Tailored Mystery Weekend Getaways: A Lovely Mother’s/Father’s Day Surprise

Summary

I am constantly looking for new gift ideas for the SO. Like many people, we have downsized and are fortunate not have a lot of needs (except travel, in my case). So, what do you give someone that doesn't need anything? I am constantly telling family and friends I want the gift of time. I want their time and spend it having a wonderful time.
Something that I have recently come across is called mystery travel. Mystery travel is when you hire a company to set up your whole trip for you and doesn't let you know until right before the trip begins. The company considers how far you want to travel from home, how much you want to spend and what you like to do.
These companies do all the work and send you the plans around a week ahead of time and you must open it just before you leave. The company tells you what to pack and what the weather is like. One of the best parts is if you are not traveling in a car, they will let you know how you will be traveling and when to get to the that mode of transportation. They will also make sure that you know what documents you need. I love this idea.
I know someone who recently did this. He and his wife tried this based on a recommendation from one of his clients. They went through Pack Up Go. This group heralds itself as a champion of the overlooked backyard experiences whether it is by train, plane, or automobile. Pack Up Go took into consideration their budget and how far they wanted to travel along with what their interests were. They received their envelope a week before and opened it the morning of.
According to Pack Up Go’s website, the adventure starts with a bit of pre-planning by the traveler. They are looking for the following information:

Answer a few quick questions about your interests and travel history on the Pack Up + Go Pre-Trip Survey.
To plan your surprise vacation, we'll need to know:
• Travel dates
• Travel preferences
• Travel history
• Traveler interests
• Traveler information
• Your budget (travel + accommodations)
o Per person for Plane Trips
o Per hotel room for Road Trips
o Per hotel room for Outdoor Road Trips
o Per hotel room for Staycations
A week before your departure, you receive an email to help you prepare for your Trip.
This email contains:
• The weather forecast for your mystery destination
• A suggested packing list (EX: a bathing suit, hiking boots)
• Any luggage size restrictions
• Where to go + when (EX: O’Hare Airport, Friday at 10:30AM!)
A few days before you depart, you will receive the Surprise Trip Envelope in the mail, which you do NOT open just yet.
• This envelope will include a curated list of recommendations based on your interests for everything from cafes to nightlife to rainy day activities, hotel directions, fun facts, and more! We promise you won't be bored wherever you go.
• On the day of departure, open your envelope, and Pack Up + Go!
• During your Surprise Vacation, you’ll have the flexibility to choose your own adventure and set your own pace for exploring your destination. If anything comes up during your Surprise Getaway, you can contact our 24/7 Traveler Support Team to help with everything you need before, during, and after your Trip.

The best part was the anticipation and the mystery. We tried to guess where they were going because it was a 5-hour drive and the weather. We guessed Connecticut, Maryland, DC, and New York State. We were wrong. They ended up in Charlottesville, Virginia. They absolutely loved the trip because it had an itinerary filled with ideas for breweries and hiking. It was somewhere new for them. Not only did they recommend the trip but loved the fact that they didn’t need to do any planning and it was tailor-made for them.
Even though the trip came with an itinerary, Pack Up Go provided several other options for this couple. Charlottsville is the presidential homes Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. There are also wineries, Luray Caverns, fishing, museums, interactive glass art, and a lot more. This is a beautiful area and they made the most of it.
I am looking into this as a Christmas present for the SO this year. We like exploring and I like the idea of having someone else do the planning and see what they come up with for us. I will have several months to dig into what he might be interested in doing so I can set this up. I’ll keep you posted!

