Nancy Luechtefeld, Author at Unique Journeys LLC

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Nancy Luechtefeld has contributed 42 entries to our website, so far.

Top 5 Reasons you Deserve a Luxury Vacation

May 21, 2022

Here are just 5 of the top reasons you deserve a luxury vacation.

Have you been dreaming of the ultimate vacation with all services included which normally you would be not willing to pay for? Yes, this is the luxury vacation of your dreams. And if you are still unsure if you should book it or not, keep reading as we are sharing our top 5 reasons you deserve a luxury vacation! Don’t miss the link at the bottom that will help you have the perfect river cruise.

No Planning Needed

One of the main reasons why it is worth booking a luxury vacation is that there is a lot less planning needed. You can go directly to your favorite travel agent, give your dates and start packing. If you are pressured by time or planning a family trip with multiple members and you do not want the stress of researching and booking it all yourselves, it might be time to look at a luxury vacation, which has it all planned out and scheduled for you. Everything you need to do is show up and have the time of your life!

Unwind and De-stress

Unfortunately, stress has become an inevitable part of our daily lives. And the reality is that every now and then we need to stop for a moment and take a break! There is no better reason why you should book that luxury vacation than trying to unwind, relax and escape the daily routine. Imagine going on a luxury river cruise and sunbathing on the deck with a cocktail in your hand at 2 pm on a Wednesday afternoon, instead of joining a conference call. We cannot think of any other better reason to treat yourselves to a luxury vacation! Can you?

Create Memories with your Family

Regardless of if you have children or not, there is nothing better than taking a family holiday to a faraway destination. It might have been a while since you spent some quality time together with your closest ones. Well, let me tell you – one of the best ways to reconnect with one another is by booking that special luxury vacation! Especially for those of you who have small children – now is the time to devote more time and try new activities with them. Go on that trip without any limitations and just create memories, which you will cherish long after you have gone back home!

You are Celebrating

One of the top 5 reasons why you deserve a luxury vacation is an upcoming celebration. Maybe it is a wedding anniversary or your significant other’s birthday. Either way, this is a good time to treat yourselves to a special opulent holiday including additional services and packages that you were never allowed to spend money on before!

You Deserve to Splurge

Last but definitely not least stop looking for reasons why you should go on that luxury vacation. Remember you deserve it! You work hard every day and sometimes it just comes a time when you should focus on yourselves and finally treat yourselves! You Deserve to Splurge on that Luxury Vacation!

Our top 5 reasons why you deserve a luxury vacation should have been enough to convince you that it is time to pack your bags and just go!

You may be considering taking a cruise, here is a must-read article on avoiding river cruise booking mistakes. For the best river cruise experience, you will want to contact Nancy at Unique Journeys. She will assist you in finding the perfect cruise experience where you will create memories for a lifetime. You are welcome to find additional information at AMA Waterways regarding the luxury river cruise experience.

10 Simple Travel Tips

Apr 21, 2022

Here are 10 simple travel tips to make your trip amazing. Be sure and check them out before you begin packing for your next adventure.

Be Cautious Don’t OverPack

Bring essentials don’t overpack. It just makes your travel more difficult especially if you have transfers or if you are not taveling to one location for the entire trip. Pack interchangeable outfits so you have variety. Example: 3 pairs of jeans for the week, not 7.

Bring Earplugs

Another great travel tip is to bring earplugs. Not many think about earplugs but they can be extremely useful for a multitude of reasons. For a long-haul plane ride, you may want to get some rest, and earplugs come in handy. (Some airlines provide them) Depending on where your room is located, such as close to the elevator or the pool, earplugs are the perfect solution for noise. Another option would be sound-canceling headphones, which help if you have loud people on your flight.

Don’t Overdue Your Hair and Body Products

Again, take just the necessities. Many people think they have to bring all their shampoo, conditioners, lotions, and body wash. These items really take up a lot of valuable packing space in your checked bag. They also should be packed in sealable plastic bags to protect the rest of your items in case they spill. It’s not a date it is vacation. Remember, if they are in your carry on you are only allowed containers of 3.4 oz. or less. They must all fit in a quart-sized bag and you are only allowed one bag per person. For more great tips about flying restrictions Click here. There is no real need to bring your own with you (unless you have a specific skin condition).

Carry a Small Towel

The hotel will supply large towels for all your needs but when sightseeing you can get wet or need to dry yourself off. A small towel is easy to carry and perfect for your needs. You might want to carry one of the fast-drying towels.

More Travel Tips

Bring a First Aid Kit

Don’t forget a travel first aid kit. Make sure it includes the essentials such as anti-acids, band-aids, antiseptic cream, Benadryl, and aspirin.

