We didn’t always travel this way.
I didn’t grow up traveling much. Most of my childhood trips involved a minivan, a wedding, a funeral, or Christmas at Grandma’s. The idea of traveling somewhere just because we wanted to see it wasn’t really part of my world.
Somewhere along the way, travel became a lifestyle.
I met Jenn, and somewhere along the way, that changed. Her family traveled more than mine ever had — Hawaii, cruises, Disney. Places that had always seemed exotic and far away suddenly became places we could actually go. And I discovered something I hadn’t expected: I really, really liked seeing the world.
Taking the kids along changed everything
Long after we started traveling as a couple, we had kids and started taking them with us. And watching them experience the world has been one of the best parts of this whole journey. They’ve grown up knowing that new places aren’t something to be intimidated by — they’re something to be curious about. These days, our teenagers have more stamps, hotel stays, flights, cruises, and travel stories under their belts than I ever imagined we’d give them.
Vacation Is What YOU Make of It
We’ve learned that things going wrong doesn’t necessarily mean a trip is going wrong. Flights get delayed. Plans change. Someone takes a wrong turn. Sometimes you realize you’ve been walking in the wrong direction for twenty minutes. The trick is learning to roll with it. We started using a simple philosophy: vacation is what YOU make of it. Your attitude can turn a frustrating moment into a funny story — and sometimes that unexpected moment becomes the part of the trip you remember most.
And then there is JENN
Jenn is a big reason any of this exists. She loves to travel, loves planning travel, and somehow turned that love into becoming a travel agent. She also has a talent for convincing me that the next trip is always a good idea — which, to be fair, I rarely need much convincing about anyway. She loves helping other people experience places she’s been and hearing about places they’ve discovered that we should put on our own list.
Why the next Wrong Turn
The name comes from how we travel. We usually have a plan. We know where we’re going, what we’re supposed to see, and roughly how we’re going to get there. But some of our favorite experiences have happened when we didn’t follow the plan. A wrong street. A weird little sign. A conversation with a stranger. A decision to see what happens if we go that way. Sometimes the best things you find while traveling aren’t things at all.
Come along for the ride
We don’t have all the answers, and we certainly don’t have every trip figured out before we leave. What we do have is a lot of curiosity, a willingness to try something new, and a growing collection of stories about what happened when we took the next wrong turn. If you’re planning a trip, looking for a little inspiration, or just enjoy hearing about the things that happen when travel doesn’t go exactly according to plan, you’re in the right place. Come along. There might be something good waiting around the corner.
