Welcome to the Quality Time Tour Co. blog!

Welcome to our blog! I am very excited to start sharing travel tips and other helpful information with you. But first, let me introduce myself.
 
My name is Angie Laatsch, owner of Quality Time Tour Co and Quality Time Retreats. I have been married for 32 years and we have 3 adult children, one son and two daughters. My formal education was as a teacher, which I used for many years, both as a homeschool mom of 16 years and teaching classes for other homeschool families and our local co-op. When our youngest daughter was nearing her high school graduation, I decided to get my international tour manager certification from International Guide Academy in Colorado. I then worked a couple seasons as a tour manager for Worldstrides, leading educational tours in Washington DC for students. I also worked for Envision in their Jr. National Young Leaders Conference working with middle schoolers to develop their leadership skills. I thoroughly enjoyed these experiences and the opportunity to blend education with travel experiences that made everything much more impactful for the students. During COVID when there were no work opportunities in the travel world for several months, I decided to start my own travel company offering guided multi-day tours, which I launched in 2023. During 2024, I decided to also add retreats (Quality Time Retreats) after seeing that there are some gaps in important areas for both homeschoolers, travelers, and small businesses.There are two main areas that I focus on when it comes to tours: family/friend groups and corporate tours.
 
Family groups could be a couple, a single parent with children, a sibling group, grandparents and grandkids, or multigenerational (grandparents, kids, grandkids – think family reunions). We love all the different combinations of family groups and if you want to travel with just your family, we can even design a private tour just for you! All of my tours are designed with children in mind, so that I always have some age appropriate things planned for when we do have children on tour. While our tours are generally guided, which is the most stress-free option, I can also create self-guided tours upon request. So if you are the “planner” of your family vacations, and find that the planning and logistics are exhausting or overwhelming to the point that you aren’t enjoying or looking forward to it, then you are in the right place!
 
Friend groups could be besties from childhood, a church group, Girl Scout troop, garden club, crochet group, book club – really any group that meets together regularly and shares common interests. Working with friend groups is great fun because I can tailor a tour that is specific to YOUR group’s interests and goals. So if you’re in a group that has ever talked about taking a trip somewhere together but no one has volunteered to do all the planning, I would love to help you make that happen because nothing bonds a group like the shared memories and experiences from traveling together.
 
For small businesses who like to reward their employees for reaching certain goals or who would like their employees to bond on a more personal level, travel can be an impactful way to do so, not to mention it can be an incredible motivator for some employees. I can work with any size business to design an incentive or team building trip that fits your budget and overall goals for your company, so if you’ve never considered incorporating incentive/team building travel, I’d love to talk with you!
 
So now you know a little about me and why I got into the tour/retreat business. I look forward to sharing helpful tips and information about different aspects and types of travel, as well as tips and helpful information in this blog and hope that it helps you in whatever role you find yourself in!

Angie Laatsch

Angie is a certified international tour manager and licensed seller of travel in Florida. When she isn\'t designing and leading tours, she enjoys time with her family, reading and crocheting.

Angie Laatsch Full Bio
Duration
10 days
Group Size
8 to 15

Reformation in Germany - 10 day tour June 17-27, 2025

What was life like during Luther’s time? How was Martin Luther able to stay at Wartburg Castle for so long without being discovered? Where are Martin and Katie Luther buried? What did music in Luther’s time period sound like? Why is Bach considered to be such a remarkable composer? Discover the answer to all of these questions and more by joining us on our next Lutheran Heritage family group tour in Germany!

Think church history is boring? Think again! When you are on our family-oriented tour you will:
Hear the amazing acoustics in beautiful churches.
Feel the breeze and take in the views from Wartburg Castle overlooking the countryside and town of Eisenach .
Sit in the church in Wittenberg where Martin Luther preached.
Enjoy German food and have a beer in an authentic Biergarten.
Smell the flowers at the oldest botanical garden in Germany.
Eat like in Luther’s time at the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt, where Martin Luther studied.
Listen to Bach pieces played on authentic instruments from his time period at the Bach Haus in Eisenach.
See the differences between Luther’s design of the first Lutheran church in Torgau.
Visit the burial place of Katie Luther in St. Mary’s Church in Torgau.
Learn about what life was like in the time of Luther at the Luther 1517 - Wittenberg 360° exhibit.
Walk the streets of Eisleben where Martin Luther was born and died.

Duration
10 days
Group Size
8 to 15

Tulips in the Netherlands - 10 day tour April 23-May 3, 2025

What is the connection between the Netherlands and the Pilgrims? Who is the “cheese father” and what is his job? How many tulip bulbs are planted at Keukenhof Garden each year? Is the correct name: Holland or the Netherlands? Discover the answer to all of these questions and more by joining us on a Netherlands family group tour!

