Custom trip planning
You describe it. I’ll design it.
Custom European trips for couples, families, women, and small groups, planned end to end, or just the parts you don’t want to handle.
Who this is for
This works best when…
You want the trip to be good, not just booked
You could assemble it yourself. You've concluded that the six months of evenings it would take are worth more to you than the fee.
You want the whole trip handled, not pieces of it
Hotels, experiences, transfers and the order they happen in, arranged together by one person. That is how I work, and it is where the value is.
It's a trip that matters
An anniversary, a honeymoon, a milestone birthday, the family trip you've promised for years. The occasions where getting it wrong costs more than money.
There are more opinions than free evenings
Multi-generational travel, friends with different budgets, a group where everyone wants something else. Someone neutral in the middle helps.
And plainly, what I don’t do
- Hotel-only bookings, or any single piece of a trip on its own
- Flights; I will advise on routing and airports, but I do not book airfare
- Budget backpacking or hostel-based travel
- Trips outside Europe
On timing: trips departing within three months are difficult to plan well, because the hotels, guides and timed entry worth having are usually gone. I will still look at it, but a rush fee may apply depending on the circumstances.
If any of this is you, I will say so early rather than take a fee for work that will not serve you.
What I handle
Everything between deciding to go and coming home.
Not a menu of services: a description of what actually gets done.
Where to go, and for how long
The first and most consequential decision. How many places fit, which ones deserve the nights, and what to leave for next time.
Where you stay
Hotels and small properties chosen for location as much as for the room, because in most European cities, the neighborhood is the experience.
Getting between places
Trains, transfers, drivers, the occasional internal flight. Booked, sequenced, and checked against each other so nothing collides.
What you actually do
Guides, tastings, cooking classes, timed museum entries, the boat you didn't know you could hire. Reserved before they sell out.
Where you eat
Reservations that matter, and honest recommendations for the ones that don't. Including which famous restaurant to skip.
The pacing
The invisible work. How full each day is, what sits next to what, where the rest days go, and how not to schedule a museum on the morning you land.
Preparing you to go
A pre-trip walkthrough covering the itinerary, documents, what to expect, and every question you've been saving. Plus guidance on choosing travel insurance.
Support while you're there
Direct access to Kerry-Ann, plus vetted local partners on the ground. When something comes up while you are there, you are not sorting it out alone.
How it works
Six steps, and I handle most of them.
Starting is the easy part. Here is exactly what happens after you do.
- 01
Complete the inquiry form
Where you are thinking of going, when, who is coming, and what would make the trip worth it. This is how every trip starts; it is also how I make sure I can genuinely help before we spend an hour on a call.
- 02
We talk it through
A 30-minute conversation, no charge. I will be honest about what works, what does not, and whether I am the right person for the trip you have in mind.
- 03
The planning fee is paid
If we are a good fit, the planning fee is paid before any design work begins. It starts at $250 and is quoted during our call, so you know the number before you decide. Nothing is researched or proposed until this step is done.
- 04
Your trip gets designed
Destinations, pacing, hotels, experiences, and how the days connect are proposed, then refined together until it reads like your trip.
- 05
Everything gets booked
Once you approve the final proposal, I move into the booking stage. All elements of the trip are coordinated and confirmed, and checked against each other so nothing collides.
- 06
You leave prepared
A pre-trip walkthrough before you go: the itinerary, the documents, what to expect, and every question you have been saving up.
Ready when you are.
Start with step one
Investment
What it costs, before you ask.
No packages, no tiers, no numbers you have to book a call to hear.
Planning fee
From $250
Professional planning fees begin at $250 and vary with the length and complexity of the trip. The fee is quoted after your consultation, before any design work starts.
It covers the research, the itinerary design, and the work of checking everything actually connects. It is separate from the cost of the trip, which is quoted on its own.
It also reflects the people behind the plan. I work closely with trusted partners and destination specialists who help shape and coordinate the details of every trip, and their time and expertise deserve the same respect as my own. The fee covers the care, research and coordination that go into the whole thing, not just the hours I spend at a desk.
The first 30-minute consultation is free, and there is no obligation at the end of it. Changes after booking are $50 per person, plus any fees charged by the supplier.
The fee is paid securely by card once we have spoken. Already had your consultation?
Questions
The things people ask before they commit.
What does trip planning cost?
Professional planning fees begin at $250 and vary with the length and complexity of the trip. The fee is quoted after your consultation, before any design work starts. The fee is quoted after your free consultation, so you know the number before you commit to anything. It is separate from the cost of the trip itself, which is quoted individually.
Why is there a planning fee at all?
Because the work happens before anything is booked. Research, itinerary design, checking availability with hotels and guides, and the back-and-forth to get the shape of the trip right; that is the part that makes the difference, and it takes real time. The fee also means my advice is genuinely independent: I am not steering you toward whatever pays the largest commission.
Will my trip cost more because I worked with you?
Usually not, on the components themselves. Through contracted relationships and trusted partners I often have access to preferred rates, upgrades, and amenities that aren't available booking direct. What I'm actually saving you is the expensive mistakes: the beautiful hotel in the wrong location, the three cities in six days, the connection that was never going to work.
How far in advance should I start?
Nine to twelve months ahead for popular destinations in high season; the small hotels and the best guides fill first. Off-season and simpler trips can come together with far less notice. If your dates are close, ask anyway; sometimes it works.
How much say do I have in the itinerary?
A lot. It's your trip. We start with a conversation about what you're picturing, what feels overwhelming, what pace you enjoy, and what your non-negotiables are. I shape the plan from there, and then we refine it together. You're not handing over control; you're gaining someone who can sort through the options with you.
What if something goes wrong while I'm traveling?
You have direct access to me, and to vetted local partners in-destination. Flights get rescheduled, drivers run late, reservations need moving. When you plan everything yourself, you're also the one fixing it at midnight in a country where you don't speak the language. That's the part clients say they value most.
What happens if I change something after it's booked?
A $50 per person change fee applies to modifications after bookings are confirmed, and third-party suppliers may charge their own fees. I'll handle the change on your behalf and tell you the cost before anything is done.
Do you book flights?
International airfare is generally left to you; you'll usually do better with your own miles, status, and preferred routing. I'll advise on which airports to fly into and out of so the routing fits the itinerary, and I do handle internal European flights where they're part of the trip.
Do I need travel insurance?
I strongly recommend it, and I'll help you think through the coverage that fits your trip. Bound for Europe doesn't sell insurance, so the recommendation is genuinely disinterested. Given what a European trip costs, going without it is a larger gamble than most people realize.
Tell me what you're picturing.
Ten minutes now saves you months of tabs. There's no charge for the conversation and no obligation afterwards.
30-minute consultation, no charge, no obligation.