Fifteen Years of Birthday Magic: A Love Story Through Travel

Some journeys aren’t just vacations—they’re traditions, rituals, and expressions of love that unfold year after year.

For one of our favorite couples, travel has become just that. For the past fifteen years, they’ve celebrated each other’s birthdays with a surprise trip. One plans the entire experience in secret, packs the bags, and only reveals the destination en route to the airport. What began as a romantic gesture has become a treasured ritual—especially now, with four children and full lives. These trips are sacred time: to reconnect, unplug, and continually rediscover each other.

This year’s celebrations were among the most memorable yet.

For her birthday, he whisked her away to the ultra-private Yellowstone Club. Nestled in the Montana wilderness, they spent six days skiing untouched powder with two private guides—just the two of them and the mountain. It was serene, exhilarating, and completely their own.

When it was his turn, she revealed a getaway to the newly reimagined Four Seasons Papagayo in Costa Rica. Once the country’s first true luxury resort, it’s now a model of sustainable sophistication. Their days were filled with barefoot adventures: snorkeling in hidden coves, sailing on a private catamaran, paddleboarding on secluded shores, and spotting howler monkeys deep in the jungle. Mornings began with yoga in a hilltop Shala; evenings ended with massages or private dinners under the stars.

She captured the experience best:

“It feels like a wellness getaway… so many activities to choose from. The food is incredibly fresh—fish from the sea, fruit and vegetables from the land. The Costa Rican coffee is delicious, and there are so many health classes every day. If someone wanted a wellness vacation at a true resort, this would be the place.”

Each year, the bar is raised. The challenge becomes how to top the last adventure. But that’s the joy of it: the journey evolves, the connection deepens, and the memories become part of their story.

If you're dreaming of travel that’s as meaningful as it is memorable, we’d be honored to help you write your own tradition.