A different kind of girls trip
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WE CURATE NARRATIVE-LED JOURNEYS FOR WOMEN STEPPING INTO A NEWLY EXPANSIVE CHAPTER OF LIFE.
Learn
We anchor every journey around a single, captivating cultural thread, using it as the lens through which an entire destination reveals itself as one unfolding story.
Linger
We leave room for a destination to breathe. Our thoughtfully curated itineraries balance immersive cultural experiences with time to linger over lunch, enjoy a champagne tasting, unwind at the spa, or wander a neighborhood at your own pace.
Connect
Step into a warm, welcoming circle of like-minded travelers, where a shared curiosity about the world naturally leads to genuine laughter, long dinners, and lasting friendships.
The Mrs. Astor Trail
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
This experience moves from historic lower Manhattan streets and early Dutch and colonial landmarks to glittering Fifth Avenue châteaux, exclusive ballrooms, and the city's grandest cultural institutions. Along the way, we consider Caroline Astor as both a formidable social gatekeeper and a living map of New York history, weaponizing her 17th-century lineage against the onslaught of "new money." Together, we explore how her exclusive "Four Hundred" club filtered high society and witnessed the transformation of a small trading outpost into a global metropolis.
Coming October 2027
The Amsterdam Tulip Trail
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
This trail spans everything from vibrant blooming fields and historic botanical gardens to hidden canal-side walks, intimate private homes, and the grand halls of the Rijksmuseum. Along the way, we consider the tulip as both an extraordinary botanical marvel and a high-stakes status symbol in 17th-century Dutch art and commerce. Together, we explore how this single, exotic flower captured the cultural imagination of a global trading empire, transforming a fragile bloom into an enduring icon of power and spring.
Coming April 2027
The Gilded Summer Trail
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
This journey winds from the historic colonial-era harbor and cobblestone streets up to the sweeping ocean cliffs and opulent grand ballrooms of Rhode Island’s coast. Along the way, we consider Newport’s legendary summer "cottages" as both architectural marvels and high-stakes stages for Gilded Age social performance. Together, we trace the intersecting lives of the women who defined the era—from the rebellious heiresses staging social warfare upstairs to the invisible army of domestic workers keeping the golden wheels turning.
Coming June 2027
Your Guide
Your host, Heather Bolen, is the founder of Travel & Culture Salon and holds an M.A. in Early Modern European History from Emory University. As an international host, she curates immersive group journeys around the world that bring history, art, architecture, and landscapes to life.
Heather’s unique approach to travel is all about finding a highly specific, niche lens to unlock a destination. Instead of giving generic overviews, she anchors her journeys around a single, captivating thread—whether that’s tracing the history of the tulip and the frenzy of Tulipmania, or exploring the history of New York City through the lens of the Gilded Age’s ultimate "queen bee," Mrs. Astor. By zooming in on these distinct cultural threads, she brings a place to life like an unfolding story.
But for Heather, the real magic is the connection. She views each journey as a modern salon in motion—an intimate space designed to bring together a community of smart, curious women who are ready to explore the world on their own terms. Hosting these trips allows her to experience the joy of meeting new friends, as she hopes it does for you too.
Her passion for these historic layers and the art of slow, meaningful travel deepened during several years as an expat in Amsterdam. Today, Heather lives in New York City with her two teens, a giant dog, and her cat, where she also leads local guided walking tours.
“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”