Travel is Personal — Your Planner Should Be, Too

Making travel feel effortless & filled with moments you’ll remember long after you’re home

Meet Nikki Hinkemeyer

I was born and raised in a small town in Minnesota, and from a young age, I’ve loved learning about new cultures and exploring different places around the world. Growing up, my family and I went to Disney World every year—so yes, I can guide you through the parks like the back of my hand! That curiosity for the world eventually led me to earn my BA in Global Studies (also known as International Relations) with a minor in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

After college, I faced a choice: continue in the automotive industry I had worked in for almost six years, or dive into the travel world I’ve always loved. I decided to follow my passion and launched Travel By Nikki, turning my love of travel into a career.

When I’m not planning trips or traveling myself, you can usually find me curled up with a good book, spending time with friends and family, sampling pasta wherever I can as a self-proclaimed connoisseur, or hanging out in our small Minnesota town with my boyfriend, our Norwegian Elkhound Oslo, and our Siberian cat Luna.

Owner | Lead Travel Designer

1. What’s your favorite place you’ve ever traveled too? It’s a tie between South Korea and Jamaica. South Korea holds a special place for me because I had studied it for years in college, and finally experiencing it in person felt completely surreal. Jamaica, on the other hand, was the first destination I ever traveled to for work, and the colleagues I went with, along with the people I met there, are memories I’ll carry for a lifetime.

2. What destination(s) are at the top of your bucket list right now? Italy, Switzerland, and Thailand!

3. Favorite type of vacation: beach, city, cruise, or something adventurous? Living in cold Minnesota, I always crave a beach vacation. However, cruises hold a special place in my heart, and I can never turn one down!

4. What’s your favorite Disney memory? One of my favorite Disney memories is when my dad, sister, and I waited almost six hours for Avatar Flight of Passage—which was a big deal at the time. If you’ve ever been on the ride, you know exactly why we waited!

5. Favorite seat on the plane? Aisle seat all the way—I get too claustrophobic to sit in the middle or window!

Stamping Through My Favorites

6. What’s always in your carry-on? A book, a phone charger, snacks, and a light travel blanket—my essentials for any flight!

7. What destination surprised you the most? Jamaica totally surprised me—the people were so nice, the food was amazing, and I had way more fun than I was expecting!

8. A place you’d return to again and again? Hawaii—it has everything, and I’ll never get over how beautiful it is there!

9. What’s your dream meal in your dream destination? An authentic pasta dish in Italy—anyone who knows me knows I could live off pasta for the rest of my life!

10. What’s one travel tip you swear by? Book travel insurance!! I’ve seen and heard too many horror stories not to—it’s always better to expect the unexpected.

11. What destination do you wish more people would consider? I wish more people would consider a lot of countries in Asia, like South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and more. The culture and way of life is very different over there, and I think everyone should experience it at least once in their life.