Inspired by Grandma Marion.

Why Two Herons Travel?

I haven’t had enough business yet to be inundated with the question: “Why did you name your travel business Two Herons Travel?” So I figured I’d answer it now—before the inquiries roll in—so I can spend more time planning your trip of a lifetime!

The heron idea?

Remember those adventurous parents I mentioned in Blog Post #1? Well, they often left me and my sister in the loving care of our maternal grandparents—Avery and Marion, aka Grandma and Grandpa. They had a sweet little house in Fort Collins, Colorado, but also a cozy cabin an hour away in Meeker Park, just 15 minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park.

We loved spending time with our grandparents—they were adventurous spirits too! I vividly remember one stay at the cabin when our parents were off exploring somewhere new. I was feeling a little sad and lying on the couch when Grandma Marion noticed my teary eyes fixed on a map on the wall, dotted with pins marking all the places they’d traveled.

She immediately brightened the mood. “Let’s find where your parents are!” she said. The distraction worked, and soon after we were off feeding chipmunks and walking among wildflowers. Grandma and Grandpa were both nature lovers and birdwatchers. Sadly, we lost Grandma Marion far too soon—when I was still in high school.

Fast forward to adulthood...

My sister Suzanne and I have become the friends everyone hopes for their children. Over time, we noticed a funny trend—one of us would text, “Oh cool, a blue heron just flew over!” It started happening a lot. Eventually, we decided blue herons were Grandma Marion’s way of checking in on us, and now we often text each other BHS (Blue Heron Sighting).

Fast forward again…

When I decided to retire from teaching and dive into this new adventure as a travel advisor, Suzanne and I talked about eventually conquering this business together. We’ve shared some hilarious and life-changing travel experiences, so it felt natural that we’d make a great team.

Naming the business, though? That was a journey in itself! Have you ever tried to buy a domain name? It’s not as easy as you’d think. We spent months trying to find one that wasn’t taken. We really wanted “Blue Heron Travel”—but of course, that was taken. So we decided: I’m Heron 1, and she’s Heron 2. And that’s how Two Herons Travel was born.

We know Grandma Marion would be proud of this adventure. And though the name might be personal, the mission is universal: helping others discover their passion through travel—just like Grandma passed on to our mom, and our mom passed on to us.

Reflecting on this story…

It’s amazing how much the world has changed, how small it has become. Travel is more accessible than ever, and I often think how incredible it would’ve been to take a vacation with our parents and grandparents together. These are the kinds of experiences that give life its meaning.

Whenever I’m talking travel, I always say:
“If you don’t plan it, it won’t happen.”

So—what are the chances I can help you plan a multigenerational family trip?
-A European river cruise? Yes!

-Rainforests in Costa Rica? Absolutely!

-Alaskan cruise? Let’s do it!

-Caribbean beaches? Of course!

There are so many ways to explore the world together—don’t let time slip away. Let’s plan that family trip now.