Hawaii Expert...From First Visit to Forever Favs

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Michelle Thomas, Travel Agent in Yorba Linda, CA

Michelle Thomas

Yorba Linda, CA Travel Agent
Super Agent

Michelle Thomas

Yorba Linda, CA

Simply Escape Co, an independent agent with WorldVia, a Travel Leaders Agency
5.0
(15)
100% Recommended
Michelle did a great job planning a guys trip to Seattle where we went to watch our Chargers play the Seahawks. She found the perfect... Read More >
About
Reviews
My Places
Travel Stories & Media

Areas of expertise

Destinations:

Hawaii, Lahaina, Maui, Kaanapali, Maui, Princeville, Kauai, Poipu, Kauai

Interests:

Adventure, Beach Vacations, Disney Vacations, Family Vacations, Honeymoons

Suppliers:

Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Marriott Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Hilton Hotels, Four Seasons

About Me

Maui Sunsets are My Happy Place
Maui Sunsets are My Happy Place

Aloha! I’m Michelle, founder of Simply Escape LLC, and Hawaii is more than a destination I book for clients, it’s a place I know deeply, personally, and professionally. I have booked and stayed on every Hawaiian Island, own property on Maui, and have returned to the islands yearly for the past 20 years.

That firsthand experience allows me to help clients choose not just a beautiful resort, but the right island, neighborhood, hotel or condo, room type, and pace for the vacation they truly want.

Whether you’re planning a romantic honeymoon, a multi-generational family trip for 10, a Disney Aulani vacation, a milestone celebration, or a relaxing Maui escape, I bring real-world knowledge to every recommendation. I understand the differences between staying in Waikiki, exploring the Big Island’s volcanoes, enjoying Kauai’s natural beauty, experiencing Oahu’s energy, and settling into Maui’s beaches, and I can help you match those experiences to your travel style, budget, and priorities.

Since I’ve planned everything from intimate honeymoons to large family getaways, I know the details that make a Hawaii vacation seamless: the right resort amenities, beach access, family-friendly layouts, dining and activity options, transportation logistics, and the value of booking the right room category from the start.

My goal is to take the guesswork out of planning so you can spend less time researching and more time looking forward to your time in paradise.As a Hawaii specialist, I offer personalized guidance rooted in two decades of island travel, not generic recommendations.

Let’s design a Hawaiian vacation that feels effortless, memorable, and perfectly suited to you!

REVIEWS

Rating: 5.0
15 reviews
100% Recommended
Your trust is our priority. Every review is submitted by verified travelers after they have booked and completed their trips. Learn more about our review guidelines.
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Showing 15 reviews

Great NFL football guys trip to Seattle
Reviewed By Rob A - Yorba Linda, CA | Traveled to Seattle | Washington | USA
Michelle did a great job planning a guys trip to Seattle where we went to watch our Chargers play the Seahawks. She found the perfect hotel with 2 queens in each room, which was a challenge to find in the city. It was in a great area, we walked everywhere, even to the stadium. She made sure we had all of our flight info and provided a step by step itinerary for the whole trip. We had a small issue at the hotel the first night (no fault of hers) and she got right on the phone with them and handled it immediately, even getting us an upgrade and partial refund. Very unexpected and we also got gifts from her before our trip. Thanks Michelle!
Michelle Thomas responded
"Wow! Thank you so much Rob! It was my pleasure and such a fun vacation to book! I am so glad you guys had a great time, although sorry to hear about the outcome of the football game! Looking forward to planning your next guys trip! "
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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New York Baseball Vacation
Reviewed By BaseballFam - Brea, CA | Traveled to New York | USA
My son had a baseball tournament in New York (Cooperstown) and I didn't even know where to start but I remembered Michelle had been there with her son and family a few years back so I called her and she literally took care of EVERYTHING. I gave her the dates, said I may want to either go in a few days early or stay after (whichever was less expensive) and she literally made it all happen and at a fraction of what I thought it was going to cost. I even stayed in a very cool apartment instead of a hotel while he played baseball and it quickly became the parent hangout. I am glad she suggested that over a hotel in Oneonta. Then we decided to end out trip in New York City and she put us up at an amazing hotel walking distance to everything. It happened to be during the basketball playoffs and she still found us an amazing dinner reservation at the famous Keens which is a hard to get into place and had the best dinner of our lives. Thank you again Michelle, I cant say enough about how easy our trip was. I just had to show up and everything was handled. No stress. It was the best.
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Alaskan Disney Cruise!
Reviewed By DisneyFan - Arizona | Traveled to Alaska | USA
Michelle booked us a last minute Alaskan Disney Cruise this summer and I will admit I was hesitant about Alaska with the kids and the cold, but it turned out to be one of the best vacations we have ever taken. She recommended the Disney Cruise Line and I was so so so impressed. Now my family is spoiled by the Disney service, I don't know if we can sail anyone else. She gave us all kinds of tips and tricks (Mickey Bars! and more!!) and we felt like we were the only ones on the entire ship, it was an incredible vacation. Thank you Michelle for making my kids dreams come true!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Our family trip to Japan
Reviewed By Traveling Fam - Newport Beach, CA | Traveled to Japan | East and Southeast Asia
I can not thank Michelle enough for all of the work she did to plan our Japan trip. We knew we wanted to see Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto because of everything we have heard about and she hunkered down, did some research, got us into the best hotels and booked us some fun experiences! We happened to be there during the Grand Sumo Tournament (we had no idea it existed) and she got us tickets! She also timed the Tokyo Disney tickets perfectly and set up private transportation for us because we weren't comfortable navigating the train system (eventually we were, but not with luggage). She did an AMAZING job and I will absolutely continue to call her anytime we choose to go any where. Michelle, if you are reading this, we want to do France next summer! Thank you!!
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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Magical Paris River Cruise
Reviewed By Mimix8 - Orange County, CA | Traveled to Paris | France | Europe
Michelle was absolutely amazing in planning a trip to Paris. I called her one day with just a few ideas of places I wanted to see in Paris that I had never been and to celebrate my husband and my anniversary. I gave her a few places and she ran with it and made amazing suggestions. We ended up on an amazing river cruise and our trip checked every single box and then some. She surprised us with on board credit and a delicious chocolate personalized cake on our anniversary that we shared with our new friends! Everything was top notch and I can't recommend her enough. Thank you so much for helping my husband and I create such special memories.
Michelle Thomas responded
"You two are the cutest! You were so amazing to work with and I am so glad I was able to take your idea and make it a true reality!! Thank you for trusting me with such a special vacation and once in a lifetime trip! I had so much fun planning it and can't wait to take the exact trip myself! "
✓ I would recommend this agent to my family and friends.
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My Places

When it comes to travel planning, real-world experience makes a huge difference. Check out the map below to see all the places I have personally visited or booked for my clients. I know these destinations well and can give you reliable guidance.

My Most Booked Destinations

  • Hawaii: 81 bookings
  • Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii: 7 bookings
  • Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii: 5 bookings
  • Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii: 1 booking

Destinations I've Visited

  • Hawaii: 299 trips
  • Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii: 37 trips
  • Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii: 14 trips
  • Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii: 12 trips
  • Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii: 11 trips

My Travel Stories

Another Beautiful Maui Sunset

Maui, My Forever Place

There are places you visit, and then there are places that become part of you. Maui is that place for me. After more than 20 years of returning yearly, and now owning property on the island, I still feel that same little rush when the plane begins its descent into Kahului. The green ridges of the West Maui Mountains appear outside the window, th...
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