Kim Bristow
Clayton, North Carolina Travel Agent
A Full-Service Travel Leaders Associate Agency
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River Cruising, Alaska, Hawaii, Antarctica, Europe
It is one thing to say you have booked travel on the Danube or Rhine River, however there is a totally different excitement when you been there as I have. The experience is so different than other types of cruising. I just returned from a Dutch Waterways River Cruise with Tauck and it was spectacular. Europe cruises and tours are a great way to see your favorite places, but many tours like Globus Journeys, and Monograms are allowing you to see your dreams areas in a much different way. Alaska and Hawaii are 2 areas inside the United States, that are work going back to over and over. My favorite way to see Alaska is still a cruise tour and even though I have been to Hawaii by land and by sea, I do prefer island hopping. If you have enjoyed Alaska, you will never believe what Antarctica is like. I still get chills thinking about this trip. It was almost 3 of the most wonderful weeks of travel I have ever experienced, although I also say that about Australia and New Zealand.
My Travel Specialties
My Areas of Expertise
CERTIFICATES & AWARDS
Travel Leaders Bootcamp Winner 3 years
Travel Leaders Certified Travel Specialist
2014 Top 25 Travel Agents US-Travel Agent Magazine
Voted One of Top 25 Travel Agents 2014
Luxury Sales Secrets Revealed with Un-Cruise Adv.
Viking River
2013, 14, 15, & 16 Travel Leaders Bootcamp Winner
My Travel Stories
Experience of a lifetime
Reviewed By Wilfords - Lake Mary, FL | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Kim made everything so easy. I never could have planned this fantastic trip on my own. She was always available for questions and advice.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
41 of 72 people found this review helpful
Every trip we take through Kim is the best ever!
Reviewed By Ronnie - Garner, NC | Traveled to Cozumel ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Kim Bristow has been our travel agent for many years now. She does such a great job. Every trip that she has planned for us has been spot on Perfect! There has only been a couple of times that I have had to call her regarding airline troubles and she has always answered the calls no matter how late it was in the middle of the night.She always has really good recommendations for planning our trips. I have had friends and family try to book their own vacations. Most every time, I here of something going wrong. I always tell them that they should have called Kim Bristow with Travel Leaders. Most every time, they call her and let her take over all of there trips going forward.
She offers excellent service! What a jewel!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
36 of 66 people found this review helpful
Best river cruise ever!
Reviewed By Ed&Beth - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to Danube ~ On the River ~ At Sea
Kim is a fantastic agent. From booking all the normal arrangements she goes it off her way to make sure you experience that little something extra that makes your trip special. She goes the extra mile as well. Recently while my wife and I were about to leave on our trip, problems occurred with our flights. Kim, who was preparing to go on her own vacation, stopped and contacted the airlines and made the corrections necessary for our trip to go off without a problem! The best agent hands down.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
37 of 68 people found this review helpful
Our Thelma and Louise Trip
Reviewed By Cindy - Angier, NC | Traveled to California ~ USA
Kim never leaves a stone unturned when searching for that special travel experience. I have always looked forward to hear recommendations and even more thrilled at time of travel to see the many places booked and the thought and time that went into planning each. I have always had an enjoyable trip and is evident the many hours of planning and meticulous care that goes into each trip. It was difficult to choose just one travel experience Kim has booked as Kim has booked many wonderful trips with positive experiences.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
33 of 61 people found this review helpful
Trip to see our new granddaughter
Reviewed By Brenda - Garner, NC | Traveled to Portland ~ Oregon ~ USA
My granddaughter and I were going to see my daughter in Portland, Oregon. Kim was very professional and found the best way possible with our timeframe. Thanks Kim for a great trip!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
40 of 76 people found this review helpful
So many places , so little time !!
