5 Travel Insights from My Week in Tulum
Last week I traded my desk for the Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, where my host agency held its annual conference.
There were three full days of sessions, partner meetings, and more great conversations than I could count. I also arrived a day early to soak up the sun and settle in. I prefer to call that field research.
These conferences are one of the quieter benefits of working with an advisor. The relationships I build there, with hotel teams, cruise lines, and trusted partners on the ground, are what make a trip feel effortless. They're the reason details get handled before you think to ask. I came home with pages of notes, and I've narrowed them down to the five takeaways most worth sharing with you.
1. Riviera Maya is hot… and blissfully uncrowded in September
If Mexico is on your radar, late summer and early fall can be a lovely time to visit the Riviera Maya. It's quieter, and rates are typically lower. We had beautiful weather apart from one stormy day, and we spent that one in conference rooms anyway. Sargassum does tend to be heavier this time of year, so it's worth factoring in. The trade-off is that you'll likely have the pool nearly to yourself.
If Tulum is calling, the Conrad makes a gorgeous base. As a Virtuoso property, booking through me adds daily breakfast for two and a property credit to enjoy during your stay. You also get a room upgrade, early check-in, and late check-out, all subject to availability. I can arrange VIP airport service to ease you through arrival, plus a vetted private driver for the trip down the coast. That way your vacation starts at the curb, not after the immigration line. If a quiet-season escape sounds appealing, let's start planning.
2. Travel partners are finally designing for Gen X and Elder Millennials
Honestly, it's about time. Tauck launched Roam this summer, a line of small-group land journeys and cruises designed specifically for travelers in their 40s and 50s. Groups average 16 guests, and the trips pair immersive cultural experiences (lots of great food and wine) with active excursions, like hiking a stretch of the Camino de Santiago. A friend of mine did a Roam trip in Spain and said it was incredibly fun and a wonderful way to meet like-minded travelers. It's ideal for couples who enjoy traveling with others, friends who want to meet new people, and solo travelers. You can also reserve an exclusive departure just for your own friends.
3. A solo-only river cruise? Yes, this exists!
Riviera Travel, one of our newer preferred partners in river cruising, offers dedicated sailings for solo travelers. These sailings carry half the usual guests with the same crew, so you get a 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio and an easy way to connect with fellow solo travelers. Starting in 2027, Riviera is dedicating an entire ship to solo sailings. They're new to us, but they've served UK travelers for 40 years and are now welcoming more Americans aboard. If river cruising is on your list (or you already love it), just mention Riviera when we talk and I'll happily share more.
4. Autumn might be Scandinavia's best-kept secret
Most travelers think of Scandinavia in summer, for the long daylight and warmer temperatures, or in winter, for the full frosty experience complete with reindeer. If you have flexibility, though, fall is a truly wonderful time to visit Iceland, Norway, or Finland. The northern lights are possible, and because it isn't bitterly cold yet, you can watch the sky without losing feeling in your toes. The fall foliage is stunning too. My advice: skip New England and head for Norway or Sweden instead.
This is exactly the kind of trip where private touring shines, and it's my specialty. I personally design a custom itinerary around you. That might mean a private guide who chases the aurora on the clearest nights, a driver along the fjords at your own pace, and time built in for a long lunch instead of a rushed one. If the northern lights are on your wish list, let's talk about a fall escape.
5. And finally… Yacht Rock
We wrapped the week with a Yacht Rock Party sponsored by Four Seasons Yachts. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Orient Express Sailing Yachts joined us at the conference as well, and all three are relatively new to cruising. Four Seasons and Orient Express both launched their first ships in the Mediterranean this past summer, with more coming over the next few years.
These are not typical cruises. They tend to appeal to people who have never cruised before but love these hotel brands and are curious what a more luxurious sailing could look like. Expect shorter itineraries, longer time in port, and more flexible shore excursions. If you're curious about yacht cruising, I'd love to share the details.
The common thread
Across every session and partner meeting, one theme kept surfacing: travel is becoming more personal. There are trips designed around your life stage, sailings built for solo travelers, and itineraries with room to breathe. That's how I've always approached planning. Every trip starts with a conversation about how you like to travel, and every detail is built from there.
Whether one of these ideas sparked something or you already have a trip in mind, I'd love to hear about it. Schedule a consultation, and let's make your next escape a brilliant one.