The Best Part Wasn’t on the Itinerary
Right now, I’m writing this from the Big Island of Hawaii.
In a little while, we’ll head to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Earlier this week we were snorkeling in clear blue water, spotting colorful fish and sea turtles. The kids have become experts at boogie boarding, and every evening has somehow ended the same way: everyone gathered around the dining table, working on a puzzle, shuffling a deck of cards, laughing until someone finally says, “Okay… one more game.”
It’s been one of those trips that reminds you what a vacation is really supposed to feel like. Not because every day has been packed with activities or because we’re staying somewhere beautiful. It’s been wonderful because we’ve simply been together.
As a luxury travel advisor, people often assume my favorite vacations are always the ones that take me halfway around the world. And believe me, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience some extraordinary places. Africa, Europe, Antarctica, and French Polynesia are destinations people spend years dreaming about, and for good reason.
But sitting here in Hawaii this week, I found myself thinking about something completely different.
Maybe luxury isn’t always about going farther.
Maybe it’s about finally slowing down.
The Luxury of Having Time
We’re staying in a gorgeous private villa overlooking the ocean. It has everything you could ask for: beautiful views, comfortable spaces, and a pool where the kids seem perfectly happy to spend hours. When people imagine a luxury vacation, this is usually what comes to mind.
And yes, it’s incredible.
But somewhere between the morning coffee and the evening card games, I realized the villa itself isn’t what has made this trip unforgettable. It’s what the villa has made possible.
Every morning starts slowly. There’s no rushing to get dressed and no alarms reminding us we have fifteen minutes before the next reservation. We simply enjoy our coffee together while the house is still quiet.
Some days we head out to explore. Other days someone suggests swimming, and that’s exactly what we do. Dinner isn’t something we squeeze between activities. We cook together, linger around the table, and somehow stay there long after the plates have been cleared.
The puzzle comes out. Someone deals the cards. The conversations wander from one topic to another, and before we know it, hours have passed.
No one is watching the clock.
We’re simply enjoying each other’s company.
And it made me realize how rare that has become.
Hawaii Is Beautiful. But That’s Not What I’ll Remember Most.
The Big Island is breathtaking. The black lava fields look like another planet, the snorkeling has been incredible, and we’ve shared the water with sea turtles. By the time this trip is over, we’ll have explored one of the world’s most active volcanoes. There is so much to see here and so many reasons I would recommend Hawaii to my clients.
But years from now, when I think back on this vacation, I don’t believe those will be the memories that come rushing back first.
I’ll remember hearing everyone laugh from the kitchen while dinner was cooking. I’ll remember someone insisting they had finally found the corner piece to the puzzle, only to discover it belonged somewhere in the middle. I’ll remember sitting around the table long after we could have gone to bed because no one wanted the evening to end.
Those are the moments I’ll hold onto. They weren’t planned, they couldn’t have been scheduled, and they only happened because we had the time to let them unfold naturally. Looking back, I think those quiet, unplanned moments are what made this trip so special.
What Luxury Travel Really Means
I’ve been planning luxury vacations for more than 30 years, and people often ask what makes a trip truly luxurious.
Is it the five-star resort? The private villa? Business class flights? Exclusive experiences?
Those things absolutely matter, and I love helping my clients find the perfect destination for their travel style. But they’re only part of the story.
The greatest luxury isn’t always found in what you book. Sometimes it’s found in what your trip gives you permission to do: slow down, be present, enjoy breakfast without checking the time, spend an entire afternoon by the pool because nobody feels like leaving, laugh over another card game, or linger around the dinner table just a little longer.
As a luxury travel advisor, those are the moments I hope every itinerary creates. Yes, I want my clients to stay somewhere beautiful, experience incredible destinations, and enjoy every thoughtful detail of their vacation. But more than anything, I want them to come home feeling relaxed, connected, and completely present, because those are the memories that last.
The Moments You’ll Remember
This week reminded me that luxury isn’t always about traveling halfway around the world. It isn’t always about staying at the most expensive resort, and it certainly isn’t measured by how many excursions you managed to fit into your itinerary.
Sometimes luxury is simply having nowhere else you need to be. It’s an unhurried morning with a cup of coffee, another round of cards, or a puzzle that takes three evenings to finish because everyone keeps getting distracted by conversation. Sometimes the best moments of a vacation are the ones that never make it onto the itinerary at all.
After more than three decades of planning travel, I still believe the best vacations aren’t measured by how many places you visited. They’re measured by how they made you feel, and I can’t think of a better definition of luxury than that.
What About You?
When you think about your favorite vacation, what comes to mind first? Is it the destination, or is it a moment you shared with the people you love?
My guess is it’s the moment.
