In one word: Avoid!…read more I have a big birthday coming up, and am in the early stages of planning a trip to Mexico with my girlfriends to celebrate. But knowing little about Mexico, and feeling not at all like putting work into planning this trip myself, I decided to splurge on a travel agent to do the work for me. I stumbled upon Destinations & Adventures (Los Angeles branch) randomly on Yelp. Since it was highly rated, I decided to give them a shot. But when I called the Los Angeles branch to ask for Jim Berkeley, who was highly recommended on Yelp, I was told he was out of the country leading a trip. Instead of Jim, I got a call back only from a random woman working at the Nashville, Tennessee branch of this chain: Arlene Santos, with the high-falutin' title "Director of Client Services"). This, despite having specified that I'd be willing to wait for Jim to call back once he'd returned. Arlene and I chatted. I explained what I was looking for, and she offered to assist with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. (I think she may have even said something like, "that's a bit of a difficult one.") Now, I know what you're thinking: Why bother with a travel agent who isn't enthused about helping me? I guess I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, sometimes to my detriment. But then, the first red flag: Arlene later e-mailed me that she'd have me an initial quote and some package ideas by a certain date. But that date came and went, and no quote. When I followed up with her several days later, Arlene promised a quote "by the end of the day" - but then, she only sent the names of two hotels, without any pricing or explanation (with pricing to follow later). When I finally got pricing 1.5 weeks after Arlene and I had first spoken, the pricing didn't include anything but just hotel rates (which I could have looked up myself on Expedia). No explanation of how or why she chose those two options, and she said activities weren't included. Also, I'd specifically asked her for daily pricing, since not everyone in my party would be staying for the full trip duration.... but her pricing was weekly, not daily. Amusingly, Arlene's e-mail had added tersely: "Kindly advise which one you are interested in," as if there were absolutely no room for discussion on the matter. It was these two random hotels or nothing. It was clearly time to cut bait. I responded that I thought there was a disconnect, and added: "As it took you 9 days to provide pricing for two hotels, I'm wondering whether you may be too busy to assist me? If so, I'd rather not waste your time, and instead I'll move on to another travel agent. Please let me know." Arlene's frosty response: "Sorry for not being much help. I believe it will be best for you to work with someone else." This "Director of Client Services" should be locked away in an office and never be permitted to assist clients again. Just saying. Buyer beware!

I went by to get an International Driving Permit. It took no time at all, including to get the…read morephoto made. The man who did the work was also very nice.

I signed up for AAA around 2015. I did not really use any of the supposed benefits, so I cancelled…read moremembership after a year or two. I did not realize that they were automatically billing me renewal fees; my fault for not reviewing my credit card statements closely enough. However, I did see at the beginning of June 2026 that there was a renewal charge on May 1, 2026. I called on June 4 and was told the charge would be removed within 2 weeks. It was still there as of June 22, so I called back. I was then told that the request for a refund was denied because it was past June 1, one month after the charge. I was not even notified that the refund was denied. Let this be a warning to everyone. Don't sign up for AAA; your insurance probably covers charge for towing. Don't let them do an automatic renewal; based on what I experienced, they will keep doing it even if you quit. I have only written something like this about a business 2 or 3 times in my over 50 years, but the audacity and gall of their attitude has gotten me upset enough to post this wherever I can.

I cannot recommend and praise Genie and her crew enough. When we had a bad experience with American…read moreAirlines and missed our international flight, Genie took charge and helped us get a new booking for the lowest possible price. I've learned my lesson of not trying to plan trips on my own. Having an advocate like Genie on your side is totally worth it. She will definitely be my go-to for all future trips. I recommend everyone check her out for your travel needs. Bart

Genie Herron is a GEM! My wife and I wanted a special anniversary getaway to someplace we've never…read morebeen but didn't know where or how to start. So, I contacted Genie, gave her our range of dates and budget and mentioned that we preferred a non-touristy Caribbean destination within a half day travel from Nashville. Within 2 days, Genie sent me 6 amazing options, all within our budget. The only difficulty was choosing which one. We ended up at a small resort in Antigua and it was the best vacation we have ever had. I added up the cost of the trip if I had booked myself directly and somehow Genie saved us about 15%. I will NOT be booking my own vacations going forward.

