Over the years, I’ve traveled with my kids, my husband, my sister, and my girlfriends. I was itching to explore Alaska this summer. The warmer weather and long days make it the best time of year to see the tallest mountains in North America, streams teeming with salmon, glaciers galore, and its millions of acres of forest. Yet, alas, I could not find anyone to go with. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me. After some social media searches, I started reading stories about women traveling solo, but not alone.
After going down the proverbial rabbit hole of solo travel sites and blogs, I realized solo holidays are more popular than ever–especially with women! But there was one solo travel tour company that resonated with me and it’s based in Atlanta! Founded by a travel expert and world traveler, Megan Grant, Cherish Tours, “creates memories for women of all walks of life through hosted multi-day experiences. Whether you’re an experienced solo traveler or you’ve never traveled internationally, travel with us to experience the beauty of the world, a deeper connection with yourself, and a powerful connection to a community of women from all over the world without the stress of planning or having to travel alone,” as her beautifully designed website promoted.Every year, Cherish hosts at least 5 small group travel experiences to unique destinations around the world. Her company also offers private tours for groups of 6 or more—plus Cherish can put together a private tour to their offered destinations. Alaska was on Cherish’s list of destinations for 2023.
So, I called Cherish tours and spoke with the owner, Megan Grant, to discuss price and itinerary details and to ask her more questions about her tours, specifically, her Alaskan tour. Megan had organized interesting tours for each day from a glacier hike to boat tour around the Kenai Fjords to a spa day — while also leaving a couple of days open for me and my other fellow travelers to explore on our own. Sign me up! I was sold on Megan’s mission to curate travel experiences for women while also supporting women in business at the different destinations. I was also looking forward to the fact that I did not have to reserve the hotels, get the entry tickets, and organize the transportation. For added comfort, she also hires a travel guide to shepherd each small group.
So in June, off I flew to the Last Frontier: Anchorage, Alaska! A van was waiting for me at the airport to whisk me to the hotel where I would be staying for the next two nights and where I met up with the other eight solo female travelers from all over the United States. My fellow solo travelers ranged in age from early 20’s to 60 years old, had varied professional backgrounds and were all game for an exciting week of discovering Alaska!
The first day was set aside for free time to explore Anchorage. Cherish’s travel guide, Aubrey, was avail able to answer any questions and clue us in on some neat things to see and do in the city. I biked the coastal trail, museum-hopped, and sampled the local culinary delight of elk pepperoni pizza all in my first day! The next day we checked out of the hotel and hopped into a van that took us to hike on the Matanuska Glacier. I was awestruck at the incredible views as we climbed up and down the mountains of ice. Our local female tour guides were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and proud to share Alaskan trivia. Afterward, we headed to Girdwood, a quaint ski resort town where we enjoyed the local shops and brewery and hiked in a beautiful, moss-laden for est. For the next two days, our base camp was a huge mountain home where we got to know each other better over yoga, board games and dinner made by a personal chef. From there, we were ferried to a wildlife sanctuary, and on another day, we were driven to Seward to enjoy a boat ride around the Kenai Fjords. That 6-hour boat tour allowed us to take in more awesome views of the majestic mountains as well as sea otters, orca whales, puffins and sea lions up close! My last day was topped off with a visit to a Nordic spa. Located in the Alyeska Spa in Girdwood, our group enjoyed dipping in the several hot pools, and then the cold pools. Plenty of spaces to warm up and relax were scattered throughout the beautifully landscaped retreat.
I was sad to leave my new friends thanks to Cherish. My trip to Alaska introduced me to a new way to travel. I enjoyed the freedom to go on my own while also enjoying the company of my fellow travelers–now friends; and tapping into the expert advice of a local guide during scheduled activities. It was the best of both worlds! It was a new experience to allow someone else to handle the details of traveling from here to there–especially in the expansive frontier of Alaska. My trip to Alaska was relax- ing and eye-opening. I enjoyed the small group setting, the camaraderie, and the fun we all had.
Cherish Tours has launched three trips for 2024: Costa Rica, Glamping in Utah, and Turkey. More destinations will be launched later next year. For a memory that will last a lifetime, book your next travel experience with Cherish Tours, by visiting gocherishtours.com. Once you’re booked all you have to do is show up and enjoy!
Written By Cynthia M. Rozzo
