I can FEEL spring break in the Smokies.
For a week in March or April, every year as a kid, my family would make the five-hour drive from Cincinnati to camp in the Smoky Mountains. We’d spend most of the time in the national park, but we’d also go into Gatlinburg (my favorite) one day and Pigeon Forge (my sister’s) another. We’d have a meal that you didn’t have to cook yourself over the campfire. My sister would sift through rocks at the “gem” souvenir shops. She later got a degree in geology, so there were signs.
I remember the metallic flavor of orange Tang in a tin cup. Trying to delay getting out of the warm sleeping bag early in the morning before walking down the road to the latrine. Waiting in the tent while my dad hid Easter eggs around the campsite, then having to count all the eggs and candy so that we didn’t miss any and inadvertently feed the wildlife chocolate.
It's been decades since we made that annual pilgrimage to the Smokies. While I have disjointed memories of moments like the ones above, I can’t remember any one specific trip.
This picture of my mom and me, sometime in the mid-1980s, is one of my all-time favorites. I’m probably 2 or 3 years old, so I don’t actually remember this moment. But I can feel it. It’s a very real, very tangible nostalgia for spending every spring break in the Smokies with my family.
I don’t know if I’ll ever try to re-create this experience now as an adult. There are so many other places to see and explore. And if I’m honest, I’m afraid it will be disappointing. Would going back to the Smokies with my family today give me the same warm-and-fuzzy feelings I imagine? Or would it leave a bittersweet taste for what can’t be relived?
What Is Travel Nostalgia?
Bri Mitchell of the Traveling Mitch blog said it really well when she defined nostalgia travel as what happens when “travellers seek out destinations and experiences tied to their memories, cultural heritage, or times past.”
Nostalgia tourism can include anything from revisiting destinations from our childhood, like me with the Smokies; to retro travel that lets you experience places like 1950s motels and diners; to visiting a place that’s important to your family, regardless of whether you’ve previously been there yourself.
Hilton calls this growing trend “time travel” and defines it as “the act of taking vacations and booking travel experiences inspired by nostalgic memories.” In a 2025 survey, the hotel empire found that 58% of travelers revisit childhood travel destinations when vacationing with their own kids.
Who Does Nostalgia Travel?
The truth is, anyone can tap into their memories and try to re-create the experiences they remember so fondly. You might try nostalgia travel just for yourself. You might plan a trip from your childhood memories for your own kids or to connect in a deep and meaningful way with a new partner.
You might create a classic adventure you always wanted to have as a child but couldn’t. Was sleepaway camp a dream but you never got to go because money was tight? Try adult summer camp. It’s real and it’s everything your youthful heart desires.
Sometimes, we feel nostalgic for a time and place even if we’ve never experienced it before. It's called anemoia. In Olivia’s story below, anemoia intersects with a kind of heritage travel, building multigenerational connections.
This year, Seven Corners sent out an all-call to team members with a simple question: What childhood travel memories have you re-created now as an adult?
We hope you enjoy the sentimental recollections of our employees Olivia, April, David, Kelly, and Laura.
Olivia: Connecting to Family in Rome
Olivia Bailey is the Manager of Assist & Medical Management at Seven Corners, leading the team that coordinates emergency medical evacuations, repatriations, and more. She made her first trip to Rome as an adult with her husband, but it was a journey born from family and one she is intent on passing down to her own children. Here is her story.
Growing up, I remember seeing pictures of my grandfather in his military uniform sitting inside the Roman Colosseum. My grandfather died before I was born, so I never had the opportunity to meet him. Those pictures sparked a dream to visit Rome one day and to stand where my grandfather once stood.
In 2014, my husband and I backpacked around Europe for a month. Rome was stop number 4. This was my chance to stand where my grandfather stood at the end of World War II and feel a sense of connection with him.
Instead of returning home feeling complete, I had a new dream. I wanted to take my dad and give him the opportunity to travel internationally and visit the places his dad once visited.
In 2017, I took my dad and my 8-month-old son to Rome, and once again we stood where my grandfather once stood. Four generations in the same place, roughly 80 years later.
But the dream lives on. Now I dream of taking my now-8-year-old back (so he remembers it this time) and my 2-year-old son for a new picture and new memories.
