The folks at The Flying Squirrel are avid travelers with insatiable appetites for exploring the globe. We feed our passion for travel by planning and conducting trips abroad for small groups of travelers.
Our trips aren’t “tours”. We’ll never make you get on a tour bus, shuffle you into a subpar restaurant for a group meal, or dominate your day with a rigid schedule of endless guided tours.
We think of our trips as curated travel experiences akin to having a dear friend living in the destination city - someone who knows the local scene very well; who can recommend the best restaurants off the beaten path; and who gives you insider information that will make the difference between an okay trip and one you’ll remember for a lifetime.
Come travel with us, and we will show you the major sites and hidden delights of our destination cities.
Meet Your Trip Concierges
Gina
Gina is a dynamic individual who has transitioned from a career as a chemist and patent agent to an adventurous trip curator. Her passion for exploration and love for thrilling experiences have fueled her journey, enabling her to create unforgettable adventures for fellow travelers. Gina has traveled extensively in the Americas, Europe, and Patagonia.
Gina has organized and led dozens of domestic and international trips for a women’s outdoor adventure group. Gina’s favorite high adventure activities are whitewater rafting, kayaking, zip lining, and waterfall canyoneering. Gina is also passionate about food, and teaches cooking classes as The Chemist in the Kitchen. These classes explore the chemistry of food transformation and the culture behind different foodstuffs.
Gina’s thirst for adventure and her desire to explore the world and its cuisines beyond the confines of a lab or office eventually led her to embark on a new path. She made the courageous decision to follow her heart and channel her expertise in a different direction, combining her intellect with her deep love for travel and transforming her passion into a career. Gina hopes to share her love of food, culture, and adventure with fellow travelers by designing and leading unforgettable trips.
Gina grew up in Transylvania County, NC, and has degrees in chemistry from UNC-Chapel HIll (BA) and the University of Texas at Austin (Ph.D). Gina is a proud graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Go Unicorns!
DeAnne
DeAnne is a native North Carolinian who has lived and traveled all over the world. She grew up in the tobacco fields of Stokes County, studied in Finland and Russia, taught English in South Korea, and worked for the USO on US military bases in Kuwait and Afghanistan. Along the way, she has backpacked through approximately 60 countries and all 7 continents: enjoying the food, the culture, and especially the people she encountered along the way.
Most of DeAnne's career has been in the nonprofit world. She worked for AmeriCorps with disadvantaged youth in Austin, Texas. She has also worked with International Focus in Raleigh, NC, and most recently with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving in Wake County. She has continued to volunteer with The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (her alma-mater), the USO center at the at RDU Airport, and with US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.
Travel has always been at the forefront of DeAnne's activities and she believes that everyone should experience the joy of seeing foreign places firsthand. She hopes to share her love of new experiences, her expertise in handling any situation that may arise, and her outgoing personality with as many people as possible.
DeAnne has a bachelor’s degree in Communications and is also a proud graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.