Bring Your Backpack

Staying with the theme of not over-packing, make sure your backpack is lightweight. When choosing what to take with you in the backpack don’t fill it to overflowing as your back will not be your friend after a couple of hours. You might want to consider testing the weight of your backpack and making sure it is not overpackedMore Tips

Bring a Small Journal

This is a huge travel tip. This journal is a great place to document your day; what you saw and what it meant to you. When you get back home from this amazing trip and you saw so much you will forget what day you did what and exactly where each photo was taken.

Bring an Extra Memory Card

Don’t forget an extra memory card for your camera and extra batteries. The worst place to be is viewing something spectacular and having to take time to delete photos to make room for more. Worse is if your batteries are not fresh and you miss that perfect photo. Plus make sure you bring a Universal Converter to be able to charge your electronics no matter where you travel. A power bank can be a great investment if you have multiple items to charge and you aren’t in a place where you can plug your devices in.

Pack A Light Jacket or Wrap

Don’t forget a jacket or wrap. Even on the plane, it can be cool or temps can change quickly. Nothing is worse than freezing and trying to enjoy a beautiful sunset or on a cruise.

Create a Packing List

Packing lists are really the only way to make sure you don’t forget anything before you leave. You can create your own customized list or there are many on Google.

How to Travel more Eco-friendly

Mar 24, 2022

Were you wondering How to Travel more Eco-friendly?

Are you wondering how to travel more Eco-friendly? The topic of being more sustainable travelers has been gaining massive popularity for the past few years. Many believe that it is far too challenging and costly to become a sustainably-conscious traveler – Wrong! Keep reading as we are sharing 6 very simple and easy ways how to travel more Eco-friendly, which you can start implementing straight away!

Bring your Own Water Bottle

One of the easiest ways to travel more Eco-friendly is as simple as bringing your own water bottle. From going on a road trip to America’s Best National Parks to heading to the airport for an extended weekend getaway, you will find numerous water fountains that you can freely use to fill up your own water bottle!

Use Environmentally Friendly Transportation

We just mentioned going on a road trip through the USA and boarding a flight, but both of these can harm the environment significantly with their CO2 emissions. If you are looking for environmentally airlines look for airlines that have implemented more sustainable policies and use biofuel instead! United Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa are examples of such! If you do not have your own electric vehicle, it might be interesting looking at renting one for your trip – this can also be a fun way to test it out and maybe consider buying one later!

Book a sustainable Accommodation

From luxurious tree houses to organic farmhouses, the list is endless once you start researching. If you are wondering how, you can become a more environmentally conscious traveler, you should definitely look at booking a more sustainable accommodation.

Support the Local Economy

By far our favorite way how to travel more Eco-friendly is supporting the local economy. Instead of choosing a large hotel chain, pick a small Eco-conscious guesthouse. Instead of choosing international tour operators, dive deeper and find small local guides. Not only are you not supporting mass tourism, but you are also getting to experience your destination from a lot more authentic perspective!

Eliminate Plastic

We fully realize that eliminating plastic might be easier said than done. You do not need to jump straight into “no more plastic” mode, but you can start making small changes not only to your travel habits but your overall daily routine to becoming more environmentally friendly by using less plastic. Some of the easiest ways are bringing your own re-usable shopping bag, glass food containers, and re-usable make-up removing cloths!

Unplug your Appliances

It is not just about your destination, but also what you are leaving behind when thinking how to travel more Eco-friendly! You are heading on a trip, so you are not going to be home for at least a few days. Why not go ahead and unplug your electric appliances then! It takes just a minute, but it helps significantly as no energy will be sent to it. A nice bonus is that you will be saving on your electric bill!

Now that you have our list of these 6 extremely easy and simple ways how to travel more Eco-friendly do you still think it is difficult and costly? We are sure that you are ready to implement at least one of these on your next trip. Even if it is just one, you know that you are contributing, and we are all hopefully slowly making a step towards traveling in a more environmentally-conscious way!

WHY YOU NEED A TRAVEL AGENT

Mar 21, 2022

Why do you need a travel agent? Let’s talk about that. That’s a question many people ask and there isn’t just one answer to that question. However, there are some answers that everyone has in common. I think a discussion of this is in order, so here goes.

