Celebrity Travel Addicts: Vanessa Rivers from We Are Travel Girls

In this Celebrity Travel Addicts Q & A, we have Vanessa Rivers co-founder and editor of We Are Travel Girls – a site that publishes female travel stories for other female travelers. Last week we interviewed her partner in crime Becky van Dijk. Vanessa is a California surfer girl who now lives in London. Learn what this expecting mommy is up to!

How did your passion for travel get started?

I grew up on a ranch on the Central Coast of California, and attended college at UC Santa Barbara, where I fell in love with surfing. Surfing led me around the world and it was on one of these trips that I realized how much I love to travel, and decided to start documenting my adventures in hopes of someday making a career out of it.

How many days/weeks are you traveling in any given year? What are the types of places do you like to visit?

I am 5 month pregnant right now so I won’t be traveling as much this year, but normally I travel about 2 weeks out of every month, so about half the year. Because I am a bikini designer and an avid surfer, beach destinations are my favorite. I love St Barths! I am certified ski and snowboard instructor as well, so snow destinations are also a favorite of mine. I did a trip to Courchevel 1850 last year and fell in love with the French Alps!

What is it that you want audiences to gain/ learn from your articles?

I try to provide my readers with useful insider tips in all my travel stories. For instance I read a lot of articles that said there is not much to do in Positano but when I visited I found that the opposite was true so I wrote this post 22 Things To Do In Positano to give my readers some insight on all the things there are to do in this gorgeous little town on the Amalfi Coast.

Name your top three destinations you’ve traveled? 

Thailand, Ireland, St Barths

Give us your ‘Top 5’ list for one of these destinations, like a mini-guide or to-do list of sorts.

The small town of Waterville, Ireland is one of my favorite towns in the world! While there you must 1) Visit Skellig Michael where the closing scenes of Star Wars: The Force Awakens were shot, 2) go for a horseback ride on the beach, 3) golf at the world famous Waterville Golf Links course, 4) have the best sticky toffee pudding in the world (and a pint of Guinness), at Butler’s Arms Hotel, 5) and go fly fishing on the Currane River.

How many countries have you visited so far?

36

Your top three favorite cuisines?

Sushi, Italian, Mexican

Favorite restaurant in the world?

Such a tough questions because I have so many I love but one of my favorites is a Tendido Cero in South Kensington. By far the best Spanish food in London and I honestly didn’t find even find better Spanish food in Spain!

Your favorite travel movie?

Chasing Giants. I know it’s not really a travel movie but watching it makes me want to book a flight to anywhere there are good waves, and it is also an inspirational life story that gives you courage to go after what you want in this short time we have on earth.

Favorite international airport?

Ngurah Rai International Airport (Bali) – my friend Becky van Dijk, who I co-founded We Are Travel Girls with, moved to Bali last year and even though this airport is not the nicest it has become my favorite because getting to visit Bali twice last year, and getting to stay with Becky there for two weeks and surf was a dream come true!

Countries with the friendliest people?

Thailand and Ireland

Your favorite traveling companion?

My hubby 😉

Best way you kill time while traveling?

As the founder of 3 companies I never have time to kill. If I have any “down time” while traveling I am on my computer working!

What is the most exotic place your career has taken you?

Although it was not a work trip, The Four Seasons Safari Lodge in the Serengeti is probably the most exotic place I have been to thus far.

Your best bit of travel advice for someone who is about to embark on a life of travel?

Life is about the journey, not the destination. Enjoy the ride!

What are 4 things you could never travel without?

Nikon D5500 Camera, GoPro, MacbookPro and power bars.

What is your ultimate dream destination?

Pig Island and the Maldives are both at the top of my bucketlist!

Your favorite travel quote?

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

Where to next?

Dubai and the Canary Islands for a babymoon, with my hubby.

BIO: 

Vanessa Rivers is the Co-Founder/Editor of We Are Travel Girls, a new travel site created to share female travel stories from around the world! Vanessa has visited 36 countries and specializes in surf, snow and luxury travel, working with top brands such as Gansevoort Hotel Group, Four Seasons Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, Nikki Beach and 1 Hotel Group, just to name a few. Vanessa is also a professional surf instructor and is also the Founder of an eco-friendly bikini line, SummerLove Swimwear. She is currently based out of London, lives part-time in California, and spends much of her time traveling, documenting my adventures on We Are Travel girls and on her personal travel blog, Glitter&Mud.

Connect with Vanessa Rivers  GlitterandMud.com | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube

Connect with We Are Travel Girls  Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube