Get out and get lost. Camp under the stars. Camp on a mountain. Camp in a van. Camping is why I started traveling. It allowed me to travel on a budget and see the world in all its beauty. This is where it all began.
This Small Midwest Community Hides Some Of The Country’s Best Hidden Adventures
This Small Midwest Community Holds Some Of The Country’s Best Hidden Adventures October 21, 2019 There’s something about a place that feels like home the moment you arrive. Less than four hours after landing in Ironwood, Michigan, I’m standing in…
I’m 26 and I’ve Traveled the World. Here’s How I Afford It.
I’m 26 and I’ve Traveled the World. Here’s How I Afford it. September 17, 2019 I’ve been to more countries than years I’ve been alive, which often ignites an interesting conversation that revolves around how I afford to travel at…
Four Road Trip Routes in Michigan You Need to Take This Summer
Four Road Trips You Need to Take in Michigan This Summer The entire population of Michigan is emerging from their winter habitats, eyes squinting beneath a forgotten sun. Unlike the newly released season of Game of Thrones, winter is not…
The Ultimate Guide to Free Camping
The Ultimate Guide to Free Camping 1. Free campsites Yes, there are actual camping areas designed specifically for free camping. Don’t expect anything fancy, as 9/10 times the campsite will include nothing but a fire area, but you usually find…
12 Gifts Every Adventurer Will Love
12 GIFTS EVERY ADVENTURER WILL LOVE 1. Airbnb Gift Card ($50-$100) Travelers like to stay in unique places. Something more thrilling than the local Hampton Inn. What better gift than a gift of experience? Airbnb is a home-rental site…
The Four Weirdest Places We’ve Slept While Traveling
The Four Weirdest Places We’ve Slept While Traveling I’m sorry if this is your first time here. We’re about ready to get to know each other real quick. Josh and I travel on a tight budget, which often times…
Six Travel Hacks to Extend Your Dollar in Europe
SIX TRAVEL HACKS TO EXTEND YOUR DOLLAR IN EUROPE I’ve heard it time and time again. Travelers spending anywhere from $2,000 to upwards of $25,000 for a ten-day jaunt through Europe. The thought of traveling overseas automatically means spending…
A Guide to Camping With Cats
A Guide to Camping With Cats “Your cats actually camp?” Yes, yes they do. But the process hasn’t been easy, and a cat isn’t going to go from catnip and couches to a tent in the woods overnight.…
Four Incredible North Carolina Mountain Secrets
Four Unique Places to Visit the North Carolina Mountains I’ve found myself falling more in love with North Carolina every time I explore it. As a travel blogger, I’ll be the first to admit that it grows harder…
Seven Places to Go When You’re Lost, Broke, and Ready for Adventure
Seven Places to Go When You’re Lost, Broke, and Ready for Adventure You’re at a crossroad in your life. Maybe it’s a failed relationship, a crappy job, or just a total “over it” outlook on life. You’re ready to…
How Much Does it Cost to Travel The World for a Year?
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TRAVEL THE WORLD FOR A YEAR The $$$$ of travel is a question I get more often than not. And of course, everyone who asks that questions knows the answer: it varies. But…
Six Things to do in Michigan Before Fall Ends
Plan a fall camping trip A little colder than normal? Yeah. Worth it to wake up under a canopy of brilliant yellow and reds? Also yes. I love waking up on a crisp morning and digging out of the tent…
Glamping in Idaho Will Make You Believe in Narnia
GLAMPING IN IDAHO WILL MAKE YOU BELIEVE IN NARNIA Sometimes the best places come with the lowest expectations. Five years ago if you asked me to choose between a trip to California or a trip to Idaho I would…
Four Reasons Why Everyone Should Visit Scandinavia
FOUR REASONS EVERYONE SHOULD VISIT SCANDINAVIA Scandinavia might have words like menneskerettighetsorganisasjonene, and the winters might be brutal, but if you’re looking for awe-inspiring landscapes, friendly people, and saunas with beer, it’s a region not to be missed. Consisting…
Five Must-Camp Places in Michigan This Summer
FIVE MUST-CAMP PLACES IN MICHIGAN THIS SUMMER Summer months in The Mitten are considered sacred. We patiently wait from November to April for the weather to break, the lakes to become swimmable, and the camping nights comfortable. Each year we each…
Seven Things That Suck About Long Term Travel
SEVEN THINGS THAT SUCK ABOUT LONG TERM TRAVEL I dreamt for years about traveling long term. Waking up every day in a completely new environment, without the slightest clue to where I was going next or how I was…
An Inside Look at the Van Life: Q&A
AN INSIDE LOOK AT VANLIFE: Q&A Living in a van isn’t the most usual lifestyle. And with an unusual life comes many questions. Few people will ever understand what living in a van for months on end entails. The…
How to Renovate a Van into a Home
HOW TO RENOVATE A VAN INTO A HOME I’ll always look back and remember that my first home was a van. Nearly two months after arriving back to Michigan from Europe, I am preparing to embark on yet another…
What Happens in Europe…
WHAT HAPPENS IN EUROPE… Three months in Europe comes with a lot of memories (and mishaps). When beginning a journey of such magnitude, you know that along the way you will create stories both good and bad, and come…
How to Visit 25 Countries for Under $3,500
HOW TO VISIT 25 COUNTRIES FOR UNDER $3500 When you leave to travel an entire continent for 90 days, you come home feeling as if everything has changed, even though it hasn’t. That was me when I drove into…
Traveling Europe on A Budget
TRAVELING EUROPE ON A BUDGET Currently in Warsaw, Poland downing a foreign alcoholic cider that cost a whopping .62 cents. ANYWAYS. I hear you’re interested in traveling in Europe? Backpacking maybe? So you’ve decided to travel through Europe and…
What I’ve Learned from My First Month Backpacking Europe
WHAT I’VE LEARNED FROM MY FIRST MONTH BACKPACKING EUROPE When I said goodbye to the United States on June 1st with nothing but a backpack, a passport, and a boyfriend, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. We…
The Island of Cies
THE ISLAND OF CIES Arriving in Europe on June 2nd with no plans, no itinerary, and a limited budget was probably one of the scarier things I’ve done while traveling. I’ll admit that although I’m not a planner (or…
Red River Gorge Cabin Life: Treehouse Edition
RED RIVER GORGE CABIN LIFE: TREEHOUSE EDITION Last week I returned to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky for some climbing and exploring. On my first visit last October, I fell in love with the area and the atmosphere…
8 Tips for Tight Budget Travel
8 TIPS FOR TIGHT BUDGET TRAVEL Some of us are visual learners (myself included). This week I decided to take a different approach to share some of my tips while traveling on a budget. What is the twist? AN…
8 Small Town Michigan Overnight Getaways
8 SMALL TOWN MICHIGAN OVERNIGHT GETAWAYS 1. Mesick It’s in the middle of nowhere, it’s near the highest point in the Lower Peninsula, and it’s the mushroom capital of the world. If you love hunting for those Morel mushrooms…
A Life Behind Miguel’s Pizza
A Life Behind Miguel’s Pizza Situated among the rolling mountains of Kentucky is a slice of heaven for rock climbers, food lovers, and camping fanatics. Kentucky’s Red River Gorge is known to have the best rock climbing in the eastern…
How to Conquer Iceland on a Budget
HOW TO MAKE ICELAND AFFORDABLE 1. Tent it How cold do you think Iceland is? The answer is not as cold as you may think. Tenting is completely doable in the summer months and will save a traveler…
Shalee Wanders, LLC 2019