TRAVEL INSPIRATION

By Lori Crittenden, Owner of Saltwater Travel Company Your vacation time is valuable. Planning it shouldn’t require weeks of research, dozens of browser tabs, and evenings spent figuring out how to get from one place to the next. I’m Lori Crittenden, owner of Saltwater Travel Company, a boutique travel agency based in Lincoln, California. I help busy professionals, couples, and groups plan custom European vacations, ocean and river cruises, all-inclusive getaways, and shared

If you’re like most Americans, you probably start every new year promising to finally use all your paid time off… yet somehow those days slip away. Let’s change that in 2026. With a little strategic planning, you can turn a few PTO days into long weekends — and even week-long escapes — just by aligning with U.S. federal holidays and weekends.

In a world where travel information is everywhere and booking sites are just a click away, you may wonder: why work with a travel advisor? The truth is, planning travel today has become more complex than ever—and that’s exactly where a professional advisor adds value.

Ah, vacations! Those blissful breaks where we escape the daily grind, explore new horizons, and indulge in some much-needed relaxation.