Reviewed By Cathy - Richmond VA | Traveled to Dominican Republic ~ Caribbean
I have been using Kim Bristow as my travel agent for 11 years for flight, cruises and all inclusive travel plans. She is extremely through and dedicated to making sure every detail is perfect for each trip and will continue to monitor your travel plans from beginning to end of itinerary. Its always nice knowing that I can turn to her if changes occur before or during my trip and she puts 100% into making sure I am taken care of.. Thank you Kim for giving such great customer service !!!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
33 of 63 people found this review helpful
Business and Personal travel throughout the USA
Reviewed By Ted - Garner NC | Traveled to USA
Kim does a great job, I have traveled over 150 days this year and she has booked every trip. All of the airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and other reservations have been handled without flaws and very professionally. Kim has been available anytime I have needed her and is always willing and able to help in any situation. She works hard to make my traveling as easy and stress free as it can be. I would not use any other person to book my travels. I have used other travel agents in the past and Kim puts them all to shame. Simply put she makes it easier to travel and I am thankful for her dedication every trip. I just don't have to worry about anything.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
29 of 55 people found this review helpful
Blast in Costa Rica
Reviewed By KG520 - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to Costa Rica ~ Central America
Kim is extremely helpful when I book my travel reservations through her. I enjoy her expertise and tips on different vacations I've taken over the years. You'll notice that she is incredibly fast in her responses and always available when you need her. I highly recommend Kim, as she tries her hardest to get you the best deal and provides outstanding service. We have a few trips coming up and I've already worked with Kim on them; very excited to go and I know she will have the best recommendations for our travels.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
38 of 74 people found this review helpful
Bucket List Trips
Reviewed By Phyllis - Garner, NC | Traveled to Jamaica ~ Caribbean
Kim has been the exclusive travel agent for my family, friends and me for over 15 years. She has helped us go to Australia, Senegal, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Bermuda, just to name a few places. We trust her and respect her professional caring attitude. She is "The Bomb.com." I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
34 of 66 people found this review helpful
Best Agent In The Business
Reviewed By Morris Employee - Clayton, NC | Traveled to New York ~ USA
What a pleasure it is to work with such a devoted, caring travel agent! There is absolutely none like her anywhere! She cares about each and every one of her customers. She is always honest, dependable, and has the greatest attitude with every transaction! We know when we call her that she is completely looking out for our best interest! Whether we are traveling for business or personal, we always know we can count on Kim!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
32 of 62 people found this review helpful
Great European Trip, thanks Kim!
Reviewed By Jack - Clayton, NC | Traveled to Europe
I'm so happy I was able to work with Kim for our trip to Europe. I haven't used a travel agent in forever, but this trip had a lot of moving parts so I'm so glad we did. Kim set-up everything flawlessly, we had multiple flights, hotels, and tours. Kim was great because she had extensive travel experiences of the places we were going, her recommendations were spot on. We had great hotels and tour times were perfect! We did Paris, Prague, and Amsterdam.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Always there!
Reviewed By Andrew - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to Guatemala ~ Central America
I have worked with Kim for over ten years. Our company travels domestically and internationally and Kim has always been there to get the best price and to be sure we could problem solve some tricky situations for groups going around the world. Kim is a dedicated professional, always there for us. She has the experience and tools to quickly solve problems. Deposite the extreme challenges of travelling during COVID, Kim’s personality is always calm and results oriented. I highly recommend Kim without an reservation and happy to talk with anyone who may have questions.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Kim Bristow responded:
Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words.
Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
Catch the Wave
Reviewed By Wild-party of 5 - Rolesville, North Carolina | Traveled to Cabo San Lucas ~ Baja California Sur ~ Mexico
Kim is top notch!! She gives you everything you need in planning the trip/experience of a lifetime! She is always in constant contact with you about all the details such as expenses, excursions, etc! We love her & will be honored to have her as our travel agent for life!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
26 of 51 people found this review helpful
Excellent Travel Agent !