Thrillist has pulled together a comprehensive list of travel sites.
Pack Up + Go
The OG of the bunch, Pack Up + Go specializes in exploring your overlooked backyard with plane or train trips, road trips, and outdoor destinations throughout the US. During the pandemic, they also added staycations. Plane or train trips begin at $700 for three days and they recently launched their own Peace of Mind Refund Assurance insurance for more flexibility, allowing refunds up to the day of travel.
The Vacation Hunt
Founded by husband-and-wife travel enthusiasts Jeff Allen and Roshni Agarwal, Vacation Hunt plans US, European, International (with two separate categories), and all-inclusive resort trips for three to 14 days, with flat-fee base pricing ranging from $960 for domestic trips to $2,500 for European destinations. There’s also a special section for honeymoon trip planning, where even if you have a destination in mind, they’ll save you tons of time by helping to fill out your schedule.
Magical Mystery Tours
With a name as fun as the service they provide, Magical Mystery Tours began in 2009 when two friends planned a vacation for a third, and it was a hit. Now they plan domestic and international mystery trips, plus traditional trip planning (currently suspended due to the high demand for mystery trips). Trips start at $1,500 for a three-day domestic journey. You can also purchase a gift certificate, if you know someone who could use a little more spontaneity in their lives.
Black Tomato
Do you have deep pockets and a lust for adventure? On their Get Lost Tours, which begin at $30,000, Black Tomato drops you in the middle of nowhere and you have to find your way out. A wilderness survival class is given beforehand, and prior to your trip, they give you advice on how to prepare mentally and physically. Choose between polar, jungle, coastal, desert, or mountain environments or have someone choose for you.
Rustic Pathways Mystery Trips
Surprises aren’t just for grown-ups (though we could probably use them more than the kiddos). Rustic Pathways is a youth-focused travel company fostering global citizenship for middle school, high school, gap year, and college students. Sign up for their 18-day mystery trip for $7,145 plus airfare, and be sent a Patagonia duffel with clues along with a packing list a month in advance. Each day on the trip is a mystery as well, with clues to decipher as a group about the day’s itinerary.
Whym
Get it? Traveling on a “whym.” And this company really does leave it to the last minute—you’ll find out where you’re going by text two to three hours before takeoff. The itinerary is peppered with even more surprises, from sporting events to horseback riding, depending on your budget, and trip options spanning solo flights to group road trips around the US and its territories.
Blind Experiences
Looking for an impressive and sustainable luxury surprise? Depending on your preferences, this Rome-based travel company will send you everywhere from glamping in the Galapagos to a 1920s safari camp in Kenya. The company's roots are in planning honeymoons, but itineraries can be planned for families, groups, and a new child-adult bonding “legacy” trip at places like the Treehotel in Swedish Lapland or a secret pod in the Swiss Alps. Fun for the whole family.
I am constantly looking for new gift ideas for the SO. Like many people, we have downsized and are fortunate not have a lot of needs (except travel, in my case). So, what do you give someone that doesn't need anything? I am constantly telling family and friends I want the gift of time. I want their time and spend it having a wonderful time.
Something that I have recently come across is called mystery travel. Mystery travel is when you hire a company to set up your whole trip for you and doesn't let you know until right before the trip begins. The company considers how far you want to travel from home, how much you want to spend and what you like to do.
These companies do all the work and send you the plans around a week ahead of time and you must open it just before you leave. The company tells you what to pack and what the weather is like. One of the best parts is if you are not traveling in a car, they will let you know how you will be traveling and when to get to the that mode of transportation. They will also make sure that you know what documents you need. I love this idea.
I know someone who recently did this. He and his wife tried this based on a recommendation from one of his clients. They went through Pack Up Go. This group heralds itself as a champion of the overlooked backyard experiences whether it is by train, plane, or automobile. Pack Up Go took into consideration their budget and how far they wanted to travel along with what their interests were. They received their envelope a week before and opened it the morning of.
According to Pack Up Go’s website, the adventure starts with a bit of pre-planning by the traveler. They are looking for the following information:

Answer a few quick questions about your interests and travel history on the Pack Up + Go Pre-Trip Survey.
To plan your surprise vacation, we'll need to know:
• Travel dates
• Travel preferences
• Travel history
• Traveler interests
• Traveler information
• Your budget (travel + accommodations)
o Per person for Plane Trips
o Per hotel room for Road Trips
o Per hotel room for Outdoor Road Trips
o Per hotel room for Staycations
A week before your departure, you receive an email to help you prepare for your Trip.
This email contains:
• The weather forecast for your mystery destination
• A suggested packing list (EX: a bathing suit, hiking boots)
• Any luggage size restrictions
• Where to go + when (EX: O’Hare Airport, Friday at 10:30AM!)
A few days before you depart, you will receive the Surprise Trip Envelope in the mail, which you do NOT open just yet.
• This envelope will include a curated list of recommendations based on your interests for everything from cafes to nightlife to rainy day activities, hotel directions, fun facts, and more! We promise you won't be bored wherever you go.
• On the day of departure, open your envelope, and Pack Up + Go!
• During your Surprise Vacation, you’ll have the flexibility to choose your own adventure and set your own pace for exploring your destination. If anything comes up during your Surprise Getaway, you can contact our 24/7 Traveler Support Team to help with everything you need before, during, and after your Trip.

