Carol Schaer, Leisure Travel Advisor
Luxury & Customized Vacations | Destination Specialist in Europe & Africa | River Cruising | Women’s Group Travel
Traveling has been a lifelong passion of mine and the greatest education. I have always been drawn to learning about a country’s history and immersing myself in diverse cultures—it’s like uncovering hidden treasures with every new destination. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, I’ve had the privilege of visiting over 100 countries, and each one never fails to offer something new and interesting. With over two decades of experience, my ultimate goal is to ensure my clients have an unparalleled experience, one that leaves them with cherished memories for a lifetime.
My niche is fully customized experiences that tick my client’s boxes from luxury to mid-range.
My specialties are Europe (have lived in Italy and Austria); Africa and river cruises as well as as hosting small women’s groups.
Get To Know Carol
What are your top 3 favorite destinations and why?
New York City. It is home, and it taught me about different cultures, foods, and how to be a citizen of the world.
Florence, Italy. A history lesson in how one small city can change the world through art, music, architecture, and food continually for the past 600 years.
Don’t make me choose! All of Africa; Machu Picchu, London, Galapagos
What is your most memorable experience?
My most memorable experience is always going to be in Africa. Walking with the cheetahs, eating breakfast with giraffes, meeting the amazing people of each country.
What is your top travel tip?
Pack your patience and your sense of humor. Understand the culture of the country you are visiting and you will have a much more enjoyable experience. If you bring those, you have everything you need to make the best memories!
Chat With Carol
What Carol's Clients Have To Say...
“Carol and VAI Travel could not have made us happier for our 2023 Honeymoon. We had just as much fun planning our Amalfi Coast and Rome trip as we did GOING on it. We had several zoom calls with Carol months before who patiently asked us questions about how we’d like to spend our time and then offered candid, kind, professional advice on how to maximize our wishes and vacation tempo. It was a joy to be in anticipation of it all and it made us so happy and relieved to let a trusted expert plan it all out!
Once the trip began, everything Carol had arranged fell neatly into place. If it hadn’t, we had contact info for every leg and tour segment neatly arranged on a PDF which Carol forwarded before our take-off. But we never needed to use it. We had the most enjoyable honeymoon and are looking forward to new adventures and memories. Trust Carol to give her many years of experience travelling Europe for firsthand opinions of airlines, hotels, tours and regions. And plan to laugh a lot on the way!”
~ Jay
“Planning a big trip with family and/or friends can be so difficult. You want to make sure everyone is heard on what they want to do.
That is where Carol shines. Her knowledge and love for Italy showed. She put a plan in place down to the smallest details. She included restaurant recommendations along with best times and routes to make sure we didn’t miss anything.
Her combination of professionalism and passion made all the difference for our planning and our trip… never book a vacation without Carol.”
~ Liz L.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Carol Schaer as my travel agent, and I couldn’t be more impressed with her expertise and dedication. Carol has orchestrated two memorable trips for me, each exceeding my expectations in every aspect. Her profound knowledge of destinations, coupled with her meticulous attention to detail, ensured that every aspect of my travels was seamless and delightful.
~ Deb C.