Family-Focused Travel
Originally hailing from Shreveport and Lake Charles, Louisiana, respectively, Equity Estates investors Laura and Danny Palmer have spent the last 40 years happily settled in Waco, Texas—working, volunteering in their community, raising three children, and making time every year to travel and vacation as a family.
With adventure and exploration in mind, many of their getaways over the years have included ski trips in the winter and plenty of beach time in warmer months—in new locales as well as familiar favorites.
These days, with their now-adult kids (Drew, Grayson, and Caroline) out of the house and the family grown to include a daughter-in-law and three grandkids, their travel needs have evolved.
A typical year now includes seasonal vacations, winery tours, and European adventures, as well as hitting the road for sporting events.
“We love traveling with family and friends and are fortunate that our children love to travel as well,” says Danny. “We normally take three separate Equity trips each year. I also travel a lot for LSU games and in my role as a board member of the LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation, and we try to mix in a snow ski trip most years as well.”
Discovering Equity Estates
Laura and Danny were originally introduced to Equity Estates about eight years ago through their good friends (and Equity Estates Investors), Sally and Johnny Bledsoe, who invited the Palmers to join them on trips to Cabo, Scottsdale, and Costa Rica.
“All of the locations were first-class,” Danny says, “and we loved each property.”
For ten years, as their children were growing up, the Palmers owned a second home in coastal Louisiana, “a lake house south of Lake Charles on a big saltwater fishing bay” where they vacationed regularly. Happy with their Gulf Coast property, they weren’t actively looking into investment travel options during that time. But that changed in late-August 2020 when Hurricane Laura swept through southwest Louisiana as a category 4, destroying the home.
“After the hurricane, we were faced with the decision of should we rebuild or start a new chapter,” Laura recalls. “And because of our wonderful experiences in the Equity Estates homes with our friends, we decided to turn that page.”
Rather than rebuild, the Palmers joined Equity Estates the following year and have been happy with that decision ever since.
“We were blessed to be able to travel to Equity Estates properties before investing,” Laura continues, “so we were aware of the beautiful properties, the amenities, and the special service provided by the Equity Estates team early on. That definitely helped us make the choice to become members ourselves.”
First Impression
After the three trips they had taken with their friends, Laura and Danny’s first Equity Estates vacation as owners was in 2022 when they stayed in the beachside Watersound, Florida home with their children and grandchildren.
Situated in the northwestern part of the state on Scenic Highway 30A between Pensacola and Panama City, Watersound was everything they were looking for in a family getaway, with space for everyone to spread out, views of the Gulf, and the beach just a few steps away.
“It was a great first trip,” Danny recalls. “The house was very special, and our Local Host, Michelle, was fantastic. Laura and I both grew up visiting the Florida panhandle, and the Equity Estates home there brought back those memories, but on a grander scale.”
Laura agrees. “Grace Richards and our Local Host in Watersound set the bar incredibly high. I could not imagine a better welcome to the world of Equity Estates.”
“We both grew up vacationing in summer on the Florida panhandle,” she continues. “We had the privilege of introducing our children to those same beautiful beaches when they were growing up, and now—thanks to the stunning Equity Estates property—we can take our grandchildren on summer vacations to those same beaches.”
That first family trip as Equity Estates members was so special, the Palmers went back to Watersound with their kids and grandkids again in June of this year for a week of “beach, sand, relaxing, and wine,” and plan to make it an annual tradition for as long as they can.
Memorable Adventures and Excursions
Vacations for the Palmers tend to include a mix of outdoor adventure, local cuisine, and laid-back relaxation. They both love to “eat, drink, and be merry” and enjoy wines from France, Italy, and California, so any chance they get to visit those places and “drink wine and explore new wineries” is at the top of their list. But they also seek out destinations that offer more active pursuits as well.
“We love to visit with locals when we travel,” Danny says, “eat great food, sit on the beach, play golf, fish, hang out on the water, etc. We love to ski in the winter and hike in the summer. And though I’m more of a mountain person and Laura is the beach person, we both love adventures and excursions.”
