OtheBP organized a trip across the California coast for our family. Originally, we were interested in an Airstream2Go excursion, which the company works with to plan. However, after pricing that trip out, at over $12,000. it seemed too expensive for what was essentially a week long camping trip. A travel rep, Julianne, helped organize a similar trip with hotels. I was concerned that we were checking in and out of hotels too frequently with our children, and included some that I felt were too high end and not as family oriented as we would've liked. A week before our trip, when I asked if I could cancel two of the hotels in exchange for staying at a single resort, I was met with exasperation, rather than flexibility, and to consider myself lucky that they would't charge me for the rooms ( if I had booked the hotels myself, I would've been within the cancellation without penalty timeline.). I was told to book the new hotel myself (carmel valley ranch, which was excellent.)
With the exception of an excellent guide arranged for us in Yosemite, the rest of the excursions were pretty mediocre. A marine biologist took us through the Monterey Aquarium. This was billed as a backstage tour kinda deal, but he just took us through the place like any other person. Really, we could've had an amazing experience there ourselves, as the aquarium is world class. Ditto for a kayaking tour through the Bay, where our guide told us about all the incredible things OTHER groups had seen. (Our only other excellent exclusion, San Simeon, I was also told to arrange myself.). An overnight stay in Santa Monica before our flight back to New York was way too pricey, at over $500. and though we were only there for an evening and a morning, wasn't close to anything, especially what we needed: restaurants. And though across the street from the ocean, our room faced a brick wall and we weren't offered another (though we did request it.)
Following our trip, after months of planning and many thousands of dollars later, I expected a personal email or call from Julianne to follow up on our trip. All I received was a check in the box kinda form. Not what you'd expect from a travel company touting unique. Meh. read more