Meet Sarah Nisley | Independent Travel Planner with Goldgell Getaways

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Nisley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, how does your business help the community?
I want everyone I interact with to know that they are worthy of adventure. I want them to believe that their ability to explore the world, near or far, is attainable. I think so many of us get stuck in a limiting belief cycle. We get convinced that destinations are too far away, will cost too much, and there is too much unknown to follow through with a desire to go and explore. Travel breaks down barriers, clears up cultural misconceptions and can help us to understand others better. I believe that what we learn through travel can make the world a better place. Everyone should have the opportunity to learn about new places and cultures firsthand. I also believe that travel is for everyone, It can be tailored to your lifestyle and needs, your budget and schedule. No two people have the exact same goals, interests, or budget. You shouldn’t let that hold you back from discovering more about the world. I think where we get lost is in playing the comparison game with people we talk to or see on the internet. While I don’t believe we should compare our travel goals to everyone else’s, that can be a great place to get inspiration and motivation for a trip. If you know what you want to accomplish, where you want to go, and what you want to see you can set attainable goals to get there. Some goals may take more time and planning but still doable. My goal is to help people plan the best trip for their needs and budget, not just sell them the most expensive vacation possible that doesn’t suit their travel style.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve always had some sort of creative outlet. When I was younger I used to journal and write really long letters to friends. I went to college and got my degree in communication. There I was able to try my hand at different kinds of writing as well as learning some photography and photoshop skills. I also helped with the campus tv news show for a few semesters. Once I got into jobs in the corporate world I still played around with video a little bit, in an effort to preserve my memories and show my adventures in a somewhat entertaining aspect. Now I’m lucky that being creative with various forms of media is part of my role as a travel planner. A big part of our job as an agent is to be both enticing and informative about the various destinations. One of the best ways we can do that is to create content to be shared on various social media platforms. The industry has changed so much since agents worked in an office with travel brochures and books. Our social media posts are a glimpse into our travel experience and knowledge with a touch of our personality added in. Since I have started as a travel planner I’ve really enjoyed creating content to share my experience and advice with others. It is a way to share what’s going on in my corner of the world with many people all at once. I enjoy the opportunity to share what I’ve learned and the things I’ve done. I hope that I can brighten someone’s day or help them through my experience and work. I enjoy the freedom to explore and then showcase destinations, events and food. It may be the only way someone gets to experience what I am sharing. Maybe it will inspire others to do the same. Sharing creative work and discovering new places through social media has made my travel list grow. At the same time it has made me realize my travel goals are attainable and preparing for them is less intimidating. That is what I hope to do for others. I hope I can bring informative and enticing information to others and maybe a little entertainment or joy at the same time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would spend the first day staying busy but also relaxing in the heart of Grand Junction, with breakfast at a local favorite Dream Cafe. Breakfast classics with a creative twist and mimosas are always a great way to start the day. Afterwards we’d walk downtown and take in the Art on The Corner, stop by the Museum of West making sure to go up to the view tower where you can get a 360 degree view of the valley. For lunch we stop at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, Las Maria’s, before visiting the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens. Next we’d spend the afternoon at Las Colonias River Park, soaking up some sun while tubing. A coffee and toffee stop at Enstrom’s Candies would be the perfect way to recharge before heading to a Grand Junction Jackalopes game, a minor league team for the Colorado Rockies. After a full day we’d grab dinner at Bin 707 Foodbar, a farm-to-table dinner experience and a favorite of many.

We’re venturing out a little further on day two, filling up on breakfast at Randy’s Diner before leaving town to head to the Grand Mesa about an hour away. Homestyle breakfast to fuel a day of alpine activity. While driving the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway we would have numerous opportunities to hike, paddleboard, for photography and to go fishing. I would plan a midday stop at Mesa Lakes Lodge for al fresco dining lakeside. After continuing our mountain adventure for a few more hours, hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the larger wildlife (deer, moose, bears, and sasquatch) we would make our way back to town and round out our evening with dinner and drinks at the Rockslide Brew Pub, a local brewery that is a favorite of mine, especially when Apricot Wheat is on tap.

Day three we are taking another day trip to Moab, Utah and the surrounding National Parks. Before leaving town, we are grabbing fresh made bagel sandwiches and coffee to go, from Main Street bagels in downtown Grand Junction. After driving about two hours we will arrive at Canyonlands National Park. We fill our morning with hiking and scenic driving, taking in the expanse of the canyons here. Backtracking to Moab for lunch we stop at Trailhead Public House and Eatery for brews and some delicious pub grub, before heading to Arches National Park. Here we drive and hike to some of the most famous and picturesque Arches around. We’ll watch the sunset in red rock country while eating the BBQ we picked up (from The Blu Pig in Moab) for a picnic dinner in the park.

