Heritage Travel & Events, LLC

06/18/2024

Looking for some activities this summer?

The link below gives you access to activities and excursions all over the world! From Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Rome, Italy- this has got you covered!

So here's the booking details:
1. You can book anything from your end. I'll receive an email letting me know that you purchased an activity. I'll be able to see and help with anything that you may need, but you'll be the direct contact.
2. If you found what you want but want a little more help, just let me know. I'll get the activity booked for you and continue the process like any other trip I book for clients.

I love having access to this resource. It makes exploring relatively easy. Not to mention it's just fun to look and see what you can experience!

06/11/2024

Seven years ago this week I eagerly-and blindly-toiled the streets of downtown Tuscaloosa getting all of the licenses and documents needed to start my travel agency. I dragged my cousin along. Bless him.
Every part of that process was unfamiliar to me. The only thing I knew was that God had opened the door for me to start my own agency, and I was going to walk through it. I loved being a travel advisor. I just wanted to be one in a way that fit my values and beliefs.

We probably went to 20 offices that day (only a slight exaggeration) with really only 5 offices being what we needed.
I can't even remember if one of the offices we walked in was one of the ones we needed to visit, but I know that I'll never forget what happened.

As I had done 100 times that day, I walked up to the counter and explained what I needed. This tall, middle-aged man stood at the counter. He looked at me, chuckled, and said
"You need to really think about doing all of this before you get started. It's not that easy. Most businesses don't last. You're going to take on more than you want!"

I'm not going to lie, most of the time peoples' words get to me. I take what they say to heart. Whether what they say is true or not, I believe that I then have to meet their expectation of me. It's definitely something I struggle with.
But this time, his words made me angry. They fueled my desire even more to start this business and never look back.

That wasn't the last time I would be met with doubt or lack of support. Sadly, it's just been from people that I never expected.

But despite his words, I'm still here.

My hope and prayer is that I will be here for years to come.

So thank you for your support. I take this business seriously. And I take pride in knowing that I get to help so many of you.

With that, if you've made it this far. I would greatly appreciate a share, like, or anything to help my business reach more people.
Once again, thank you!

05/21/2024

When I started this business in 2017, Hunter and I were more newlyweds with no children.
Since then, we have brought 3 children into this world.

Our oldest was born in 2019. The year that followed was one of the hardest years of my life- personally and professionally.
By time Kaylee was 7 months old, my business was turned upside down due to COVID.
She also wasn't the easiest baby to tend to.
I spent all day holding her (because she wouldn't let you put her down). Once my parents completed their work day, I then worked in the afternoons until around midnight. Hunter was nursing then on travel contracts, so he was in another state.
That was just not a fun year.

Yesterday, we attended Kaylee's K4 graduation. My mind raced all day with hundreds of thoughts and memories.
I thought back to the rough start of navigating motherhood, owning a business, and surviving a pandemic (literally and figuratively).
I thought of how the next time she has a cap and gown on, it will be for her high school graduation.
I thought of how fast these years have flown and we'll be doing this in no time for the boys.
I thought of all the graduation trips I've planned over the years, and before long we'll be planning hers.

I'm back in my office today after making yesterday all about her.
I'll also be checking in on a graduation trip for a client today.
I think I'm going to take a second to ask that mom how she's doing. I'm sure she didn't think life would go this fast.

Congratulations to all of the graduates out there!

04/03/2024

Coffee cups are my go-to souvenir.

Well, actually 4 things: a coffee cup, tshirt, magnet, and Christmas ornament.

But coffee cups are the first thing I look for when we travel or go to places.
Each cup in our cabinet has a memory or story.

They also tell a timeline.
My Southern Miss alumni mug- which is no longer with us- came from before Hunter and I even met.
Our Mexico, France, and some of our Gulf Shores mugs came before Kaylee was born.
The mug below was from Kaylee's first trip to Walt Disney World.

Some have broken over the years. Our Canada mug was one of our favorites and most used. It's also why we don't have it anymore.

