Joey Fatone’s rise to fame began in 1995 when he became a member of the record-shattering, multi-platinum group *NSYNC. Since then, he’s had a successful career as a multi-faceted entertainer — adding actor, Broadway star, dancer, media personality and Hilton Grand Vacations Brand Ambassador to his resume. (Fun fact: He’s also the owner of Fat One’s food truck.) For his exclusive HGV Live! Joey Fatone and Friends performances, Joey surprises the audience with special guest performers he has come to know from his time in the entertainment industry. 

   

Hilton Grand Vacations Owners who attend one of Joey’s HGV Live! performances* are in for a treat as they have the opportunity to enjoy intimate shows brimming with his gracious energy. “He’s a very funny guy and has a great personality. He’s nice to everybody — he lights up a room,” said Robin Thicke, a Grammy-nominated musician, and host on the reality TV show The Masked Singer. 

We chatted with Joey at one of his HGV Live! performances in Orlando, and got the scoop on performing for Hilton Grand Vacations Members and his celebrity travel tips. Here’s what he said. 

Joey Fatone Dishes On HGV Live! And Celebrity Travel Tips

HGV: What’s your go-to packing style on the road?

JF: Get as much as you can in a roll on because sometimes when you check your bag, it decides to make other trips like go to Vegas when you’re going to Utah or when you’re going to New York City to California. See if you can pack things in everything, like your sneakers. Shove the socks in the actual shoes. Shove the underwear in there as well. The essential thing is always to have clean underwear. 

HGV: What’s your travel routine for long-haul flights? 

   

JF: I’m so used to traveling on planes and sometimes on buses that I can sleep anywhere. I just need a sweater. That’s what I usually carry with me on a plane. No matter how hot it is outside, I’m always bringing a sweater because sometimes it’s cold in the airport, and as I get older, it’s cold on the airplane. But yeah, I would say with my sweater, hat and headphones, that’s it. I’m out — done. 

HGV: What’s in your carry-on bag?

JF: A plethora of things. I usually have my Oculus, an iPad, in ears, and I also have headphones and my passport. I’m almost like Mr. Mom, too. Now that I’m thinking about everything, I’ve got Band-Aids, hand sanitizer and toothpicks that make your mouth minty fresh.

HGV: You travel a lot. What are the three travel tips you have for others? 

JF: One: Stay hydrated. Seriously. People don’t think about that when they are in a bustle but drink water. Two: I said it before, but clean underwear. Number three: I guess I’m old school, but I carry cash on me. You never know if your card’s not going to work or if something’s gonna go down and you need a cab or something. Carry a little cash, not much — $10 or $20.

HGV: When you travel for fun, how would you describe your travel style and who are some of your favorite travel buddies? 

JF: Sometimes, I like to wing it. Yes, I want things scheduled, but sometimes I wing it. My ex-wife Kelly is amazing at coordinating stuff. When we go on trips, she has everything planned, but I also like a day off to do nothing but hang out in the pool with a drink and relax.

   

HGV: What do you look for in a vacation? 

JF: It just depends on what I want. Because, you know, different vacations, different things. Sometimes I want to chill and relax, so I like to go to the beach and be alone. Or find those private pools at resorts. Sometimes I like an atmosphere with a DJ, and we have a lot of fun. Mostly, I like a little bit of both. 

HGV: What’s your all-time favorite destination, and why do you love it so much? 

JF: Hawaii. I took a bunch of people one time to Hawaii. It was the first time I ever got a chance to do something for my family and friends, who have always supported me. Our family and friends had kids around the same time; they ranged from a year to three years old, and about five or six of us had kids.

So I got a private plane that flew everybody to Hawaii, where we had a vacation. It was very interesting with 22 people, and the kids outnumbered us. But it was a blast. It’s one of those things I’ll never forget. We were all at a house I rented, hanging out and having a good time. 

HGV: What’s your ultimate travel bucket list destination and why? 

   

JF: That’s tough. There are a lot of places I haven’t visited. I’d love to check out Egypt to see a pyramid for once. Something different like that. Or Dubai; I’ve never been to Dubai. 

HGV: Foodie vacations are popular. In your opinion as a food truck owner, what destination is a must-visit for food-loving travelers?

JF: There are so many places because food trucks are booming everywhere. California is probably one of the top destinations for food trucks. Chicago is another great place. Orlando, Florida. They’ve got a lot of food trucks out here as well.

HGV: As an Orlando local, what is one underrated thing in Orlando that visitors should see, try or check out? 

JF: Wallaby Ranch is something probably not many people know. You can hang glide even though there are no mountains in Florida. There’s a little plane, and you fly tandem with a professional hang glider. You’re in a little bag, and you fly up slowly in this little thing, and then they release it, and you glide down. It is the craziest thing, and I don’t think many people know about that in Florida. 

   

HGV: You’ve been a Hilton Grand Vacations ambassador for some time. What’s your favorite part of performing for an HGV Live! show versus a traditional concert and why? 

JF: I think the intimacy. It’s not like you’re doing it in front of hundreds of thousands of people. You’re doing it for 200 or 300 people. It all depends on, on the group of people. I can get down on the floor, hang out, dance, sing and clap along with them — jump on the tables if we want. And that’s the fun part about this because you never know what you’re gonna get with these parties. 

"It’s so much fun because we can stop and start a song anytime. The greatest thing about the shows I do is having other people come up at different times. Other celebrities come out with me as well. So that’s why I call it Joey Fatone and Friends. So when you see something that says, ‘Joey Fatone and Friends for HGV Live!,’ you should know it’s going to be a lot of fun."

Read “Members And Guests Share Why They Love HGV Ultimate Access” for an insider’s perspective.  

*To attend HGV Ultimate Access events (valued between $500-$1500), Guests must attend a Membership Portfolio Review or Timeshare Presentation after the event, during their same stay. If you do not attend the Membership Review or Timeshare Presentation, the retail value of the event may be charged to your credit card. HGV Ultimate Access events are subject to availability, nontransferable and subject to change without notice. Experience fee applies, minimum of $99 per event, to be paid at time of booking. Offer dates may change due to event availability. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other promotion.