Shalee Wanders Travel Blog
The Best Beaches in Michigan
The Best Beaches in Michigan March 28, 2025 Michigan was where I first fell in love with exploring. My parents often took us on road trips and camping adventures along the Great Lakes when I was a child. In my late teens and early twenties, almost all of my travels and adventures were dedicated to…
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How to Make Money While Traveling
Travel With Me! Discover trips to New Zealand, Maldives, Europe and More in 2025 & 2026. Explore here How to Make Money While Traveling March 1, 2025 I have been working and making money while traveling since 2017, and I’ve done all kinds of juggling with jobs along the way. From working remotely and taking…
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Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park Road Trip Guide
Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park Road Trip Guide February 24, 2025 Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park are located a short 50 miles from each other, connected by scenic Highway 287 in Wyoming. If you’re planning on visiting one of the national parks, you’ll want to make sure you plan to see…
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What to Bring on a Camping Trip
Travel With Me! Discover trips to New Zealand, Maldives, Europe and More in 2025 & 2026. Explore here What to Bring on a Camping Trip February 20th, 2025 When going on a camping trip, the most common thing I see isn’t underpacking – it’s overpacking. As humans, we can survive on very little, yet somehow,…
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Everything to Know About The O Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park
Travel With Me! Discover trips to New Zealand, Maldives, Europe and More in 2025 & 2026. Explore here Everything to Know About The O Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park February 10th, 2025 A few days ago, I returned to Wyoming for three weeks in South America. Nine of those days were spent in…
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How to Take Good Travel Photos
How to Take Good Travel Photos October 28th, 2024 There is a very subtle art on how to take good travel photos, and I’m giving you all my biggest tips for swoon-worthy shots that will make your friends envious. I already had an interest in photography when I started traveling, and curating beautiful photos on…
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The Best Town to Visit on Lake Huron: A Weekend in Alpena
The Best Town to Visit on Lake Huron: A Weekend in Alpena October 21st, 2024 For those who tell me, “West Coast is the best coast,” I like the banter rebuttal, “You might think that, but the East Coast is the peaceful coast.” On a weekend when hoards of beachgoers are fighting for parking spots…
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My 16 Favorite Pieces of Travel & Camping Gear in 2024
My 17 Favorite Pieces of Travel & Camping Gear in 2024 October 14th, 2024 s Whether it’s gear for international flights, backpacking, or general travel, I have a clear list of favorites. Some of it is clothing, some of it is shoes, and some of it is equipment, but I use all of it religiously. …
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Tips for Traveling With a Cat
Tips for Traveling With a Cat October 8th, 2024 Traveling with a cat can be a lot more stressful than traveling with a dog, especially if your cat is not used to car rides or does not do well in changed environments. If you plan to travel with a cat, whether once for a cross-country…
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Climbing Capitol Peak in Colorado: Everything You Need to Know
Climbing Capitol Peak: Everything You Need to Know September 11th, 2024 Capitol Peak is perhaps Colorado’s most notorious 14er. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not an expert in fourteeners, but my husband and I traveled down to Colorado for a week of climbing these famed Rocky Mountain peaks. We were new to the…
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What to Wear in Egypt: A Complete Clothing Guide
What to Wear in Egypt: A Complete Clothing Guide August 28, 2024 Egypt is a once-in-a-lifetime destination. To be honest, the country completely blew me away. It wasn’t top of my bucket list, but I had many travelers interested in a trip to Egypt, which led me to host a group tour there in 2023.…
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What to Pack for an Overnight Backpacking Trip
What to Pack for an Overnight Backpacking Trip August 8th, 2024 My friends joke that I live half my life out of a backpack, and in the summer, it sometimes feels true. I remember my first backpacking trip on the shores of Lake Michigan with my parents when I was 8. I sat down on…