The best part was the anticipation and the mystery. We tried to guess where they were going because it was a 5-hour drive and the weather. We guessed Connecticut, Maryland, DC, and New York State. We were wrong. They ended up in Charlottesville, Virginia. They absolutely loved the trip because it had an itinerary filled with ideas for breweries and hiking. It was somewhere new for them. Not only did they recommend the trip but loved the fact that they didn’t need to do any planning and it was tailor-made for them.
Even though the trip came with an itinerary, Pack Up Go provided several other options for this couple. Charlottsville is the presidential homes Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. There are also wineries, Luray Caverns, fishing, museums, interactive glass art, and a lot more. This is a beautiful area and they made the most of it.
I am looking into this as a Christmas present for the SO this year. We like exploring and I like the idea of having someone else do the planning and see what they come up with for us. I will have several months to dig into what he might be interested in doing so I can set this up. I’ll keep you posted!

Thrillist has pulled together a comprehensive list of travel sites.
Pack Up + Go
The OG of the bunch, Pack Up + Go specializes in exploring your overlooked backyard with plane or train trips, road trips, and outdoor destinations throughout the US. During the pandemic, they also added staycations. Plane or train trips begin at $700 for three days and they recently launched their own Peace of Mind Refund Assurance insurance for more flexibility, allowing refunds up to the day of travel.
The Vacation Hunt
Founded by husband-and-wife travel enthusiasts Jeff Allen and Roshni Agarwal, Vacation Hunt plans US, European, International (with two separate categories), and all-inclusive resort trips for three to 14 days, with flat-fee base pricing ranging from $960 for domestic trips to $2,500 for European destinations. There’s also a special section for honeymoon trip planning, where even if you have a destination in mind, they’ll save you tons of time by helping to fill out your schedule.
Magical Mystery Tours
With a name as fun as the service they provide, Magical Mystery Tours began in 2009 when two friends planned a vacation for a third, and it was a hit. Now they plan domestic and international mystery trips, plus traditional trip planning (currently suspended due to the high demand for mystery trips). Trips start at $1,500 for a three-day domestic journey. You can also purchase a gift certificate, if you know someone who could use a little more spontaneity in their lives.
Black Tomato
Do you have deep pockets and a lust for adventure? On their Get Lost Tours, which begin at $30,000, Black Tomato drops you in the middle of nowhere and you have to find your way out. A wilderness survival class is given beforehand, and prior to your trip, they give you advice on how to prepare mentally and physically. Choose between polar, jungle, coastal, desert, or mountain environments or have someone choose for you.
Rustic Pathways Mystery Trips
Surprises aren’t just for grown-ups (though we could probably use them more than the kiddos). Rustic Pathways is a youth-focused travel company fostering global citizenship for middle school, high school, gap year, and college students. Sign up for their 18-day mystery trip for $7,145 plus airfare, and be sent a Patagonia duffel with clues along with a packing list a month in advance. Each day on the trip is a mystery as well, with clues to decipher as a group about the day’s itinerary.
Whym
Get it? Traveling on a “whym.” And this company really does leave it to the last minute—you’ll find out where you’re going by text two to three hours before takeoff. The itinerary is peppered with even more surprises, from sporting events to horseback riding, depending on your budget, and trip options spanning solo flights to group road trips around the US and its territories.
Blind Experiences
Looking for an impressive and sustainable luxury surprise? Depending on your preferences, this Rome-based travel company will send you everywhere from glamping in the Galapagos to a 1920s safari camp in Kenya. The company's roots are in planning honeymoons, but itineraries can be planned for families, groups, and a new child-adult bonding “legacy” trip at places like the Treehotel in Swedish Lapland or a secret pod in the Swiss Alps. Fun for the whole family.