Travel by Beth is a full-service travel agency specializing in our clients. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and create memories more powerful than any gift. We believe that the travel experience provides an incredible opportunity to connect with your spouse, your family, and your friends.
Beth Mills, Owner/Senior Agent
I am a full-time travel pro, wife, and mom to 16-year-old triplet daughters!
After graduating from the University of Illinois (Go ILLINI!!) with a degree in Marketing/Business Administration I began my “first” career in sales with M&M Mars Company in southern California. Central Illinois and family called me home where I worked in the pharmaceutical industry in both Bloomington and Champaign. I met and married a great man, who loves to travel as well. I left the work force to be at home with my three babies for 5 years. Once my kids were in school and I had recovered from the shock of an empty house I started working in the travel industry. I founded my own agency, Travel by Beth, in 2012 and haven’t looked back! Travel by Beth now has 11 agents over 3 states and we are continuing to grow. I am pleased to say that my husband John is joining me and will be assisting me in managing our team!
Travel by Beth has offices in St. Joseph, Champaign, Tuscola, Gibson City, and Brownsburg, IN. The agency holds CLIA certification. We are certified Sandals Specialists, Master Agent for Secrets, Dreams, and Now resorts, and Master agent for Sol Melia, Paradisus and Zoetry. I am a certified destination wedding and honeymoon specialist. In addition, I also hold many tourism board destination specialist credentials.
What is your favorite destination and why?
In 2013 my husband, John, and I traveled with our triplet daughters to Jamaica. We celebrated 15 years of marriage with a vow renewal ceremony and the girls were our attendants. We spent the week enjoying the beach and climbing Dunn’s River Falls!
What’s your dream destination to visit?
My dream destination changes pretty regularly, but I would like to take a trip to Iceland! I know, kind of a different dream but maybe it’s my Viking roots!
What will you not travel without?
One thing that I absolutely don’t travel without is a good book. I am a huge reader and am never caught without a great “beach read!”
John Mills, Agent
I am Beth’s other half of 20 years and father to our beautiful girls Ava, Bailey, and Carson. Although I have been a part time agent since the beginning, at the end of 2017 I will be our full time business manager as well as full time agent.
For as long as I can remember I have loved to travel. Growing up I can remember vividly my parents taking my brother and I to Florida which included trips to the beach, visiting my grandparents in Ft. Myers and of course Disney World. I still love Disney as much as when I was a kid and have been there about a dozen times. I graduated from St. Joseph-Ogden High School and from the University of Illinois and then went back and worked on the family farm for 7 years with my dad and brother. I was hired on to the Champaign Fire Department in 1995 and currently serve at the rank of Captain.
It was another interesting job that I had from 1998-2004 that took me all over the world and afforded me to see many things I may never have had the chance to see, in turn inspiring my love for travel even more. I was a fireman/paramedic on the safety team for Championship Auto Racing Team (CART) and part of a team that handled all the on-track emergencies when one of the cars crashed or stalled. The races were all over the United States from Miami to Portland, Canada, Rio De Janeiro, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
It is incredible opportunity to be in business with my wife creating memories for others through travel.
What is your favorite destination and why?
I love Jamaica. Jamaica has one the best beaches in the world in 7-mile beach in Negril. What really sets it apart though is the culture and the people. The Jamaican people are so kind and hospitable.
What is your dream destination?
This is really hard because there are so many to choose from! I would love to do a river cruise in Europe that was based on local breweries.
What is something you won’t travel without?
My Bluetooth speaker and music. I love music and love to be able to play music I like wherever I am whether it be in the hotel room, pool, or beach.
Gabe Thaman, Agent
I grew up in a military family and we traveled often for work and pleasure throughout my childhood and teenage years. Being exposed to so many destinations at such an early age got me hooked and I have embraced every opportunity to travel domestically and internationally since.
My journeys have taken me to Guatemala, all over Mexico, much of the Caribbean, and all of the contiguous United States. Through various humanitarian projects that I have worked with in Mexico, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico, I have experienced the “behind-the-scenes” reality of the tourism industry. As the primary source of income for many economies, this industry is not only a luxury for many of us, but also a livelihood for many others. The growth of the industry means so much more than your next vacation!
Upon getting married and starting a family, I have also begun to explore all the family travel options available to the American consumer including cruises, Disney, and all-inclusive destinations. My young family has flown many times and enjoys vacationing together. The perspective of a father and husband is not something to be overlooked. Security, ease of travel, loose ends, departure/layover times…all things that are important to the traveling family!
Call me today to discuss your next vacation!
Vacation Libation Recipes!
Mojito
2-3 oz Light rum
1/2 Lime, Muddled
2 tsp Sugar
4-5 Mint sprigs
Soda water
Ice
Caipirinha
2 1/2 oz Cachaca
2 tsp granulated Sugar
1/2 Lime, Muddled
Ice
Dark and Stormy
2 oz Gosling’s Dark rum
4-6 oz Ginger beer
1/2 Lime, muddled
Ice
Lime Ricky
2 oz. Vodka
1/2 lime, muddled
4-6 oz. Fresca
Miami Vice (Mexico Jamaica) called Lava Flow in Hawaii
1/2 Pina Colada
1/2 Strawberry Daquiri