MEET RYAN
Travel Has Always Been About More Than the Destination
For me, the best trips aren’t just about where you go. They’re about the people you’re with, the things you experience together, and the stories you’re still talking about years later.
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I’m Ryan Straughan, the person behind Parks, Ports & Places. I started this business because I genuinely enjoy turning a trip idea into something real — researching the options, figuring out the details, and helping create an experience that fits the people taking it.
How Parks, Ports & Places Started
Travel planning started as something I did for myself and my family.
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I’m the person who wants to know what the options are, how everything works, and what’s actually worth the time and money. I enjoy doing the research, comparing the choices, and figuring out how to make all the pieces work together.
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Disney became a big part of that. After visiting Walt Disney World again and again, I realized how much planning can go into a great trip — and how overwhelming that can feel if you don’t enjoy doing all of that research yourself.
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That was really the beginning of Parks, Ports & Places.
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I wanted to take something I already enjoyed doing and use it to help other people spend less time stressing over the details and more time getting excited about where they’re going.
Who I Am Matters to How I Work
WHO I AM
Long before I became a travel advisor, my military career taught me the importance of preparation, responsibility, follow-through, and attention to detail.
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Those things carry into the way I approach travel planning.
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If someone trusts me with their vacation, I take that seriously. These trips represent time away from work, money families have worked hard for, celebrations they may have been looking forward to for years, and opportunities to make memories together.
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I want to understand what matters to you first, then help build a trip that actually fits the way you want to travel.
I Understand Why These Trips Matter
I’m a husband and a dad, and that changes the way I think about travel.
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Family trips come with a lot of moving parts — budgets, schedules, meals, transportation, different personalities, and different ideas of what makes a great vacation.
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I understand the difference between planning a trip that looks good on paper and planning one that actually works for the people going.
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Some of my favorite memories come from traveling with my own family, and that perspective is a big part of how I plan for other families too.
FAMILY & TRAVEL
WHY I DO THIS
Why I Chose to Do This
I didn’t start Parks, Ports & Places just to book vacations.
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I started it because I genuinely enjoy helping people figure out where they want to go and how to make the experience work for them.
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Sometimes that means helping someone navigate Disney for the first time. Sometimes it means comparing cruise lines, finding an all-inclusive resort, planning a sports trip, or helping someone explore a destination they’ve never considered before.
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My goal is to build Parks, Ports & Places into something I can continue long after my military career ends — a business built around something I enjoy, relationships with the people I help, and the chance to keep discovering new places myself.
WHAT TO EXPECT
You'll Always Be Working With Me
Parks, Ports & Places isn’t a call center, and you won’t become a booking number.
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When you reach out, you’re talking to me.
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I’ll ask questions. I’ll probably ask a few you haven’t thought about yet. I’ll research the options, explain the differences, and help you make decisions without making the decisions for you.
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I’m not here to build my ideal vacation and hand it to you.
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I’m here to help build yours.
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You choose the adventure. I’ll handle the details.
There Are a Lot of Places Left to See
I’m still a traveler too.
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There are parks I haven’t explored, ships I haven’t sailed, cities I haven’t walked through, resorts I haven’t stayed at, and places I don’t even know yet that will eventually end up on my list.
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That’s part of what I love about travel: there is always another place to discover.
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If you're ready to discover yours, I'd love to help.