About Us
Local Getaways is here to help you experience new places, indulge your passion for traveling, and find your own perfect getaway. We are a community-based travel site curated by passionate locals and expert travelers. Our team of travel writers offer an inside look at some of the best of everything: from a bucket list adventure to a romantic retreat to a family-fun adventure or to simply escape with your friends — we will show you the way.
Our thoughtful insights are shared with an audience who are equally enthusiastic about touring and exploring. We attract like-minded followers who share insights on the intersections of infinity pools and secret hikes; of Michelin-starred delights and ‘gram-worthy snacks; of romantic vistas and family-friendly spots. From campgrounds to glampgrounds, river fishing to poolside naps, BIPOC-powered startups to legacy brands committed to integrity and diversity.
Whether your search radius is 30 miles or 3000 miles — Local Getaways is here to inspire you.
It’s time, so let’s go!
Nikki C., Mimi, Nikki N.
Meet the Team
Nikki C. Wood
Co-Founder/Publisher
Nikki Wood Co-founder of 270 Media LLC, and Publisher of LocalGetaways.com, is a media and publishing veteran with 30 years in the industry. Having lived in all corners of the US and a few places abroad, traveling is in her blood.
Prior to her latest venture, Nikki was Publisher and VP of Revenue Strategy at San Francisco Magazine, and she spent nearly a decade as group publisher for the Where Traveler family of products and recently launched Baybeat.com.
A native Chicagoan, Nikki started her media and publishing career in London, where she worked on some of the most successful B2B and B2C titles in their respective industries. She later co-founded a publishing company that focused on thought leadership. After spending thirteen years gaining international experience, she and her family decided to relocate to the Bay Area where she founded Mazik Media. While continuing to work with some of the brightest minds in tech, she expanded her reach and expertise by developing a creative and digital consultancy arm that included niche events.
Don’t bother looking for Nikki on the weekends—she is most likely hiking the beautiful trails of Mt.Tamalpais and exploring the world around her.
Mimi Towle
Co-Founder/Editor
Mimi Towle is Co-founder of 270-Media and editorial director of LocalGetaways.com. She has created, edited and packaged content for a consumer audience focusing on travel, health and lifestyle issues for magazines, websites and books for over three decades. Her latest role as editor of Marin Magazine, a regional magazine, located Marin County, California, gave her enviable access to the best travel destinations and people behind these businesses in California and Hawaii.
Mimi grew up in Hawaii and Southern California and loves to explore mostly beach towns up and down the California Coast. She received a BA in English from U.C. Berkeley, in 1989, which prepared her for a career in story telling. As a reaction to the multitude of questions from friends traveling to Hawaii or California, she has created a bevy of long gone websites, to capture her recommendations. The latest Hawaii iteration, HawaiiIslander.com, has merged with and become LocalGetaways Hawaii.
Throughout the years, these online ventures have been family efforts, you’ll see posts written by her daughters as well as videos – they had to earn their travel benefits! Nikki N. is her mother, and Co-founder of Marin Magazine, and she thrilled to be working together again. Oh, and her boyfriend, Bryan helps out with photos.
When Mimi is not clicking on her keyboard, or (according to her girls) “yelling” into her cell phone, she can be found on any trail she is near, or playing on or in the nearest body of water.
Nikki N. Wood
Co-Founder/Operations
Nikki Wood is Co-founder of 270-Media and Head of Operations at LocalGetaways.com. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, California and after attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Nikki Wood lived in Hawaii for 10 years as a young adult honing her aloha spirit skills. Since moving back to the mainland, she has been in the publishing industry for more than 30 years. She and her husband, Jim, founded Coast Magazine in 1991, where she served as Publisher and grew the business from start-up to a popular regional publication in the Newport Beach, California area. The Woods sold the magazine to The Orange County Register in 2000 and moved to Northern California to be close to family and realize their dream of living in Marin County.
In 2005, she co-founded Marin Magazine where she managed the day-to-day operations as Publisher and Editorial Director. In 2020, Wood retired from the magazine and began thinking about her next business adventure. Because travel has always been an important part of her life, it is a natural fit for her to team up with her daughter, Mimi Towle, and friend and fellow publisher, Nikki C. Wood (yes, it is confusing!), to launch the Local Getaways brand in California and Hawaii.
In her leisure time Nikki enjoys hiking, golf and exploring the beautiful countryside in West Marin with her husband Jim.
Kasia Pawlowska
Executive Editor
Kasia Pawlowska loves words. A native of Poland, Kasia moved to the States when she was seven and quickly developed a habit of sneaking off to the grocery store to buy magazines like Jane — mostly for quiz taking purposes — with change from her parents. Her fascination with magazines continued, and the San Francisco State University creative writing graduate went on to write for publications like the San Francisco Bay Guardian (RIP), KQED Arts, Marin Magazine and FRANCHISE among others prior to joining 270 Media.
Kasia’s diverse interests and curiosity are reflected in the topics she’s covered, which range from social media addiction to mushroom hunting in addition to travel, food and loads of other random things. When she’s not busy blogging or researching and writing articles, she’s either at home writing postcards and reading or going to shows. Recently, Kasia has been trying to branch out and diversify, ie: use different emojis. Her quest for the perfect chip is a never-ending endeavor.
Sabrina Tuton-Filson
Digital Editor
Sabrina Tuton-Filson is a San Francisco native with a love of nature, food, travel, and a proclivity for describing everything as soo good, dude. One might say she was born in the perfect place. At heart, Sabrina is an endlessly curious traveler with a thirst for adventure. It was her following her Go attitude — and the call of pen and paper — that drove her to pursue a degree in creative writing.
When she is out living life in the Bay Area, you’ll most likely find her on a trail before sunrise, on the water in the summer, foraging the stalls at her local farmer’s market, or cruising her hometown exploring new places that catch her eye.
An ardent believer in travel as a mental expander a means to develop personal growth, this lifelong learner is perpetually scheming her next adventure, procuring Google Maps of the best eats, sights and activities. But just as much as she loves venturing beyond home, she cherishes moments where she can show others what makes the Bay Area unique.
Meredith Barberich
Director of Business Development
Kathy Murray
Marketing Manager
Kathy Murray was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Arizona. You could say her adoration for all things travel started at a young age. Having visited over 40 countries, she felt called to go into the travel and tourism industry, her true passion. As a traveler, she knows what visitors look for when coming to a new city, curating digital and social initiatives that highlight the best a place has to offer.
In her previous role, she served as a Digital Marketing Manager with a Bay Area publication. After earning her dual degree in Communication and Spanish Studies with a minor in International Business from Santa Clara University, she backpacked around South East Asia and South America for a year. She then returned to San Francisco to work and live and has since moved down to San Diego.
When she’s off the clock, she enjoys traveling both around California and internationally, surfing the San Diego waves, photography, and tasting the best food in Southern California.
