Worthy Convos: Kaleigh Kirkpatrick

Kaleigh Kirkpatrick stands by the famous adage “not all who wander are lost,” especially if you are one of her clients. As the owner of The Shameless Tourist, a luxury travel agency that touts perfect planning, Kirkpatrick and her team make it their mission to deliver an adventure so seamless, the only difficult part is deciding where to go.

How did The Shameless Tourist get its name?

I wanted something fun and vibrant as a brand and after a trip to the UK and Ireland a few years ago, I came up with the name. The Shameless Tourist refers to no matter how hard we may try to “live like a local” when we travel, inevitably the city map sticking from our purse or the selfies we take with iconic landmarks show we are “not in Kansas anymore.” During the trip to the UK, I decided to ditch my preconceived notion of trying to blend in and just bought a selfie stick that I proudly toted – shamelessly being a tourist.

What does luxury travel look like?

Service is what differentiates luxury travel. Walking off an airplane to be greeted by someone who zips you through customs and immigration. Having a transfer waiting for you at the airport with bottled water and cold towels. Arriving at your hotel to be escorted to your room on arrival while they check you in without ever visiting a desk and especially without waiting in line.

What surprises your clients the most when booking their travel with The Shameless Tourist?

The properties we recommend, the tour operators we work with, and more. I love having a client return from a trip where we matched the perfect hotel (that they may or may not have even heard of before) and they return blown away, usually by the service. I also am a firm believer that your experience of any destination is very dependent on what you do there and where you stay! If you have a great itinerary, great guides, and a great hotel you will return home with a new “favorite place” in the world.

Photo courtesy of Kaleigh Kirpatrick

You have 10 minutes to pack, and you can only pack 10 items. What are you taking?

I’m pretty basic when it comes to packing— I hate overpacking and am very low maintenance with my beauty routine, so I don’t have any “must carry” items that aren’t standard. I always have my computer and charger with me, every time I leave the house, but otherwise, here are a few staples of any carry on.

• Red Lipstick
• Golden Goose Sneakers
• Phone Charger
• Passport
• Wedge booties
• A Cute Mid-Calf Dress
• Jeans
• Button up top
• Swimsuit
• Dr Barbara Sturm Moisturizer

What about travel and planning travel do you love?

I absolutely love advising. I love it when I chat with a client, they trust my recommendations and come back from the trip over the moon. It’s so rewarding to match the perfect hotel, resort, tour guide, or destination with the client.

Favorite travel tip

I find that often clients before travel are more budget conscious but once they are on the trip, they wished they had set up the transfer, booked the extra tour, paid for the nicer room. Listen to your travel advisor and get it right beforehand!

What destination is at the top of your list?

Antarctica! I also really want to go to Peru and New Zealand.

Although she prefers burnt orange to purple, Hannah Bush is happy to call Fort Worth her new home. She began freelance writing a few years ago to break up the monotony of her 9 to 5, and to prove to her parents that she’s making good use of her journalism degree. When she’s not hanging out with her cat, Hannah can likely be found on a patio with her husband, talking about her cat.