CaminoLife Coaching
One-on-one and group coaching for people preparing for, walking, or coming home from the Camino de Santiago.
caminocoachdave.comAbout your host
Meet Dave (and Brisket) — Your host at Home Port Vacation Escapes
This page introduces Dave, the host of Home Port Vacation Escapes, and Brisket, the Wonderdog and your tour-guide: Dave Hall is a Milwaukee resident, certified life coach, musician, and former worship pastor and missionary who now runs CaminoLife Coaching, is writing a book entitled Walking Toward Fire (due out late 2026), and is launching Caminolife.app in Spring 2027, and Home Port is the 1865 Cream City Brick house he restored 4 blocks from downtown Port Washington and Lake Michigan.
Who I am
I'm Dave Hall — a Milwaukee resident, certified life coach, musician, and former worship pastor and missionary who has spent a lot of years helping people find their spiritual footing, first in churches and mission work and now on the Camino de Santiago. I've walked four Caminos (Norte 2019, Portugués Coastal 2023, and two more in 2024 and 2025 with Dan Mullins' Magical Musical Camino). I run CaminoLife Coaching (caminocoachdave.com), am writing a book entitled Walking Toward Fire: One Pilgrim's Journey of Loss, Recovery, and Return on the Camino de Santiago (due out late 2026), and am launching Caminolife.app in Spring 2027. Home Port is where I get to practice hospitality at home instead of on the trail.
Why I love hosting
We all know how it feels to arrive somewhere and find no coffee filters, a dull knife, and no laundry soap. I built Home Port to be the opposite of that: sharp knives, good cookware, real coffee, plant-based soap in the laundry, dog bowls by the door. I want people to walk in, exhale, and feel like the house was expecting them.
The best part of hosting is meeting guests personally, hearing their stories, and reading the messages afterward — the family reunion that finally happened, the couple who played the piano at midnight, the dog who claimed the deck. That's why the site says "making memories." It's the whole point.
The house
- Built in 1865 of Cream City Brick — the pale, locally made brick Milwaukee and the Lake Michigan shore are known for.
- For decades, the first floor was the "Hometown Dental" office.
- Four blocks from downtown Port Washington and Lake Michigan; the marina, lighthouse, beaches and coffee shops are all a short walk.
The remodel
The remodel began in 2021. For decades, the first floor was the "Port's Hometown Dental" office. Dave took two years to redesign it and began renovations in 2021. It was completed and named Be Still and Know in 2023. We tore out every wall except the brick center wall, where we changed the size and placement of the openings and added many reinforcement beams (now covered with barn wood, some inside the brick wall). The piano room was the reception area. What is now the bedroom off the kitchen was the reception office. The kitchen was the X-ray room. The larger bedroom was their break room, and the en suite bath was another office. We added the back hall to provide access to the door at the rear corner of the building as well as the back stairwell.
From dental office to Home Port
2018
2018 · Dave's pencil sketch of the house 2020
2020 · Before: drop ceilings, fluorescent panels and exit signs from its office days 2020 · The upstairs as an office — the piano was already here 2021
Jan 2021 · Demolition begins; the first Cream City Brick comes into view Jan 2021 · A four-legged site inspector Feb 2021 · Original beams uncovered above the drop ceiling Feb 2021 · A full wall of 1865 Cream City Brick, hidden for decades Jun 2021 · Floors come up July 2021 — New Floor Plan designed by Dave with help from architect and friend, Bob Anderson, who also drew the plan Sep 2021 · Brick cleaned, new walls framed 2022
Feb 2022 · Drywall goes up around the brick Feb 2022 · Choosing the marble Feb 2022 · Prepping the large bathroom floors Mar 2022 · The kitchen goes in against the brick Mar 2022 · The piano corner takes shape Apr 2022 · Hex marble bathroom floor Apr 2022 · The soaking tub arrives May 2022 · Granite bar top Jun 2022 · The spa bathroom, finished Today
Today · Spa bathroom with walk-in shower and soaking tub Today · Granite kitchen bar with seating and exposed Cream City Brick
What else I'm working on — CaminoLife
The CaminoLife app
A trip-planning and route-matching app ("Find My Camino"). Launching Spring 2027.
Camino Coach Dave on Substack
Writing on pilgrimage and the second half of life.
Walking Toward Fire
A book due out late 2026 — One Pilgrim's Journey of Loss, Recovery, and Return on the Camino de Santiago.
Retreats
Brisket
Brisket, Your Tour Guide
Brisket is the real boss here.
One more thing
If you're planning a trip to Port Washington and have a question the site doesn't answer, email me: stay@homeportvacationescapes.com. I answer myself.
Email Dave