About Watercolor Travel

We truly listen to clients’ desires so that they can co-create custom itineraries that deliver exceptional vacation experiences, complete with luxurious touches and extra special surprises.

At Watercolor Travel,
travel dreams… no matter how fanciful, become a reality.

Hi, I'm Lu Ann Haygood

founder of Watercolor Travel

I’m one of those people who’ve always known what they wanted to be when they grew up. In my case, a traveler. Even as a little girl, I was fascinated by other cultures and people, forever hungry to learn more. Later, as a teacher, I was thrilled to impart the wisdom I gleaned through my travels on my students — history and geography really come alive when you can actually say, “I’ve been there”!

Now, as a custom travel planner, I can draw on my experience in the travel industry to create adventurous, unforgettable escapes for my clients. I’ve been on a lifelong journey of exploration, and I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with you.

Dare To Dream And Explore

Our travel experts truly listen to clients’ desires so that they can co-create custom itineraries that deliver exceptional vacation experiences, complete with luxurious touches and extra special surprises. We also believe that part of what makes a “luxury vacation” genuinely luxurious is being taken care of every step of the way, so you can count on the support and guidance of our travel experts during every part of your journey.


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At Watercolor Travel, travel dreams

— no matter how fanciful —

become a reality.

Fun Facts About Me

I’m a self-proclaimed Francophile (lover of all things French)

I’ve visited most of the 21 regions of Italy and can’t wait to experience the rest.

I love the water and schedule time on the water, in the water, or under the water on all my trips.

I love historical fiction, especially the WW II era. I attended the 75th Anniversary of D-Day in honor of my father who landed at Utah Beach.

I’ve visited all 50 states!

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Meet the Team

Chris Ortego

Wilmington, NC

Travel Specialty: Cruises (Ocean and River), Faith-based travel, Custom Itineraries by Land, Group Travel, National Parks

MORE ABOUT CHRIS

Favorite Vacation: National Parks, Italy, Hawaii

Bucket List Vacations: Spain and Portugal, Australia, South Africa, South America, Canadian Rockies

Favorite Travel Quote: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine

Favorite Travel Accessory: Packing Cubes

Favorite Hobbies: Reading, Hiking, keeping our grandkids!

Jennifer Harris

Denham Springs, LA

Travel Specialty: Disney, Universal, Disney Cruises, Honeymoons, Caribbean

MORE ABOUT JENNIFER

Favorite Vacation: Antigua, Disney Cruises, and Jamaica.

Bucket List Vacation: Europe, The Holy Land, Turks and Caicos

Favorite Travel Quote: “It's a big world out there. It would be a shame not to experience it.” ~J.D. Andrews

Favorite Travel Accessory: Packing cubes and portable chargers.

Favorite Hobbies: Shopping, traveling of course, and going to college football games with my family.

Keith Piner

Madisonville, LA

Travel Specialty: Cruising, Theme Park Vacations, Island Getaways.

MORE ABOUT KEITH

Favorite Vacation: Cruise, Caribbean Island Resorts, National Parks. 

Bucket List: Alaska Cruise/Land Tour, Grand Canyon, Mediterranean Cruise

Favorite Travel Quote: “Some of your best ideas come when you are on vacation”

Favorite Travel Accessory: Charging Station for technology

Favorite Hobby: Short day trips to new places. 

Olivia Arnold

Danville, VA

Travel specialty: Disney, Cruising, Honeymoons, Romantic Destinations, Caribbean, Family Travel

MORE ABOUT OLIVIA

Favorite vacation? Our honeymoon in St. Lucia at Sandals Regency La Toc.

Bucket List vacation? A Mediterranean Cruise to Greece to visit all of the Greek Isles

Favorite travel quote? "To Travel is to Live." -Hans Christian Andersen

Favorite hobby? My small business of uniquely designed, handmade polymer clay earrings, Turquoised Thriftster Designs. I have a passion for creativity, art, and design. 

Dan Haygood

Hampstead, NC

Travel Specialty : "Planes, trains, and automobiles" , Client Care, Electronic Itineraries

MORE ABOUT DAN

Favorite Vacations: Too many to name them all, but just a few include Italy, Greece, France, British Isles, Hawaii, and Exuma.

Bucket List Vacations: Japan, Antarctica, and Africa

Favorite Travel Quote: “I love those days when my only decision is window or aisle.”

Favorite Hobby: Spending time with family and our five granddaughters, playing golf, and traveling
the world!

Christie Ramares 

Franklin, TN

Travel Specialty: Cruises, Family Travel, Romantic Destinations

MORE ABOUT CHRISTIE

Favorite Vacation: On a ship to anywhere, and I do love to see water and/or mountains!

Bucket List Vacations: Alaska, the Mediterranean, really anywhere new to explore! 

Favorite Travel Quote: "A day spent (in a new place) with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered." – Nicholas Sparks 

Favorite Travel Accessory: Packing cubes!

Favorite Hobby: Watching the sunset from our back porch, time with family, trips with my husband, and pickleball!

Sandra Eldridge

Baton Rouge, LA

Travel Specialty: Romantic Destinations, Cruises, and Europe

MORE ABOUT SANDRA

Favorite Vacation: Anywhere in Europe

Bucket List: My bucket list is so very long, but I'll start with France.

Favorite Travel Quote: “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Favorite Travel Accessory: My hanging toiletry bag

Favorite Hobby: Writing novels

Jennifer Johnson

Gonzales, LA

Travel Specialty: Researching and designing a variety of memorable vacations for those who want a truly customized experience.

MORE ABOUT JENNIFER

Favorite Vacation: Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. 