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What to Pack for Iceland for a Week
What to Pack for Iceland for a Week July 10, 2024 I’ve been to Iceland three times – in 2015, 2019, and 2024. It is one of my favorite places on Earth, and has so much uniqueness that separates it from many other destinations in the world. Because of its unpredictable weather, one-of-a-kind features, and…
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Jet-Set & Jet-Lagged: 10 Airports with Sleeping Pods for the Nonstop Adventurer
Jet-Set & Jet-Lagged: 10 Airports with Sleeping Pods for the Nonstop Adventurer April 25th, 2024 As wanderlusts, globetrotters, jet-setters, and adventurers, we’re no strangers to the flurry and frenzy of airports. Sometimes, long layovers feel like a necessary evil to endure for the sake of a good deal… but what if I told you your…
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Tips for Working Remotely While Traveling
Tips for Working Remotely While Traveling April 10th, 2024 I have been fully remote since 2017. It was during that year I was in a transition period and committed to finding a full-time remote job so I could have the freedom to travel. Back then, remote work wasn’t necessarily new, but it also wasn’t extremely…
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The 13 Best Breweries in Michigan
The 13 Best Breweries in Michigan Updated: February 11, 2025 I’ve been waiting years to make this post. And before you ask – no this isn’t some general, randomly picked list. I’ve spent the past decade testing and trying breweries around Michigan. Over the years, I’ve made note of the best breweries in Michigan, and…
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Best Places to Visit in Michigan
Travel With Me! Discover trips to Yellowstone, Iceland, Patagonia, and Thailand in 2024 & 2025. Explore here Best Places to Visit in Michigan March 18, 2024 Growing up in Michigan, I always knew there was something special about the state, but I never knew just how special until I left. Each time I come ‘home’…
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Best Places to Travel in January
Travel With Me! Discover trips to Iceland, Patagonia, and Thailand in 2024 & 2025. Explore here Best Places to Travel in January February 5th, 2024 January can be the best or worst time to visit specific places. For example, you probably never want to visit Glacier National Park in the winter, as a majority of…
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Best Apps for Travel in 2024
Travel With Me! Discover trips to Iceland, Patagonia, and Thailand in 2024 & 2025. Explore here Best Travel Apps in 2024 January 20, 2024 A decade into travel and I still find myself learning new track tips and hacks all the time! This year’s round-up for best apps for travel in 2024 comes from a…
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Climbing Acatenango On Your Own: Everything You Need to Know
Travel With Me! Discover trips to Iceland, Patagonia, and Thailand in 2024 & 2025. Explore here Climbing Acatenango On Your Own: Everything You Need to Know January 14, 2024 The view of Volcan de Fuego from Acatenango was one of the most anticipated moments of my travel career. I had dreamt of the moment…
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Best and Worst Greek Islands to Visit in The Fall
Best and Worst Greek Islands to Visit in the Fall December 27, 2023 I had always heard that early fall was the best time to visit the Greek Islands. By mid-September, the majority of travelers have traveled home. The islands are still open and operating but with much fewer tourists. I visited nearly all the…
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Backpacking & Hiking Gift Ideas for 2024
Backpacking & Hiking Gift Ideas for 2024 November 15, 2023 Backpacking & Hiking Gift Ideas for 2024 A few weeks ago, I was thinking about how after ten years of backpacking and hiking, I think I finally have the perfect gear setup. It took a lot of trial and error, but I think I finally…
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How to Prepare for a Long Flight
Travel With Me! Discover trips to Yellowstone, Iceland, Patagonia, and Thailand in 2024 & 2025. Explore here How to Prepare for a Long Flight August 8th, 2023 I love traveling but hate flying. When I first started flying long distances, I bought the most budget-friendly seats possible. This means I’ve had a lot of uncomfortable…
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Where is The Best Place to Exchange Currency For a Trip?
