The gift we can give our graduates—and the gift they’ll give back to us
Graduation trips are among the most popular family trips we see here at WendyPerrin.com, and we agree that an academic achievement deserves to be marked with a fun, memorable (and yes, sometimes even educational) experience. To provide inspiration for your own travels with your favorite grad this year, we’ve looked back at the graduation trips arranged by our WOW List destination experts that have most delighted your fellow travelers. Here’s how to get your own WOW trip.
Post-diploma diversions in camps and falls in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe
Quad biking in the Namib desert. Photo: Traveler Julie Heimark
“To celebrate our older son’s high school graduation, we planned a 28-day Southern Africa trip with Julian for July/August 2024. Julian planned a truly amazing trip. Every detail was perfect and seamless. For the entire month, we literally just showed up—whether at a hotel or an air strip or a border crossing—and our guides/fixers took care of it all.
We did Cape Town, three Namibia camps (Little Kulala, Hoanib Skeleton Coast, Serra Cafema), three Botswana camps (Vumbura South, Duba Plains, Selinda) and Victoria Falls River Lodge in Zimbabwe.
First, Julian guided us to a more modern, design-forward Cape Town hotel (The Silo) that we loved. Second, every camp was unique, and for each camp we said ‘Ah, now we know why Julian selected this one.’ Finally, our particular path, from Cape Town to Namibia to Bots to Vic Falls, allowed the continent to unfold before us.
There is simply not enough space to describe all of the extraordinary experiences. Hiking down sherbet-colored dunes. Lions and elephants and leopards and crocodiles so close you could have touched them. Joining African wild dogs on their hunt. Watching lionesses attempt to take down a buffalo. Sundowning with rhinos. Meeting the Himba people. Every day was a different National Geographic special. And we all agreed that this was one of our best food trips ever (and one of us is pescatarian). This was one of those ‘bucket-list, worth-every-penny’ trips.” —Julie Heimark
Read more reviews of African safari trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
The Galapagos: “The islands are simply breathtaking: pristine, unspoiled, and teeming with wildlife at every turn!”
Claire, Andrea, Rachel and Dave Phillips bonding with sea lions at Gardner Bay on Espanola Island. Photo: Gideon Kleinman
“Standing in LAX on a delayed-departure morning with two phones in hand—one connected with the airline agent, and one with Allie—made me realize the true value of having a Trusted Travel Expert. This was our 7th Wendy Perrin trip, but who would have thought that engine trouble on our first flight would make us miss our connecting flight and almost ruin a trip to the Galapagos Islands planned a year in advance?!
Thanks to Allie’s quick thinking, we were rerouted to a different city in Ecuador, on the only available flight over the weekend. She was able to alter our migration cards and flights to ensure we made it for our full 7-night cruise, saving us from missing out on the incredible first stops! And, by securing our trip with travel insurance from Travelex, another Wendy Perrin recommendation, we will also get a good portion of reimbursement back on the services lost and the extra services paid for.
As travelers who love adventures with animals, the Galapagos Islands were an ideal pick for a special trip for our graduating senior. With Allie’s help, we selected to sail on the Endemic. We picked this route for the specific island stops and the types of animals and unique environments we could possibly see.
Andrea Phillips and family next to a giant tortoise in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.
The islands are simply breathtaking: pristine, unspoiled, and teeming with wildlife at every turn! You had to carefully watch your step, as baby and adult sea lions, blue-footed boobies nesting with their chicks, and land and marine iguanas sprawled across the pathways, eagerly inviting your admiration. The entire experience felt like stepping into a living, breathing nature documentary!
