Shalee Wanders Travel Blog
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 here. Or at least they hope. With the final snowbanks fading, the crumpled bucket lists…
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Seven Rad Things to Do Around Melbourne, Australia
Seven Rad Things to Do Around Melbourne, Australia Melbourne is one of the few places I’ve visited twice. In a world of new adventures, I often opt to visit new places instead of returning to old destinations. However, thanks to an Aussie best friend who quickly showed me local routes and Australian culture, I fell…
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Nine Incredible & Unique Places to Stay in the United States
Nine Incredible and Unique Places to Stay in The United States Walhalla Treehouse, South Carolina If there is a place in the United States that perfectly combines adventure, romance, and luxury, it’s the Walhalla Treehouse. If there is anything in the world that can be described as perfect, this incredible treehouse tucked into the rolling…
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A Solo Hike Up New Zealand’s Gertrude Saddle
A Solo Hike Up New Zealand’s Gertrude Saddle Updated: March 31, 2020 Around dawn, I peeked my head out from the thin blanket I had spread across myself in the backseat of my compact rental car. The night had lingered in the mid-40s, but my many layers kept me warm through the late summer…
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Four Romantic Getaways in Michigan for Every Kind of Couple
Four Romantic Getaways in Michigan For Every Kind of Couple From sipping wine on the shores of Lake Michigan to candlelit dinners overlooking the Detroit skyline, there is an abundance of romantic getaway options right here in Michigan. You can forget about jetting off to Paris, they don’t have white-sand beaches anyway. Whether looking to…
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You Can Come With Me to PERU! YOU can join me on an EPIC adventure to PERU! I’ve partnered up with EF Ultimate Break to bring you an incredible opportunity to visit Peru and hike Machu Picchu with me in October 2021. Up the altitude and dive into jungles, cities and ancient ruins on this…
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Want to Climb a Mountain? Six Easy Peaks to Climb in North America
Travel With Me! Discover trips to Iceland, Patagonia, and Thailand in 2024 & 2025. Explore here Want to Climb a Mountain? Six Easy Mountains to Climb in The United States Updated: May 1, 2022 There are thousands of mountains around North America (and the world) that offer the sweet reward of a mountain summit without…
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Where Can I Camp For Free in The United States?
Where Can I Camp For Free in The United States? 2022 Edition WHERE TO CAMP FOR FREE IN THE UNITED STATES 2022 Free camping is a major win for many reasons. First, it’s free. Second, most of the time you are dispersed and separated from other campers. Sometimes you can be the only one for…
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Lost in Translation: Why We Thought We Were Being Robbed in Colombia
LOST IN TRANSLATION: WHY WE THOUGHT WE WERE BEING ROBBED IN COLOMBIA As I packed up the last of my belongings at our Colombian mansion I couldn’t help but think how smoothly the trip had gone despite the many unknown factors we had leading into the adventure. We began by flying into the heart…
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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 that allows travelers to stay in unique accommodation around the world. From treehouses to igloos…
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Best Things to Do in Traverse City in The Fall
Best Things to Do in Traverse City in The Fall The first thing I noticed when I was deboarding the plane was the smell. A mid-October scent of cool crisp air and pumpkin patches. It smelled like home. I was eager for fall color. Let me rephrase. I NEEDED fall color. I half expected…
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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 means a lack of plush pillows and oversized king beds. This also means a hefty…
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The Six Best States To Visit In The Fall
THE SIX BEST STATES TO VISIT IN THE FALL I’m currently in South Carolina. It was 86 today and I attempted to wear a fuzzy sweater. I’ve unapologetically ordered a PSL from Starbucks. It still wasn’t worth $5, but I’ve come to accept the defeat because the spirit of fall has me feelin’ some…
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Six Hidden Michigan Secrets
Six Hidden Michigan Secrets Michigan is consistently and vastly underrated, but we like it that way. There are rarely crowds which ruin beauty, and there are still dozens of unexplored and relatively unknown places hidden throughout the Upper and Lower Peninsula. Out of all the things to do in Michigan, sometimes the best…
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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 thousands of dollars over the course of just a few days. Learning how to travel cheaply…
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A Guide to Camping With Cats
A Guide to Camping With Cats Updated: August 8th. 2024 “Your cats actually camp?” Yes, yes they do. But camping with cats isn’t an overnight process, and a cat isn’t going to go from catnip and couches to a tent in the woods without proper training. We’ve been camping with our cats since 2017. We’ve…
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Four Incredible North Carolina Mountain Secrets
Best Places to Visit in The North Carolina Mountains When you think of America’s Southeast, the word “adventure” may not be one of the first words to come to mind. But out of the nearly 50 states I’ve ventured to, North Carolina has to be among the most adventurous. After living in the…
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How to Go From Counting Quarters to Counting Countries
HOW TO GO FROM COUNTING QUARTERS TO COUNTING COUNTRIES If you’re reading this and live in the United States or another first-world country, you are more privileged to travel than a vast majority of the world. It doesn’t matter where you started, where you came from, or where you are. You are able to travel.…
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30 Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Michigan Right Now