Love of Travel:

As a consumer, you want someone who enjoys their job and wants you to enjoy your trip. They say if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. I believe that’s especially true with travel agents. I love to travel. But, more importantly, I love to experience travel through my clients’ adventures. Travel with family and friends creates memories that are more important than the trip itself. A love of travel leads me to my next reason to hire a travel agent:

Knowledge and Experience:

The fact is that with every trip I book for clients and every trip I take myself I gain a little more knowledge. It might be experiencing a new restaurant, learning a new phrase in a foreign language or seeing a site for the first time. While no one has been everywhere, my experiences and those of my clients enrich my ability to help my clients.

Stewards of your money:

You can be assured that I will do everything to get you the best “Bang for their Buck”, while also giving you the best experience possible. Whether it’s finding just the right cruise, giving you suggestions on the best tour and tour guides to enhance your experience or any of the other small details involved in taking a trip. My job is to see that you do get the experience you want.

In short, as a travel agent, I will treat your money as if it’s my own.

Contacts:

How many times have you heard the saying IT’S WHO YOU KNOW. In the case of your travel agent, it’s especially important. Want tickets to a concert? I can help with that. Need to set up a special surprise for someone? Consider it done. Over time I have built up a working relationship with all manner of professionals such as hotel managers, cruise representatives and tour managers. Not to mention the concierge at a great many hotels, who are a great asset. These contacts help me provide that extra service that sets your trip apart. It gives you the inside track.

Money-Saving: (Time is Money)

You don’t want to spend your spare time researching your trips when you can have me as your travel agent do the research for you. For a small fee, I will provide you with the best options and information which saves you money in the long run by avoiding costly errors.

Security:

Social media is alive with horror stories about travel scams. You have seen or heard them about people who have booked accommodations and when they get there to find out they are non-existent or the rooms they end up with don’t look anything like the pictures on the websites. With me as your advisor, you can be assured you get exactly what you have booked. I deal with reputable suppliers, so you can relax and enjoy your trip.

Taking care of the details:

When you plan a trip, whether a cruise, tour, or just flights and hotels, there are deadlines to be met. Missing them can mean you lose not only your space but the funds you have put down for your deposit. When you have a travel agent looking out for your booking(s) you can relax knowing everything will be taken care of at the appropriate time.

Keeping up With Current Conditions:

Not only do travel agents keep up with current weather and other trends, but in these days of Covid-19, they keep up to date on the requirements put out by the CDC.. They have a great website and we can help you navigate the regulations for each destination. These vary from country to country and even on a daily basis. I can make sure you have the information needed to make your travel run smoothly. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html

Advocacy:

Lastly, no one wants to think that anything will go wrong on their trip, but at some point, there are going to be circumstances that will create a problem. No one can control or fix everything, but once a problem arises, your travel agent is your best friend. I will intercede on your behalf and get the best resolution possible for you.

While there are some things a travel agent can’t fix: weather, strikes, health issues, we are there to help you in the event you need assistance with a problem.

Your trip represents your dreams for a great time with your friends and family. It may be something you are planning for the future. Everyone has a bucket list. Once we have established a relationship and know what your future plans are, I can help you with your long-range planning.

WHEN YOU HAVE A TRAVEL AGENT YOU HAVE A TRUSTED COMPANION.

We are in a different world today than we have ever been and for this reason, it is more important than ever to depend on the knowledge and expertise of a travel agent. I am committed to making sure you have the most up-to-date information available to make your vacation what you have dreamed it would be.

We have all waited to be able to travel and now is the time to savor the joy of travel with friends and family. To that end, I have created several articles with tips to help you with the decision-making process. Being prepared for long flights will save you time and energy when you arrive at your destination https://unique-journeys.com/biggest-mistakes-to-avoid-when-flying-long-haul/.

“I just wanted to thank you for your hard work and dedication for booking my family’s trips year after year. You make sure that we get the air flights that we want and the times that work best for us, thank you. You search for our lodging until we are satisfied, and they have been beautiful, thank you. Thanks again for all your hard work. We look forward to booking more trip with you.”

Anthony, Gena and Chance

IT’S TIME FOR THE FAMILY VACATION

Feb 23, 2022

It’s time for the family vacation. I know we have all had a hard time these past few months, but I think it will be doubly important to resume the family vacation and spend time enjoying being together not in a restricted atmosphere. It’s a stressful time and it’s true for children as well as adults. Travel is not only enriching, it gets you away from your every-day routine so that you can concentrate on having fun as a family. As a travel counselor I can take the stress out of planning the details so you all you have to do is relax and enjoy your time away.

Disney has been at the top of many bucket lists for years for families with children. There are rides for all levels, a variety of shows, restaurants from casual to more formal. Add to that the character meals and you can please just about anyone.

However, all that variety comes with a price. Disney has raised prices most years, so that the average cost for lodging, food, and tickets for a three-night stay is around $300 a person.