Without Allie’s expertise in planning our route and saving our trip, our experience wouldn’t have been nearly as incredible. For anyone planning a journey to the Galapagos, know it can be challenging and her advice is invaluable: Allow yourself two to three days (preferably on weekdays) to arrive in Quito or Guayaquil to ensure you catch the limited island flights. Allie is a true Galapagos expert, and we couldn’t imagine trusting anyone else with our adventure. Thanks to her, our trip was unforgettable!” —Andrea Phillips
Read more reviews of Galapagos trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Hawaii: “We had a mix of busy days and relaxing days, and Jen made sure we had dinner reservations each night…”
Dad and kids paddleboarding near the North Shore of Oahu. Photo: Traveler Jennifer Cheng
“We decided to take a summer family trip to Hawaii for our son’s graduation. We’re a family of five, and the kids had never been to Hawaii but my husband wanted a city vacation, so I picked Waikiki. It was a busy time of the year for us, and I was overwhelmed with all the choices, so I filled out your trip questionnaire and started the process with Dani and Jen. It was such a relief to not have to research everything and know that I was getting vetted recommendations and a thoughtful itinerary.
Based on what I told them, they recommended the Halekulani, which I marveled at as the right choice every time we returned to the hotel—so beautiful and calm and pampering in the middle of hectic Waikiki. The kids loved all the shopping and food options right outside the hotel, and it was so nice to have a serene homebase with amazing service. Dani and Jen’s booking included room upgrades and daily breakfast for five. I was also able to enjoy the hotel’s morning fitness class a few times.
We had a mix of busy days and relaxing days, and Jen made sure we had dinner reservations each night. The teens took surf lessons, and we did the Kualoa Ranch UTV raptor tour, all arranged by Jen. They also made the arrangements for a fantastic Diamond Head sunrise hike. When we visited the North Shore, we ate at the shrimp trucks and did the Haleiwa stand-up paddleboarding on their recommendations. Overall, a memorable and wonderful family vacation. Everyone loved it. Thank you!” —Jennifer Cheng
Read more reviews of Hawaii trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Switzerland: “Our time in Interlaken included a private chocolate-making workshop and the highlight of the trip for my daughter, a hike with St. Bernard dogs…”
Jennifer, David, Veronica, and Reed Datwyler hiking with St. Bernards.
“My daughter recently graduated from high school. She chose a family trip to Switzerland as a celebration of her accomplishments. My husband and I, along with our 18-year-old daughter and 20-year-old son, had a ten-day trip to three distinct regions of Switzerland. This trip was expertly planned by Nina and Annina.
We flew direct from San Francisco to Zurich. The afternoon of our arrival, we toured the city of Zurich in a tuk-tuk where we were welcomed with chocolate fondue en route. The next day, we took a short train ride to the town of Appenzell, where we visited with a local bell maker who demonstrated the art of forging cow bells. My daughter even got to participate in the forging process!
From Zurich we traveled by train to Interlaken. We stayed in a beautiful wellness hotel right on the water outside of town. Our time in Interlaken included a private chocolate-making workshop and the highlight of the trip for my daughter, a hike with St. Bernard dogs.
The third stop was the Italian region of Switzerland, where we stayed in the town of Ascona. Here we rode E-bikes to a small family-run grotto where we learned to make risotto. We spent another day exploring the Bavona Valley. We enjoyed a hike through the most beautiful terrain we have ever seen. The entire trip was flawless. We will never forget this time together as a family.” —Jennifer Datwyler
Read more reviews of Switzerland trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
African safari: “My two children and I celebrated my son’s college graduation by taking a trip for the ages!”
Thomas Casper celebrated his college graduation with a safari. Here, he’s atop Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: Traveler Clare Casper
“Just back from South Africa and Botswana! My two children and I celebrated my son’s college graduation by taking a trip for the ages! We worked with Christian from Julian‘s office, who put together an itinerary that included places we had not even considered. Five days in South Africa included the awe-inspiring Grootbos Nature Preserve at the bottom of the continent. We explored ancient caves, went whale watching, hiking and thoroughly enjoyed the unforgettable cuisine at Grootbos! We loved our guide Hosea who gave us such in-depth history and cultural insight on the area. It was a small gesture, but my kids really appreciated Hosea taking them into a local market in Cape Town’s Bo-Kapp neighborhood to enjoy a mid-day snack.
After a day touring and hiking on the magnificent Table Mountain, we set off to Botswana for 6 days at 3 different safari camps. Each camp was in a different ecosystem, which was something we never would have considered and were so appreciative of Christian to plan in that manner. I knew I would see the animals but did not expect to learn so much from the guides at each camp. The magnificent birds were also an unexpected surprise. The delicious food and lovely staff will never be forgotten and really made the trip our favorite so far!
