Thoughtful Journeys. Lasting Memories.
See more of the world. One trip at a time.
I believe the best trips are the ones you remember long after you're home. The places you explored, the meals you loved, and the experiences you shared along the way.
After years of planning trips and traveling the world with my own family, I created Compass by Monica to help others do the same. I bring firsthand experience and thoughtful planning to each trip, taking care of the details so you can spend more time looking forward to where you're going.
What we believe
See the places. Experience the culture. Enjoy the journey.
For me, travel has always been about more than checking places off a list. It's about experiencing a destination through its food, culture, people, and everyday moments, while still making time for the places you've always dreamed of seeing.
Traveling with my own family has shown me that you don't have to choose between adventure and ease, or between seeing the world and making a trip enjoyable for everyone. Some days are packed with exploring, others are meant for slowing down, and often the best trips have a little of both.
That's the approach I bring to every trip I plan. Thoughtful itineraries built around how you want to travel, with the details taken care of and room to simply enjoy where you are.
How I can help
Two ways to work together
Let Me Plan Your Trip
Tell me where you're dreaming of going and who's coming along. I'll take care of the details, from hotels and experiences to a thoughtfully planned itinerary, so you can simply enjoy the trip.
Start a trip →Explore My Travels
Browse destinations I've experienced firsthand, with real itineraries, favorite finds, and the things I'd do differently. Use them as inspiration and a starting point for planning your own trip.
Explore destinations →Where we've been
A glimpse at some of the places we've explored
Paris
France
Museums worth lingering in, boulangeries on every corner, and a city made for wandering.
Kenya & Tanzania
East Africa
Unforgettable wildlife, wide-open landscapes, and the kind of family adventure you talk about for years.
Croatia
Adriatic Coast
Walled cities, island hopping, hidden coves, and some of the clearest water we've ever seen.
Galápagos & Quito
Ecuador
Wildlife at every turn and one of those rare places that makes the world feel completely new again.
Japan
Honshu
Bullet trains, ancient temples, vending-machine snacks, and a country that fascinated all of us from beginning to end.
New York
United States
Big-city energy, iconic sights, incredible food, and proof that an unforgettable trip doesn't require a passport.
Who's behind this
Hi, I'm Monica.
Travel has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My family is from El Salvador, and I spent months there during the summers growing up. Those summers also gave me the chance to explore other parts of Central America, giving me an early connection to different cultures and a curiosity about the world beyond my own corner of it.
That curiosity took me to Europe for the first time in high school and only grew from there. Years later, my now-husband and I backpacked through Europe together, eventually spending a year living abroad in Poland. We used every opportunity we could to explore, and travel quickly became something that would shape the life we built together.
Years later, travel looks a little different, but it's still one of the biggest parts of our lives. Now my husband and I are exploring the world with our two boys. Together, we've traveled across five continents, from cities and beaches to safaris, mountains, and places that have pushed us well outside our comfort zones.
Along the way, I became the person who genuinely loved the planning almost as much as the traveling. I could spend hours researching destinations, finding the right hotels, figuring out how to make an itinerary flow, and discovering experiences that would make a trip special. Friends and family began coming to me for advice and help planning their own travels, and eventually I realized I could turn something I had been doing for years into something more.
That's how Compass by Monica came to be.
Today, I help others plan trips with the same care and curiosity I bring to my own. Whether it's a family adventure, a couples getaway, or a trip you've been dreaming about for years, my goal is simple: to make seeing more of the world feel a little easier.
Life is short. Take the trip.
Get in touch →