There are people you travel with, and then there are people who completely change the way you travel.

My dear friend Grant K. Gibson is most definitely the latter.

Before travel became his full-time calling, Grant was an acclaimed San Francisco interior designer, recognized for his beautifully collected, thoughtful interiors. He even wrote the gorgeous design book, The Curated Home: A Fresh Take on Tradition. His designer’s eye is still very much alive and well, but ultimately, his lifelong love of travel won. Lucky for the rest of us.

Today, through Travel with Grant, he creates the kind of trips I want to take.

I have now been lucky enough to travel with Grant six times: India twice, Egypt & Jordan, Turkey, Stockholm & Copenhagen, and now Spain & Morocco.

At this point, when Grant says, “Want to go?” my answer is pretty much YES. Where and when?

Grant has impeccable taste, but what makes his trips so special goes far beyond choosing a fabulous hotel. He has the gift of putting together the most wonderful, curated groups of interesting people who somehow all click. I have made dear friends on these trips and laughed until I cried more times than I can count.

He is a serious foodie, a fellow animal lover, hysterically funny, incredibly kind, and has one of the biggest hearts around.

And then there is the access.

Grant is so modest and understated that you almost forget he seems to know everyone, everywhere.

Suddenly, you are being welcomed into an incredible private home, visiting an artist or designer’s studio, shopping somewhere you would never find on your own, or stepping behind a door that is most definitely not open to the general public.

Case in point: on our recent trip to Stockholm, we visited the Royal Pavilion at Haga Park by appointment of the King of Sweden.

I kid you not.

That is Travel with Grant.

His trips strike exactly the balance I want when I travel: incredible design inspiration, fantastic hotels, amazing food, important sites and cultural experiences, plenty of shopping, unexpected little gems, and, perhaps most importantly, enough free time to wander, explore and discover things on your own.

No death marches through museums.

No being herded around from 7 a.m. until bedtime.

No sad conference-room buffet lunches.

Grant understands that sometimes the very best part of travel happens when you have absolutely nothing scheduled.

He is also just a good-time guy. There is always laughter, usually a fabulous meal, probably a cocktail, definitely an adventure, and inevitably a story that will be told for years.

From the color and glorious chaos of India, to the ancient wonders of Egypt & Jordan, the layers of Turkey, the design heaven of Stockholm & Copenhagen, and now Spain & Morocco, Grant continues to open my eyes to places in a way I simply could not experience on my own.

That designer’s eye never left him. He just started using the whole world as his inspiration board.

If any of this sounds like your kind of travel, do yourself a favor and head over to Travel with Grant and look at his upcoming trips. He offers his wonderfully curated small-group adventures as well as bespoke private travel.

Fair warning: you may book something before you finish browsing.

I cannot recommend traveling with Grant enough.

And if Grant says, “Want to go?”

The answer is YES.

 

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