Bucket List Vacation: Castle Road in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 

Favorite Travel Quote: “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience it to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Favorite Travel Accessory: At the moment, my favorite travel accessory is the crossbody fanny pack.

Favorite Hobby: Of course my number one hobby is traveling! Other things I enjoy are thrift shopping and doing anything creative!

Katherine Kennedy

Hampstead, NC

Travel Specialty: Disney vacations for the family, Sandals honeymoon, and European river cruises

MORE ABOUT KATHERINE

Favorite Vacations: Too many to name them all, but just a few include Italy, Greece, France, British Isles, Hawaii, and Exuma.

Bucket List Vacations: Japan, Antarctica, and Africa

Favorite Travel Quote: “I love those days when my only decision is window or aisle.”

Favorite Hobby: Spending time with family and our five granddaughters, playing golf, and traveling
the world!

Olivia Arnold

Danville, VA

Travel Specialty: Disney, Cruising, Honeymoons, Romantic Destinations, Caribbean, Family Travel

MORE ABOUT olivia

Chris Ortego

Wilmington, NC

Travel Specialty: Cruises (Ocean and River), Faith-based travel, Custom Itineraries by Land, Group Travel, National Parks

MORE ABOUT CHRIS

Jennifer Harris

Denham Springs, LA

Travel Specialty: Disney, Universal, Disney Cruises, Honeymoons, Caribbean

MORE ABOUT jennifer

Keith Piner

Madisonville, LA

Travel Specialty: Cruising, Theme Park Vacations, Island Getaways.

MORE ABOUT keith

Favorite Vacation: National Parks, Italy, Hawaii

Bucket List Vacations: Spain and Portugal, Australia, South Africa, South America, Canadian Rockies

Favorite Travel Quote: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine

Favorite Travel Accessory: Packing Cubes

Favorite Hobbies: Reading, Hiking, keeping our grandkids!

Favorite Vacation: Antigua, Disney Cruises, and Jamaica.

Bucket List Vacation: Europe, The Holy Land, Turks and Caicos

Favorite Travel Quote: “It's a big world out there. It would be a shame not to experience it.” ~J.D. Andrews

Favorite Travel Accessory: Packing cubes and portable chargers.

Favorite Hobbies: Shopping, traveling of course, and going to college football games with my family.

Favorite Vacation: Cruise, Caribbean Island Resorts, National Parks. 

Bucket List: Alaska Cruise/Land Tour, Grand Canyon, Mediterranean Cruise

Favorite Travel Quote: “Some of your best ideas come when you are on vacation”

Favorite Travel Accessory: Charging Station for technology

Favorite Hobby: Short day trips to new places. 

Favorite vacation? Our honeymoon in St. Lucia at Sandals Regency La Toc.

Bucket List vacation?
A Mediterranean Cruise to Greece to visit all of the Greek Isles

Favorite travel quote? "To Travel is to Live." -Hans Christian Andersen

Favorite hobby? My small business of uniquely designed, handmade polymer clay earrings, Turquoised Thriftster Designs. I have a passion for creativity, art, and design. 

Jennifer Johnson

Gonzales, LA

Travel specialty: Researching and designing a variety of memorable vacations for those who want a truly customized experience.

MORE ABOUT JENNIFER

Dan Haygood

Hampstead, NC

Travel Specialty : "Planes, trains, and automobiles" , Client Care, Electronic Itineraries

MORE ABOUT DAN

Christi Ramares 

Franklin, TN

Travel Specialty: Cruises, Family Travel, Romantic Destinations

MORE ABOUT CHRISTI

Sandra Eldridge

Baton Rouge, LA

Travel Specialty: Romantic Destinations, Cruises, and Europe

MORE ABOUT SANDRA

Favorite Vacations: Too many to name them all, but just a few include Italy, Greece, France, British Isles, Hawaii, and Exuma.

Bucket List Vacations: Japan, Antarctica, and Africa

Favorite Travel Quote: “I love those days when my only decision is window or aisle.”

Favorite Hobby: Spending time with family and our five granddaughters, playing golf, and traveling
the world!

Favorite Vacation: On a ship to anywhere, and I do love to see water and/or mountains!

Bucket List Vacations: Alaska, the Mediterranean, really anywhere new to explore! 

Favorite Travel Quote: "A day spent (in a new place) with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered." – Nicholas Sparks 

Favorite Travel Accessory: Packing cubes!

Favorite Hobby: Watching the sunset from our back porch, time with family, trips with my husband, and pickleball!

Favorite Vacation: Anywhere in Europe

Bucket List: My bucket list is so very long, but I'll start with France.

Favorite Travel Quote: “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Favorite Travel Accessory: My hanging toiletry bag

Favorite Hobby: Writing novels

Favorite Vacation: Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. 

Bucket List Vacation: Castle Road in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 

Favorite Travel Quote: “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience it to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Favorite Travel Accessory: At the moment, my favorite travel accessory is the crossbody fanny pack.

Favorite Hobby: Of course my number one hobby is traveling! Other things I enjoy are thrift shopping and doing anything creative!

Katherine Kennedy

Hampstead, NC

Travel Specialty: Disney vacations for the family, Sandals honeymoon, and European river cruises

MORE ABOUT KATHERINE

Favorite Vacations: Too many to name them all, but just a few include Italy, Greece, France, British Isles, Hawaii, and Exuma.

Bucket List Vacations: Japan, Antarctica, and Africa

Favorite Travel Quote: “I love those days when my only decision is window or aisle.”

Favorite Hobby: Spending time with family and our five granddaughters, playing golf, and traveling
the world!

what are you waiting for?

Together, we can create travel itineraries that capture all you’ve been dreaming of — and more.



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