you’re dreaming of a cruise, a road trip, or a cultural immersion, having a travel agent by your side makes the difference between a trip that’s good and a trip that’s unforgettable.
✨ Ready to start planning your own story? Let’s explore together.
