Plan your next journey with
Carrie HaysCarrie Hays is a dedicated travel agent with a passion for creating unforgettable journeys. As a mom of three adventurous girls, she knows the importance of balancing comfort with excitement to create the perfect trip.
The Journal, by email
Subscribe to Carrie Hays
New articles, straight to your inbox. No noise, unsubscribe anytime.
All articles by Carrie Hays
Guides
The British Virgin Islands Were Made for Sailing — Here's How Anyone Can Do It
Over 60 islands and cays, turquoise water so clear you can watch the anchor settle in the white sand below, and distances between stops short enough that you're never spending the whole day at sea. This is the Caribbean at its best.
Industry
The Questions Everyone Asks a Travel Advisor — and Their Honest Answers
People ask me travel questions constantly — at school pickup, at dinner parties, via panicked Sunday morning texts. So I'm putting the answers in one place: from whether advisors are obsolete (they're not) to how I recently saved a client $1,000 on a Hyatt stay she almost booked herself.
Tips
The Real Cost of Booking Travel on Your Own—And How to Book Better
From hidden rates and VIP perks to real-time advocacy when plans go sideways, here's why a luxury travel advisor is the highest-leverage move for your next vacation.
Tips
Corporate Retreats Are Boring: This is Exactly How I'd Fix Them
Companies spend thousands per person on retreats their teams dread and forget. Here I’ll break down everything wrong with the defaults—and share exactly what I’d book instead.
Guides
My Favorite Caribbean Island: A Case for Grand Cayman
Kitesurfing on crystal clear waters at sunrise, some of the best ocean encounters in the world, and a billionaire who turned a swamp into a glittering town center—Grand Cayman isn't just a Caribbean island. It's a story.