Vanessa Ballard
Sarasota, Florida Travel Agent
The Journey Group, an independent agent with The Journey Group, FL, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
Email Me
Adventure Travel
HIking in Kananaskis, Alberta Canada
Adventure Travel is a passion of mine that I've not only spent decades doing on my own, but have booked clients on adventures trips in multiple countries/continents with a variety of activities and focus.
What is Adventure Travel?? Many people think adventure travel must involve an aggressive physical activity like hiking or skiing.
Well it definitely can, but Adventure Travel is a much broader term that includes a lot more than you probably think.
The Adventure Travel Trade Association(ATTA) defines adventure tourism as a trip that includes atleast two of the following three elements: physical activity,natural environment, and cultural immersion.
You could be hiking Machu Picchu in Peru, going on Safari in South Africa, or travelling to Greece and learing about ancient Greek culture and customs.
You do not have to be an athlete, or in a certain physical shape to participate in Adventure Travel. You need a curious mind and adventurous spirit!
There are so many places to go and so many companies to go with, it can be difficult to know where to start. That's where I come in! I can not only help you decide on a destination to go to if you don't have an idea, but more importantly what company/suppliers to work with and how to put it all together!
I'd love to talk Adventure Travel with you!!
My Areas of Expertise
CERTIFICATES & AWARDS
Anchorage Wild Expert
Lindblad/National Geographic Expeditions 360
Certified Journeys Specialist National Geographic
Backroads Insider Specialist
100% Pure New Zealand Specialist
Beautiful Amsterdam and Tulips
Reviewed By G - Sarasota, FA | Traveled to Amsterdam ~ Netherlands ~ Europe
Vanessa was amazing— everything was perfectly planned— every detail of our trip handled seamlessly! We could not be happier with our experience.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
A fabulous 10 day trip to Italy!
Reviewed By Tess and Tom Magee - Olney, MD | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Vanessa had great recommendations on restaurants, site seeing ideas and was able to accommodate all our suggestions into a very workable itinerary that provided lots of time to relax on our own as well.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Great River Cruise!
Reviewed By Carol - Kelowna, BC | Traveled to Europe
Thorough & great attention to detail. I particularly liked the complete itinerary on an app!Prompt in responding to questions, etc.
Maintained contact throughout the trip.
Great follow up.
A pleasure to work with.
Thank you!😊
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Amazing trip!
Reviewed By Gina D - Denver, CO | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Vanessa was thorough and attentive to all of our requests throughout the planning process. She was an excellent communicator and always answered our questions and concerns. This made our the trip seamless and exactly what we were looking for!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
A truly incredible Italian experience thanks
Reviewed By Top Bird - Sarasota, FL | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Vanessa is passionate about travel, it’s not just a job to Vanessa it’s a vocation. From planning to execution Vanessa was just fantastic, nothing was too much trouble and every effort was made to source the absolute best experiences for our Italian holiday. Vanessa listened to where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see and made our dream holiday a reality. From locating the most authentic and utterly memorable wine tasting in a Tuscan vineyard to researching and reserving a truly wonderful Cinque Terre boat trip complete with delicious fresh mussels cooked by the crew and locally produced Vermentino wine - just sublime. Vanessa’s attention to detail and ability to research and suggest experiences and accommodation to exceed your expectations and match your budget is what sets her apart from any other advisor we have worked with.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Amazing Costa Rica hotel and tours
Reviewed By Sheri - Saskatoon | Traveled to Costa Rica ~ Central America
Our family had a trip planned to Costa Rica where we were staying with another group for a week. I wanted to add an extra week onto our trip but I had no idea where or how to make it work so I contacted Vanessa. Because she traveled throughout Cost Rica, she not only helped me decide what areas to visit, but helped us pick out the most amazing accommodation in Monteverde that was perfect for our family! She also helped us decide on the best tours to do in the area. She gave us advice on driving here (we wanted to rent a car) and her suggestions were spot on. I will definitely be reaching out to her for our next vacation!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Amazing trip to Italy with my mom!!