Reviewed By Weekly Traveler - Cary, NC | Traveled to USA
I travel close to 40 weeks per year, Kim is my go-to person for everything concerning travel for over 5 years now. Kim is very attentive to the details and always focused on keeping me on track. Her depth of knowledge in working with the airlines, hotels, car rentals, etc. always pays off with offering me good options and alternatives to my itineraries. Kim has a warm and caring personality, she is easy to reach, she does an excellent job of researching available options, and she can handle changes in plans as only a seasoned veteran in the travel industry can. I especially appreciate Kim's follow-up when I owe her a call on finalizing plans, I have been known to gets busy and forget to make the call, she'll always call me so I don't miss a reservation cut-off time or booking date. I can highly recommend Kim, I plan to continue working with her for many years to come.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
33 of 65 people found this review helpful
Best Vacations Ever!
Reviewed By Tiff - Angier, NC | Traveled to Caribbean
Kim is an excellent travel agent who knows exactly how to make her clients happy! I gave Kim a budget on 3 occasions and she was able to put together the best vacations ever! She knows her destinations and can give great advice on places to visit while on vacations. Thanks Kim!!!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
31 of 61 people found this review helpful
Went Above & Beyond!
Reviewed By Meghan & Adam J. - Charlotte, NC | Traveled to Australia & New Zealand
We cannot say enough great things about working with Kim Bristow. We originally found Kim on-line and were impressed by the reviews that she had for planning vacations in Australia. From our very first call we knew we made the right choice, as she had travelled in Australia extensively and had some great first hand recommendations.
During the entire booking process, she was always quick with you response. She gave us a lot of great options for us to choose from and we were happy that we could customize our vacation to fit our needs.
Once everything was booked, she continually checked -in to make sure we were all set.
Even when we were in Australia she helped when some booking changes came up.
If you are thinking of going to Australia, you should hands down contact Kim.
Thank you Kim! We will be back!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
48 of 96 people found this review helpful
The best birthday trip
Reviewed By JRP - Apex, NC | Traveled to Costa Rica ~ Central America
Kim has been my travel agent for over 20 years and if you ever work with her you will understand why. She is very detailed and has great follow up and follow through. She has booked most of my international trips. Our experience includes a group of two to a group of an excess of 250 people. Irregardless of the size of the party, she makes sure everything is in place. My last trip was my 50th Birthday celebration in Costa Rica with a group of 11 women. Kim helped with narrowing down a destination, creating a payment plan a year in advance for the group, following up with air schedule changes and connections, and many other details. The trip was a huge success from departure until return.
I appreciate her excellent customer service and I always refer her to anyone that I know that is travelling.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
30 of 60 people found this review helpful
All business travel
Reviewed By Chris - Cary, NC | Traveled to Dallas/Ft. Worth ~ Texas ~ USA
Kim handles all of my business travels. She doesn't just do the work, she always cares about getting it right and adds a personal aspect that I find is rare. Would highly recommend Kim to anyone! She is the best agent I've worked with.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
30 of 60 people found this review helpful
Loved our trip to Scotland!
Reviewed By The Coates - Clayton NC | Traveled to Scotland ~ Europe
Very helpful and worked well to help us find the best deals for our trip.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
21 of 43 people found this review helpful
Antarctica in the summer!!!
Reviewed By Tom - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to Antarctica ~ Antarctica ~ Antarctica
Super fantastic! Thanks for all your attention to detail! Beautiful seats on the airplane! Comfy stateroom! Wonderful tours!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
28 of 57 people found this review helpful
Best Agent Ever
Reviewed By Scott T - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to Key West ~ Florida ~ USA
Kim has been my agent for many years. Her knowledge and expertise in every destination we have traveled makes her the exception. She has always done her best to not only find me the best deal, but to tailor the trip to my families likes and desires. You can always tell when a person truly loves the job that they do. Kim's passion for the travel industry makes her the best agent ever.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
35 of 71 people found this review helpful
Best travel agent I have ever worked with
Reviewed By Carol - RTP, NC | Traveled to Switzerland ~ Europe
Kim always goes a step above what is asked when I request travel arrangements for my supervisors. She comes up with better pricing, and flight options consistently. She is polite, professional and a pleasure to work with on any arrangement. I would highly recommend Kim for any travel arrangements or group bookings.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
31 of 63 people found this review helpful
Most Enjoyable and Relaxing Trip We Could Have!
