About Donna

Hello, Welcome!  I am so happy you are joining me on this adventure.

My name is Donna Garrison. I’m a family travel expert who loves making memories with my family through budget friendly travel experiences at home in Canada, USA and around the world. No perfect insta-reels here!

Join me in my mission to give families the travel tools and resources they need to confidently explore our beautiful world at home and abroad no matter their budget. I help parents like you check off your family travel bucket list.

I’ve been travelling for over 35+ years both as a solo female traveller & with my daughter since birth & my lovely step kids since they were tweens. From camping adventures and road trips to travel around the globe.

I’d like to take you on a little journey of how we got here, to this blog & how we can help you. Don’t worry it’s the Coles Notes version, so pack your bag and let’s go!

Mom and young child sitting on the Malecon in Havana Cuba

WHAT?

My mission is to inspire other families to explore the world around them at home and abroad, one extra-ordinary family travel adventure at a time.

At Packed for Life I share our experiences in family travel as well as travel tips and resources on family travel planning, budgeting, destinations, and itineraries to help you and your family make the most of your time. Whether exploring your own home town, or travelling to places around the globe.

Based on everything I’ve learned travelling by plane, road, train, sea and foot, over the last 40+ years.

Free Vacation planner with pages fanned out.

WHY ME?

Mom & daughter smiling at a cafer in Victoria, BC.
Me & Miss S in Victoria, BC enjoying the day

….Look, I know I’m not the only family travel expert out there. But you know what, I like to think that I’m unique. I show up in all my messy glory of the good, the bad & funny of family travel. No perfect insta-reels here.

Plus provide no-nonsense, quick & practical travel solutions based on 35+ years experience (with a side of the occasional sweary Mom moments).

I won’t bore you with a ton of details, but I’ve always had an adventurous spirit, and a desire to see the world, and share those experiences with loved ones & my community. Without straining my finances, going into debt, or feeling like I have to sell off a kidney to afford some lavish vacation.

From my first real adventure at age 9, hopping aboard a zodiac boat with my best friend’s family to hike the 75 km (47 mile) wilderness West Coast Trail in Canada.

Now over 35+ years, 20 countries and 5 continents later, my unique perspective on travelling on a budget both as a solo female traveller and with my kids, gives families the tools to experience the joys & possibilities of travelling more for less, through practical, quick solutions. Without having to exist on $20 a day or stay in some shady hostel with 20 year olds (unless you want to :).

And I love it. Here’s why:

  • With only 17-ish years as caretakers for our kids, we can’t afford to wait
  • I want family adventures and family travel experiences to be accessible to all people, with all budgets, not just the Richie Riches.
  • As a fellow busy mom, with a full time job, business & kids I get how hard it is to find time to do it all. I love being able to provide easy to use, quick resources that help parents go from wishful thinking to booking that family vacation. I’m here to cheer you on & help you make shit happen!

WHO? Our Cast of Characters

Family of mom, dad, daughter smiling eating dinner on vacation.

I’d like to introduce the cast of characters you will be sharing your time with on my family travel blog. Myself (Donna), my life partner Derek & Miss S our youngest.

Our older kids are now adults off on their own adventures and living their best lives, so you won’t find them hanging out on these pages.

ME aka Donna, aka Mama

Donna is a 40 something west coast girl at heart, transplanted in the north. She is a nature lover, intrepid explorer (in her own mind) and the family vacation logistical planner. You will find her researching the best places to stay for a more authentic experience, where the closest market is and do you really need to bring your own TP.  TIP – The answer is YES, and always bring wet wipes! It never hurts to be prepared.

Donna is mama to one little and a step mom to two amazing human beans who are heading into adulthood and off on adventures of their own. She is most in her bliss exploring nature, hugging trees, and connecting with people through food & language, while spending time adventuring in Canada and around the world with her family.

Her mottos are “Always be Prepared” (see above) and “Safety First”, much to the dismay of her other family members.

DEREK, aka Dad

Derek is the techy of the bunch. He can be seen viewing the latest YouTube video researching gadgets and gizmos a plenty to make our lives easier at home and abroad. Derek is lead researcher for the best places to eat; city addition. He can be found taking food photos and good-naturedly carrying all the items Donna insists are needed, “just in case.”

Miss S, aka our Littlest Mermaid

Miss S is the youngest of the bunch. She is our sanity check, and helps us stay in the moment and take time to have FUN! You can find her trying on multiple outfits, playing in the sand and getting away with watching endless movies on plane rides. She is also most likely to be voted for the “Can we have ice cream now?…..How about now?” award.

Mom and daughter holding hands around a huge tree.

How it all began

Travelling has been a life long adventure and path of mine. From the time I was 9, I spent many hours of my youth backpacking, camping and travelling around Vancouver Island & the west coast of Canada and the USA with my best friends family.

At nine years old I fearlessly hopped a zodiac with my best friends family and hiked the West Coast Trail. A 75 kilometre (47 mile) wilderness hike through mud, 100 ladders, river crossings and sleeping in a tent in all weather.

I jumped on opportunities to travel to Hawaii, and Disneyland with my school band, and a trip to an International Girl Guide Camp in Saskatchewan as a teenager. I was to content to leave my family behind and explore the world.

I’ve travelled to over 20 countries on 5 continents, and many many towns and cities in between. Including a back packing trip through Europe, Israel and India and spending months in Costa Rica & Ecuador learning Spanish, and exploring the country.

Family travels through Cuba, the USA and across Canada from north to south, east coast to west coast, have been a highlight over the last few years.

We’ve also booked our tickets and are planning a 6 month trip through South East Asia (Vietnam, Thailand & the Philippines) at the end of this year and into the next.

One of my favourite parts of travel is the dreaming and researching, so each article is extensively researched and/or based on personal experience. Finding hidden gems, that are accessible to families is my goal.

Mom and daughter giggling on a rocky west coast beach

Want more? Grab more Family Travel Tips here

Join our Packed for Life Community!

If you want to create more memories with your kids through experiences and travel, I’d love for you to join my email list. It’s a dedicated community of over 2,000 family travellers from around the globe.

I share exclusive family travel content there that you won’t find anywhere else, and I would love to have you & your family as a part of it!

Sign up here:

CONTACT US

Thanks so much for stopping by. Any questions, feel free to reach out:

Donna[at]packedforlife.com

You can also find us on Social Media:

And on Flipboard