Reviewed By Ryan - Sarasota, FL | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Vanessa planned an absolutely amazing two week trip to Italy for my mom and me this summer!! We met up with a group of friends in Tuscany for the Bocelli concert, and she planned everything from the executive tickets/after party, the accommodations at the fabulous Borgo Pignano to the private transfer to and from the event. My mom and I spent the rest of our time travelling throughout Tuscany, and she arranged for our rental car, fabulous places to stay as well as tours throughout the trip. She even made dinner reservations and had a surprise birthday cake brought to our table at the hotel for my mom's birthday. The trip was seamless from beginning to end, and I will definitely be using her to plan my next vacation!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Amazing trip through northern Italy
Reviewed By Jeff W - Denver, CO | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Vanessa planned an amazing trip for us through northern Italy including Lake Como, Milan, and Florence/Tuscany. We've traveled through Europe before and we have very particular tastes and interests. She shared so many great ideas and listened to us to provide a custom itinerary. We asked a lot of questions and had specific requests, and she was great about following up on all of the details. Vanessa helped us get the most out of our budget, spending in the right places, and being efficient in others. There were a lot of details: private cars, transfers, high-speed trains, etc. and everything worked out perfectly. The hotels exceed our (high!) expectations for this trip. There were options in each place and we felt like Vanessa guided us to great choices. She was very responsive during the planning of the trip and checked in a few times on the trip to ensure that we were having a great time and to see if we needed anything. She's already helping us plan our next trip!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
A fabulous time in Tuscany for our group!
Reviewed By Stephen - NYC, NY | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Vanessa planned an amazing trip for a group of us to Italy this summer! We gathered together for about 4 days for the Andrea Bocelli concert, and she coordinated everything from the concert tickets and after-party event, to the private transportation there and back. She also booked us all in an exceptional property in Tuscany and coordinated a wonderful tour at a family owned winery for the group of us.She also arranged my accommodations in Florence prior to meeting up with the group at the St. Regis, and coordinated private transfers for me throughout the 10 days. This was booked last minute, but she not only got me into the hotel I wanted, but coordinated all transfers expertly.
I can't imagine how the trip could have been any better, and we are already talking about going back next year with a group again!
I would highly recommend Vanessa for any travel planning help you need.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Amazing Experience
Reviewed By Brent - Sarasota, Florida | Traveled to Tanzania ~ Africa
I had wanted to hike Kilimanjaro for a quite some time. I had researched it a lot on my own, but always felt a bit uncomfortable booking it myself. Vanessa found us a great guide company which gave us the confidence to finally do a true "bucket list" trip. We had the experience of a lifetime thanks to her knowledge, commitment and professionalism. I cannot thank her enough. For all your trips - bucket list or not, talk with her and let her help make your dreams come true. She is amazing. I am already planning my next adventure with her.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Perfect trip to Italy in every way!
Reviewed By Janet G - Sarasota, Florida | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Our trip to Italy was perfect in every way. Our travel agent Vanessa was on top of every detail, even finding an amazing car rental deal for us. We were pleased with every place we stayed, and the tours that were booked - especially the wine tasting tour, which surpassed any I have experienced in California vineyards. Grazie mille Vanessa!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Spectacular trip to Italy
Reviewed By Mark - Regina, Saskatchewan | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Thank you so much Vanessa for all your work and time you spent with us to create a perfect itinerary. Spectacular trip!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
A Trip to Remember!
Reviewed By Larissa - Canada | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Vanessa was instrumental in creating a trip to remember for our group of 4. We gave her our budget and some places we were interested in visiting, and she planned us a trip that we will never forget. Her recommendations for hotels, tours, and restaurants were great. Even when we had a couple of issues with the tours we booked due to a mistake of the tour operator, we contacted Vanessa and she quickly rectified the situation. She was always available for any questions we had and was very good at keeping us informed and updated of the progress of planning the trip. I wouldn't hesitate recommending Vanessa to help with your travel plans. She provided us with many memories that will last a lifetime!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Vanessa Ballard responded:
It was my absolute pleasure planning this trip to italy for the four of you! Thank you for trusting in me to help plan this bucket list trip for you. I'm so glad that you had such a great time and made so many wonderful memories. I look forward to assisting you in future travel plans and adventures!
It was my absolute pleasure planning this trip to italy for the four of you! Thank you for trusting in me to help plan this bucket list trip for you. I'm so glad that you had such a great time and made so many wonderful memories. I look forward to assisting you in future travel plans and adventures!
1 of 2 people found this review helpful