Lissa

Before Joining Ciao Bambino …

I was a travel writer and editor, exploring various parts of the world to share stories that hopefully inspired others to visit the destinations I explored. I headed up a family travel website owned by TripAdvisor for eight years, taking my children with me for adventures from the time they were toddlers, and have written for magazines such as Delta Sky and AAA as well as websites like The Points Guy, Lonely Planet and Far + Wide. While with TripAdvisor, I was on the management team for Cruise Critic and became well-versed in cruises. I also appeared on radio and TV to share my expertise with the likes of ABC News and the Today Show, to name a few. You may have even spotted me presenting tips and tricks at the New York Times Travel Show or the Philadelphia Travel & Adventure Show! I’ve visited nearly 50 countries and just have four states to go before I can claim I’ve seen all 50 states.

My Favorite Travel Experiences

This is like asking me to pick my favorite child! One of my all-time favorite vacations was chartering a 72-foot sailboat in the British Virgin Islands with loved ones (with a captain and a skipper) for a week. We’d look at the map and say, “Let’s go here today,” and would sunbathe on deserted isles, snorkel with colorful fish and grab drinks at bars that were only accessible by dinghy. A trip to Greenland also blew me away as we rode a snowcat for an hour to reach a remote cabin with real igloos and no electricity or running water. Along with about a dozen other guests, we played board games, drank mulled wine and read by candlelight before watching the Northern Lights dance on the horizon and retiring to our igloo for a surprisingly restful and warm sleep. We followed that night by staying in town in a glass-walled “cabin” overlooking an iceberg-laced bay and were graced with the Northern Lights right above us again! Hiking 100 miles across the Scottish Highlands while staying at charming inns, sleeping in a luxury tent in the Sahara Desert while touring Morocco, renting a house in the South of France to live like a local … there are just so many wonderful adventures I’ve been lucky enough to experience.

Why I Love My Job

I truly love exploring the world, and I want to help others experience a magical trip that leaves a lasting impression and inspires them to press on and see even more of the world. When I’ve shared my insights and someone returns from a trip filled with the same passion I feel, excitedly sharing stories, I am genuinely thrilled. It’s also the people-pleaser in me; I take joy in bringing joy to others.