North America Travel Specialist | National Parks

The Butchart Gardens in Victoria BC

North America has played a major role in my personal and professional journey. I moved to the United States from Brazil at age 24 to study Information Systems at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where I later met my wife, who is originally from Petaluma, California. Living in different regions of the United States and traveling extensively throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean has given me firsthand experience with the incredible geographic and cultural diversity that North America offers.I lived in both Provo and Salt Lake City while attending BYU and spent seven years in Utah before my wife and I moved back to Petaluma, California in June 2001. During my college years, especially in the summer months, I learned to enjoy camping, road trips, and spending time in nature with friends, experiences that helped shape my love for outdoor adventure and scenic travel.One of the most memorable experiences was visiting Yellowstone National Park and seeing its famous geysers, waterfalls, geothermal landscapes, and wildlife. During those years, I also traveled through Wyoming and visited Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park, with their dramatic mountain scenery, lakes, and wildlife. I also visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada. Experiencing the incredible contrast between mountain ranges, desert scenery, canyons, and iconic cities deepened my appreciation for the American West.After marrying my wife, we began exploring more of North America together through cruises and family vacations. We sailed along the Mexican Riviera and visited Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, enjoying the Pacific coastline, beaches, local culture, and coastal scenery. As a family, we also cruised to the Bahamas several times and visited Atlantis Paradise Island, the famous resort known for its massive water slides, aquariums, and iconic pyramid towers.In June 2014, my son and I took an unforgettable road trip from California to British Columbia, Canada. We drove north through Oregon and Washington State before spending three nights in Seattle, where we visited the iconic Space Needle and toured the city. From there, we boarded a ferry with our car and crossed into Victoria, British Columbia. During our stay, we visited the stunning Butchart Gardens, toured the city on a double decker bus, and went whale watching.From Victoria, we took another ferry to Vancouver, where we spent several days exploring Stanley Park and the city’s waterfront. We rented bikes and rode throughout the park while enjoying its scenery and museums. Later, we drove the scenic Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler, one of the most beautiful drives I have experienced in North America. After returning to Vancouver, we drove back into the United States, stopping in Portland, Oregon to visit a friend from nursing school and tour the city and zoo. On the drive home to California, we also visited Crater Lake National Park, whose deep blue volcanic lake remains one of the most breathtaking natural sites in the Pacific Northwest.In August 2019, our family traveled to eastern Canada and Quebec City while helping a Canadian friend’s daughter move for school. During that trip, we visited the famous Château Frontenac and explored the historic charm of Old Quebec, which feels more European than North American in many ways. We also drove to Ottawa, Canada’s capital, and were impressed by its beauty and historic architecture.Since moving to California, I have lived in Sonoma County in Northern California near San Francisco, one of the most iconic and diverse regions in the United States. I have spent countless times visiting Napa and Sonoma wine country, exploring the rugged Northern California coastline, and driving among the towering redwood forests all the way north to Crescent City near the Oregon border.Because I immigrated to the United States and built my life here, I understand both the excitement and challenges international travelers can experience when visiting North America. My background allows me to help travelers better understand regional differences, transportation logistics, travel pacing, and how to combine cities, national parks, cruises, and scenic regions into a more meaningful travel experience.Whether travelers are interested in the national parks of the American West, California coastal destinations, Canada, Caribbean cruises, mountain scenery, road trips, or major cities throughout North America, I enjoy helping create trips that combine iconic highlights with personal insight and real world travel experience.