Today I am going to share a little SkipTown time line, starting with the most recent, exciting news! Sometimes it takes a little reflection to see how far a project has come.

Spring 2021…

~ SkipTown Awards One Lucky Teacher a Getaway!

Ann Strong, an elementary teacher in California, was selected by a group of judges as the ‘Teachers Deserve a Getaway Contest’. Talk about a difficult decision…and an amazing experience! I have never done anything quite like this before. I was blown away with the amount of support that was received, from donors…to the incredible number of teacher nominations that came in. THANK YOU, travelers for making our teachers feel loved and supported. Read more about Ann and her nomination here.

Aisha, owner of Nocobox, and I connected this past winter. She purchased one of SkipTown’s Literal Staycation Boxes and we hit it off! We’re teaming up to bring something fun to Northern Colorado this fall. Keep your eye out for the Date Day/Night Box ;)

~We can travel again!!
(Don’t Jessie + Steven look like they’re loving life?! Surprise road trip in the books!)

Hope has been restored!!! May sound cheesy, but honestly after living through a pandemic friends, nothing is cheesy!! I’m not looking for opinions…I just want to say thank you scientists (thank you, thank you, thank you), and leave it at that. When it was looking like travel would forever be impossible…well…hey ya’ll WE CAN TRAVEL AGAIN!!!

Travel is slowly picking up again…and I am SO SO SO excited to be planning some incredible trips for folks. Road trips have been very popular, and I’m loving finding all the special small towns to surprise travelers with. Trips are booking up for summer and into the fall (my favorite time of year to travel!!)

Winter 2020

~The Literal Staycation

We were stuck inside during a pandemic. We couldn’t travel. After putting my 6-month-old back to bed one morning (by morning I mean 3AM) I had a wild idea. I’ll bring the vacation TO YOU! And so, with our imaginations we “traveled”… Lanai, Bozeman, Charleston, Tybee Island, Packwood, Savannah, Santa Fe…the essence of these places (think 5 senses) boxed up and mailed to your doorstep. Should these make another reappearance next winter, do you think? Email me and let me know!

After putting the idea of starting a travel agency on the back burner for 2 years, I finally convinced myself to go for it! I registered SkipTown in 2019, but spent several months completing trainings, getting licenses, building the website (talk about a crash course in web design!). Starting a travel agency right before a pandemic…wellllll c’est la vie!

If you would like to read more about how SkipTown came to be, check out this my interview with Shoutout Colorado.

All and all that is the big summary of all things SkipTown. The growth is slow and steady. It has been innovative, creative and eclectic…and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of you all. Thank you for supporting my wild ideas! I have the perfect way to repay you in mind for all your support…but, well…it’s a surprise ;)

CONGRATS again to Ann…thanks for being a rock star teacher! Any guesses where her surprise destination might be?? (See…isn’t this so fun!!)

Happy travels,

Riley

SkipTown- A Year in Review

Winter 2020

~The Literal Staycation