I know. This is kind of all stupid. They're just coffee cups.
But right now in the depths of newborn twin life, these cups are probably one of the most valuable and cherished items in our house.
My days- and nights- are controlled by the ever changing schedule of two relatively tiny humans (I produce huge children).
I'm pretty sure there's FDA warnings about the amount of caffeine we're consuming these days. But I'll deal with those side effects later.

I'm one of those people that thrives on a schedule and plan. Maybe that's why I love what I do.
But I'm pretty sure having twins was part of God's way of getting me out of my very loved and meticulously planned comfort zone.
Schedules are more like suggestions these days.

Despite my plans, life continues regardless.
Until the boys start daycare, my work hours are determined by them- along with my sleep hours and everything else in our lives.

These long days and nights filled with baby snuggles, bottles, and diapers are temporary. But they're also a reminder- like my coffee cups- that this time will pass quickly and be a memory.

At some point, when I can leave the house again, I'll accumulate more cups that will have the memory of the boys too.
And at some point, I'll open that cabinet and look at all of those cups with a memory of how they kept us semi-awake during this newborn time.

At some point, God-willing, Hunter and I will get a cup from our first trip with no children at home.
Though a trip with a full night's sleep sounds amazing, for now, I'll reminisce with my daily coffee as we take on our most important adventure- loving and growing our marriage and babies (and attempting to get some sleep).

03/14/2024

Since 2017, I've had the privilege of helping hundreds of people travel the world.
During this time, I've seen marriages, births, moves, and even deaths of my clients.
Throughout this period, I've experienced two moves, the birth of our daughter, and now the birth of our twin boys.

I can't thank my loyal clients enough for your patience and understanding during my bed rest the last few months. And now, as I'm slowly getting back to work, I again appreciate all of you giving me grace while I navigate life with two babies.

I love helping you all, and having this business allows me to provide for my family. I deeply cherish each of you so much.

With that, here are HTE's new travel companions- Will and Ray!

02/01/2024

Cows on a travel agency page? Just give me a minute.

I spent some time Monday introducing myself to the new followers of this page.
For those of you that don't know me personally, I have two loves (besides my husband and children)- travel and our farm.

But back to the cows.
The number 1 rule in farming is not to name your animals.
Therefore, let me introduce you to two former calves of ours- Minnie and Lucia!
I know, I broke the cardinal rule of farming. But it's more than that.
See, I keep records of everything that happens on the farm including when calves are born.
And I don't just name the calves based on what sounds good. I name them based on an event, holiday, or special date so that I can remember the date that they were born.

The black calf on the left was dubbed Minnie because she was born on the return day of our trip from Walt Disney World. The tan calf on the right earned the name Lucia from being born 4 days before we flew to St Lucia.

These two have long left our pastures. But when we reflect back on our trips from last year, it's hard not to recount the birth of these babies.

This is just part of why I love helping people travel. I may not know what happens before or after your trip. But I'm sure many of my clients have had some exciting before or after events that will always be tied to their adventures. And whether they remember my involvement or not, I'm just glad that I was able to help add another fun experience and memory to their lives.

01/29/2024

About twice a year, I take the time to introduce myself to new followers of this page.
So here we go! I am Jessica Vick. After working for another agency, God swung the door WAY open for me to open my own agency in 2017.
Since then, I have been fortunate to help clients from 6 different states travel all over the world.
My office is based in our small family farm outside of Tuscaloosa, AL.

So why the word "heritage"? When I was forming my business, I wanted a word in my business name that reflected one of my "whys" for how I run my agency.
Much of our everyday lives revolve around the traditions, beliefs, and lessons that have been passed down to us. And within my own little family, we are creating and instilling new traditions, beliefs, and lessons to our children.
So much of who we are as individuals comes from our heritage. And one thing I've learned over the years is that all of these things have some stake from the trips and travels we have experienced along the way.
Honeymoons, family vacations, anniversary trips, once in a lifetime adventures- these travels become a part of us.