If your family would like to spend time together, there are alternatives to Disney that will be just as memorable:

HAWAII:

You first thought of course is Waikiki, but even on Oahu, there is more to the island than the beach. In Honolulu you can visit The Arizona, where World War II started and next door, you can visit the MISSOURI, and see where the war officially ended.

A Family Vacation can be inspiration too

It’s important to bring history to life in addition to having fun on your family vacation

After you have done the educational visits, you can be off to the Honolulu Zoo, the Waikiki Aquarium and the Pacific Aviation Museum.

How about climbing Diamond Head, where the view from the top is fantastic, and the hike down is easier.

Outdoor activities are a great part of a family vacation

Take a hike and this is your reward.

Most visitors stop there, but If you have more time to spend on Oahu, you can check out the North Shore with its famous pipeline and watch surfers “catch the waves”. Also on this side of the island is Kualoa Ranch. Here you can a great time riding horseback, kayaking or taking a tour of various sites where movies have been filmed.

Of course, there are other islands to visit such as Mauai and Kawai, each with it’s own personality. Combine one or two islands gives you a greater understanding of what makes Hawaii a great place to visit with your family.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA:

This is a city made for families. Of course, there is the world-famous San Diego Zoo, but you shouldn’t miss the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where you can get up close and personal with the animals. Take the kids to La Jolla Cove where sea lions and other wildlife abound. You can rent snorkeling gear, bikes, paddle boards. With the the comfortable California weather, you won’t lack for things to do.

THE GRAND CANYON:

Here is a place that just can’t be described to do it justice. You have to experience it in person. It’s not just a place to stand on the rim and look into the canyon, but a place where kids can take part in the park’s ranger programs to learn about the canyon’s history, take part in exciting activities and earn badges. As a family you can ride bikes on the canyon rim, go for scenic hikes and even take the famous mule rides. This can really be an all-inclusive family vacation.

Take a ride on the wild side with these iconic Grand Canyon donkeys.

MYRTLE BEACH, S. CAROLINA:

Myrtle Beach has a 60-mile stretch of white sand beach. There you can swim, build sand castles and just soak up the sun.

Once you have had your fill of that, try the arcade on the boardwalk, the mini golf courses and the Sky Wheel, which offers great views of the beach.

If you want the amusement park experience, you can visit WorldWorks. It’s known as the amusement park for the mind. There are over 100 hands-on exhibits and an indoor rope course.

PARK CITY, UTAH:

Ready for a winter vacation? Skiing is paramount here, but even when you aren’t on the slopes, you can still have fun as a family. You can take art classes, learn pottery or drawing. There are also ranges of accommodations from hotels to condos with multiple bedrooms and kitchens.

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI:

St. Louis isn’t just flyover country. The Gateway to the West is home to a world-class FREE Zoo. The Art Museum, also in Forest Park up the hill from the zoo, is also free. How about a 630’ high stainless steel arch? There’s a great new museum and a ride to the top with great views over the city.

If you want to set your kids free in a one-of-a-kind museum, then you should head to The City Museum. The creation of Bob Cassilly; it’s a kids paradise with slides, rope climbing, and much more.

Your kids will have the time of their lives exploring the City Museum and what great photo opportunities for you.

In the summer, there is Grant’s Farm where you can see animal shows, feed animals in the petting zoo, meet the world-famous Clydesdales and have a meal in the stable courtyard. The adults can have up to two of Anheuser Busch’s finest.

What's a family vacation without getting up close and personal with animals

The world-famous Clydesdales are just waiting for your visit

You are spending more time with your family, so now is the time to start planning your next adventure. Time to dream and plan your family vacation; giving everyone something to look forward to. Getting everyone involved makes it even more special. Once you have done your research and want to begin the process of putting your plans in motion, contact me at:

Nancy Luechtefeld, CTC

Unique Journeys LLC

9787 Radio Drive

St. Louis, MO 63123

Ph: 314/644-8691

Email: nancy@unique-journeys.com

Website: www.unique-journeys.com

Posts by Nancy Luechtefeld

About Nancy Luechtefeld

Top 5 Reasons you Deserve a Luxury Vacation

No Planning Needed

Unwind and De-stress

Create Memories with your Family

You are Celebrating

You Deserve to Splurge

10 Simple Travel Tips

Be Cautious Don’t OverPack

Bring Earplugs

Don’t Overdue Your Hair and Body Products

Carry a Small Towel

More Travel Tips

Bring a First Aid Kit

Bring Your Backpack

Bring a Small Journal

Bring an Extra Memory Card

Pack A Light Jacket or Wrap

Create a Packing List