Reviewed By Judy - Clayton | Traveled to Scotland ~ Europe
She was attentive to the type of vacation we desired and found the most wonderful hotels and B and B's for our stay.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
23 of 48 people found this review helpful
Excellent trip
Reviewed By DTRW - High Point, NC | Traveled to Canada
Very professional and went out of her way to construct a trip that fit my handicap. When I became ill and had to drop off the tour she was a big help getting the information we needed to file for travelers insurance. If we need this kind of help in the future we will definitely contact Kim.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
20 of 42 people found this review helpful
The travels of our lives!!!
Reviewed By Silverfox - Cary NC | Traveled to China ~ East and Southeast Asia
Our travels with Kim really started in 1998 with our first out of country trip to Scandanavia. After that we took many wonderful trips always arranged by Kim. She was always caring to our needs and any problem that came up. We wouldn't trust anyone else to plan the wonderful trips we have taken throughout the years. After my husband's death in 2009 I decided to travel to Southeast Asia with friends. Of course Kim helped me every step of the way. And also gave me the courage to travel alone. I have recommended Kim to friends and family . She is the greatest!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
28 of 59 people found this review helpful
Best agent in the world!!!
Reviewed By Jessica Tripp - Asheville, NC | Traveled to Haiti ~ Caribbean
Kim has been my agent for the past ten years. I lead humanitarian and disaster relief teams all over the world. Kim always goes the extra mile to be sure that the teams are well taken care of. Recently during political protests in Haiti she was able to get our team on a flight home at a moments notice. She is more than a travel agent. She is a friend and is always caring and concerned for the well-being of my international service teams.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
25 of 54 people found this review helpful
Antarctica was the best with Kim!!
Reviewed By Mary - Knoxville | Traveled to Antarctica ~ Antarctica
Kim always went above and beyond to meet our needs. She stayed 2 steps ahead if us!! Excellent experience!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Kim Bristow responded:
Thanks Mary! A trip of a lifetime.
Thanks Mary! A trip of a lifetime.
21 of 46 people found this review helpful
One of the top trips in my life.
Reviewed By Linda - Oak Ridge, Tennessee | Traveled to Antarctica ~ Antarctica
Positive in every aspect. Kim met and exceeded all of my expectations.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Kim Bristow responded:
Thanks Linda! Such an awesome adventure.
Thanks Linda! Such an awesome adventure.
23 of 50 people found this review helpful
Out of this World!
Reviewed By Faithgirl - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to Antarctica ~ Antarctica
There are truly not enough superlatives to describe our experience working with Kim. She is such a perfectionist & doesn’t quit until everything is just right!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Kim Bristow responded:
Thanks!
Thanks!
25 of 54 people found this review helpful
Great Prices, Great Support
Reviewed By Andrew - Raleigh, NC | Traveled to Freetown ~ Sierra Leone ~ Africa
As an international nonprofit, Kim Bristow supports staff and partners at Curamericas Global to get the best price and best flights from around the world. We work in Bolivia, Guatemala, Haiti, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guatemala. Kim has ensured we have the smoothest travel and provided support when weather has messed flights up. We have consistently depended on Kim to support us for over 10 years!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
32 of 68 people found this review helpful
Awesome agent
Reviewed By JLC - Clayton nc | Traveled to Branson ~ Missouri ~ USA
Kim is Great!! She has booked many trips for me and has always been very thorough and went out of her way to make sure our trips fit us perfectly. Kim has a ton of travel experience so her opinions are extremely helpful !
