![Mount Rushmore sunrise](https://special-journeys-media-offload.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Mount-Rushmore-1600x900.jpg)
Why Choose Special Journeys?
Every Special Journeys vacation is a well-planned, organized, and fun vacation. We take care of all the details and needed cares so that our Travelers can relax and have a great vacation. And everything is included in the trip cost except snacks and souvenirs!
Since 2004, Lexi & Tom Mann have personally led almost 400 chaperoned vacations. They have traveled to all 50 states, and every continent except Antarctica! They have also led over 35 cruises, from the US as well as foreign cruise ports. Their hands-on, experienced leadership on each and every trip ensures that every vacation runs as smoothly as possible.
![Texas hot air balloonfest](https://special-journeys-media-offload.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Hot-Air-Balloonfest.jpg)
At the heart of each vacation are our amazing, dedicated and compassionate, volunteer Travel Companions. They start each day assisting travelers with daily cares at the hotel. During the day they assist traveler at meals and attractions. During shopping experiences, a favorite traveler activity, they are assisting with item and size selection.
![](https://special-journeys-media-offload.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Ilustracion-BMTC-02.jpg)
At Special Journeys we take great pride in preparing for the 95% of the situations and issues that we can address in advance. This leaves us prepared and rested for the 5% of things we can’t control. Having the same tour leaders on each vacation since 2004 has allowed us to fine-tune the systems and processes that we use to manage our chaperoned vacations with maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Our Tour Leaders have literally “been there and done that.”
![Group of tourists in front of Mann's Chinese Theater](https://special-journeys-media-offload.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Group-Shot-Manns-Chinese-Theater.jpg)
– W. Edwards Deming, leading management thinker in the field of quality
From distributing medicine to managing spending money to handling all the luggage (to and from the bus), our staff operates to make things easier and more convenient for each traveler. Using our extensive custom software, we also provide each volunteer Travel Companion with all the personal information and details they need to take care of their travelers.
![Group of Tourists at Animal kingdom](https://special-journeys-media-offload.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1740404636_1357896878-3000x2000.jpg)
For Travelers in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota, Special Journeys provides door-to-door service. We will pick you up and drop you off at the location you specify and bring you to the bus or central meeting place. For Travelers hailing from Texas, we offer central meeting points in Austin, Waco, Temple and Lewisville for pickup/drop-off.
![Summit Pike's Peak](https://special-journeys-media-offload.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Summit-Pikes-Peak.jpg)
Our Travelers are never put in a position where they’re unsure of where to go, what to do, who to meet, or how to proceed. From Pickup to Drop-off, someone from the Special Journeys team is by their side every step of the way!
For this reason, we do not take Travelers from outside of the two geographic areas for our trips. That specifically means Travelers we pickup across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota or Travelers who we meet in Texas or Oklahoma at the central meeting places.
![Special Needs group at Hollwood Walk of Fame](https://special-journeys-media-offload.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/We-Take-Care-of-the-Details.jpg)
Sign up for a Special Journeys vacation and know that our experienced leadership and great volunteers will take care of everything and ensure that you have a great vacation!