Travel
All my travel-related tips, guides, stories, resources, and gear recommendations from my time spent wandering the earth.
Helpful Travel Resources
Carry-On Travel Packing List
Minimalist Travel Packing List
Best Minimalist Travel Backpacks
Van Life Essentials
Complete Travel Resources Guide
Osaka Street Food: 12 of the Best Street Eats in Japan’s Kitchen
I heard it repeatedly — for a taste of Japan’s very best food, I had to sample Osaka’s street food. And in Osaka, street food in the Dotonbori neighborhood was the best-of-the-best. As a foodie, I clearly had no choice, so I booked a hotel in Dotonbori and set out on a four-day exploration of … Read more
11 Best Camp Showers to Stay Fresh & Clean in the Wild
Sure, there’s a rugged charm to that all-natural, musky scent after a long day’s hike. More power to you if that’s your thing, but take it from a seasoned outdoorsman – you’ll have a much more comfortable time out in nature with one of the best camp showers of 2023. Life can get a little … Read more
Best Travel Organizers [Keep Your Luggage & Bags Tidy]
The best travel organizers of 2023 eliminate clutter, bring order to your life, and make packing a cinch. If you aim to keep your travel gear organized on the go, you made it to the right place. After all, when you’re dialed in, you won’t panic nearly as much over your passport’s whereabouts. But there’s … Read more
Minimalist Travel [DIY Packing List + Best Ultralight Gear]
Minimalist travel — these two words sound a tad extreme, don’t they? If they conjure up images of a sunburnt drifter hobbling down the sidewalk with ragged clothes and nothing to their name, I can’t blame you. But, it’s not like that, I swear. Minimalist travel is anything but an aimless struggle. It’s quite the … Read more
54 Road Trip Essentials [Handy Packing List + Must-Haves]
I’ve been learning the ins and outs of road trip essentials and perfecting my packing list since I was old enough to get behind the wheel. The open road had me hooked at a very young age and will continue to draw me in for the rest of my days. As an eager teenager, I … Read more
11 Best Packable Travel Hats for Men 2023 [Crushable & Stylish]
Heading out? Traveling in style is easy with with our guide to the best packable travel hats for men of 2023. We men carefully choose our headwear to block the sun, cover up our unkempt hair, or to make a fashion statement on the road. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of versatile hats and … Read more
12 Best Personal Item Bags for Underseat Carry-On Travel
Sixty bucks to carry on my bag at the Milwaukee airport?! That’s my backstory for this list of 2023’s best personal item bags. I usually fly budget airlines like Spirit or Frontier. They’re mostly okay, but if you don’t watch the size of your luggage, they’ll hit you with nasty gate fees that’ll wipe out … Read more
7 Best Titanium Water Bottles [Light & Durable Drinkware]
If you’re a minimalist traveler and ultralight backpacker like me, choosing the best titanium water bottle for your 2023 adventures is serious business. The vessel for your precious hydration must be lightweight, practical, and indestructible as it lugs your liquid from Point A to Point B and beyond. Though a touch pricier than a traditional … Read more
39 Gifts for Minimalists 2023 [Ideas for Practical Men & Women]
It’s challenging to find perfect gifts for people who already have everything they want. I’m talking about those who choose to live with very few possessions. To keep your gift out of their white elephant dumpster, here are a few tips on 2023’s best gift ideas for men and women who identify as minimalists. Before … Read more
How to Start a Travel Blog in 2023: Travel, Create (& Get Paid)
Back in 2017, I saved up a chunk of money, quit my job, and started traveling. I had the world at my fingertips and big, shiny plans for the future. That’s right, I was going to start a travel blog and make money while exploring the earth at my leisure! How’d that turn out, you … Read more
The Ideal Colorado Road Trip Itinerary (Ideas, Costs & Map)
If I had to sit down and draw up my dream U.S. road trip itinerary, I’d have a hell of a hard time ever leaving my home state of Colorado. I’m a hopeless skiing, hiking, camping, and outdoor addict, and I simply can’t imagine a better setting to fire up my camper van and start … Read more
16 Best Travel Shoes for Walking All Day [Men’s & Women’s]
Smart travelers know the value of great shoes. When you’re on your feet all day — whether it’s hiking a trail or exploring neighborhoods in a new city — the shoes you wear can make an enormous difference. So thanks for joining me here as I report on the best men’s and women’s travel shoes … Read more
How to Become a House Sitter (& Find Long-Term Sitting Jobs)
Once you’ve learned how to become a house sitter and landed your first long-term job, it might all seem too good to be true. You may just feel like you’ve stumbled upon a secret travel cheat code or struck the cash-strapped traveler lottery. Feelings like these are bound to bubble up from time to time. … Read more
15 Best Minimalist Backpacks for Modern One Bag Travel 2023
As a nomad who lives with less, few things get me fired up like simple one bag travel while donning my minimalist backpack. The feeling that overcomes me knowing everything I need is gently resting on my shoulders as I get to know a new place is simply exhilarating. But fitting my travel essentials comfortably … Read more
Hostel vs Hotel: Differences, Safety & What’s Right for You
If you’re a worn-out traveler, you’ll need a place to rest your weary bones at the end of the day. This biological necessity comes with a price tag and a slew of options, chief amongst which lies the decision between picking a hostel vs hotel. It seems like an easy decision, right? Not so fast. … Read more
Van Life: 13 Good, Bad & Strange Realities of Living in a Van
During my six years of on-again-off-again van life in my 2005 Chevy Astro, I’ve ventured down countless roads in search of riveting and unconventional experiences. I’ve bumped down rutted-out backcountry trails, cruised across barren deserts, navigated congested city streets, flown through miles of endless plains, and hopped aboard ferries to remote islands. I’ve slept at … Read more
Polyester vs Cotton: Which Material is Best for Traveling?
Each day we’re faced with the choice of what to wear to best suit our needs, and this decision becomes even more magnified when we’re traveling. Catching trains, navigating airports, exploring crowded city streets – the movement of life on the go requires comfort, functionality, and confidence. If you’re reading this article, then you likely … Read more
Traveling Sucks Sometimes: My 12 Worst Travel Stories
Traveling sucks sometimes, it’s a fact. Life on the road has the tendency to unravel and spiral out of control when we least expect it. The best-laid plans can fall apart at a moment’s notice, and there’s nothing any of us travelers can do about it. I’ve watched helplessly as my backpacking trips have turned … Read more
Carry-On Packing List for 2023: Pack Light, Travel Right
I’ve been traveling light and using packing lists for years, and I’ll never take for granted how good it feels to travel carry-on only. Because I’ve seen how miserable traveling with excess can be. But here’s the good news: Baggage doesn’t have to slow us down. Traveling light is a choice. We don’t have to … Read more
5 Days in Hong Kong: My Spontaneous & Itinerary-Free Trip
My spur of the moment trip to Hong Kong was born from a late-night conversation with a travel-hungry friend 10,000 miles away. It was a wild, impulsive, and indelible adventure; a chance journey that wasn’t really meant to take place, but played out perfectly nonetheless. Our five-day meet-up was a blur of world-class food, bumpy … Read more