Hello from Kelly Wheeler!

What Makes Me, Me:  I grew up on Cape Cod with a family deeply rooted in the hospitality industry. My mother was a dedicated teacher, and my father was the general manager of a busy oceanfront resort. The two of them instilled in me the importance of hard work and customer care. Our family also owned a local ice cream store, where I began working at a young age, learning firsthand the joys of creating memorable experiences for others – and yes, seeing a young child’s eyes light up and their face turn into a huge grin when you hand over their ice cream cone was a daily treat. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong passion for bringing joy to others.

As I ventured into adulthood, I channeled this passion into a career in college athletics administration, where I thrived on the details and organizational planning required to create successful events. However, after having two children, I realized the need for a more flexible career that would allow me to balance my professional ambitions with family life. This led me to become a travel advisor, a role that perfectly blends my love for travel with the joy of helping others make lasting memories. Now, I dedicate myself to crafting unique travel experiences that my clients will cherish forever.

In My Spare Time:  Right now I am at the stage in life of having two very active and athletic teenagers. While we have very little spare time as a whole family as most afternoons and weekends are spent at a cross country race, hockey rink, gymnastics gym or meet, and traveling to all the wonderful places around our country where my children’s activities bring us.  As much as I love visiting other places, being there to cheer on my children is my favorite place in the world. 

What I am Reading:  I generally navigate towards fiction books – with historical fiction and what are best described as beach reads being my top choices. My favorite thing about the book club I’m in locally is the monthly choices by the other members (we rotate who chooses the book to read), which have opened my eyes to so many wonderful books that I otherwise likely wouldn’t have picked up. 

My favorite season and why:  My favorite season is summer – sunshine, the beach, being outdoors, fresh air, longer days, I could go on and on! I do love and appreciate having all four seasons (one reason why I live in New England!) but summer is my favorite. 

My Favorite Travel Hack: I wouldn’t necessarily say this is a tip or hack, but whenever possible, I am 100% a carry-on-only traveler. It took my husband and family a bit of adjustment, but they are all experts now at decanting liquids and packing efficiently.  We all love to hop off the plane and go without waiting for checked luggage to be unloaded! 

A Color that Describes Me:   If I had to choose one color that describes me, it would be yellow. Yellow embodies the warmth and positivity I strive to bring into every day. It reminds me of sunshine and makes me smile. Yellow represents happiness, energy, and a zest for life, all of which describe me. 

My Surprising Skills: I was a collegiate gymnast, and many friends who have met me later in life have no idea that gymnastics was a huge part of my life from childhood through grad school. While I still can't do many gymnastics skills, I strive always to be able to do a handstand and play around on a trampoline. 

What Instantly Makes My Day Better:  A smile and hug from one of my children. Also, the beach/ocean - there is something about smelling the salt air and breathing in the ocean air that instantly relaxes me. 

Movies I Can Quote by Heart:  I could quote a few movies by heart that I watched over and over as a child, either with friends or my parents—Field of Dreams, The Princess Bride, and Top Gun, to name a few. I can also likely describe the entire storyline of any Friends episode after seeing one little clip.