Laura also points out the joy they feel when their family can join them in their wine country travels and vacation adventures, especially during their stays in the Equity Estates homes.
“Danny has become somewhat of a wine connoisseur in this stage of life, and we relish the opportunity to share those experiences and knowledge with our adult children in such stunning properties and with Local Hosts and guides who are able to grant us tastings and special visits with preferred wineries.”
A few of their favorite Equity Estates trips so far—besides their family time in Watersound—include stays in Napa, St. John, Aspen, and Florence.
“I’ve loved them all,” says Danny. “Aspen was a great summertime retreat with friends. St. John was amazing with the views. And Napa was really special. We visited some fantastic, first-class wineries and dined at the French Laundry with two of our children. The property, set within the vineyard was unbelievable. It was December, so we didn’t get to enjoy the pool, but we did cook pizza in the outdoor pizza oven. It’s one of my favorite Equity Estates homes.”
A close second for Danny and Laura is Florence—both the apartment there and the experiences they had while visiting.
“Florence was classic,” Danny recalls. “We stayed in the Florence home at the end of what we call our ‘Two Texans in Tuscany’ tour, which was a delayed anniversary and birthday gift to ourselves. Capping off that trip with a week in Florence with some of our closest friends was very special.”
“That was perhaps one of the most memorable Equity Estates trips for me,” adds Laura. “The apartment? Location, location, location! And thanks to the wonderful Local Host, Kate, I was able to check off some of my bucket list items: truffle hunting, a Vespa ride through the gorgeous Tuscan countryside, and a private cooking class at an Italian Villa. Plus, when we were mistakenly locked out of the home, she came running to our rescue!”
Laura’s most recent unforgettable travel adventure was in July of this year while vacationing with their daughter, Caroline, on Grand Cayman. Though both had been to the island several times before, this was the first time staying there in an Equity Estates home.
The trip was great, with walks to the Ritz for cocktails and dinner at family-favorite Casanova Restaurant (where they were pleasantly surprised to see one of their family photos on the wall from a prior visit), and they loved the home. But during their stay, Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the island as a category 3 storm—a new experience for these seasoned travelers.
“We were in constant communication with our concierge, Chelsea, and the Beachcomber staff, so we felt perfectly safe,” says Laura. “Honestly, it was fascinating to see all of the hurricane preparedness procedures and protocols. A few dinner reservations and daytime activities were affected, but it was still a fabulous extended girls’ trip celebration for our daughter’s birthday week.”
The Equity Estates Difference
The Palmers are quick to point to the VIP service provided by the Equity Estates team as one of the highlights of their membership.
“With Equity, everything is set up just right,” says Danny. “I love it all, from the stocked groceries to the Local Host’s recommendations. It’s great to have someone help us plan the trips and have someone nearby to handle any issues that go wrong. It’s first-class service. And the size and quality of the homes is also unmatched.”
They love the properties, the great destinations, and the little touches that make every one of their Equity Estates vacations feel extra special—from private, personalized activities to being welcomed at the home during for their inaugural Equity Estates trip with a nice charcuterie board and champagne set up by their Local Host.
“The Local Hosts have been wonderful and provide us with such great information and kindness that I consider them friends!” says Laura. “It’s truly an elevated experience.”
Bucket-List Vacations 
Next year, the Palmers will celebrate their 40th anniversary as well as both of them turning 65, so they plan to mark the special occasions with trips to a few of their bucket-list destinations.
“We both want to explore New England, Australia, and New Zealand,” says Danny, “so we may take a trip to one or all of those places in 2025. Of course, we’d also like to go to Spain or return to Paris or London since we both enjoy Europe and there are Equity Estates properties there.”
Though next year’s trips are still in the pre-planning stage, one thing is certain: the Palmer family is looking forward to many more years of incredible vacation experiences with Equity Estates and can’t wait to see what comes next.