Pilgrimage to Italy/France (October 6-18), 2025…read more The customer service/account representative I dealt with felt impersonal and not very friendly. I hesitated to ask questions because their manner wasn't very welcoming -- it almost felt like I wasn't really treated as a customer. The trip itself was action-packed -- as expected, there was a lot of walking. Since this was my first pilgrimage, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. While it was enriching to visit so many sacred sites, I didn't feel I had enough quiet moments to truly pray or reflect. I don't place that entirely on 206 Tours; October was close to the end of the Jubilee year, so there was a big influx of pilgrims from different countries. With that many people, it's understandable that things felt a bit rushed. We also changed tour guides three times, which may have led to some miscommunication and a lack of consistency throughout the trip. It would've been nice to have one steady guide to provide continuity and spiritual leadership. We stayed in four different hotels. The first one was fabulous, but the quality went downhill after that. At the second hotel, I was placed in an accessible room with a bathroom that was uncomfortably high, and since I shared a room, we were only given one key, which was inconvenient. The third hotel was extremely small -- really cramped -- though the fourth one was much better. Overall, I'm grateful for the experience and the opportunity to visit so many sacred places. I just think 206 could improve on personal connection, communication, and hotel consistency to help pilgrims feel more cared for and comfortable throughout the journey. But I think what affected me most was the customer service experience at the beginning. It set the tone, and I wish it had felt a bit more welcoming.

I have traveled with 206 Tours on several occasions, and they are top notch. Each pilgrimage is…read morecentered around the Holy Mass and that Mass is always in a sacred location visited on the pilgrimage. Great guides, beautiful clean hotels, delicious meals, and learning more about my faith each day in each location. Every time I travel with 206 Tours, my faith grows in unexpected ways. I am so grateful I took that first pilgrimage in 2013. I will never travel with another pilgrimage company.

So great to have a place to leave your luggage while you explore on your final day!…read more Note there is a fee per bag . Worth it in my opnion but important to note!

I discovered luggage drop on a business trip to Nashville. I wish every city had this service. I…read morehad some time to burn before my flight home so I dropped off my luggage and explored downtown Nashville for a few hours. Affordable and easy to pick up your luggage when it's ready. FYI, it's not a stand alone store. It's a service desk INSIDE another store. It took me a while to find it, but overall it was a great service.

The CVB is a big part of what makes Nashville so Fantastic !…read more These folks are always working on ways to make Nashville a better experience for visitors, which makes us locals have a better city to live & work. Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, keep up your Great Works !

