Karen Olson-Vermillion, LS

Interests & Specialties

Karen has been with Central Travel for 6 years and has traveled extensively.  Prior to joining Central Travel, she spent many years exploring the world! She holds a Destination Specialist designation for Adventure Travel and has achieved the Hibiscus Level as a Hawaii Destination Specialist for Kaua’i, Lana’i, Maui, Moloka’i, Oahu and the big Island of Hawaii from the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.  Karen is located in the Central Avenue office in Toledo, OH and can be reached at 419 843-6294, 800 843-6280 or kareno@centraltravel.com

In recent months she has visited Cancun (loved the Beach Palace), Alaska with Princess, Hawaii (loved the the Waikiki Park in Oahu and the Waikiloa Marriott on the Big Island), the Riviera Maya (visiting the Karisma Resorts and stayed at El Dorado Royale) and Puerto Vallarta.

Expert Bio

Karen Olson-Vermillion loves to travel and she is passionate about Adventure Travel.  An avid skier, she lived in Utah and knows the ski resorts quite well.  The Sundance Resort is one of her favorites. Hawaii is one of her favorite destinations and she has visited all of the islands many times.  From an adventure travel perspective, the Hawaiian Islands are a dream come true!

Alaska, Costa Rica, the Romantic Road in Germany, Jamaica, the Canadian Rockies, and Punta Cana are just a few of her other travels in the last few years.  Her Mexico destinations include, Cancun, Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta and the Mayan Riviera.  She has visited Dreams Tulum, the Grand Palladium and Riu Palace in the last 3 years.

Cruises are also one of her favorite ways to explore the world.  Karen has visited the Southern Caribbean and Alaska with Princess Cruise Line and most recently, the Mediterranean with Celebrity Cruise Lines.

My Recent Trips

I have just returned from a spectacular Alaska journey with Princess.  My itinerary included Fairbanks, Denali and Anchorage.  The Fairbanks Riverside Lodge was my home for two nights. The Gold Rush figures prominently in the décor of this lodge situated on the banks of the Chena River in the heart of Fairbanks, Alaska. Founded by miners consumed with the “gold fever” that swept Alaska at the turn of the century, Fairbanks is the gateway to Alaska's rugged Interior.  The “El Dorado Gold Mine” tour and Riverboat “Discovery” tour are not to be missed!

Next stop was the Mt. Mckinley Princess Wilderness Lodge in Denali for one night.  From the moment you arrive at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge you know you're somewhere special. Bordering the south side of Denali National Park on the banks of the Chulitna River, the Mt. McKinley Lodge is a splendid wilderness retreat.  In the main lodge, The Great Room is a natural place to hang out. With an impressive stone fireplace, cozy sitting areas, tables for card and board games, and enormous floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on majestic Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range, this room truly lives up to its name.

One of my highlights was taking a Princess luxury railway carriage from Talkeetna to Anchorage which offers panoramic views of the scenery from every seat.  The travel time was approximately three hours with a wonderful dinner served en route.

Final stop was the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage.  With the Chugach Mountains looming, Anchorage is Alaska's largest city and gateway to the wilderness.