On our family-friendly tour you will:
Visit Keukenhof Garden’s lovely flower displays.
Experience history at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and Corrie ten Boom House in Haarlem.
Sample different cheeses at the oldest and biggest cheese market in the Netherlands.
Enjoy a relaxing boat tour through the “Venice of the Netherlands” in Giethoorn.
See original paintings by one of the most famous Dutch painters at the Van Gogh Museum.
Watch the process of creating hand painted ceramic pieces at the Royal Delft Factory.
Eat an authentic stroopwafel.
Listen to the sounds of windmills and craftsmen using traditional methods to create various goods.

Duration
7 days
Group Size
8 to 20

New York City - 7 Day Tour May 11-17, 2025

What are some of New York City's nicknames? Where is Alexander Hamilton buried? What food is the city most famous for? How big is Central Park? How many miles of subway tracks does New York City have? What was the longest running Broadway show?

Think NYC is only for grownups? Think again! When you are on our kid-friendly, the family-oriented tour you will:
● Explore the Natural History Museum where the movie "Night at the Museum" was filmed.
● Discover some of the statues in Central Park.
● Visit the grave of Alexander Hamilton.
●Taste the famous New York City pizza.
● Walk across the famed Brooklyn Bridge.
● Experience a Broadway show.
● Stand on the site of 9/11.
● Marvel at the secrets of Grand Central Station.
● Stroll through the oldest park in the city.
● Learn about the birthplace of American government in Federal Hall.
● Get a bird's eye view of the city from Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center) or the Empire State Building.
● Feel the breeze on a boat ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Duration
7 days
Group Size
8 to 20

Boston and New England - 7 Days August 17-23, 2025

Who is the most famous person to come from Boston? Where in Boston did the largest property theft in the world take place? How many people run the Boston Marathon each year? What was the Great Molasses Flood? Which New England town was the birthplace of the American military? How long did the Salem witch trials last? What is the most famous Newport mansion located along the Cliff Walk? Which Massachusetts town is home to Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, as well as other famous authors? Discover the answer to all of these questions and more by joining us on our next family group tour in Boston and New England!

Think New England is just a scenic fall destination? Think again! When you are on our kid-friendly, the family-oriented tour you will:
● Learn American history at sites along the Freedom Trail in Boston.
● Feel the ocean breeze along the Cliff Walk in Newport, RI.
● Explore the Tea Party ship and the USS Constitution in Boston.
● Experience what life on the Mayflower would have been like.
● Visit Louisa May Alcott's orchard house in Concord.
● Find out what happened during the Salem witch trials.
● Discover pirates in Salem.
● See where Paul Revere lived in Boston.

Duration
10 days
Group Size
8 to 15

Lavender Fields of France 10 Days July 23-August 2, 2025

Which gardens is also the largest open air sculpture museum in the world? Which French garden was the first to be influenced by the Italian Baroque style? Who said "I perhaps owe becoming a painter to flowers"? What kinds of Japanese influences can be found in Monet's Garden? Where is the oldest botanical garden in France? Find out the answers to these questions and more when you join us for this gardens and parks (and a few castles) tour of France!

Think France is only about croissants in Paris? Think again! When you are on our family-friendly tour you will:
● Wander through the elegance of the Palace of Versailles and its gardens.
● Observe how French pastries are made.
● Sample a fresh croissant.
● Visit the oldest botanical garden in France.
● Smell the scent of lavender on the breeze in the fields of Provence.
● Learn the science behind how perfume is made.
● Tour a monastery and gardens.
● Enjoy a picnic lunch in one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the country.

Duration
7 days
Group Size
8 to 20

Philadelphia 7 days October 26-November 1, 2025

What are some of the historical "firsts" that happened in Philadelphia? How much does the Liberty Bell weigh? How many years of formal education did Benjamin Franklin have? What was Betsy Ross's age when she sewed the flag? What is the oldest residential street in the country? Which cheesesteak is the best in the city - Pat's or Geno's? What happened at Valley Forge? Discover the answer to all of these questions and more by joining us on our next family group tour in Philadelphia!

Think Philadelphia is just about history? While there are some important historical sites to check out, there's much more than just that! When you are on our kid-friendly, the family-oriented tour you will:
● Explore the tree houses and smell the orchids at Longwood Gardens.
● See the Liberty Bell up close.
● Run up the Rocky Steps.
● Get a bird's eye view of the city from the City Hall observation deck.
● Watch coins being made at the US Mint.
● Operate equipment at a construction themed park.
● Walk through America's most historic prison, Eastern State Penitentiary, that once housed Al Capone.
● Stand in the building where the Declaration of Independence was signed.
● Take a baseball (Phillies) or football (Eagles) stadium tour (seasonal).