Kudos to Christian for setting up this amazing experience!”—Lynn Casper
Read more reviews of South Africa and Botswana trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Paris: “Our January trip to Paris was for our daughter’s college graduation. She was interested in fashion, food, and the Louvre…”
The Louvre Museum at night, Paris. Photo: EdiNugraha/Pixabay
“Our January trip to Paris was for our daughter’s college graduation. She was interested in fashion, food, and the Louvre. Let’s start by how incredibly smooth our airport arrival was! Upon exiting the aircraft, we were whisked away by Mohammad, who led us through customs, helped us with our luggage, and delivered us to our driver. I bet we saved two hours not having to wait in the line at customs.
Jennifer, our trip planner, did a great job planning our tours and making our dining reservations! We were very impressed with each tour guide: our private half-day tour of the Louvre could not have been better! We loved our croissant-making class and our chef was fabulous. We were pleasantly surprised with our tour of the Dior museum—so unexpected and maybe one of our most favorite things. We had the museum to ourselves and our guide was fantastic! Jennifer secured a fashion expert who took us to neighborhood boutiques featuring up and coming Parisian designers, and this was a real treat! We loved meeting the shop owners, and we felt like locals shopping for the afternoon.
Each and every restaurant reservation that Jennifer procured provided the best table in the restaurant with amazing views of the Eiffel Tower. One of the restaurants surprised us with a sparkler in my daughter’s dessert, which was so fun.” —Kim Brown
Read more reviews of Paris trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Norway: “My husband and I wanted to take our four children on a graduation trip to Norway…”
Barbara Lich’s son climbing in Norway’s mountaineering capital of Andelsnes.
Our trip (planned by Torunn and Karin) exceeded expectations! Wow! My husband and I wanted to take our four children on a graduation trip to Norway. When we first talked with Torunn, she listened to what worked for my family in previous trips, what we were looking for (an active trip to see and experience as much as possible). And she delivered!
Our children are ages 25, 22, 18 and 14. When Torunn heard that our daughter is a competitive figure skater and wanted to see sights near the 1994 Olympic venue in Lillehammer, she arranged that we would stop in Lillehammer and even set up bobsledding (!) at the Olympic Training site! That was an experience to remember.
We next enjoyed a beautiful train ride to Andelsnes! Our historic hotel was so beautiful! We felt like we were sitting in the middle of a postcard. Andelsnes is near the most gorgeous mountains and top destination for mountain climbers. Our oldest son is a climber and has earned some certifications for climbing. Karin arranged the most expert mountaineering guide with international certification and amazing demeanor for my oldest son—it was the highlight of his trip. They climbed for 12 hours and the Alpine Hike was one of the most difficult. It was an experience he will never forget… and the lovely staff at Hotel Aak held his dinner for him to enjoy when he returned at 11 pm at night!
In Bergen my daughter and I had a great morning horseback riding! with the most friendly and kind trainer. That afternoon, my husband and children took a 90-minute helicopter tour over Hardangerfjord. My family loved that helicopter experience. Sadly, it was time to depart the next morning. What a beautiful country and special family time! We really loved every minute and would recommend Torunn to everyone.”—Barbara Lich
Read more reviews of Norway trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
The Philippines: “Taking advantage of the time left before my 18-year-old daughter leaves to start college, the two of us jetted off…”
Andrea Phillips and daughter Rachel diving off Balicasag Island in the Philippines. Photo: Sander
“Taking advantage of the time left before my 18-year-old daughter leaves to start college, the two of us jetted off on a 10-day scuba diving trip to the Philippines. After in-depth planning with Andrea, an expert on unique travel in Asia, we chose the Dauin coast and Panglao Island, off Bohol, for our trip, as this was an excellent time to visit for great weather and diving conditions. Our goals were simple: level up our scuba certifications, immerse ourselves in welcoming cultures, and, finally, cross off swimming with whale sharks from our bucket list!
