We knew we were kindred travellers when we realized we’d each taken our families to Pacuare Lodge in Costa Rica: a little-known, well-designed jungle lodge that you whitewater raft into. We’d each found it on our own, years apart, and it worked for both families. The boys (we have five sons between us) got their adventure, and the truth is we like the adventure as much as they do. That discovery led to years of swapping notes on thoughtful stays, places with real character, and how to make it all work.

We’re the friends people always ask about our trips. We started travelling in our early twenties, as couples, with family, with friends, and our approach has often been to build around a particular property we wanted to experience, whether it was a remote inn or a beautifully designed boutique hotel. Raising adventurous sons taught us that a standout stay and active exploration aren’t competing priorities. You can build a trip that does both.

We’re not the only ones in our lives people ask, either. We have a natural circle of friends who travel as much as we do, in their own ways, and we’ve always learned from each other’s trips. What we all share is the honest version afterward, however the trip came together. And our circle keeps growing, because we’re endlessly intrigued by how other people travel, and even the same traveller needs a different fit for different trips.

Route & Reason is us bringing a circle together in one place to share what we’ve all learned, from the routes and the stays to the real-life insights that show how a trip actually unfolds, so you can find what fits the way you want to travel.

Andrea & Cheryl