Pack up and go reviews: Pack Up + Go, a Pittsburgh-based travel agency debuted in January 2016 and has since sent approximately 16,000 Travelers on 8,000 trips to 90 destinations across the United States. What’s the catch? The entire journey is a surprise, from the destination to what to do there.
Pack Up + Go operates like a regular travel agency — and, according to founder and CEO Lillian Rafson, is fully accredited — except that travelers have no idea where they are going until the day of departure. It was now my turn to put it to the test. From the moment I clicked “purchase” on my trip to the moment I landed in my surprise destination, here’s what happened. The premise is straightforward: Go to Pack Up + Go’s website, click “go somewhere,” and then choose the type of trip you want to take. I went on a solo trip by plane or train. Every option is for a three-day vacation. You choose your budget (I chose $1,000), click buy, and are taken to a form. Cities were reopening, people felt secure reuniting with loved ones, and the tourist industry was improving. It was all around me, and I could see and feel it.
After such a busy year, it’s a thrill to look back on everything we’ve accomplished. Since January, we’ve added 13 new team members, more than tripling our size, and they’re all dedicated to bringing the pleasure of unexpected travel to as many people as possible. We not only increased our employees, but we also pushed ourselves to new heights in every aspect of our job. We went beyond surprises with the advent of Picks. We cooperated on several outstanding relationships with Chase/United, our largest connection to date. The Cloud 9 Club was a method for us to show that we cared about our consumers and community. As a result, we designed the Peace of Mind Refund Assurance to protect our consumers in the case of a life-changing incident.
How much more do we need to know?
You can tell our Travel Planning Team any particular you have in mind concerning the following themes in the pre-trip survey section titled “Is there anything else we NEED to know?”
Reservations: These days, there are so many great places to pick from, and we want you to do the same! Our Travel Planning Team makes every attempt to include at least one dinner reservation, so you don’t have to deal with crowds or make a decision. If you have any specific food requirements or preferences (e.g., “A Japanese restaurant would be excellent; please avoid Gastropubs”), please let us know on the Pre-Trip Survey. Also, if you’re coming over the weekend (Saturday and Sunday), let us know if you’d want a table for Sunday brunch. The best part about making reservations is that if your plans change, you can always change your mind and go somewhere else.
Activities: If funds remain after purchasing the items guaranteed in your vacation package, your Travel Team will purchase additional items for your Surprise Getaway. Please let us know in the Pre-Trip Survey if you’d want to include an extra service, such as a gastronomy tour, a comedy performance ticket, or a rideshare gift card. Even if we are unable to cover the costs, please let us know if you would like us to make arrangements for vehicle rentals, massage appointments, or dinner reservations. Please also let us know if you have a specific budget in mind for these services.
It is not advisable to travel to the following locations: We’d like to be able to read people’s minds, but we’re not there yet. Please let us know if there is a city that you do not want to visit. It’s also a good idea to let us know what kind of city vibe you’re looking for (“I’d like to visit a smaller city”) so that our in-house travel experts can help you narrow down your choices.
Traveling inside a given geographical area:
Make a list of destinations in the southwest and northeast that you’ve always wanted to visit. We won’t always be able to promise that, but we will try our hardest. The word that best represents the year 2021 is resilience.
The next stage is to consider the future. We’re excited to start the new year with a more stable team and a more enthusiastic community behind us. Even if there is still some uncertainty, this year has demonstrated that our small but successful team can overcome any obstacles with inventiveness, care, and charisma. I’m hoping that the word “opportunity” will come to describe our year in 2022. It means a lot to me that you’re joining us on this journey, and I appreciate your help.
FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON, PACK UP + GO IS NOW OPEN!
A Surprise Trip is an ideal way to say “thank you” to the people in your life, according to inquiring minds. Pack Up + Go is a great way to give your loved ones the gift of a vacation. Look no further than a Pack Up + Surprise Trip. (hypecloth.com) If you’re looking for a fun family getaway or gifts for him, her, or them, here is the place to go! We’ll show you how to accomplish it down below. Send a gift certificate! You may give the gift of Surprise Travel this holiday season with one of our gift cards!
Pack Up + Go has digital gift cards starting at $100 that may be used to give the gift of travel. A gift card can assist you in saving money this holiday season! You may print these and include them in your holiday greetings because they are digital. Why not give your gift card a festive makeover for the holidays? If that’s the case, consider yourself lucky! Pack Up + Go has a large selection of ready-to-print PDF templates.
WITH A VACATION-RELATED GIFT, YOU GET TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE.
What could be better than a surprise travel-related gift? I have two travel-themed surprises in store for you! We recommend matching your holiday gift card with a vacation-themed item to get the most out of it. Pack Up + Go’s adorable goods are the perfect complement to announcing a Surprise Trip. How about a step-by-step travel journal for the creatives in your life? They can fill it out while visiting a new place with the help of our company, Pack Up + Go. You may also include themed items such as car snacks for a road trip, airline activity books for a flight, local maps and small business delights for a vacation, and so on with your gift card.
DON’T TELL THEM WHAT’S COMING!
The nicest aspect is that you can entirely conceal what you’re buying for the recipient. That’s right, you read it accurately. We’re all about putting the “Surprise” in “Surprise” here at Surprise Travel. You can use the Pack Up + Go Pre-Trip Survey to plan a trip around your and your travel companions’ hobbies without informing them! There is a checkbox for “Please don’t email or contact this traveler” on the Pre-Trip Survey that you can select. We’ll know not to send any fresh information or reminders to your loved one, and instead send them to you alone. Keep your trip a secret until you and your partner go on your journey together.
You provide the company with a wealth of information about yourself and your future plans. Pack Up + Go then acts as a matchmaking service, matching the traveler with the ideal destination by utilizing in-house travel agents to plan the trips. Rafson describes it as a “low-tech, hands-on process.”