Breakfast burritos from El Ray Mexican food truck is how we start day four in Palisade. The morning is beautiful while we hike Mt. Garfield. We are greeted by the wild horses that live in the Bookcliffs along the way, and rewarded with a fantastic view of the valley once we reach the top. Making our way down the mountain we are looking forward to refueling at Fidel’s Cocina. A handcrafted cocktail, elote dip and some top notch tacos are perfect after the challenging hike that started our day. Slowing down a bit we’ll enjoy the afternoon driving the Fruit and Wine Byway. Palisade is home to over 20 wineries, so along the way we’ll stop in a few tasting rooms and browse the gift shops filled with local handcrafted goods. Rounding out the day we have reservations at Peche, which offers fine dining paired with culinary creativity, a perfect end to the night.

On day five we are on another day trip to Glenwood Springs. We’ll grab coffee and fresh made pastries for breakfast to go from Sugar and Ice before leaving town. No time to stop for a meal today, we have a morning reservation to hike the Hanging Lake Trail. The waterfall view at the top will be worth the busy morning to get there. We’ll refuel at Vicco’s Charcoal Burger Drive In with a scrumptious burger (make it buffalo or elk if you are feeling adventurous) and some milkshakes before heading to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. We’ll ride the rollercoasters and test our nerves on other thrilling rides at America’s only mountain top amusement park before taking a tour of the caves. After so much excitement, a visit to the Yampah Spa Vapor Caves and their underground mineral steam baths, are perfect for relaxing in. We’ll grab a late bite at the Glenwood Canyon Brewpub before heading back to our base camp.

Day six starts with a visit to Trailhead Coffee & Cafe. After a quick but delicious breakfast we’ll head up to the Colorado National Monument. You can easily spend a day here hiking, enjoying the scenic drive, watching for bighorn sheep and taking in the views with the valley, Bookcliffs and Grand Mesa in the background. We’ll grab a late lunch at Hot Tomato Pizza before heading to a riverfront concert at the Fruita State Park bordering the Colorado River. Leaving the concert we have a late night craving so we head to Munchies for evening snacks before we call it a night.

Before heading out on our last day of adventure we’ll visit Warehouse 25sixty-five for breakfast pizzas. The combination of the hash brown crust, bacon, cheese and over medium eggs are the things breakfast dreams are made of. After eating, we’ll make our way to Ouray. Our first stop is a hike at Cascade Falls Trail, a moderate waterfall hike coming in at just under four miles. A visit to Colorado Boy Southwest Pub for some excellent brick oven pizza and a beer is a must for lunch. Ouray Hot Springs soothes our tired muscles after a busy but very fun week. We start our trip back home but make one last stop in Ridgway for our last meal together for the week at Eatery 66. The seasonal menu featuring plates made from local sourced food doesn’t disappoint. We make sure to hang around Ridgway as the sun goes down and turn our eyes to the sky for some phenomenal star gazing. Ridway was dubbed a Dark Sky Community, one of three in the state as named by the International Dark-Sky Association.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have several shoutouts to give. My parents made the effort when we were growing up to take us on trips and give us many experiences that have led to my love for travel. As an adult now, I can imagine there were challenges making the schedule and budget work for some of the things we did. Working full time with three kids in extracurriculars all at the same time couldn’t have been easy. They showed me how to work hard for my family and my goals. They always have been and still are huge supporters no matter what challenge I set for myself. My husband has stood by me from the day we met, supporting my dreams, and cheering me on no matter what I have chosen to do. He always reminds me that if anyone is stubborn enough to follow through with what they started it’s me. On a more serious note he was my rock when I was making the tough decision to either stay at my previous job or to be okay with leaving. He knew that for my own happiness I needed to make a change, so I could start working towards my goals, working at home and later becoming a travel planner. He picked up the slack while in transition. On days that I’m experiencing imposter syndrome he reminds me that I only need to be myself, work hard, and the rest will come. My son has been a huge inspiration for me to do more and be more in this life. I am so thankful for the love and joy he brings to our lives. I want to set the best example for him that you can live out your dreams if you are persistent. I also want to give him so many experiences and make as many memories with him as possible. I have taken him on many day trips, that he maybe wasn’t so wild about at first and later talks about with fondness. I also am so grateful to my agency, Goldgell Getaways. When I applied to work for them I poured my heart out in the application and interview process. Trying to break into the travel planner world with a reputable company can be difficult if you don’t have any professional experience. I feel like they appreciate myself and their other agents for who we are as individuals. They have created a community of like minded travel entrepreneurs and want to see us succeed. They are happy to provide resources and support to help us grow and become successful.

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Image Credits
These are all personal photos, no image credits needed. Thank you!