Where is The Best Place to Exchange Money for a Trip? June 30th, 2023 Planning for a trip abroad can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Even after 40 countries, I still get overwhelmed the night before a trip! There’s the worry of packing, not forgetting anything, catching your flight, etc. However, I…
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Where to Stay When Visiting Yellowstone
Where to Stay When Visiting Yellowstone (From a Local) April 25th, 2023 Where to Stay When Visiting Yellowstone National Park So you’re visiting Yellowstone National Park. Welcome! As a local to the area, it fills my heart to see millions of tourists pass through our town each year. We live in a special place, and…
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Wyoming’s Best Hiking Trails: From Easy Strolls to Challenging Summits
Wyoming’s Best Hiking Trails: From Easy Strolls to Challenging Summits April 10th, 2023 Wyoming’s Best Hiking Trails: From Easy Strolls to Challenging Summits I live for hiking season in Wyoming. Between May-September, I spend most of my weekends in the backcountry of this state, whether hiking and climbing in the Tetons, the Wind River Range,…
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Eight Best Weekend Trips from Detroit
Travel With Me! Discover trips to Iceland, Patagonia, and Thailand in 2024 & 2025. Explore here Eight Best Weekend Trips from Detroit March 22, 2023 Eight Best Weekend Trips from Detroit Growing up in Michigan, there was no better feeling than packing the car and heading north for the weekend. Although I didn’t grow up…
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United Airlines Vs. American Airlines Vs. Delta Airlines Mileage Programs
United Airlines Vs. American Airlines Vs. Delta Airlines Mileage Programs February 26th, 2023 United Airlines Vs. American Airlines Vs. Delta Airlines Mileage Programs I joined my first airline mileage program at 18. At the time, I hoped to have enough miles on one airline for a round-trip flight by the time I was 50. At…
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Do Americans Need a Visa for Vietnam? 2023 Updates
Do Americans Need a Visa for Vietnam? 2023 Updates January 15, 2023 I’ve made plenty of mistakes while traveling, and one of the biggest in recent memory is thinking I could get a VOA (Visa on Arrival) when entering Vietnam on a recent trip to Asia. Vietnam visas for Americans need to be approved ahead…
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How Much Does Bali Cost to Visit (2024)
How Much Does Bali Cost (2024) Updated: February 13th, 2024 Bali has long been known as one of the cheapest places to travel in the world. However, many people in the United States overlook the destination solely based on distance. The flight from North America to Indonesia isn’t necessarily ideal, but it’s still entirely worth…
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Booking Tickets Directly Through Airlines vs. Third Party Platforms in 2022
Booking Tickets Directly Through Airlines vs. Third Party Platforms in 2022 October 14, 2022 I’ve recommended third-party platforms on my blog many times in the past. As a budget traveler for many years, third-party airline booking options and deals were one of the main ways I could afford to travel. Today, one of the biggest…
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Project M Topper: The Best Lightweight Camper for Adventurers
Project M | The Best Lightweight Camper for Adventurers October 2, 2022 I should preface this article by saying I did a year of research before purchasing a Project M topper. I’ve spent many nights of my life sleeping reclined in the driver’s seat, pitching tents in the dark, and finding cafes with horrible wifi…
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10 Best Things to Do in The Les Cheneaux Islands
10 Best Things to Do in The Les Cheneaux Islands September 1, 2022 Fhe The Les Cheneaux Islands are a short 30-minute drive from the Mackinac Bridge. When you drive past on m134, you might blink and mistake the quiet intersection for a simple stop to fill up on gas on your way to Drummond…
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How to Rent a Forest Service Cabin
How to Rent a Forest Service Cabin June 12, 2022 Did you know you can easily rent forest service cabins around the United States? When they are not in use by rangers, the department rents them out on a nightly basis to anyone willing to book. The best part? They’re cheap! Most range between $35-75/night…
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How to Start a Travel Blog in 2024
How to Start a Travel Blog in 2024 Updated: February 14th, 2024 So, you want to start a travel blog? Welcome! I remember the feeling of excitement, anticipation, and fear when I started my blog back in 2014. I was in college, completely unqualified to run a travel blog (I had barely left the Midwest),…
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Where to Exchange Currency for a Trip
Where to Exchange Currency for a Trip (2024) Updated: February 14th, 2024 Anytime you travel abroad to a country with a different currency, you will need to have a plan when it comes to how you will make payments. It’s 2024, which means that credit cards such as Mastercard and Visa are widely accepted in…
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