Making travel memories with mom

In honor of Mother’s Day, we reached out to our staff to hear about their most memorable mother-daughter and mother-son travel moments. Whether their journeys took them around the world when they were younger or they’ve been lucky enough to experience a Go Ahead tour together, one thing is certain: Traveling with mom has instilled a love for exploration and a passion for sharing it with Go Ahead travelers. Here are some of our staff’s most inspirational Mother’s Day stories.

“My sister and I grew up in the rural mountains of New Hampshire, and by the time I was 16 we had never left New England—which made what happened next all the more wondrous. One day my mother, who is a single parent, told us that we were going on a trip. The next two years of my life brought me to 49 states, 53 countries and all seven continents. I was homeschooled all over the world, and my days were spent learning tango in Argentina, studying art in Italy and immersing myself in history as I touched Hadrian’s Wall in the United Kingdom. My mother was there every step of the way, encouraging us to go farther and always “choose to be uncomfortable” if it meant that we could become more whole versions of ourselves. Since those first years of expanding horizons, I have lived in Rwanda, studied politics in Russia and made it to a total of 20+ more countries, some with my mother and some without, but always with the intrepid spirit that she instilled in me. Of all the gifts she’s given us, the most memorable is those years of sharing the world.” —Katie, Product Manager

“I lived in New Zealand for a year and my mom flew out for a week to spend time with me. Her visit happened to coincide with Mothers’ Day, which we celebrated by jumping off the Sky Tower in Auckland. It was really special to be able to share that day with her, and a double bonus to mark the occasion with such an amazing experience!” —Hannah, Customer Experience Quality Specialist

“One of the most memorable trips I’ve taken with my mom was a long weekend trip to Paris, which she surprised me with for my college graduation. Paris was one of the first places outside of the country that she traveled to, and it inspired her to work in the travel industry. While we were there, she showed me all of the different places she went to as a college student. We drank espressos overlooking the city in Montmartre, took photos in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre and climbed the Eiffel Tower. It’s easy to appreciate all of these iconic sites on their own but seeing them becomes very special when you share the experience with someone you love. It felt like we got to sample a little bit of everything and I loved hearing about the travel dreams and experiences my mom had before I was born. I recently got to surprise her with our upcoming Go Ahead tour of Peru. It will be new place for both of us and I’m excited to make more memories together.” —Kate, Web Content Specialist

“When my grandmother was in utero, her prestigious political family was forced to flee Hungary with five children. My grandmother was born in a German refugee camp and soon after immigrated to the United States. Because of WWII, she was the only member of her immediate family who was 100% Hungarian, spoke fluent Hungarian and knew all the family recipes and cultural staples but had never been to Hungary! Thanks to Go Ahead, my grandmother, mother and I were able to take a 10-hour train from Ljubljana, Slovenia after our Croatia tour to Budapest, Hungary, and experience our incredible heritage as three generations for the first time. It was extremely special.” —Marissa, Groups Tour Consultant

“I had a blast traveling around Italy with my mom 10 years ago. One of my favorite memories is of when the two of us spent the day exploring Pompeii. It was amazing to see the ruins, but as the sun started to set we realized that we didn’t exit the same way we had entered. All the stores were closed, the street was empty and we were extremely lost. When we finally found a way to get back to Rome, all we were craving was pizza. We stumbled upon a restaurant that was closed for a birthday party, but the kind owners insisted we come in and enjoy dinner. That was an exciting day and always sticks out in my mind when I think back to our trip.” —Austin, Web Software Developer

“My mom and I went to Paris last June and we had such an amazing time. It was nice traveling with her because we have the same interests and travel style, and we had so much fun eating, sightseeing and shopping. Although trying French food was a highlight for us, we were also awed by how beautiful the city was—the architecture was stunning! It was wonderful to see the iconic sites I’d always dreamt of visiting, and seeing them with my mom made the experience even more special.” —Katie, Marketing Communications Director

“I have a really special memory of surprising my mom for her birthday while she and my dad were on a tour of Rome. I’d been traveling in Scandinavia, and the Go Ahead team rearranged my flights so I could meet them. My parents’ Tour Director helped us celebrate by making dinner reservations at Alfredo alla Scrofa, the very place where fettucine alfredo got its name. It was such a good time and the food was delicious.” —Kyle, Senior Tour Consultant

“I spent a semester in New Zealand and my mom came down with me before classes started. We explored the South Island and saw a ton of beautiful landscapes together. We both love the Lord of the Rings series, which was filmed there, and it was really cool to see some of the scenery from the movies. We also got to take a cruise around the Milford Sound on a beautiful sunny day! New Zealand is so far away and no one else was able to come visit me during my semester, so I really appreciated the fact that my mom came down to explore with me.” —Miriam, Group Sales Account Coordinator

Do you have a special memory of traveling with your mother or children? Share your stories on Facebook!