A striped beach towel on rocks beside clear water with submerged rocks and shells, basket of oranges, a straw hat, and a woven container.
Large potted plant against beige stone wall.

Curated travel, thoughtfully planned.

For travelers who want more from their trips and less from the planning process. Thoughtful recommendations, curated options, and well-supported travel designed to feel seamless from start to finish.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy, with ornate architecture, a glass roof, and shoppers walking below

Carry on to your next destination, with every detail handled.

The Carry-On Companion was created for travelers who want elevated, meaningful trips without the endless research, second-guessing, and logistics that often come with planning them. Through thoughtful recommendations, curated options, and organized support, each trip is designed to feel personal, seamless, and well considered from beginning to end.

Working with The Carry-On Companion means having someone in your corner to simplify decisions, refine options, and bring everything together into a cohesive plan. Whether you need a single hotel recommendation or more involved itinerary support, the process stays clear, polished, and approachable.

Curated travel, thoughfully planned.

|

Curated travel, thoughfully planned. |

SERVICES

Every trip deserves the right level of support.

With three levels of travel planning, support ranges from a simple hotel booking to full trip design, each thoughtfully tailored to where you are in the process and what you actually need.

A neatly made hotel bed with white pillows and beige decorative pillow, covered with white sheets and a beige patterned bed runner. An open book and pearl necklace are placed on the bed.

HOTEL BOOKING

Complimentary

For travelers who know where they want to go and want help making it happen. Through Fora Travel and Virtuoso preferred partners, I may be able to add perks including complimentary breakfast, room credits, and upgrade priority at eligible properties.

Ideal for those ready to book and looking for a seamless experience with added benefits where available.

Aerial view of a sandy beach with palm trees, lounge chairs, and umbrellas, adjacent to the ocean with gentle waves.

CUSTOM ITINERARY PLANNING

Starting at $199

For travelers who want help shaping the broader framework of their trip. Includes up to three hotel or destination recommendations, airfare guidance, and assistance coordinating airport transfers.

Ideal for single destination getaways and travelers who want a trusted hand in the planning without a fully detailed itinerary.

View of old European-style apartment buildings with ochre and beige facades and green shutters, seen from a balcony with potted plants and a stone railing, during daytime.

FULL TRIP DESIGN

Tailored to your trip

Everything organized from beginning to end. Detailed daily flow, curated activity and dining recommendations, multi-stop hotel selection, and full logistics coordination. Pricing is based on scope and outlined clearly after your discovery call.

Ideal for special occasions, milestone journeys, and multi-stop international travel where every detail matters.

MEET MINDY

A man and woman standing outdoors with the Andes mountain range in the background, both wearing traditional patterned shawls.

Travel has shaped not only how I see the world, but how I help others experience it.

From a solo trip through Australia after grad school, to a month in Thailand, to trekking to Everest Base Camp and supporting international running events across Europe, travel has always been how I connect most deeply to life. My husband Zane is a commercial pilot, and we live a standby travel life that has taught us to travel with flexibility, curiosity, and a genuine openness to wherever the next trip takes us. From adventurous experiences to more layered, experience-driven travel, we travel because we love it, and that love of discovery is at the heart of everything I bring to planning travel for others.

Zane and I share a deep love of food, wine, and the kind of travel that builds a real connection to a place. That passion has taken us through the vineyards of France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, and California, and led us to start our own boutique wine label, VINUV, in Argentina's Uco Valley. We have also invested in two rental apartments in Arezzo, in the heart of Tuscany. But these are simply chapters in a much longer travel story, one that keeps going and keeps surprising us.

That breadth of experience, across destinations, cultures, trip styles, and ways of seeing the world, is what I bring to every client I work with. The Carry-On Companion grew from a life genuinely built around travel, and I would love to help you plan your next chapter in it.

KIND WORDS

A beige sunhat with black band and a structural crown, resting on top of a deck of illustrated cards, all placed on a large green palm leaf on a sandy surface.

"Mindy is amazing! Made everything so easy and when we had a flight delay she took care of everything so we didn't have to worry! The room upgrade, amenities and special touches made our stay very special. Will be booking with her again soon!"

— Kristen H.

A glass of rosé wine on a stone surface next to a swimming pool.

"She went above and beyond to ensure our trip was tailored to our preferences, and her recommendations truly made our visit memorable. We highly recommend Mindy Holscher to anyone looking for expert travel advice!! We can’t wait to work with her again!”

— Eric M.

Close-up of an olive tree branch with black olives in front of blurred brick buildings and windows.

"...her expertise allowed me to simply relax and enjoy the experience, knowing I was in capable hands and set up for a truly great vacation."

— Gifford J.

Many orange and green striped beach umbrellas lined up on a sandy beach with lounge chairs underneath, some people standing near the water's edge in the background.

Trusted Travel Resources

Here, you’ll find a mix of travel resources, trusted partners, and favorite finds I genuinely recommend. Some are partners I work with directly and may earn a small commission from at no additional cost to you. Others are simply part of our own travel story. All of them are here because I believe in them.

  • A few of the tour and experience partners I recommend for everything from major sightseeing and museum tickets to more intimate, locally guided, and destination-specific experiences. These are a great starting point for adding meaningful activities and special moments to your trip.

  • If you'd like to capture special moments during your travels, working with a local photographer can be a wonderful way to preserve the experience. Whether it's a couple's session, a family portrait, or simply a meaningful keepsake from your time away, it can be one of the most personal additions to a trip.

