Behind the Scenes: How We Build a Cherish Trip

When most people think about planning a vacation, they picture flights, hotel bookings, and maybe a bunch of saved restaurants you've researched to try. But for me, designing a Cherish tour is something else entirely. Planning travel is a deeply intentional, hands-on process rooted in relationships, community, and purpose. We want to take you behind the scenes of how we build each Cherish trip, and why it’s so much more than just planning a getaway.

Every destination we offer has one thing in common: we've been there personally. We don’t launch trips based on trends or top hits on Google. We go, we walk the streets, we meet the women who live and work there, and we ask questions. We learn their stories. We form relationships. We search for women-led businesses and local experiences that not only reflect the beauty of a place, but also ensure our travel dollars are supporting the people who deserve it most.

Finding these partners starts before we ever set foot in a new country. We do deep research online to seek out collectives, artisan markets, social enterprises, and cafes run by women. Digging deeper into the internet through travel blogs, Reddit, and finding recommendations from people who have traveled to the destination is a goldmine for this. We reach out to women that our Founder admires and ask who they know. And then, once we're on the ground, it becomes real. We follow word-of-mouth recommendations, talk to locals, wander through markets, and strike up conversations with the women behind the counter. Some of the most powerful partnerships within Cherish have started with a simple email or a conversation started at a local bar.

Scouting the Right Destination

When choosing a Cherish destination, we're always asking: Will this feel meaningful for women? Is it a place that balances beauty, cultural significance, and opportunities to support local women? Our trips are designed for women at transitional points in their lives. Those who are seeking purpose, reflection, healing, and connection. With this in mind, our team knows that Cherish needs destinations that can hold space for that kind of growth.

When picking a destination and the cities within that destination, we blend iconic places with lesser-known gems. For example, we might visit a well-known capital city on a part of the trip, but also visit a lesser-known town where travelers can truly plug into local experiences in a place where life moves more slowly and conversations can go deeper. Every time we select a hotel or accommodations, we purposefully balance proximity to the tourist zones with a peaceful place to retreat at the end of the day. No matter where we stay, we always select accommodations run by women.

If you're planning a values-aligned trip for yourself or with a tour provider, consider destinations where you can connect with the local culture in a personal way. Look beyond the trending Instagram spots to places where your presence as a traveler can support and uplift the community.

Building Relationships on the Ground

This is the part that we consider to be the most important when planning a Cherish trip. The success of each trip depends not only on Cherish's internal team but also on every partnership we collaborate with on the ground. That's why it's important for us to show up in person in each of our destinations. We walk the streets, take the buses, eat at the local cafes, and sit down face-to-face with the women who will become our partners. We ask about their work, their stories, and their dreams.

Many of these relationships grow into real friendships. Our Founder and team have laughed with women over shared meals, cried with them during heartfelt conversations, and returned to visit them over the years with new groups of travelers. These connections create a ripple effect on each of our trips, our travelers feel that warmth and authenticity too.

Whenever you're traveling independently, prioritize local relationships. Say yes to conversations. Be curious. Choose experiences where people, not just logistics, are the priority.

Choosing Women-Owned Businesses

One of the clearest ways we can make a difference through travel is by being intentional about where we spend our money. That’s why Cherish's team seeks out women-led accommodations, experiences, restaurants, and shops for every trip.

In Utah, we stay at a glamping site run by a husband and wife team who’ve created an oasis in the desert. In Costa Rica, we visit a family-run farm where women teach us about the multi-generational history of single-origin coffee and then invite us into their home for a home-cooked lunch. In Panama, our guide grew up in the Panama Canal Zone and built relationships with the local indigenous community we are now able to visit on our trips.

To Cherish, these aren’t just “vendors.” They’re storytellers, leaders, and community builders, and true partners that we love and support.

You can have these same meaningful connections when you're traveling with a simple shift. Seek out locals and women-led businesses. If you don't know where to start, join a travel experience that's prioritizing these things so you can truly feel the difference in your vacation and the memories you will take home.

Designing the Flow of a Trip

Our trips are about more than seeing the sights, we believe that getting out of your routine at home can be transformational. In order to create that experience for our travelers the planning of each trip requires intention in how we structure each day. We always make sure to include time for personal reflection and rest, not just group activities. We specifically design each trip with full group activities, so everyone can be together, small group excursions for each guest to choose their preferred adventure, and solo time to explore or relax, depending on your energy level.

This allows for every guest to have a personal experience, even on a group trip. Each and every trip allows you to customize your preferences so you can still feel like it's YOUR vacation.

We might start the morning with a meaningful group tour, then build in free time before dinner. Our week-long itineraries are designed to have a busy day followed by a more relaxing day, and circling back to an adventure-filled day. This helps create balance while allowing you to feel like you truly took a break.

Exploring is important, but so is integration, and no one wants to come home from vacation needing another vacation. A good trip will leave you energized, not exhausted.

What We Look For in Every Experience

Every experience on a Cherish trip has to check a few boxes: Is it safe? Is it thoughtful? Does it create a positive impact? Does it feel authentic? These questions guide every decision we make.

We also consider how to integrate activities that will help push our travelers to the other side of their comfort zone. This is where our Founder believes you learn the most about yourself and the world around you. Some of our travelers' favorite moments from their trips are when they are able to accomplish something they would have never tried back at home.

One of our travelers was terrified of heights, yet took on the challenge to go zip-lining in Costa Rica. Her motto became a big life takeaway from the trip "Do It Scared!"

Another traveler didn't think she was going to be able to make it over the mountain when we went on a hike in the Faroe Islands. But our guide held her hand, our group was patient and took the hike at her pace, and she overcame her fears. She walked away from that moment, remembering it fondly as her favorite part of the trip.

These moments stick with our team and with our travelers, because they’re real. They’re not performances; they’re invitations. Invitations to let the locals guide you, to book experiences that challenge you, to let travel be something that is not just about getting away, but learning about yourself and the world around you.

Why We Do It This Way

Cherish trips aren’t just vacations; they’re living proof that travel can be transformative for everyone involved. We do it this way because we believe in a different kind of tourism: one rooted in heart, built on community, and guided by purpose. Travel with impact.

If that resonates with you, we’d love to welcome you into our growing community of mindful travelers.

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