Andrea and his team planned it perfectly, starting with a special airport welcome that whisked us from the arrival gate and quickly through a chaotic Manila airport. Our first stop was Atmosphere Resort, where my daughter earned her Advanced Open Water Diver certification under the guidance of their skilled dive masters. We explored local dive spots and Apo Island, a beautiful marine reserve. The relaxing resort was wonderful after diving, with its refreshing pools, delicious food, a sanctuary spa, all while being cared for as a VIP guest by the warm and friendly Filipino staff. It all brought back memories of doing my own AOW certification in Asia 25 years ago.
Moving on to Amorita Resort, we spent our days diving at Balicasag & Pamilacan Islands with another great dive team recommended by Andrea and earned our Enriched Air Diver certifications. Andrea also surprised us by sending an underwater photographer along on our first dive to capture a forever moment on our mother-daughter adventure under the sea. Saving one of the best days for last, our Bohol countryside tour was incredible, from swimming with a group of large whale sharks to cruising on a private Lomboc River boat with live music, hanging out with Tarsier and macaque monkeys, admiring the famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol and even enjoying coconut wine at a local’s home. It was a perfect conclusion to our unforgettable journey in the Philippines.
This trip was tailored-made for our needs, combining the best dive resort locations for our goals, avoiding crowded tourist spots for the whale shark encounter, and adding in authentic cultural stops and touches to make each day unforgettable, including celebrating my birthday. Pushing ourselves to try somewhere new, and doing it together, made it even more thrilling.” —Andrea Phillips
Read more reviews of the Philippines trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Switzerland: “We booked a trip with our 18- and 21-year-old children to celebrate graduation and be outdoors as much as possible…”
Andy Shafran and family spelling out OHIO on top of Switzerland’s Mt. Jungfrau during their graduation trip.
“Switzerland was a beautiful country and our active hiking, kayaking, paragliding trip was exactly what we were looking for. We booked a trip with our 18- and 21-year-old children to celebrate graduation and be outdoors as much as possible. Nina and her staff helped us build an itinerary that maximized the experiences and minimized the hassle and travel time. We spent two days in Zurich/Rhine Falls, three days in Grindelwald, and three days in Lucerne. There is so much to do that we felt we could have stayed an extra week just in these three locations.
Our major interest was hiking, and we had a guided tour up Mt. Grindelwald first, which included a gondola ride up and a Trottibike ride down (highly, highly recommended). Then we took the train to the Jungfrau and even though it was pricey for that part of the trip, well worth it for the views and incredible Alpine experience. Thumbs up: Rhine Falls, Trümmelbach Falls, Aare Gorge hike, Lake Brienz kayak trip, and our full-day peak-to-peak hike on Mt. Rigi where we ate lunch at Berghaus Unterstetten on the side of the mountain with incredible views and good food.
All three hotels we stayed in were unique, terrific locations, and have fun quirks, such as the private funicular car that takes you up from Lake Lucerne to the Art Deco Hotel Montana…” —Andy Shafran
Read more reviews of Switzerland trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Uzbekistan: “My son was graduating from Harvard’s Kennedy School with a degree in public policy, and his interest is Central Asia…”
Poi Kalon Mosque and Minaret in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Photo: Shutterstock
“My son was graduating from Harvard’s Kennedy School with a degree in public policy, and his interest is Central Asia, so as a graduation present we took him to Uzbekistan. Not only would I recommend Uzbekistan as a travel destination, but I would highly recommend Zulya to anyone planning a trip there. She arranged for a wonderful guide to accompany us throughout the country; our guide stayed with us day and night, shared meals and her culture, and helped us navigate a very foreign language. Zulya even arranged for us to have lunch with her family in Bukhara. It was amazing. Her mother taught my son how to make Plov. The lunch was a true feast, with about 20 family members. After lunch we all got up and danced together. It was an experience my wife, son, daughter-in-law, and I will cherish forever.” —Ron Klausner
Read more reviews of Uzbekistan trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Portugal: “It was a special trip to celebrate our son’s graduation from college…”
The village of Mertola in Portugal’s Alentejo region. Photo: Shutterstock
“This was our first trip using a recommended Wendy Perrin trip planner. We travelled to Portugal March 8th—March 15th, 2024. It was a special trip to celebrate our son’s graduation from college. Our trip was planned by Goncalo and Joanna. WOW! What an amazing trip they planned for us. The accommodations that they chose for us were fantastic! Very unique and customer oriented. The destinations and route they planned—from Lisbon to the Alentejo region and the West Region—were perfect. Our driver, Sandru, was amazing and he made sure everything was taken care of when we reached our destinations. (He also knew our itinerary and was always able to answer questions.) Sandru went above and beyond to make our trip very special.