I've had clients want to visit places because that's where their grandfathers fought in a war. I've had clients want to honeymoon in a particular destination because their parents honeymooned there. I've had clients eager to take their kids to Walt Disney World because their parents took them.
And then I've had clients that never got to experience traveling as a child, so they want that to be a new tradition for theirselves and their families.

Through all of these trips, I've been able to help and assist these clients make their dreams and traditions become a reality.

Regardless of the reasons, from my own experience, I've come to know that these trips may end, but the memories last for years to come. And no matter how many times you reflect on these memories, the reminiscing is always special.

I truly love what I do and the people I get to help.
I am currently in a down time due to bed rest and the soon to be arrival of our twin boys. And though I'm excited for their appearance, it sure has made me miss working like I was.
I'm still working some, but in a few months, I plan to be back in full speed! And boy, am I ready!

With that, welcome to Heritage Travel & Events! I hope I get the opportunity to help you travel some time.
(And if you're in the mood for helping a small business for free, please share this page and/or post with all of your friends.)

01/18/2024

Today is National Winnie the Pooh Day.
Just being honest, I think Kaylee has only watched 1-2 episodes in her life. It wasn't a show that really stuck with her.
But meeting Winnie the Pooh and friends- she LOVED that!
We booked The Crystal Palace for a last minute dinner during our March stay, and it was one of the best character interactions. She met a pig, bear, and donkey as Kaylee called them (because again, she had no clue who they were). But she loved loving on them throughout the dinner.

I cherish these photos greatly. I know there will come a time that she will likely not care to hug every character. But for now, she loves them despite knowing them. And if a little Disney magic makes her smile, I'll be right there to soak it all up with her.

"Any day spent with you is my favorite." Winnie the Pooh

01/16/2024

The morning that we left Jackson Hole, the snow began to fall.
We didn't stay in Jackson Hole, but right across the border and over a mountain in Victor, Idaho.
Out of all of my adventures, probably the most afraid I've ever been is when this southern born and raised, played football in a hurricane, and has seen snow less times than I've been on a airplane girl was at the top of that mountain.
Thankfully, my more than brave (almost reckless) husband safely navigated us up and down that very snowy mountain.
The only other vehicle we saw that morning must have been a fellow southerner because they stopped right in the middle of the mountain and looked terrified.
As my man always does, he carefully-with slight agitation-navigated around the obstacle and kept going (this applies for more than just that snowy mountain, if you know what I mean. But that's a post about how awesome he is for another day).
Anyway, once we made it down in Wilson safely, we enjoyed the dark snowy morning as we continued on to the airport.
We finished our dark morning by walking out onto the tarmac and up the stairs to board the airplane in a light snowfall.
As I sit (because sitting and laying down is all I can do these days with a belly full of twin boys), I'm enjoying the view of our lightly, yet melting snow drizzled farm and reminiscing of our morning departing Jackson Hole.
This is what I love about traveling. Not only can new places remind me of home, but events at home can remind me of places I've traveled and the memories I've made.
This is also why I love what I do. I truly love helping people make special moments that last for a lifetime.

01/11/2024

Just saying.......

01/10/2024

Look, there's always trips that I would love to either send clients on or take myself. As much as I would love to go on this one, maybe my time will come one day when all of my littles are older.

But for now, PLEASE let me help some of you take this awesome cruise!

It won't take sail until 2025. And this 14 day cruise is actually very affordable! Y'all! I want someone to jump on this so bad!

Check out the itinerary. And to book this fantastic trip, message me or text me at 334-651-1502

Balcony Cloud 9 Spa RoomCruise FareGratuitiesTravel Protection

01/10/2024

I was just checking the weather for next week.
Not sure where you live, but the Tuscaloosa area is projected to get down to 14 degrees next week!

With that, let's take the freezing temps next week as an excuse to book your summer vacations.
😉 Remember, your favorite travel advisor can book Orange Beach/Gulf Shore condos.

12/31/2023

2023 has been quite a year.
Once again, I was fortunate to help so many of you make new memories, explore new places, and form new traditions.