April: Living the Adventure in Astoria
April Welch Pennell is a licensed Digital Sales Agent with Seven Corners. She’s no stranger to travel and loves an offbeat trip. After reading how she turned a favorite movie from childhood into a favorite destination as an adult, be sure to check out her picks for best state parks in the U.S. Here’s her nostalgic travel story.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw The Goonies, circa 1980-something. It was, hands down, the coolest movie I’d ever seen. Something about the mix of pirate treasure, adventure, and misfit camaraderie sparked something in me. From that moment on, I was certain I’d grow up to hunt lost artifacts like Indiana Jones.
Growing up in Colorado, I was lucky to be surrounded by stunning scenery, but when I saw The Goonies, I turned to my dad and asked, “Is Astoria, Oregon, a real place?”
“It most certainly is,” he said.
I couldn’t believe it. Caves, giant trees, cliffs, and huge rocks jutting out of the ocean? I told him, “I want to go there.”
Decades later, I made it happen.
And yes, I got emotional!
I saw THE beach, the Goonies house, the old jail, and the spot where the Fratelli’s restaurant once stood. As part of a 16-state road trip adventure, I’d slyly slipped Astoria onto the itinerary without telling my co-pilot, Andy, until the morning of. She was just as thrilled — and even more touched watching how excited I was.
If you’ve ever been to the Pacific Northwest, you know. It’s like stepping into another world. It’s raw, cinematic, and wildly alive. That trip let me reconnect with my younger self and the sense of wonder that started it all.
So here’s to holding onto that curiosity, that joy, and to always remembering: “It’s our time, our time down here.”
And of course, “Goonies never say die.”
David: Hiking with His Daughter
David Stilley is a Customer Service Manager at Seven Corners. An avid hiker who also shared some of his favorite state parks with us, he thrills off of sharing his love of the outdoors with his family today. Here is his Appalachian Trail story.
When I was 18, I hiked 1,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail. One of my favorite experiences was hiking to and sleeping in Mount Cammerer Lookout Tower. I'm not sure if sleeping in it was allowed, but a Ridgerunner (trained seasonal staff with backpacking and outdoor experience who provide guidance on responsible use of the Trail and its surrounding lands) recommended I do.
Anyway, the views were beautiful, and the lookout tower was really cool, and I knew someday I wanted to go back.
Last year, 27 years later, I finally made it back. This time I got to experience it with my daughter.
Kelly: Missed Connection with the Blarney Stone
Kelly Lexa is a Product Management and Underwriting Advisor at Seven Corners. As a student, she let fear keep her from the full experience in Ireland. But she’s not letting that happen again. Here is her story.
When I was 14, I took a 3-week trip to the United Kingdom, traveling to England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales with the People to People Student Ambassador Program. I was with approximately 30 other students and 3 chaperones. My trip included 2 homestays where I got to live with local families for a few days. I had some of the most unique and amazing experiences of my life while on that trip.
I especially loved Ireland and found it to be the most beautiful place I had ever seen and full of some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met.
My one regret from that trip is that I had the opportunity to kiss the Blarney Stone and I didn’t because I am afraid of heights. I’m thrilled to say that after 30 years, I finally get to go back, and I get to share one of my favorite places on earth with my family. This time, I won’t let my fear of heights get in my way!
Laura: Sharing Disney Magic
Laura Morin is a Seven Corners Customer Service Specialist. We won't blame her for a bit of fixation on childhood memories during a difficult labor. We’re just glad she was able to share those memories with her growing family. This is her story.
There are so many trips I WANT to do again, but it's been busy for us the past couple years. I've been to Disney Magic Kingdom twice, once with my mom, dad, sister, and brother back when I was in high school, and I am pretty sure we rode the Jungle Cruise boat ride back then! Fast forward to 2024 and my husband, one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, and I went again.
Backstory: My daughter came two months early, and I had to be hospitalized for four days to slow down labor. My hospital room had a TV where I watched Jungle Cruise so much, it annoyed my husband (cable had it on repeat that weekend), so when we went to Disney Magic Kingdom, we rode the Jungle Cruise boat ride!
How to Capture Your Own Nostalgia
Reliving your favorite trip moment for moment isn’t realistic. The destination has likely changed. You’ve changed. Your kids might have other ideas for how they want to spend their vacation.
But that doesn’t mean it has to be disappointing or any less special. Go into your trip with realistic expectations of what your vintage vacation can be. Remember that making new memories is just as important as cherishing the old ones.
When you’re ready to travel, make sure you get all the hints, tips, and tricks to make it easy, including protecting your trip with travel insurance. Seven Corners experts like the ones above are ready and excited to help.
