Blue wavy striped background


Doing Business Since 1980

About Classic Travel

Business man on phone in corporate jet

Joy Thrun opened Classic Travel in 1980 from a rented room in a farmhouse with donated furniture and a vision.

In spite of tremendous challenges facing the travel industry, Classic Travel has continued to succeed and grow.

Today, Classic Travel is a premier full-service travel agency specializing in leisure, corporate, and group travel. Classic Travel has built a strong and loyal client base and continues to demonstrate that experienced, dedicated leadership, a well-trained and devoted staff, the ability to adapt to changing times, and a constant emphasis on customer service are the keys to success.

Book Now


Meet Our Experts

At Classic Travel, we believe the strength of our company lies in the expertise of our dedicated team members. Discover the faces behind our company and explore the possibilities of working together to tailor your next vacation!

DESTINATION EXPERTISE:
Europe, The Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, South America, Asia, Africa, French Polynesia, Central America, Disney, Australia, New Zealand, USA

TRAVEL SPECIALTIES: 
Destination Weddings, Honeymoons, Romance Travel, Family Travel, Ocean Cruises, River Cruises, Multi-Generational, Guided Vacations, Independent Vacations, Luxury Travel, Safaris, Faith Based Travel, Culinary Experiences

With over 30 years in the travel industry, Denise holds a multitude of certifications and designations. She is a Sandals Certified specialist, Jamaica and Hawaii Destination Specialist, and has completed the Disney Master Program to name a few. Denise loves to travel and experience different cultures, Ireland being her favorite destination. In her travels to Ireland, Denise has been mesmerized by the Cliffs of Mohr, kissed the blarney stone, and pub crawling through Dublin. One of her favorite travel memories was her first visit to the Haunted Mansion and receiving a kiss from Eeyore! Her favorite past time is reading and she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. Denise uses her love of travel and years of experience to create dream vacations for her clients.

Denise McCain

Travel Consultant


DESTINATION EXPERTISE:
Alaska, Las Vegas, Europe, Africa, The Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Central America, USA

TRAVEL SPECIALTIES:
Honeymoons, Destination Weddings, Romance Travel, Family Travel, Multi-Generational, Ocean Cruises, Guided Vacations, Independent Vacations, River Cruises, Sandals Resorts, Luxury Travel, Groups

Tamara Corrie

Travel Consultant

DESTINATION EXPERTISE:
Western Europe, Ireland, The Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, USA

TRAVEL SPECIALTIES:
Honeymoons, Romance Travel, Family Travel, Ocean Cruises, River Cruises, Multi-Generational, Guided Vacations, Independent Vacations, Luxury Travel

Katie has always held a passion for travel and helping others create travel memories that will last a lifetime. Katie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Business Management from Michigan State University and is extremely well-versed in many different types of travel. Her destination specialties include Western Europe, The Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and Domestic Travel. Some of her favorite travel memories include walking the streets of Rome and the first time she saw the Cliffs of Moher. With an Irish heritage herself, there is no question why Ireland is Katie’s favorite destination. She loves everything from the food, culture and beautiful landscapes. When Katie is not hand-crafting vacations for her clients, she loves writing, walking, watching movies, spending time with friends and family and of course, traveling.

Katie Gates

Travel Consultant

DESTINATION EXPERTISE:
Europe, The Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Central America, French Polynesia, Portugal, Italy, USA

TRAVEL SPECIALTIES:
Honeymoons, Romance Travel, Family Travel, Ocean Cruises, River Cruises, Multi-Generational, Guided Vacations, Independent Vacations, Luxury Travel

Tanya believes that families that travel together stay together and her family practices just that. She loves sharing her joy of travel with her family and taking them to destinations where they can learn about different cultures. Aside from traveling to new places, Tanya enjoys movies and baking. With over 30 years of experience, Tanya’s heart is with Italy. As a Certified Travel Consultant and with a degree in travel & tourism, Tanya will create the perfect itinerary whether you are looking for a getaway for you and your spouse or plan on taking the whole family.

Tanya Thelen

Travel Consultant

Hannah's love for travel and passion for design come together in her role as Next Travel’s Marketing Coordinator. With a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Central Michigan University, she leverages her expertise to create marketing strategies that captivate and inspire future travelers.

Beginning her career as a travel agent, Hannah gained invaluable insights into a wide array of destinations. These experiences deeply inform her work, allowing her to craft campaigns that connect with a diverse audience on a personal level. Her favorite destinations from her personal travels include Greece, New Orleans, the Outer Banks, and Grand Cayman.

