Travel Advisor

Travel Advisor Nicole Whelan in a blue jacket in front of the Grand Canyon.

Nicole Whelan

She/Her

Icon

Expertise

  • US Cities,
  • Scotland,
  • Solo Travel,
  • Food & Wine

Profile details


About

Two kids, a dog and a brownstone in Brooklyn with a great pizza place down my block. I am a 90s pop culture junkie with a love of history, cultures and exploring the world!


Travel style

Learning how to travel when times were lean made all the difference when planning travel when times are plentiful. Wonderful experiences can and should be had, no matter where you're at in life. Travel can be deeply spiritual or a totally frivolous jaunt – its for you and the people along for the ride. I love planning trips and knowing the people taking them have enjoyed what was laid out in front of them but also that they had the freedom to explore and go with the flow too. I look forward to helping people get what they want and more!

Nicole's travel guides & trip reports

Favorite hotels

Nicole's reviews

It was a no brainer to trust Nicole in booking my vacation, since she is a previous colleague of mine. She not only understands what I was looking for, but also was able to navigate me in the right way. With 7 countries in the list and the time period, she was able to not only provide the best offers and rate, but the overall experience as well.

Nicole provided thorough and knowledgeable information of what to expect from the hotel, the area, and even the restaurant types and ratings within walking distance and farther out. The wine tasting and pairing experience at Long Meadows is a unique experience for us also. Wines were European style and less acidic. Nicole’s recommendation of this outfit was intuitive and improved our tasting experience. She was excellent adviser!!

This was a last-minute booking due to a family emergency which Nicole handled swiftly and perfectly. I was surprised and delighted by how efficient and smooth the whole thing went. Could not possibly have had a better transaction and booking experience than I had here. Thanks! Highest recommendation!

Our experience with Vanguard Travel Services was excellent. They seamlessly adapted to the delay in our arrival time. The "fast track" service they provided was especially welcome, given our weariness, the immense size of the Istanbul Airport, and a problem with our visa. On the drive to our hotel, a guide oriented us to the city and the local culture in a helpful and friendly way. He also contacted the hotel to arrange our arrival, which necessitated a ride in the hotel's buggy since the street was closed to other vehicles. Our guide for the rest of our visit, Erturk, was exceptional. We loved his low-key, humorous personality and appreciated his vast knowledge of Turkish history and culture. He graciously adapted our schedule to include visits to places of special interest to us. Erturk gave us detailed introductions to the sites we visited and then allowed us time to explore things on our own. As we got to know each other better we were able to share thoughts and feelings on a deeper level. Getting to know Erturk was one of the highlights of our visit. The drivers were consistently professional--courteous, skillful, and punctual. The foundation of such a wonderful experience was Nicole's accurate understanding of the kind of visit we were hoping for and her clear and timely communication with us and with the tour operators. We were always confident that she was taking care of us and responsive to any and all concerns.

Get in touch with Nicole

Reach out to customize and book your own experience. Or, just to chat about travel in general.

You can normally expect a response from Nicole within a business day or so. You’ll also be subscribed to our travel newsletter (you can unsubscribe at any time).

Sign up for Nicole's email list

Stay in-the-know with the latest from Nicole, including travel recs, hotel features & exclusive perks.

Travel Advisor Nicole Whelan in a blue jacket in front of the Grand Canyon.

Travel Advisor

Nicole Whelan