Our Story: Where Dreams Become Vacations

At Dream Vacations, we specialize in turning your travel dreams into unforgettable experiences, drawing on decades of industry expertise and award-winning service.

John Walker brings over 40 years of travel industry experience. His journey began with a degree in Hotel and Tourism Management from Penn State, followed by advanced studies at the prestigious Hotel School Les Roches in Switzerland—where his passion for global travel truly took root. From launching luxury hotel brands such as W Hotels to being part of one of the top Dream Vacations travel teams, John has built a career dedicated to delivering personalized, world-class travel experiences.

Ken Hinkle, our Chief Vacation Officer, brings a unique blend of business insight, hospitality passion, and real-world travel experience to every client he serves. Before joining the travel industry, Ken spent much of his professional career in Department Store Retail and Commercial Real Estate, developing deep expertise in customer experience, negotiation, and brand presentation.

His retail roots began as a part-time sales associate, where a passion for service and style quickly propelled him into leadership roles—eventually managing multimillion-dollar buying teams and honing a keen eye for quality, design, and value. He later transitioned into Commercial Real Estate, holding senior leadership positions and overseeing leasing and operations for some of the nation’s most prominent shopping centers and mixed-use developments.

Today, Ken channels those same skills—attention to detail, creative problem-solving, and relationship-building—into crafting seamless, personalized travel experiences. From luxury ocean cruises to bespoke European getaways, he ensures every itinerary reflects each client’s individual style and exceeds expectations.

When we’re not planning dream vacations, we’re out exploring the world ourselves—always seeking the next resort, ship, or destination to share with our clients. Having personally sailed on more than 100 cruises and experienced many of the world’s top resorts firsthand, we use our extensive knowledge and trusted global partnerships to ensure every Dream Vacation is the perfect fit.

Our strong industry connections and high-volume buying power provide clients with exclusive pricing, perks, and amenities that simply aren’t available when booking on your own.

From your initial consultation to the final itinerary, we ensure that every detail of your Dream Vacation is seamless, stress-free, and tailored to your unique vision.

We don’t just sell vacations — we build lasting relationships.