We had a wonderful cooking class and gastronomic tour with Lara in Lisbon and even attended a Benefica Football game. In the Alentejo region we experienced an outstanding lunch with a wine pairing, horseback ride, cork factory and hikes. In the West Region, a full day tour which included Obidos, Nazre, and Alcobaca. The details were taken care of for us, from tours to restaurant reservations, it was the best trip I have ever been on. I can’t wait to plan our next trip with a Wendy Perrin recommended trip planner.” —Lori Bentley
Read more reviews of Portugal trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Scandinavia: “Will is graduating from high school this spring, and so we let him choose the destination for a family vacation…”
Kate and Will Ogg view the northern lights from their lodge in Alta, Norway. Photo: Traveler Ryan Ogg
“My husband, Ryan Ogg and I (Kate Ogg), and our three children, Will (17), Charlotte (15), and Wyatt (12), went to Copenhagen, Denmark, and Oslo and Alta, Norway, from December 28 through January 6. Will is graduating from high school this spring, and so we let him choose the destination for a family vacation this year. He wanted to go someplace cold, snowy and dark, where we could do some fun outdoor adventures, and hopefully see the Northern Lights (which we had tried and failed to do in Iceland a couple of years ago).
It was a fantastic trip. Copenhagen was still pretty magical the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and we found some good restaurants despite a few of the ones we had hoped for being closed. We got to see the Christmas lights in Tivoli Gardens and took a ride on a wild roller coaster, wandered with some hot drinks, shopped and just enjoyed the festive vibe. The next day we started the day with a boat ride through the harbor and some of the bigger canals, which gave us a sense of the city’s geography as well as a lot of the architecture.
Oslo was all closed while we were there because it was both Sunday and New Year’s Eve, but a walk through the sculpture garden, to the Fram museum to see a polar expedition ship, and a chance to see the Nobel buildings and then along the harbor was a nice way to spend the day before a fancy dinner at our hotel (The Thief) and a midnight toast on the roof. On New Year’s morning in a snowstorm, we made it to Oslo airport and up to dark Alta. The Sorrisniva Hotel was fully booked by the time we planned our trip (August), so we stayed in a little fishing lodge in the woods, down the driveway from Tristin and Trine Restaurant and past some sled dogs.
It was absolutely charming, and best of all, the very first night as we walked out of our lodge to dinner, the sky lit up with northern lights that continued to brighten and dance until we gave up and went to bed. I credit our very dark spot in the woods for the fantastic viewing. Our adventures in snowmobiling, reindeer sledding, snowshoeing, and king crab fishing all showed us different parts of the landscape and culture in northern Norway, and it was just…magical. We truly loved it.” —Kate Ogg
Read more reviews of Norway trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Romania: “Since the trip was last-minute (before my daughter began her new career as a RN), and it was the height of tourist season, we wanted to pick a destination that was less traveled…”
Bran Castle (a.k.a. “Dracula’s Castle”) in Transylvania, Romania. Photo: Shutterstock
“I traveled to Romania on a last-minute graduation trip with my daughter, Amelia, in August 2023. We have done numerous trips with Wendy’s WOW List agents before and knew that finding an agent through Wendy was the only way to go. Even the destination of our trip was inspired by articles written by Wendy.
Since the trip was last-minute (before my daughter began her new career as a RN), and it was the height of tourist season, we wanted to pick a destination that was less traveled. We chose Romania, and Wendy matched us up with Raluca and Ioana. Important to us was connecting with the local people and understanding the country.
