Hello, fellow traveler!
I’m Chelsea and I created Wander + Whimsy as a platform to design highly curated travel for the more curious, off-the-beaten path adventurer.
My wanderlust began in the third grade when Mrs. K had us do a project on various cultural traditions around the world. I got a taste of other countries, a visual of other lands, and learned variety in language and I will be forever grateful for such a wonderful teacher opening my eyes to different places and ideas. Fast forward a few years, when as a young teenager I was given the opportunity to go to Europe with a small group from my hometown. As soon as I stepped foot in Italy, there was absolutely no going back. I dream of travel non-stop and now I dream of the custom trips I can create for you in order to give you that same sense of peaceful belonging and adventure I feel when I travel the world.
My deep love of travel and planning, and my ability to read people well will be evident in each custom made itinerary.
Let’s find a locale that speaks to you!
Give way to some wandering notions
Travel has a way of connecting us to locations forever. I have left a big piece of my heart in every location I have explored and I want you all to feel that same deep connection anytime you travel.
Get to know me more!
Favorite place you’ve traveled?
One of my favorite places I’ve traveled, and I think my husband would agree, was Hvar, Croatia. Hvar is an island just off the Dalmatian Coast known for its fields of lavender. We ferried there in October, the off season, and loved the peace and quiet it afforded us after being in Dubrovnik for a few days. We settled into an AirBnB in town and decided to spend our days walking in Hvar Center, exploring local fortifications, eating sandwiches on the rocky beaches and watching the boats come in and out of the harbor. It felt so simple and so relaxing and I would highly recommend!
What do you never travel without?
Sunglasses and chapstick and some way to take pictures.
What do you like to do for fun?
I spend a lot of my time outdoors, whether that’s in the garden during the spring, summer, and fall, or hiking year-round, skiing in the winter or biking the beautiful backroads near my house. I also enjoy reading historical fiction and witty romantic books with great banter. I love creating memories with my family no matter what our agenda and watching our girls grow into strong, smart, and independent kids.
What is your favorite travel memory?
I will never forget the day I traveled with a couple friends from Lucerne, Switzerland to Vals. We were studying abroad in Berlin, Germany and took a long weekend trip there to explore the mountains. It took us two trains and a bus to reach our final destination and by the time we got on our second train we were getting up in elevation and it had been snowing. The snow was draped magically across the trees and as our train ascending the mountains via the most gorgeous scenery and windy tracks, I’m quite certain my mouth needed to picked up off the floor. We arrived in Vals where we specifically traveled to experience the Thermal Baths designed by Peter Zumthor (total architecture school nerds). Not only was the building phenomenally designed into the surrounding landscape, but the experience itself was like no other. We waded from the indoors to outdoors in one of the pools as snow fell gently around us. We got out, jumped in a pile of snow and then sank back into the depths of the warm pool. I couldn’t tell you how long we stayed or how we even got back to our hotel that night as I was in a blissful travel trance. I will never forget that experience.
What brings you joy?
Children’s laughter. A good book. Fall in New England. A warm latte before a morning of skiing. Crispy apple cider donuts. A butt wag from an overly friendly dog. Photographing weddings (my other wonderfully fulfilling job). A mom’s night out. Family. Supporting my people.
What are your travel dreams?
While I couldn’t possibly list all my travel dreams because they’re beyond infinity, but I dream of taking my family on a safari when the girls are older. I imagine a time when we’re camping out in the bush and waking up to giraffes at our tent window. I would also love to take my family on a van trip in New Zealand where we can explore more unreal locations and stunning vistas. Another big dream of mine is to hike Patagonia. I dream of some day reaching all seven continents and seeing the penguins on Antartica. I dream of a way we can all enjoy travel but with a smaller footprint so our Earth can be preserved for our future generations as well.