Meet Gabriela Landis | Travel Writer

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

Hi Gabriela, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
For the last two and a half years, I would go to my day job early in the morning, come home at 5pm, make dinner, then go to bed. In 2022, I had a realization that I wasn’t using my passion. I love to write and I love to travel. I had chosen to put these on the backburner while trying to figure out the rest of my life. Now I am married and have a steady full-time job, so I decided it is the perfect time to chase my dream of being a travel writer. It has been such a life-giving change. With my supportive husband, I have created my own website and lanched social media sites to provide my audience with travel tips and insight on destinations in Florida and around the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Using my creative writing skills is a childhood dream come true. Growing up in Kenya, Ioved traveling around the world and hopping on airplanes to new destinations. Now I am doing just that as a business. Some days I still can’t believe that I am putting into motion what I have wanted to do for years. It has been a challenge balancing my full-time day job, my writing schedule, updating my website and social media platforms, and spending time with my husband. It has helped to have an organized schedule and daily checklists of what I need to accomplish. Writing, researching, and traveling brings me a lot of joy. In the end, the extra time and effort I put into my articles and platforms is worth it. I’m proud of putting myself out there to collaborate with businesses on articles and content creation. I’m proud to have started this business and not given up on my passion.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When any of my friends come visit me, I make sure to take them to Siesta Key Beach. Consistently rated one of the top beaches in the United States for years, Siesta Key is the largest and cleanest beach I have ever laid eyes on. Less than a mile away from Siesta Key is the Siesta Key Village where a variety of restaurants, bars, and shops are. This is a place to grab a bite to eat. On Saturday, I take my friends to the Sarasota Farmer’s Market in Downtown Sarasota on Main Street. When we arrive downtown, we get a coffee from Rise and Nye’s, a coffee shop that supports adults with disabilities. Then, we stroll through the farmers market, admiring local produce, artwork, and fresh food. I absolutely love downtown Sarasota. It is extensive and has many different stores and restaurants. If we decided to go to a nice restaurant downtown for dinner, I would take my friends to Duval’s which has upscale seafood. If we decided to go to a more casual restaurant downtown, I would take them to Brick’s Smoked Meats which has amazing barbecue.
Another spot I take my visitors is to St. Armand’s Circle. Just a few minutes away from dowtown, St. Armand’s Circle is a shopping area very close to the Mote Marine Aquariam and Lido Key Beach. My favorite restaurant in St. Armand’s Circle is the Shore.
When my friends and I are looking for activities to do outside besides the beach, there are quite a few options. One popular spot is Pop Stroke, a bougie minigolf course created by Tiger Woods. It is fun and challenging for the average minigolfer. Personally, I really enjoy walking the Legacy Trail, a nature trail that goes all the way through Sarasota.
These are all of the main places I take my friends when they come to visit Sarasota.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to my husband. He has been my number one supporter in this whole process of becoming a travel writer. Whether it is helping me brainstorm or reviewing my work, he has been by my side the whole time. I’m thankful for God who has given me writing abilities and a desire to see the beauty of the world. Also, I’m very grateful for my entire family who have encouraged me throughout the process of establishing my brand.

Website: gabrielamarietravels.com

Instagram: gabriela_marie_travels

TikTok: Gabriela_Marie_Travels