Hi, I’m Wendy. I am the founder of Wild Wander Destinations. This blog is the place where all the fun parts of travel live. The inspiration, the honest tips, the quick escapes, the big adventures, and all the real moments in between. Think of it as the after-hours version of travel talk. Imagine the stories and slip-ups your hotel concierge would never put in writing.

Welcome to Cocktails & Carry-Ons.

This is my place to spill the travel tea, confess the behind-the-scenes chaos, and let you in on the good stuff.

So grab a cocktail and let me tell you how this all started.

How Wild Wander Came to Life

Before I ever booked a flight or upgraded a room for a client, I spent more than two decades in luxury retail and bridal. I lived in the world of details, emotions, celebrations, and big moments. I learned how to read people, anticipate needs, and make someone feel taken care of.

After that, I had a chapter in the mortgage world, which paid the bills, but didn’t light me up. I missed the connection, the excitement, the feeling of helping someone create a moment they would remember.

Then life threw me into a season that changed everything. I went through breast cancer, and that shifted my entire perspective. I decided I no longer wanted to live in waiting mode. I wanted to live now. And I wanted to help other people stop postponing their joy too.

That is why I walked away from the mortgage desk and back full time into travel, a world where my strengths actually matter. Service. Experience. Details. Connection. And creating moments people hold onto.

Wild Wander Destinations was born from that choice.

What WeDoHere

Wild Wander is based in California, which means we are surrounded by some of the best weekend getaways on the planet. Palm Springs, Napa, San Diego, Vegas, Los Angeles for concert weekends, the coast for quick escapes. But we do not stop at the state line.

We help people from all over the US plan everything from:

  • Weekend trips
  • Spa retreats
  • Wine country breaks
  • Family vacations
  • Anniversary trips
  • Cruises
  • Sports trips
  • Hawaii and Mexico getaways
  • European adventures
  • Bucket list honeymoons
  • Graduation trips and milestone celebrations

You bring the vibe. We turn it into something real.
We make the calls. We get the perks. We confirm the transfers. We talk to the hotel before you arrive so they know who you are. We handle all the details that matter, the ones you feel without ever seeing.

Anyone can hit “book.” Not everyone can create an experience for you.

Meet Jessica

When Wild Wander started to grow, I only wanted to bring on someone who shared my heart for service and my love for the details. Someone who understood that people come to us because they want to feel taken care of, not processed.

That is Jessica.

We met eight years ago at AAA Travel. And here is what most people do not know. AAA requires six months of training before you are allowed to sell a single trip. Real training. Real education. A real foundation. Jessica and I both started there, and that shaped the way we work today.

Jessica is a San Diego native and a mom of two small children, so she understands real life, real schedules, and real travel needs. She has planned everything from honeymoons in Tahiti to cruises in Alaska to multi-city Europe trips for grads and couples.

She is on it, sharp, and moves fast. When something needs handling, she is already three steps ahead. While I bring the creative energy and the bigger-picture flow, she brings the “okay, done” energy that keeps our clients wondering how we pulled it off.

Together, we make up Wild Wander. Two planners who genuinely care about you and the experience you have from the moment you click “inquire” to the moment you land back home.

Why People Choose Us

People come to Wild Wander because they want more than a booking. They want someone who listens. Someone who understands their style. Someone who can take their inspiration, their Pinterest boards, their saved Instagram posts, and turn it into a trip they will actually love.

They want:

  • Someone who knows when to splurge and when not to
  • Someone who can upgrade, advocate, and personalize
  • Someone who picks up the phone when plans shift
  • Someone who makes travel feel fun again

We are not old-school. We are not outdated. We are not the “sit in a cubicle and hand you brochures” type of agents.
We are modern planners with a heart for connection, experience, and the small touches that create the moments you’ll look back on and think, “That was exactly what I needed.”

And that is exactly what you’ll find here in Cocktails & Carry-Ons. A mix of stories, tips, and the unfiltered travel talk that might ruffle a few brochures.

Welcome to the Wander

If you landed here through Insta, a rec, or a late-night scrolling spiral…you’re in the right place. Get comfy. Get curious. And let’s figure out where you’re going next.

Let’s wander.