Raluca and Ioana set us up with a local guide, Tavi, whose personality matched well with us, which was a good thing since we drove around Romania for 10 days with him. We started in Bucharest, which was great for my daughter to learn what can happen to a country if you vote in a narcissist authoritarian as a leader and to understand what life was like under the latter parts of communist ruling. We had a university history professor give us a tour of an apartment frozen in time from the 1980s under communist rule. We enjoyed wonderful restaurants, an amazing art exhibit, and historical sites in the city.
In Transylvania we enjoyed visiting the Cris Bethlen Castle. It was particularly fun for us since one of our favorite horror movies, The Nun, was shot there. A local man who lives in town jumped in and gave us a detailed tour, including side stories on the actors during the filming. We went on an amazing mountain bike ride (about 20 miles) primarily in the hills and forests with some fun single track as well. The mountain bike guide had helped to build the trails, which will eventually connect a large portion of Transylvania for mountain bike tours.
We saw wonderful fortressed churches and cities throughout our trip, including the beautiful Sighisoara. Always enjoying them without crowds and with a random local who had the keys to let us in the church or describe some interesting tidbit of history through our guide as the interpreter.
We met a local weaver whose family had been doing traditional weaving for generations and who rescued a loom headed for destruction. We enjoyed a visit with a local herbalist whose herb garden was expansive and whose knowledge of remedies was sought out throughout the area. Here we enjoyed a dinner in her home, again understanding her story and her life and sharing ours. We enjoyed seeing the UNESCO site Viscri, supported by King Charles, and enjoyed the views from the fortressed church over the rolling hills.
We moved on to Brasov. Here we had a private tour of Bran Castle and had the opportunity to climb into the highest turret to view the mountain pass that the lookouts would use in centuries past. When we expressed interest in a hike, Tavi took us up a mountainside where he had helped a friend build a cabin. We met one of his friends, a local shepherd, and discussed bears threatening his flock.
Bottom line our visit was filled with unique experiences where we connected with the people of Romania and attempted to understand their stories. Romania is a beautiful, relatively undiscovered country with rich medieval history and more recent history of the rise and fall of communism. It is not as restored as other places in Western Europe, but its beauty, its history, and its people are wonderful to experience. The smaller crowds allow for a much more enjoyable visit than other European countries.”—Theresa Boone
Read more reviews of Romania trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Japan: “I wanted to take my youngest daughter to Japan to celebrate her high school graduation…”
Heian Shrine in Kyoto, Japan, during cherry blossom season. Photo: Shutterstock
“I wanted to take my youngest daughter to Japan to celebrate her high school graduation. Scott planned a fabulous and varied itinerary, and our guides were fantastic: They were very flexible to accommodate our interests and energy levels and very understanding of how a teenager would like to travel.
Scott arranged several special experiences based on the relationships he has formed. We had a cooking lesson with an amazing woman in her home, a fascinating dinner at a club with geishas, and a calligraphy lesson with an excellent teacher. We both loved Studio Ghibli and the Monkey Park.
Scott’s choice of hotels was wonderful. We slept so well every night, particularly at our ryokan. The Mandarin Oriental serves a fantastic breakfast buffet. The Ritz-Carlton was very luxurious (and yes—we did see Leonardo Di Caprio there). We were particularly fortunate that the cherry blossoms came out when we got there and we got to experience the beauty of the season. Throughout the trip, I was able to sit back and relax and enjoy everything because of Scott’s careful planning and knowledge of Japan. I would absolutely use him again and recommend him. I have been a fan of Wendy’s since her Condé Nast days. This is now my second special trip with her experts, and I plan on more. The level of professionalism is exceptional.” —Patricia Klein
Read more reviews of Japan trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Austria: “The official occasion for the trip was my son’s graduation from high school and sending him off to music school…”
Salzburg, Austria, is Mozart’s birthplace and home to the Salzburg Music Festival. Photo: Shutterstock
“We just returned from a 14-day family trip in Austria planned by Gwen. I can only describe the experience as life-affirming. The official occasion for the trip was my son’s graduation from high school and sending him off to music school in the fall, so we had a heavy musical focus, but there was truly something for everyone in the family. We toured palaces and cathedrals in Vienna, experienced local food, watched the Lipizzaner stallions perform and had a private tour of the stables.
