Welcome!
Glad you found the website! — We were not sure how to tell you that we launched Check-it-Off Travel in December 2019 and are now quickly expanding our client base. It’s a little scary transitioning from the corporate world to a start-up. Our team is growing, with Marie joining Check-it-Off late last year. She has a solid background in marketing, event planning, and working with museums and attractions.
We attended our first travel trade show with business cards in January 2020, and it was great to meet many of the people that are working hard to make their destinations, counties, and states visible to the world. We have a lot to bring to the table because we are focusing solely on the U.S. travel market and have spent 20 + years as professional tourists building local relationships and travel planning expertise.
Our goal is to be your resource for all your U.S. adventures! We believe every state has something unique to offer- whether you’re looking for an adventure, small town charm, wonders of nature or just to relax – there’s something for every kind of traveler.
Please don’t be a stranger, you have our phone number and email and we respond to every question.
Mike
Marie
Check-it-Off Travel
US Travel Planning & Concierge Services
Stamford, Connecticut
P.S. Yes, we really do have a database with more than 100,000 quality points of interest in over 2,500 destinations … and it’s awesome.
The Beginning
I’ve seen a lot of the United States during my 20 years of traveling as a business consultant. But it wasn’t until I began thinking about creating Check-it-Off Travel that I began to really experience the United States. I drove between major cities on an almost weekly basis for work, most often New York City and Boston. I envisioned how to incorporate my travel experiences into a website as I sat in traffic. I wanted to share my experiences with other travelers and, in an affordable way, make their weekend plans, special occasions, and vacations as fun filled as possible.
The Early Days
It was the late Nineties. I collected travel ideas from a few websites (most of which are now defunct) and printed guide books, then headed to a state with the goal of visiting the “must-see attractions.” Using as many frequent-flyer miles, hotel rewards points, and free rental car days as possible, I blazed my own trail— starting each morning at a coffee shop just as the sun was rising. I was first in line at the initial stop on my itinerary and often the last to leave my final destination of the day. I explored for years, spending long weekends and all my vacation time checking off the largest art museums, theme parks, historic sites, national parks, and countless other major attractions.
Then came burnout. I started to realize I was just traveling to attractions and not really experiencing the places I was visiting. The best parts of these trips were the conversations I had with locals, who told me what I should do the next time I was in the area. I couldn’t believe all the things I had missed off the beaten path.
I learned my lesson. I began staying at unique and historic hotels. I discovered local restaurants and places to grab a quick bite. My “to-see” list grew to include state history museums, state historical sites, and historical societies—things that hardly ever made it onto the popular “must-see” travel lists. I toured state capitals. I went on ghost tours and wandered interesting estates once owned by prominent families. Upon returning from these trips, I felt a newfound attachment to the places I had visited. I knew more about the local culture and heritage and had built stronger connections with the people I met along the way. Often, these trips gave me inspiration in choosing my next destination.
I planned sports weekends to new ballparks and arenas. I found cool concert venues. I found myself driving more than flying as I balanced my time between small towns and major cities. I developed a passion for small-town America.
It became my mission to visit all 59 national parks. I wanted to dive deeper into these majestic places, spending a day or two sightseeing and discovering all the parks had to offer.
And Finally, the Database
I approached the database from two angles: Not only did I want to be able to quickly find every zoological park, but I also wanted to know everything there is to do in the best small towns . I also didn’t want to call everything a “zoo”—an animal sanctuary or petting farm deserves its own section. I won’t bore you with the details, but I spent hours, days, and months collecting and refining this information. Every time I drove by a sign for an attraction, I pulled over and made sure I had it in the database. I will be forever thankful to the helpful employees at the travel centers and tourist offices I consulted along the way.
Check-it-Off Travel was born from a passion for travel and a desire to share my knowledge and experiences with other travelers. Fourteen years after my first daydreams of a travel website, I’ve created the most comprehensive travel database for touring the U.S. with profiles of over 2,000 cities and 600 small towns.
Check-it-Off Travel looks forward to making the most of your next trip. We’re here to not only brainstorm with you, but also to provide you with a travel itinerary you just won’t find anywhere else. Let us help you check off a few amazing experiences on your bucket list!
