Val Alley

Jackson, MS Travel Advisor | European Tours, Cultural Travel & Group Trips

Phone: 601-415-2194
Email: val@compassandfabletravel.com

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  • Italy (Rome, Pompeii, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast)

  • Ireland & Scotland

  • France (Paris, Normandy, Loire Valley)

  • Europe broadly — ask me about anywhere

  • North America (Alaska, National Parks)

    Don't see your destination? European or otherwise, I love a challenge — let's talk.

Certificate of completion awarded to Valerie Alley for the Ireland Specialist Training Programme, issued by Tourism Ireland, with a green shamrock logo.

  • 🏅 Certified Ireland Specialist — Tourism Ireland

  • 🏅 Travel Alaska Certified Expert

Ready to turn "someday" into your next trip?

Plan a Trip with Val
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Send me a message
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Start Planning with Val

Hi, I'm Val — a Jackson, Mississippi travel advisor with a deep passion for European travel, cultural immersion, and the kind of trips that change how you see the world.

My husband and I have been travelers our whole married life — beaches, mountains, Disney, national parks — but once our kids left the nest, we discovered something new: the magic of slow, intentional travel through Europe. Wandering tucked-away Italian villages. Getting lost on the streets of Paris. Chatting with a busker on Edinburgh's Royal Mile who made me realize that the best travel isn't about checking off a list — it's about the people you meet along the way.

That shift changed everything about how I plan trips. Now I design European experiences that go deeper: local guides , hidden gems instead of tourist traps, and itineraries built around what you actually want — culture, food, history, or simply the freedom to wander.

I'm a certified Ireland Specialist and Alaska Certified Expert, and I specialize in custom FIT European trips, historical tours, cultural immersion, and group travel. My planning services are completely free to you as the client.

Whether your "someday" trip is Rome, the Scottish Highlands, or somewhere you haven't told anyone yet — I'd love to help you make it real.

There's a moment that every traveler knows — when a trip stops being a vacation and starts being something that stays with you forever. For me, it happened in a pub in Edinburgh, talking to a local busker heading to his shift on the Royal Mile. That conversation made the world feel smaller, richer, and more worth exploring.

As a Jackson, Mississippi-based travel advisor specializing in Europe, I plan trips with that kind of moment in mind. Not just the famous sites , but the experiences that come from slowing down, hiring a local guide, stepping into a neighborhood market, and letting a place surprise you.

My "North Star" philosophy is simple: decide what you want first — relaxation, exploration, food, culture, adventure — and let every decision follow from that. Budget, pace, itinerary — all of it flows from knowing what matters most to you.

From my home in Jackson, MS, I work with empty nesters, milestone travelers, families, and groups who are ready to stop dreaming about Europe and start experiencing it. I handle every detail so you can arrive ready to be present — and leave with stories worth telling.

Why I Love to plan travel.

  • My most-booked destinations include:

    • Italy (Rome, Pompeii, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast)

    • Ireland & Scotland

    • France (Paris, Normandy, Loire Valley)

    • Europe broadly — ask me about anywhere

    • North America (Alaska, National Parks)

    Don't see your destination? European or otherwise, I love a challenge — let's talk.

Specialties

  • Custom FIT European Trips

  • Historical & Archaeological Tours

  • Cultural Immersion Experiences

  • Group Travel

  • Family Travel

Destinations

Credentials