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
26 of 59 people found this review helpful
21 day trip
Reviewed By Ernestine - Garner | Traveled to Australia ~ Australia & New Zealand
I have know Kim for more then 13 yrs she has been helping me with my small trip here in the US & Hawaii in 2009. I knew she was ASWSOME at her job!! However she blew it out of the water this time. doing all the research & options.
21 day NZ,Austraalia & Fiji. Kim made it so easy to plan it, set it, & do it.
Kim was always available down to the day before take off.. We told her what we where wanting to do. She made it work down to even set us up in First Class. Which i was OMG the best think she could have told us to do.. 13 hours of flying made easy... If you don't use her you are missing out on a 1st class experience . She had finished up our next vacation for this coming June. Can't wait to do this Cruise Thank you again Kim for loving your job!!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
20 of 48 people found this review helpful
Amazing Trip.....Fantastic Travel Agent
Reviewed By Tim & Beth Hodges - Elkin, North Carolina | Traveled to Australia & New Zealand
Kim was amazing during the whole process of planning our trip to Australia. She worked tirelessly to make sure it was perfect! Kim even coordinated the plans for us to meet our daughter who was completing a study abroad in Sydney. Kim went way above and beyond the day we were to leave. After nine hours of delays American Airlines canceled our flight to LA. Before the flight was actually canceled, we realized we were not going to make our connection with Qantas. Kim worked continuously, well past midnight to find us the best options to get to LA and make sure we were on the next Qantas flight to Australia. Once in LA and on our way to Australia, our trip went as Kim had planned. Hold on! Still more of this amazing Kim story. Once we arrived back home, Kim has helped us in filing the claim with the travel insurance because of our canceled flight, missed connection and basically a day and a half lost. I cannot imagine planning a trip ever again without the assistance of Kim Bristow!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
22 of 52 people found this review helpful
Kim is great!
Reviewed By Tim Upchurch - Garner, NC | Traveled to Cozumel ~ Quintana Roo ~ Mexico
Kim has helped our family on every major vacation we've taken over the past 15 years with excellence and professionalism. Her expertise helps us save money and have the very best experience on each trip. I highly recommend her!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
24 of 56 people found this review helpful
All teavel has been business
Reviewed By No nickname - Charleston, S.C. | Traveled to USA
Kim Bristow is absolutely the best!! She is very good at helping plan my trips, especially when plans change before my return trip. I have never had a problem with flight plans, cars or hotels caused by Kim. She is also good at talking through connecting flights to be sure I can make connecting flights no matter what airports I'm traveling through. She is a very personable person as well, so you get to know her while making all the travel plans. I sure do miss her if she goes on vacation simply because Kim makes travel planning so easy. I absolutely do recommend her to people doing personal trip planning and business trip planning. I have about ten years of business travel ahead of me, so Kim had better plan on working ten more years! Thanks, Garry Miller
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
29 of 69 people found this review helpful
The ideal travel planer
Reviewed By Gretchen - Davidson NC | Traveled to Europe
We have worked with Kim for 10 years and not only is she knowledgeable about travel and destinations, but also she always adds that personal touch. She cares about her clients. We trust her to take care of our needs, and she's always prompt to handle requests. Kim is the best!We love working with her and enjoy the friendship that has developed over the years. We have planned more than 14 cruises with her help and hope to do many more.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
25 of 62 people found this review helpful
Creates Magic
Kim is a 5 star travel agent! She is just wonderful; she has made travelling a breeze for us. She can make a multiple stop/multiple accommodation trip a simple endeavor. We simply tell her when and where and what price point on the accommodations and she works her magic. The accommodations are always perfect and the schedule is always correct and non-rushed with satisfactory layover times. She has saved us several hundred dollars each in the past because of her interest and attention to our travel plans. We frequently travel with other couples from different locations and she is able to get us to the destination at the same time without problems. i know she has worked on our travel plans on weekends in order to get the best flights/accommodations possible. I would not travel without her help!!!
Provided by Ron O, Troutville, Va