That's me, The Travel Mama in Montpellier, France!
Hi there! I'm Colleen Lanin, the founder/editor of TravelMamas.com and the “original” Travel Mama. I launched Travel Mamas in 2009. That was the year Barack Obama was inaugurated, Silly Bandz were the hot trend for kids, and Pilot Sully Sullivan landed an airplane on the Hudson River. It was before Pinterest or Instagram. Yes, that makes Travel Mamas an old timer in the wanderlust family trip blogging world. It also means I've been living my dream job of helping parents travel with kids for a long time!
Before I became a family travel blogger, I was a marketing manager for a non-profit hospice for a few years after earning an MBA. I've also worked in human resources, finance, retail management, and as a cocktail waitress. My career path makes no sense but I've finally landed where I'm meant to be.
Over the years, I've given all sorts of travel tips on television and radio. My family even starred in three national commercials for Park City, Utah.
I wrote a book, too. It's called The Travel Mamas' Guide and it helps parents travel with babies and young children…and stay sane! It's recommended by Working Mother Magazine and lots of other awesome outlets. It even won an award. I have the proof sitting on my home office desk.
As a freelance writer, my stories have appeared in the “Today” show's travel section on NBCNews.com, Parenting Magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, the Chicago Tribune, Expedia, and many other publications. What I'm most proud of, though, are my blog posts written right here on Travel Mamas.
I have lived in California, Minnesota, and Southern France. Now I live in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona with my husband, our two kids, and our rescue pups, Pongo and Mickey. My greatest passions in life are travel, family, Pilates, nature, running (slowly), Oprah, and fabulous hotel pools (not necessarily in that order).
If you want to work with me, please take a look at our PR/Advertising page.
Enjoy the journey!