We moved on to the Wachau Valley for wine tasting and breathtaking Danube scenery, then visited the abbeys of Melk and Stift-Admont. In Salzburg, we soaked up the music festival, saw the fortress and countless Sound of Music film locations, attended a Mozart opera, a Vienna Philharmonic concert, and a world-class string quartet. We learned to make apple strudel and Salzburg Nockerl, and visited the charming lake district outside Salzburg. We rounded out our trip with several days in Innsbruck and a final train ride to Munich, where we celebrated my son’s birthday at a beer hall and caught our flight home.
Gwen was helpful and responsive and understood my family’s diverse needs. She steered us away from tourist traps and embraced our interest in some off-the-beaten-path locations. She suggested lovely boutique hotel experiences and guides with extraordinary depth of knowledge of their cities.” —Katherine Stadler
Read more reviews of Austria trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Italy: “Our eight-day food tour was requested by our 21-year-old son who was graduating from university…”
Bologna’s markets are a great place to learn about the renowned foods of the region. Photo: Shutterstock
“Our eight-day food tour of Italy was requested by our 21-year-old son, who was graduating from university. Milan was the starting point, next was Bologna to learn about the renowned foods of the region, and then a repeat visit to Florence—and we absolutely loved everything Maria planned. The drivers, guides, food tours, wine tasting, cooking class were all impeccable. In Milan, when our guide found out our son loved fashion, she made a call to a fashion designer, and we were able to meet with the designer. We spent an hour-plus speaking with him, trying on his designs, and buying some of his pieces.
In Bologna our guide took us on a delicious food tasting that culminated in copious amounts of prosciutto, hams, cheeses, bread, balsamic vinegar, wine. Our all-day food tour through Parma and Emilia-Romagna was incredible, as was the private wine tasting where we sat in the cellar with the vineyard owner for more than two hours, tasting food and wine pairings. The vineyard owner then asked our driver to detour us through the medieval village of Fontanellato, to view the castle and moat and to indulge in gelato.” —Deb Lurie
Read more reviews of Italy trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Western Canada: “We recently traveled to British Columbia to celebrate our son’s high school graduation…”
Whistler, British Columbia, is a mecca for sporty travelers. Photo: Shutterstock
“We recently traveled to British Columbia to celebrate our son’s high school graduation. On Wendy Perrin’s recommendation, we contacted Sheri, who suggested that, given our time constraints, we limit our visit to Whistler and Tofino. That proved to be an excellent recommendation which allowed us to enjoy our vacation without being rushed. Our son wanted to mountain bike on Whistler/Blackcomb and truly enjoyed it.
Sheri suggested other activities which kept the rest of us active while our son spent the day on the mountain. Her recommendation that we stay at the Four Seasons Whistler was great. It’s a beautiful hotel with great staff and a wonderful breakfast. We enjoyed our time in Tofino as well; Sheri’s recommendations for lodging, food, and activities were perfect for us.” —John Masko
Read more reviews of British Columbia trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Peru: “This was a special trip to Peru for my niece just graduating from high school. She is about to study marine biology in college…”
The Peruvian Amazon is a great place to learn about river wildlife. Photo: Shutterstock
“This was a special trip to Peru for my niece just graduating from high school. She is about to study marine biology in college, so Marisol steered us toward the right Amazon basin area we hadn’t even considered. My husband, niece, and I just returned yesterday from Peru and wanted to send a HUGE GRACIAS to Marisol and her crew for making this trip one of a lifetime! There’s no way I ever could have constructed such a wonderful journey on my own. For sure, it was packed, but we came back feeling we’d seen such a diversity in Peru.
It was a perfect balance of wildlife, culture, adventure and a bit of relaxation. And although the weather was terrible during our one-day Inca Trail hike, with rain and clouds obscuring Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate, we still wouldn’t change a thing. I will of course recommend and tell everyone I know to use Marisol—and to once again trust a Wendy Perrin specialist. Over the years, I have used and vetted many of Wendy’s travel specialists—and, no doubt, Marisol and her team are top of the list.” —Jon Paul Buchmeyer
Read more reviews of Peru trips. To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
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