30 Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Michigan Right Now From the golden shores of Saugatuck to the rocky cliffs of Lake Superior, Michigan holds some of the most pristine and untouched beauty in the country. Still not sold? Check out these photos: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. …
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How I Managed to Get Eleven People to Travel to Colombia
How I Managed to Get Eleven People to Travel to Colombia If you ask me how I managed to get eleven people to travel to Colombia, I don’t have an answer. Rewind a few months. I’m sitting in a local rock climbing gym with my friend, Max. We’re both at transition points in…
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WHY YOU NEED TO GO LIVE IN A VAN FOR SIX MONTHS I miss it. I miss it every day. I miss pulling over whenever it felt right. I miss having no deadlines or time constraints. We were never held back, because there was nothing to be held back from. I miss the…
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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 go somewhere. You’re not rolling in dough, but you need to escape and figure sh*t…
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How to Support Ethical Animal Tourism
How to Support Ethical Animal Tourism Oh, animals. They’re fluffy and cute, sometimes massively terrifying, and other times mildly so. We’re instinctively drawn to interact and be in their presence. I mean, who doesn’t want to cuddle an adorable Koala or help bathe a baby elephant? More often than we’d like to admit the…
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It Took Me Three Days to Fall in Love With THIS Country
IT TOOK ME THREE DAYS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS COUNTRY I think New Zealand is the world’s “most wanted” travel destination. Have you ever had someone tell you they DIDN’T want to visit the land of Narnia/Lord Of The Rings? I don’t think so. Are you ready to hear something heartbreaking?…
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Stories Behind My Ten Favorite Travel Photos
STORIES BEHIND MY TEN FAVORITE TRAVEL PHOTOS Pictures are worth a thousand words, but sometimes they’re worth much more. Travel or not, we each have photos we cherish that capture a particular moment of happiness. Or perhaps a not-so-happy moment but a story that shaped the way we think or the way we are. I…
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Why Traverse City is America’s Best Winter Town
WHY TRAVERSE CITY IS AMERICA’S BEST WINTER TOWN The United States is filled with quaint mountain towns fighting for the prestigious title of “Best Winter Destination.” Sorry Aspen, Boulder, and Park City, you’ve been beaten by a town you’ve probably never heard of. Welcome to Traverse City, Michigan. Far away from any mountain base, this…
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How I Snagged a $21 Flight to Australia
HOW I SNAGGED A $21 FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA I recently had you all guess where I snagged an international flight for $21 on Instagram. I received dozens and dozens of questions from you asking how it was possible once I revealed I was headed to Australia. Australia?! For $21? Aren’t they usually $3,000? Yes,…
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Six Overrated Tourist Attractions
SIX OVERRATED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS There are certain places which travel beyond our expectations, and then there are those which fall short. There aren’t many (or possibly any) places I can say I hate, but there are a few places that I believe get more hype than they’re worth: 1. Times Square on New…
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How Much Does it Cost to Travel The World for a Year?
How Much Does it Cost to Travel the World for a Year? January 25, 2020 One of the most frequent questions I receive is “how much does it cost to travel the world for a year?” It’s a tough question to answer. When it comes to how to afford to travel for a year, the…
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How to Travel With Your Significant Other and Not Kill Each Other
HOW TO TRAVEL WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND NOT KILL EACH OTHER I’ve stood on a lot of cliffs with my boyfriend, Josh. Together, we’ve traveled to twenty-some countries and over thirty states. To be honest, I’m surprised he hasn’t thrown me off a mountain yet because let’s face it; I can be…
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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 only to hear nothing but a crisp crunch under my step. There’s something so simple…
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8 Tips for Making Road Tripping Easier
8 TIPS FOR MAKING ROAD TRIPPING EASIER Whether taking a short weekend trip to Northern Michigan or a trip across the United States, there are a few things I’ve learned about making life on the road easier, more enjoyable, and more convenient (especially when working on the go). 1) Always keep a tent…
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The Cabins of Serenity Springs: Ultra Romantic Getaway
THE CABINS OF SERENITY SPRINGS: ULTRA ROMANTIC GETAWAY What happens when you get the chance to go to an ultra-romantic, picture-perfect, cabin/glamping resort in Indiana but your boyfriend is 1500 miles away? You invite your best friend, buy multiple bottles of wine, and prepare to watch chick flicks for the entirety of the weekend.…
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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 have chosen California. Hands down. I mean do we ever really hear about Idaho? What…
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A Proper Guide to Road Tripping the United States
A PROPER GUIDE TO ROAD TRIPPING THE UNITED STATES The vast, wild, and untouched landscapes of the United States draw millions of adventurers to head out on a road trip every year. From the Rocky Mountains of the west, rugged coasts of Maine, and bayous of Louisiana, there is frankly too much to see…
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The Most Scenic Hikes in the United States
Most Scenic Hikes in The United States (2022 Edition) Updated: November 10, 2021 Most Scenic Hikes in The United States for 2022 I originally wrote this article in 2018 when I thought I had enough hiking experience to provide a list of the most scenic hikes in the United States. And even though I was…
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