Meet a Mom: Kim Barber, Globetrotter Travel

Meet Kim Barber – a proud mom (of one boy, one dog, and now a baby girl!)! And Travel Expert!

Kim is the heart behind Globetrotter Travel!  When she isn’t planning trips for others including the upcoming Ladies of Lansing trip to Cabo she is busy! This Northern Michigan native and Central Michigan alum, now calls the Grand Ledge area home with her husband and growing family. She’s currently in the process of adopting her second child (a baby girl!)!  

Whether she’s globe-trotting or grocery shopping, Kim brings warmth and compassion wherever she goes, including suggesting a “team mom” approach on airplanes when a baby’s in tears. (Can we make that a thing?)

This week, we’re thrilled to feature Kim as our GLAMoms Meet a Mom!  Click the video below to hear more about her story in her own words, her travel planning tips, and her beautifully big-hearted approach to life.

Welcome to Greater Lansing Area Moms, Kim.  Please introduce yourself!

I grew up in Roscommon, went to school in Mt Pleasant at CMU, interned with tour companies in New Zealand and Australia, and moved to Lansing when I returned from the South Pacific. 

How old are your children? 

My son is 3 and we are in the process of adopting a baby girl who is a few months old!

What do you think is one of the best parts about being a mom? 

It’s cliche, but there’s no more rewarding job than seeing the world through your child’s eyes.  I love the new revelations my son has every single day as his 3 year old mind tries to understand all of the new words, places, and people he encounters. 

What is a piece of advice for new moms you wish you would have known when you were a new mom?

Slow down, enjoy the moments when you’re in them.  There’s always going to be more dishes to wash, laundry to fold, etc. but it’s true, they grow SO fast, so slow down and be present.

Please tell us more about Globetrotter Travel!

Globetrotter Travel turned 10 in February – I started Globetrotter in 2015 after being out of the travel industry for a few years and missing it.  We plan trips to destinations all over the globe, including domestic trips within the USA as well, but we specialize in certain destinations like Australia, New Zealand, African Safari, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Western Europe. 

We also have types of trips that we plan a lot of including river cruises, ocean cruises, all inclusive resorts, and group trips for Alumni Associations, Spring Break Senior Trips, Incentive Travel for Businesses and Destination Weddings primarily.  In addition to these clients, we also work with solo travelers, couples, families and multi-generational families as well to turn their vacation dreams into reality. 

Where do you think the next must-visit travel destination will be?

Iceland, Greece, Croatia, and Portugal have been booming for the last few years.  Expedition trips to Antarctica are becoming increasingly popular, and I’m getting a number of requests for Hawaii recently as well.  It’s so hard to predict, but these are some of the most commonly requested destinations I’ve been seeing.  

What are you looking forward to in 2025?

Hopefully, finalizing the adoption of our baby girl and having our family feel complete.  I’m also leading a few group trips that I’m still looking forward to including a river cruise on the Rhine River and a Safari Trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana later in the year.  

How do you balance – or integrate – being a mom and your work?

Trial and Error – while there are certainly pros and cons to being a business owner, the flexibility I have in juggling my Mom responsibilities with my professional ones has been so helpful over the past 3 years with my son (and before that with a few foster babies as well).  I often find myself drafting emails at 9pm after my son is in bed and schedule them to go out the following morning at 8am so I can try to stay on top of work. 

Here are a couple of  this or that questions to get to know you better 🙂  Let’s try a travel-edition 🙂 

Beach or Mountains? Depends on my mood, I love them both! Probably Beach if I had to chose. 

Cruise or road trip? Cruise for sure. 

National Parks or Theme Parks? National Parks

Tropical vacation or snowy getaway? Tropical Vacation

Planned itinerary or go with the flow? They both have a time and place, but mostly go with the flow

Window seat or aisle seat? Window, always!

Luxury resort or boutique hotel? Can I say luxury boutique hotel? 

Carry-on only or checked luggage? Carry-on only, as much as possible

Early morning flight or red-eye? Early morning flight

Food tour or historical tour? Historical tour

Souvenirs or photos? Photos

Sunrise views or sunset strolls? Sunrise views

Passport stamps or postcards? Passport Stamps

Travel journal or travel blog? Travel Journal

Plane nap or airport people-watching? Plane Nap

What’s your favorite Greater Lansing-area place to spend time as a family?

We love to spend time at Lincoln Brick Park, which is near our house, and at the Grand Ledge and Portland splash pads in the summer! The Portrait Lounge has taken our photos for years and she takes the best photos of my family, especially my son. She just did our newborn session for our baby girl and they’re adorable. 

Is there another local business or mom-owned business you admire?

Melanie McNamara Coaching is one of my favorite local businesses – Melanie is so fantastic to work with and gives the BEST advice. 

Are there any special travel plans you are currently planning and promoting?  

Yes!  My 6th Annual Lansing Area Ladies Getaway to Cabo San Lucas the end of January!  The first time we have went to Cabo and we fly nonstop from the Lansing airport!  This is a fun trip and if you are interested, please let me know.  

How do you prefer readers to connect with you if they would like more information about Cabo or other future travel planning? 

E-mail is generally the quickest at [email protected]

From Central Michigan University to Cabo and everywhere in between, Kim Barber reminds us that adventure doesn’t have to stop when motherhood begins.  When sometimes, it’s just getting started.

We’re so glad to have Kim as part of our Greater Lansing area community and even more excited for the opportunity to share her story on Greater Lansing Area Moms.

Ready to start planning your next trip? Or just want to hear more from Kim? Be sure to follow along on both Facebook and Instagram — both linked below —  connect with her through Globetrotter Travel!

*photos provided by Kim Barber, and taken by The Portrait Lounge