Your guide in creating
unforgettable moments

Village & Vine, the travel blog of Mary Beth Chalk, shares tips and tricks for exploring small towns and vineyards across the globe. It also showcases the stories of her travels as inspiration for ambitious travelers or simply as an escape for readers at home. In this redesign, we set out to give Mary Beth’s rich content collection a new look that would do it justice.

The star of any blog is content, and Village & Vine is no exception. To set the stage for the original photography, stories, and resources Mary Beth had created, we developed a clear content strategy that would speak to the blog’s primary audience, travelers in their golden years. We included language like “Legacy” and “Bucket List.” The call to “Share Your Story” via a postcard-inspired form helps to lay the foundation for a thriving Village & Vine community.

Considering the wealth of content we were working with, we wanted to provide visitors with plenty of ways to drill down to what they need. More than the standard search functionality and category lists, we plotted a map with country-specific content and added a set of country icons for easy identification. We also created a cross-search interaction, which allows users to choose a travel type and destination to the content they’re looking for.

With a new brand, new site design, and matching itineraries, a visit to villageandvinetravel.com is as exciting as traversing the vineyards of Tuscany. Okay, not quite, but it is a cohesive, dynamic experience that guides users through the project of passion that is Village & Vine. We’re excited for the future of Village & Vine and can imagine a day in the not-too-distant future where Mary Beth has a byline in Travel & Leisure.