I definitely want to thank you all for being so kind and patient with me this year. I certainly wasn't expecting to get pregnant, much less have a pregnancy that has tried me physically, emotionally, and mentally. But doing this work and having you all as clients has reminded me that I'm just where I need to be.

2024 will not only welcome my twin boys, but it will welcome me back into my office chair and working for you. (I have to say, I'm pretty ready to get back to work!)

Walt Disney World, St Lucia, Jamaica, Dubai, Bahamas, NYC, Gult Shores- are just some of the places traveled this past year.
I can't wait for where 2024 will take us all!

Once again, thank you! And Happy New Year!

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas from Heritage Travel!

I hope you have an amazing day filled with love, family, friends, and laughter.

12/20/2023

Look, I love a good Christmas cheesy movie as much as the next person. But after this season of watching them, I now know how my ICU nurse husband feels watching ANY medical show on tv.

It seems that (or it could just be my choice in movies this holiday season) that more of these same plot films are choosing to have their characters travel rather than stay in the same 3 square miles.

Regardless, do your small-town travel advisor (that's me) a favor- DO NOT BELIEVE THAT TRAVEL DEALS JUST MAGICALLY APPEAR!
If I have to see one more holly jolly cheesy movie magically show a airline ticket appear for $1000 less than all of the other identical itinerary tickets- I may throw a present at my tv.

Don't get me wrong- some magic does appear every now and then in the travel world. For instance, just today I got Cinderella's Royal Table breakfast AND Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique reservations for the SAME DAY for a client. IYKYK (or whatever the kids are abbreviating these days).

But to show people of the world that as they search for airline tickets that one will instantly appear cheaper during a search- that should be outlawed!

I could go on about the other travel atrocities that I've seen in these films. But the airline tickets are probably some of the worst of them all.

I don't know. Maybe I just skipped the part that the cheaper tickets were part of the Christmas magic (more like a virgin Mary miracle). But as a travel advisor that deals with airlines weekly, I guess the Scrooge in me is just a little stronger when it comes to these plot lines.

Anyway. I'm off to watch the only accurate Christmas movie out there- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. IYKYK (Did I do it right?)

11/28/2023

Right?! I can help you book this gift!

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have an amazing day!
I'm extremely thankful for all of you!

11/17/2023

If you've spent just a little time on Facebook this week, you've likely seen a post going around on your feed asking you to "invite all" to someone's business page.
I'm sure you've also likely had HUNDREDS of invites to different businesses throughout the week to go along with the post.

I know. The invites are probably annoying. You're ready to stop seeing people grovel for shares.
I get it.

But let me tell you what it means to someone like me.

First off, I shared the post asking my Facebook friends to invite all to this page. Let me tell you, the anxiety was real! But I wanted to give it a shot.

I saw people that I thought would do it. But I had some people share that frankly I didn't know if they even noticed me or my business.

Maybe it's the pregnancy hormones, but I definitely cried seeing those people say that they invited all of their friends to like my business page.

My husband and I are both fully self-employed. We didn't just choose this because we wanted "freedoms," but we chose to be self-employed because it's what God called us to.
And just because God calls you to do something, it doesn't mean it's going to be easy.

There's no PTO or paid sick days. The health insurance is crap.
Despite the hardships, and there's always plenty, we genuinely love what we both do and want to continue serving you in the way each business works.

Your "invite all" may result in a paid doctor bill for our children. Your "invite all" will help us with Christmas presents and paying our electric bill.
That being said, thank you. Thank you for following this page. Thank you for taking the time to invite others to like this page.
Thank you to my clients that have entrusted me with their time, money, and memories.

So on behalf of all the small businesses and small business owners this week- thank you! It really means the world to us!

11/16/2023

It's one week until Thanksgiving!!
What is your must-have Thanksgiving food?

11/15/2023

Helping friends, couples, families and people from all walks of life experience the magic of Walt Disney World is one of my favorite things to do.
I'm so fortunate that I get to call what I do my job.