When she’s not at work, Hannah enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, indulging in video games, diving into the latest binge-worthy series, and planning her next adventure. Her commitment to creativity and thoughtful marketing ensures that every campaign she develops helps turn travel dreams into reality.

Hannah Rose

Marketing Coordinator

Ava joined Classic Travel in 2024, quickly becoming an integral part of our team. Her role as Travel Support Specialist encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, from warmly greeting customer over the phone and in-person to managing invoicing and travel documents. Her meticulous research skills and attention to detail ensures a smooth and efficient experience for all clients.

Ava Webster

Travel Support Specialist
Wavy striped background

Beach Vacation

Thank you so much for all the help you gave us in picking the perfect resort for our family vacation! The flights went perfectly and everyone caught their shuttle from the airport to the resort. We loved our rooms—ocean view was amazing! The beach was perfect and we did spend hours walking the beach and playing beach volleyball! The resort had amazing things for the kids to do and our little ones spent one day in the Explorer Club which they loved—as much as their mother! There were many beautiful pools to choose from and service by the pool was amazing as well! The kids loved the ice cream place and had fun ordering "drinks" from the swim up bar. Water slides delighted the kids and also Grandma!! All in all it was a perfect place for us to spend some quality time together! - Sheila F

Sheila F.

Bespoke Travel

Joy and her team have put together two exceptional trips for my husband and I. We went on safari in southern Africa last year and traveled by car through northwest India this fall. Joy’s first-hand knowledge about these regions was invaluable. She came up with a number of itineraries that incorporated both our specific areas of interest and also other destinations that were fabulous, but with which we were previously unfamiliar. We love to travel but loathe large group tours and tours where you only get off the bus to see large monuments. Joy came up with excellent bespoke private and semi-private tours for us in Africa and India within our specified budget. The local outfitters she worked with had super attention to detail and the logistics of airport transfers, transfers by light plane onto dirt runways in the bush, and daily pick-ups of local guides on both trips went off without a hitch. We highly recommend Joy and her team.

Jane S.

Italy

A very special thank you to you for doing all of the heavy lifting. Literally everything from the transfers to the hotels to the train station, everything went off without even one little hiccup. And we thoroughly enjoyed the bottle of Prosecco once we arrived at the Rivoli! Customer service at both hotels was top tier. Overall, a trip of a lifetime that wouldn’t have gone as smooth as it did without you. Grazie mille, Katie!

Alex C

Destination Wedding

From start to finish Tamara was absolutely an amazing blessing to have on our side for our destination wedding experience. The resort she had presented to us, El Dorado Royale, was INCREDIBLE. The staff, food, decor, rooms, venues were all breathtaking. Coordinating 20 people to travel together internationally seems like a daunting task but Tamara made the trip completely effortless for us and we were able to enjoy out beautiful day with the ones we love. I will HIGHLY recommend using her for any travel needs you have, you are in wonderful hands. Thank you Tamara!

Vanessa T.

Fun Family Vacation

Tanya is incredible to work with. She planned a 7 day cruise to Alaska with 2 additional days in Vancouver for a family of 14 that included 14 month old twins! From assisting with choosing a hotel, then a ship and finally excursions, she was invaluable. Tanya has also planned our trips to Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Rivera Maya and Disney World. She responds quickly, is always willing to research additional sites and provides quality recommendations. I wouldn’t plan a trip without Tanya’s expert assistance!

Katie G.

Start Exploring

Your time is valuable, and with so many options to consider when planning your next vacation, we at Classic Travel know that a little help can go a long way. Whether you’re planning to travel across the state, across the country, or across the world, our team of experienced travel professionals are committed to planning a trip that exceeds your expectations.

Group Travel

  • All-Sized Groups
  • Site Inspections
  • Online Registration
  • Negotiations
  • Much More!

Planning your group trip with Classic Travel gives you the security of knowing that every detail will be taken care of by a team of dedicated travel professionals. We manage groups of all sizes and will assist with negotiations, online registration, site inspections, and much more. Our group travel offerings include: Multi-Generational Family Gatherings, Destination Weddings, Spring Break, Study Abroad, Corporate Retreats, Continuing Education, And More!



Our Affiliates



Latest From Next Travel

Classic travel logo

Contact Us

4767 Okemos Road
Okemos, MI 48864

517-349-6200

Terms & Conditions Contact Us

Social