Before vacationing in Nashville, I watched YouTube livestreams. These livestreams gave me tours of…read moreNashville before seeing it live. When I was following along on these virtual walks, my eyes took in this towering landmark that looked like a radio tower. This towering landmark marked the end of the Honkey Tonk Highway stretch of Broadway. In real life I was going to see this. In June that happened plenty of times. This Nashville landmark is a 250-foot tall radio tower that pays homage to Nashville's rich radio history, especially WSM Country Music which has aired country music since 1925. It is a representation of Nashville's connection to music, much like the tower above the Country Music Hall of Fame. This landmark was a big part of the vacation. Kind of like the Eiffel Tower would be in Paris. Nearby I would take pictures of it up close and walking along Broadway, the Riverfront Park, Walk of Fame Park, and other spots I took distant pictures of it. This landmark radio tower is incorporated into the northeast corner of the Bridgestone Arena at Broadway and Rep. John Lewis Way. This corner is home to the Nashville Visitor Center. It is a rounded mostly glass structure serving as the base of the 250-foot tall radio tower. It also serves as a place to welcome people to Nashville, Tennessee. I went inside here a couple of times. I saw it as a place to get acquainted with and to remember Nashville. When I walked inside from the entrance at Rep. John Lewis Way, I saw a few interpretive kiosks and a wall of records. The windows opening up to Broadway and Rep. John Lewis Way brought in sufficient sunlight and views. In the center of the room is the information desk where the employees answer questions and ring up souvenirs. They were pretty helpful when I asked them about the Nashville Trolly. However, they did not know much about the landmark above them. It's interesting that I would learn about it from Google AI instead of from the Nashville Visiter's Center. Regardless they were friendly and enthusiastic about answering my questions. Surrounding the desk are souvenirs. In my opinion the gift shops on Broadway offer a far better selection. Beyond the rounded below the landmark radio tower, the Visitor Center extends into the Bridgestone Arena. In contrast to the well lit, modern, and Nashville themed room under the radio tower, this area feels like a waiting area in a bus terminal. I appears to double up as a ticketing area. This is where the seating, brochures, and restrooms are. I spent some time sitting here with my Dad, and Brother while cooling off on a humid Nashville afternoon. I am a fan of the Nashville Visitor Center landmark 250-foot tall radio tower that rises from the top. When I vacationed in Music City USA, it was a landmark that I gravitated to.

This spot stood out as the perfect pitstop on our road trip as we passed Tennessee. It offers…read moreplenty of options for the local tourist attractions with an eased checkout experience. No matter what you stopped in Nashville for, stopping here allows you to preview a lot of options to really strategize your time in the area. We took the dogs for a walk nearby and were able to scope out several entertainment options for the night. Our visit here was short but thanks to this ample and easily accessible visitor center, I was able to select the itinerary for the night. If you need to gather your thoughts and have plenty of recommendations at your disposition, this is worth stopping at.

I worked with Ta-Tanisha to plan a milestone birthday trip that took me and my partner to Egypt,…read moreand then she arranged my travel on to South Africa so I could meet up with friends and continue my journey. This was both a bucket list trip and a major celebration, and she made the entire process easy and seamless. From start to finish, her communication was top tier. Every detail in Egypt was handled, including flights, transportation, hotels, and excursions, so all we had to do was show up and enjoy. We had VIP-style treatment throughout: drivers waiting for us, support through customs and security, and concierge-level services that removed all the stress that usually comes with travel. That alone was worth it. The hotels she chose were excellent, and the excursions lined up beautifully with our goals for the trip. I checked off so many bucket list experiences: standing before the Pyramids and the Sphinx, seeing King Tut's treasures, watching the sunrise over Luxor from a hot air balloon, sleeping by the Nile, and even doing a flying dress photo shoot at Giza. Every guide, driver, and on-the-ground partner she connected us with was professional, knowledgeable, and made the trip even more special. She also anticipated the little things that made a big difference. Since we had an evening flight leaving Luxor, she arranged for a later checkout, and the hotel was so accommodating that they even offered us an extended stay option for a very reasonable price. That allowed us to relax at the hotel, spend time by the pool, and unwind before my partner flew back to the U.S. and I continued on to South Africa. What stood out most was how attentive she was at every stage. She checked in on us before we left, while we were in travel, when we arrived, during the trip, and even after we got home. She also made sure all the vendors she worked with took care of us and lived up to the same standard of service. I honestly could not have planned a trip like this on my own without pouring in a huge amount of time and energy I did not want to spend. With Ta-Tanisha, everything just flowed. I recommend her to anyone even considering travel, because she does not just plan trips, she delivers unforgettable experiences.

Ta-Tanisha offered impeccable service. I called her and within days I had a trip booked and paid…read morefor. I expressed that my mother would need special accommodations due to mobility issues. She immediately began advising me about what could be done as well as what I needed to do to make it happen. My mother bragged when we returned about how seamless the trip was. I loved the experience so much, we booked again! 35 days from now my son and I are on our way to Mexico!