---

Interview with Keith Johnson: How AI Planned My Trip Back Home in Seconds

It’s not every day that your hometown becomes your vacation destination — and it’s definitely not every day that a robot plans it better than your travel agent cousin. We sat down with Keith Johnson, founder and CEO of AiBellHop.com, to find out how his own AI platform surprised him with a perfectly customized itinerary… for the town he grew up in.

Q: So Keith, you had AI plan a vacation… to your own hometown?

Keith:I know how it sounds. But yeah — I gave it a challenge. I asked AiBellHop to plan a weeklong trip for me and a few people from different age groups. I grew up in the town, so I figured I already knew everything about it. But within seconds, this thing handed me a full itinerary that was smarter, more organized, and honestly way more fun than anything I would’ve pulled together.

Q: What kind of details did you give it?

Keith: That’s actually one of the coolest parts of AiBellHop — it keeps things simple. Think of it like taking a multiple-choice test where the system already knows what it’s looking for. We ask the questions we know AI can answer well — like what age group is traveling, how much you want to spend, how long you’re staying — and you just fill in the blanks. No long essays. No having to describe your “travel vibe.” It’s fast, smart, and gets straight to the point. I basically told it, “Here’s our age range, here’s our budget, and here’s how long we’ve got,” and it gave me a full itinerary that actually made sense.

Q: Was there a moment where the AI missed the mark?

Keith:Sure — I mean, no system is perfect. A couple of the activity suggestions were a little too far of a drive for what I had in mind, especially for a weeklong trip where I didn’t want to spend half the time in the car. But honestly, that was minor. For the most part, the itinerary was dead on — the activities were age-appropriate, the budget was spot on, and it even recommended a few hidden gems I had forgotten existed. It felt like traveling with a super-organized local who actually listens.

Q: What surprised you most about using AiBellHop as a traveler rather than a founder?

Keith: Honestly? The lack of stress. Usually planning a trip is this rabbit hole of tabs, blogs, sketchy reviews, and five different group texts. This was the opposite. AiBellHop used real innkeeper input, paired it with what vloggers and foodies recommend, and tied it all together based on the budget and people I was with. It was like having a travel agent, local guide, and therapist all in one.

Q: What would you say to someone who’s hesitant to trust AI with their vacation?

Keith: I’d say — give it one shot. Don’t look at it like a replacement for your planning. Look at it like the smartest assistant you’ve ever had who doesn’t judge your budget or suggest 7 a.m. yoga every day. You’re still in control. You can ignore anything you want. Except maybe the restaurant with the homemade pie… definitely go there.

Final thoughts?

Keith: Travel shouldn’t feel like work. That’s the whole point. AiBellHop is here to make sure your only job is packing — and maybe arguing over playlists on the road trip. It’s AI-powered planning with a human touch — just the way it should be.