Southlake Travel helps clients throughout Grapevine, Colleyville, Southlake, Westlake, and the greater Dallas–Fort Worth area explore the world with confidence. Celebrating 20 years in 2026, the agency combines thoughtful travel planning, firsthand knowledge, and trusted relationships with attentive service before, during, and after every journey.

Managing Director Karen Dawson, CTA (Certified Travel Advisor), MCC (Master Cruise Counselor), brings more than two decades of travel industry experience to each client relationship. A Tauck Certified Advisor—a distinction placing her among the top 1% of Tauck advisors nationally—Karen draws on extensive destination knowledge and longstanding supplier relationships to help clients choose the right journey. Her background includes leadership roles with American Express Travel and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, as well as service as Director of Corporate Travel & Meetings for an investment firm.

Marketing Director Jim Dawson supports the agency’s marketing, community partnerships, and client engagement. His experience includes strategic marketing, business partnerships, and major events with AT&T, Verizon, IBM, and Colgate. Together, Karen and Jim bring travel expertise, business experience, and a commitment to lasting relationships to Southlake Travel.

As a Virtuoso Affiliated Travel Agency, Southlake Travel connects clients with a global network of respected travel partners. These include Tauck, Abercrombie & Kent, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea, AmaWaterways, SeaDream Yacht Club, Belmond, and others. Depending on the journey, these relationships can provide valuable amenities, special offers, and distinctive experiences.

The agency specializes in European river cruises, ocean cruising, small-ship and expedition voyages, guided journeys, independent itineraries, African safaris, and travel throughout Italy, England, France, and beyond. Women-only journeys, solo travel, multigenerational vacations, and shared-interest groups are also important areas of focus.

Southlake Travel’s commitment to its clients and community has earned multiple local readers’ choice awards, including Best Travel Agency recognition in 2024, 2025, and 2026. Karen also supports Summer Santa, local women’s organizations, garden clubs, schools, and civic initiatives throughout the area.

Every journey begins with understanding the traveler—their interests, preferences, and reasons for going. Whether planning a milestone celebration, a family vacation, a cruise, or a long-awaited adventure, Southlake Travel helps clients create experiences they will look forward to and remember for years.

Karen Dawson is the founder and Managing Director of Southlake Travel, a boutique travel advisory serving clients across Southlake, Grapevine, and the greater Dallas–Fort Worth area. With a career spanning both corporate and leisure travel, she brings a depth of experience and perspective that allows her to design journeys that are not only well-planned, but truly meaningful.

Karen’s background includes leadership roles in corporate travel and meetings, where she managed complex travel programs for senior executives and large organizations. That experience continues to shape her approach today—thoughtful, detail-oriented, and grounded in understanding what matters most to each client.

She is recognized as a Certified Tauck Specialist, ranking among the top 1% nationwide, with deep expertise in European land journeys and small ship travel. As part of a Virtuoso-affiliated agency, Karen provides her clients with access to preferred partners, exclusive amenities, and trusted relationships around the world.

Clients value Karen’s calm, steady guidance and her ability to simplify the complexities of travel planning. Whether designing a milestone journey, a multi-generational trip, or a luxury cruise, she focuses on creating experiences that feel seamless, personal, and memorable.

For Karen, travel is not simply about the destination—it is about the moments along the way, and ensuring each journey reflects the people taking it.