Lia Pontarelli

Cedar Rapids, IA

Vacation Travel Specialist

Anthony Bourdain said, "Travel is not reward for working, it's education for living."

Beach Lover

For more than half of my life I have spent time in the summer going to the beaches of North Carolina. While I'll tak...
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Anthony Bourdain said, "Travel is not reward for working, it's education for living."

Beach Lover

For more than half of my life I have spent time in the summer going to the beaches of North Carolina. While I'll take any beach, any time, there is something wonderful about the OBX (and I'm not talking about the TV show)! While you can spend all day if you wish on the beach, you can also go see the wild horses, try deep sea fishing, float high above while parasailing, explore historical lighthouses, and eat some amazing food!! Any time you're on the beach you give your soul a chance to relax and recharge! Other great beaches in the states I love are in Southern California, Florida and Maine! And don't get me started on the beaches in Mexico or on any one of the amazing islands around the Caribbean!

Animal Lover

I am a huge lover of wildlife! You can only imagine what kind of paradise I was in when I went on safari for the first time in Africa! To see animals roaming free gives you a whole different perspective. To see baby lions and zebras to a very old African buffalo, they're all amazing! Visiting Churchill gave us another amazing chance to see wildlife in its natural habitat! Spending time out on the tundra patiently hoping you'll come across a polar bear taking a nap, or, if you're lucky sparing with another bear! And going far enough out in the water that you can no longer see land and jumping in to swim with whale sharks is not only an adrenaline rush, but such a unique experience with these gentle giants!

Multi-Generational Travel

Many times when you hear "family travel" you think of traveling with children. However, it can also be classified as multi-generational travel. While I am no longer a kid, I do still love to travel with my mother. In fact, she's my favorite travel buddy! That's multi-generational as well! When we get to travel with my nieces, that adds in the children layer, but can also be incredibly amazing. Traveling with various family members can be stressful though. That's why it's important to find the right kind of trip, ensuring everyone isn't just happy, but truly enjoying the trip!

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Hawai'i Destination Expert

Aloha! Hawai'i, for many great reasons, is typically high on peoples bucket list. It's beautiful beaches, lush greenery, volcanoes, sea life, people and rich history make it a dream vacation location.

Personally, I love the islands so much that I became a certified Hawai'i Destination Expert through the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau. It's a great place for a romantic beach getaway or an adventurous trip for the whole ohana. And each of the islands have their own personalities.

I'll give you a small taste of some of the variety of things you could do: snorkeling (one of my favorites!), zip lining, visit the only royal palace in the U.S., learning how to surf, exploring the Road to Hana, hike through lava fields and tubes, visit historical locations, eat some delicious foods, definitely attend a Lu'au and learn how to hula, see the mighty cliffs of the Napali coast, go kayaking, and even whale watching!

One great way to see Hawaii is on the Norwegian Cruise Line inter-island cruise. This gives you a chance to fly directly into Hawaii and spend the entire week visiting 4 of the islands, versus sailing from the mainland and spending those extra days at sea. We took the whole family on this for Thanksgiving one year and everyone from grandma to my young nieces had an amazing time!

There is so much to do and beauty to see that after your first trip to Hawai'i, you'll just want to keep going back!

My Travel Albums

Hawai'i & NCL

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My Reviews

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

International travel without the stress

Lia provided our family with several options to choose from, ranging from destination, transportation, excursions etc. Once we made our decision, Lia made sure all details were covered and verified all arrangements prior to our departure. Lia made sure all aspects of our adventures went as planned and communicated any changes (including last minute changes) in a timely manner. Lia was fun to work with and her expertise in travel gave us full confidence, relieving us of any vacation planning stress. Lia is awesome to work with!!

By Sherm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Traveled to Ambergris Caye ~ Belize ~ Central America

I would recommend this agent to my family and friends