Your Journey Begins Here... Grand Travel Escapes, Ltd

Michelle Swisher, CTA

Would you like to know more about Michelle Swisher?  Here are a few photos to show you some of my travels over the last couple of years.   

Who is Michelle Swisher....

  • I'm a wife of 40+ years, my husband Mike  is wonderful
  • Mike is a 40+ year Deputy Fire Chief & owns Swisher Custom Cabinetry
  • I'm a mom to 3 grown daughters & grandma to 3 children
  • I grew up with Horses and showed them for years
  • Mike & I had horses all our lives (married too) until recently
  • We often horseback ride on our trips because we miss owning horses
  • I have lived my life in Rural Northern Ohio, near Lake Erie
  • I love all animals & being on (boating) or in the  water
  • My first chapter in life, I worked in the Medical field
  • I left that job to have more time at home with the children & managed Mike's Custom Cabinetry Business he has owned for 30+ years
  • Second chapter, managed Our Custom Cabinetry business
  • Close family time together, heavily involved in school activities and traveling with the Girls at least 2 trips a year.   
  • Third Chapter started my own Travel Agency 10+years ago
  • When we became Empty Nesters and had the freedom to travel more, it was time to fulfill my dream of owning a Travel Agency
  • What "Lights up my Spirit"?
  • Creating memorable journeys for my clients brings me great joy
  • I have had  fabulous experiences on my travels.   I want every client to have the same type of memorable experience!
  • And of course, spending time with family & friends

You will notice a general theme in my photos is...Bad Hair!

Long days touring seem to bring on this general theme.  You will also often notice hats, I hate hats!  But due to the intense sun in the destinations I adore...hats are now necessary for me. When you see my photos and think, wow she looks terrible!  You can also think..she is authentically traveling in these destinations!   

Contact Michelle

I would love to connect with you and hear about some of your favorite places you have traveled. 

Two children holding hands while walking toward Cinderella Castle at Disney World.
A couple stands smiling on a platform inside the ancient stone ruins of the Colosseum in Rome under a cloudy sky.
A massive, snow-capped mountain towers over a lush green tundra landscape under a clear, bright blue sky.
Pope Francis waving from a vehicle to a cheering, flag-waving crowd gathered in a city square.
A person holding flowers touches a light-colored stone wall covered in rows of engraved names.
A smiling person in a blue fleece jacket holds a large crab in front of rows of blue seats on a boat.
A person sits on a bench next to a life-sized Smokey Bear statue, both facing forward in an indoor setting.
A person sits at a table in an outdoor cafe in a cobblestone street, smiling with their hands clasped.
A person in a white button-down shirt stands in front of rolling hills and a mountain range under a blue sky.
A couple in formal attire stands smiling on a grand staircase in a luxurious cruise ship atrium with a central clock.
A smiling couple in sunglasses takes a selfie on a boat with a mountainous, tree-covered shoreline in the background.
A smiling couple sits at a table in a room with a large wall mural of a vineyard.
Three people on a boat at night watch the bright moon shining over a brightly lit city skyline reflecting on the water.
A smiling person with shoulder-length blonde hair and glasses wearing a blue cardigan over a white collared shirt.
Three people in leis stand on a rocky beach at sunset, with two wearing patterned dresses and one in a white shirt.
A person wearing a blue shirt and straw hat stands by a stone wall overlooking a scenic landscape with hills and trees.
A smiling person wearing a dark dress with white trim stands inside a well-lit, wood-paneled antique store.
A person wearing a white chef’s hat and shirt rolls out yellow pasta dough on a wooden surface in a restaurant.

Pasta cooking class in Tuscany

Making Pasta by hand in Tuscany Italy  north of Rome 


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A woman in a blue patterned top smiles for a selfie while a man wearing headphones and a camera waves from behind her.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Hilo Hawaii

I'm copiloting the helicopter!


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Six people stand on a boat deck in Ketchikan, Alaska, holding a life ring labeled Aleutian Ballad.

Alaska Crab Boat Excursion

Crab Boat experience in Ketchikan Alaska 


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A person smiling while standing on a stage in front of a blue background with a large yellow sign.
Four people posing in front of a Hawaiian Islands banner, including two dancers in yellow-orange skirts and a musician.
Three people standing in front of an Avalon Waterways
A large group of people in blue inner tubes and helmets navigating a narrow, concrete water flume in a lush, green forest.
A couple stands on a boat deck in front of a blue glacier and mountain landscape under a cloudy sky.

Michelle & MIke at Portage Glacier Alaska

Getting close up to the Portage Glacier in Alaska


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A group of eleven people stands smiling under a large wooden dog sled on a wall labeled

Travel with Me Group in Alaska

My group of Alaska travelers 

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A person in a blue cardigan and another in a grey hoodie stand together outdoors next to a taxidermy moose near a cabin.