Travel Advisor
Michael Cole-Schwartz
He/Him
Expertise
- Europe,
- Washington DC,
- Sober Travel,
- City Travel,
- LGBTQ+ Travel
Based in
Seattle (less rainy than you think)
Languages spoken
English, enough French to get by
Profile details
About
With a 20+ year career in nonprofit strategic communications, I know a thing or two about planning. And messaging (but that’s less relevant to you). What I bring to my work in travel advising is curiosity (about the world and about you), fastidiousness (detail-oriented is an understatement) and a belief in the power of strong relationships (that are marked by clear communication, rigorous honesty and trust).
I’ve seen my share of the world (40 countries and 49 US states)—but more importantly, I get just as excited helping my clients journey hither and yon as I do in creating my own trips. Let’s plan something fantastic together.
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Travel style
I love mixing tourist sites (could one ever tire of the Eiffel Tower?) with experiencing slices of life (seeing a soccer match with locals is always on my list) with the spontaneous (like the impromptu 3:00am kayak tour we did to catch a lunar eclipse). No matter if it’s your first time in a destination or you’re a repeat visitor, I’ll make sure you have the chance to see the “can’t miss” sights, plus set you up for the quirky, “when in Rome” experiences.
My motto is “just enough planning” so that trips flow without headaches but also offer enough flexibility to wander through that curious market or say yes to the cool hike you heard people talking about. Just like in my career as a strategic communication professional, I know how to plan for the unexpected.
But the more important question is, how do you like to travel?
Michael 's travel guides & trip reports
Is a Virgin Voyages Repositioning Cruise Right for Me?
9 Ways to See D.C. Like a Local
4 Gays with 8 Days in Morocco
Favorite hotels
Michael 's travel photos
Michael 's reviews
Michael was terrific! He was very engaged wanting to know what was important to me in a hotel property from price point to location to amenities. He provided options based on feedback that fit just that. He is extremely knowledgeable and cited reviews and recommendations from his own experiences to other trusted sources whom had made bookings in Paris. There was never any doubt I was in good hands!
- Andrew M.
Booked travel to Paris
- April 2025
Samantha Finke was our communicator with Michael. Michael always could help us with any questions and always willing to work out any issues until we were satisfied with what we needed.
- Janice J.
Booked travel by cruise
- March 2025
He took care and the cruise was amazing!
- Karin R.
Booked travel by cruise
- March 2025
I cannot say enough about the service and expertise Michael provided our large group. He answered all our questions promptly and made sure that our entire group had what they needed to enjoy our cruise. Thank you for making our travel experience a breeze!
- Maggie F.
Booked travel by cruise
- March 2025
Get in touch with Michael
Reach out to customize and book your own experience. Or, just to chat about travel in general.
You can normally expect a response from Michael within a business day or so. You’ll also be subscribed to our travel newsletter (you can unsubscribe at any time).