  • Travel protection can offer valuable peace of mind before and during your trip. From unexpected cancellations and delays to medical needs or interruptions while traveling, it can be an important layer of support and an investment worth making.

  • My husband Zane and I launched VINUV, our boutique wine label, out of shared enthusiasm for wine and a deep love of Argentina. Our wines are produced in the Uco Valley of Mendoza, one of the most celebrated wine regions in the world, and have been rated by James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast.

    The Uco Valley is also home to The Vines of Mendoza, a world-class resort and vineyard property we are grateful to partner with. If you are planning a trip to Mendoza wine country and would love to experience this remarkable region, from Buenos Aires to the Andes to the vineyards of the Uco Valley, I would love to help you plan it.

  • Italy has always held a special place for us. After years of returning to Tuscany and falling deeper in love with the region, my husband Zane and I made the decision to invest in two rental apartments in the heart of Arezzo's old town, a beautiful and genuinely historic city in Tuscany that sits perfectly between Rome and Florence.

    The apartments are in a charming older building with real character, walkable to everything, and genuinely off the tourist trail. The experience is more about living like a local than staying like a guest. Not for everyone, and exactly right for some.

    If you are planning a trip to Tuscany and want guidance on the region, I would love to help you plan it.

Ready to Start Planning?

Every great trip starts somewhere. Sometimes it is a destination you have always wanted to see. Sometimes it is just knowing you are ready for something meaningful. Whatever stage you are at, reach out and let's figure it out together.

STart here

FAQs

  • The terms are often used interchangeably, but travel advisor generally reflects a broader, more personalized level of service. Beyond simply making bookings, a travel advisor offers research, guidance, curated recommendations, and support throughout the planning process to help create a trip that feels more thoughtful, well matched, and well supported.

  • I support a wide range of trips, from curated hotel stays and romantic getaways to multi-stop international travel and milestone journeys. I work with travelers who are looking for a more thoughtful, elevated experience, and I have a particular soft spot for trips that involve great food, wine, and a genuine sense of place. If you have something in mind, I am always happy to hear more and see how I can best support it.

  • It depends on the level of support you are looking for. Hotel guidance is complimentary for most straightforward bookings, as I am compensated through commission on eligible properties. For custom trip planning and full itinerary design, planning fees apply and are outlined clearly before you commit to anything. My goal is to make sure you understand exactly what to expect before we move forward together.

  • Yes. If a planning fee applies, it will always be discussed clearly in advance, so you understand the scope of support and can decide how you would like to move forward.

  • Yes, often. Through my affiliation with Fora Travel, I have access to preferred hotel partners within the Virtuoso network. At eligible properties, that can mean complimentary breakfast, hotel or resort credits, upgrade priority, and early check-in or late checkout when available. Perks vary by property and rate type, but they can add meaningful value to your stay and are one of the most practical advantages of booking through an advisor rather than on your own.

  • I'm not able to book hotel stays using client credit card points. In many cases, points tend to offer better value when used for flights rather than hotel bookings. If you would like guidance on hotel recommendations while using your points independently, that is something I may be able to assist with as a separate service for a fee.

  • For most travelers, I recommend booking flights directly with the airline. It gives you the most flexibility and the best support if anything changes before or during travel. That said, if you are looking at premium cabin options, business class, or first class, there may be cases where booking through a third-party platform makes sense. I am happy to talk through the options and help you figure out the best approach for your specific trip. Guidance on flights can be part of the broader planning conversation depending on the level of support you are looking for.

  • These days, we all have endless travel options at our fingertips, which sounds convenient until it becomes overwhelming. Between reviews, booking platforms, social media, and conflicting advice, it can be difficult to know what actually fits your style, priorities, and budget, and what is truly worth it. My role is to help cut through that noise. I narrow the options, offer thoughtful recommendations, and help bring all the pieces together into a trip that feels more cohesive, personal, and well supported. It saves you time, reduces overwhelm, and gives you the confidence of having someone in your corner who knows how to turn ideas into a well-planned experience.

  • Once you submit an inquiry, I'll review the details to get an initial sense of what you're looking for. The next step is a discovery call, where we can talk through your trip in more detail, including your preferences, past travel experiences, priorities, and the kind of support you're looking for. That conversation helps me better understand your vision and determine the best planning approach for your trip.

  • Some trips require far more than simply making a reservation. When a trip involves more in-depth research, multiple options, custom itinerary design, coordinating logistics, and building out a more detailed travel plan, the time involved can extend well beyond what commission alone supports. Planning fees help reflect that additional level of care, customization, and behind-the-scenes work, which may include research, recommendations, itinerary development, and custom planning materials such as a digital itinerary.

  • Yes. I provide a range of travel services and have access to a wide network of partners and resources. That can include hotels, villas and vacation homes, cruises, transfers and transportation, tours and experiences, and more. Every trip is different, and I can tailor support based on what you need.

  • No. Rates will either be comparable to what you find online or better, and booking through me often offers more overall value. In addition to helping you choose the right property for your trip, I may also be able to add preferred partner perks that enhance your stay. Rather than simply booking a room, you are getting expert guidance and added benefits at no extra cost.

  • I do not book Airbnb. However, I may be able to assist with villas, vacation homes, and other short-term rental options through select travel partners and suppliers. If that is the type of stay you are looking for, I'm always happy to explore what options may be a good fit for your trip.

  • The earlier the better, especially for popular destinations, peak travel seasons, and more complex trips. That said, I am happy to work with whatever timeline you have. Reach out whenever you are ready and we will figure out the best path forward from there.