Published Books

"Laura knows what she's talking about when it comes to helping your family have travel experiences that your kids (and your "big kids") will never forget." - Sahara Rose De Vore, CEO and Founder of The Travel Coach Network

Do you struggle to plan a family vacation that everyone will enjoy? Have you heard yourself saying these phrases?

“Why can’t we all just have fun?”

“I need a vacation from our vacation!”

“We’ve spent so much money and time planning this trip, and you’re acting like this?!”

Dream, Design, Depart is a family vacation planning guide that helps your whole family get excited and involved in creating your next trip. Whether your kids are ten or twenty, this guide is for you. Through interactive pages and active participation, you will work together with your family to share your dreams, ideas, and feedback to make your next trip a memorable one. This guide introduces exercises in active listening, supportive dialogue, planning and organizing, compromise, and united decision making that will have everyone motivated and excited for your next family vacation.

Get your entire family dreaming, designing, and departing on your next vacation!

This guide gives families a space to work together by:

• Identifying your WHY for taking a family vacation

• Sharing your hopes and dreams for your family vacation

• Discussing the length of your vacation

• Communicating types of experiences each family member desires

• Exploring destinations together

• Creating itineraries

• Determining a vacation budget

• Providing feedback on other family members’ ideas

• Counting down to departure day together

*A digital companion site is available with printable pages and additional resources

Dreaming of a family vacation, but dreading the planning?

You’re not alone. Between work, school, sports, and that never-ending to-do list, it’s easy for vacation dreams to get buried under everyday chaos. That’s where Design That Dream Vacation comes in.

Written by certified Family Travel Coach, and former educator, Laura Rahn, this practical guide offers a clear, month-by-month planning approach designed specifically for busy parents. Whether you’re planning a summer road trip, a national park adventure, a Disney getaway, or a relaxing beach escape, this book helps you turn your dream trip into reality, without last-minute chaos.

Inside, you'll discover how to:

• Begin by identifying your family’s dreams for your vacation

• Move through the steps of designing your vacation, with all family members contributing

• Prepare for departure in a fun and inviting way

• Involve your kids (even teens!) in the planning process

• Stay on track with a simple 12-month vacation timeline

• Avoid travel stress with smart strategies and pro tips

• Build anticipation and connection before you even leave

With Laura’s signature Dream, Design, Depart method, you’ll learn how to plan with intention, make room for flexibility, and keep the excitement alive from the first idea to the final memory.

Because the best vacations aren’t just about where you go, they’re about how you get there together.

Let this be the year you stop putting off your dream vacation, and start planning one worth remembering.