But if there is one piece of Walt Disney World advice I could give, it would be this:
If you haven't been to Walt Disney World in a while, and you purchase the oh-so convenient and reusable resort souvenir cup, whatever you do, DONT put it in the microwave to reheat your coffee! ☕️

With many recent technology enhancements, the souvenir cups were not short of receiving its own technology addition.
And due to my own personal experience, I know that that addition is NOT microwave friendly.

Will I continue to use my souvenir cup for my school commute coffee every morning? Yes.
Will I reheat my coffee in my souvenir cup again? Definitely Not!

So until next year, Mickey, I'll keep you close with my morning coffee that will eventually get cold and NOT reheated!

11/14/2023

These offer dates will fill up fast!

For more information and to book your Walt Disney World vacation, text me at 33-4651-1502.

11/06/2023

Thinking about a destination wedding?

I have not only experienced the Sandals wedding/vow renewal experience personally, but I've also had the pleasure to help some couples get married in paradise.

If you're thinking of a destination wedding, here is a great webinar on what all Sandals offer.

Just click on the link below. RSVP to the date that fits your schedule.
When you start filling out the form, be sure to include the following information about me:
Jessica Vick
Heritage Travel & Events, LLC
[email protected]

If you have a second, share with your friends! I would love to help you with your wedding and honeymoon in paradise!

Login to the best wedding soirée online! Get the latest information and inside tips about throwing your ultimate Sandals Aisle to Isle Wedding! RSVP now!

10/31/2023

Happy Halloween! I hope you have a fun and safe day!

10/26/2023

What's your LEAST favorite Walt Disney World ride, song, or movie?

For my best friend (and my husband), her least favorite is It's A Small World.

Today, I'm spending some time on hold with Disney making some client reservation changes. I had to let her know what was on the hold playlist.

Don't worry, I'm still on hold making the change. But this was just too good not to share.

10/25/2023

What's your favorite Halloween candy?

Kaylee loves Halloween almost as much as she loves Walt Disney World (really, it's a close call).

However, we're hoping that her candy picking skills will have improved some since last Halloween.
Last year, she consistently went for the candy corn and grandma's church candy. This heathen child even passed up a FULL-SIZED SNICKERS for a little bag of candy corn!
Needless to say, we're going to do some coaching before Trick or Treating next week.

Here's a photo from last year before Kaylee made some horrible choices. We'll see if forgiveness will still be in place come next week.

10/10/2023

I often see people post on Facebook that they are looking for condos, cabins, or weekend getaways.

Just a reminder, your local travel advisor can help with those finds!

Text me at 334-651-1502!

09/25/2023

Happy Monday!!

I had to share these that came in from my clients that are still on their out west road trip.
They've spent the last few days in Yellowstone- one of the most beautiful places on earth!

I'm not even on this trip, and I'm gonna be sad when it's over.

If you'd like to copy their itinerary or plan a trip similar to this, let me know!

09/18/2023

Good morning!!

I'm still here! Posting just hasn't been a priority lately.
But I couldn't let too much time go without sharing this AMAZING photo by a client of mine currently on a road trip.
This couple is making a 14 day road trip out west. Needless to say, they are covering a ton of ground!

One thing I love about this couple is that they send me pictures throughout their trip. I love getting to see that my clients are enjoying their vacations.
And this photo has to be one of the prettiest ones I've ever seen!
I hope this brings a smile to your face like it did mine!

08/15/2023

I have been extremely fortunate over the years to help many people visit Hawaii- especially Maui.

Based off of previous years, I believe that it was God looking out for me and my clients that I didn't have anyone there during the last several days.

Thanks to fellow travel advisors and business managers, I've been able to stay informed on the tourist aspects of the aftermath.

That being said, Maui will need visitors more than ever in the coming months in order to help their economy.

Below is an estimate of what the coming months will look like.

My heart breaks for the people there. As we all do, I hope they can come back quickly and better than ever.

07/13/2023

Y'all! I'm just gonna let this speak for itself. I'm so excited!