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Sam Viola

Sam Viola

An independent affiliate of The Travel Society LLC
Park Ridge, IL United States

My innate passion for travel started as a youngster. Growing up, my family liked to road-trip. A LOT. Every year between 2002-2009, we did just that (and for better or for worse, we were the family in matching t-shirts). Across 8 two-week trips and by the time I was 18, I saw all 48 continental states across the US. While other suburban families were summering in the Hamptons, we were driving across the country and camping in national parks along the way. To put it simply, we chose adventure over comfort. Little did my parents know what they were going to instill in me.

After refusing to study abroad in college, I graduated and found myself dreading my first full-time job in Chicago at the age of 23. I often thought to myself, “I’m way too young to be hating my job.” After a few lengthy conversations with my best friend, we decided to quit our jobs and take a sabbatical in the form of backpacking across Europe and Central America for 6 months. Always referred to as “the trip”, this is where my mind truly began to open up wide. This trip is also where Uproute was conceived.

Upon returning to the United States, I got into the non-profit space and worked on creating Uproute Travel on the side. Though I was working full-time on a non-profit salary, I still managed to take three international trips annually. On the business front, it took me a few years, but 2020 gave me the time and space to think more intentionally about how I wanted the rest of my life to look.

Flash forward to 2022, I spent the entire calendar year working and traveling across the globe - meeting industry contacts in South America, Southeast Asia, and many places in between. At present, I have visited 69 countries across 6 continents - my goal being to never be older than the number of countries I’ve visited. As a 32-year-old, that’s looking good, but we all know life happens. Gotta keep the pedal to the metal!

Destination Specialties

  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • United States - Hawaii
  • New Zealand
  • Spain
  • Portugal
  • Croatia
  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • Indonesia
  • Costa Rica
  • South Korea
  • Vietnam
  • Philippines

Interests

  • Honeymoons
  • Adventure
  • Family Travel
  • Culture, History & Arts
  • Escorted Tours

Languages

  • English
  • Spanish