The quote above will forever be one of my favorites and one I hold very dear to my heart.
I did not grow up in a home with money. Traveling was almost always out of the question. However, my parents always made it a point to save money whenever they could so we could have little getaways. Some of the fondest memories I have are those when my parents, sisters, and I would be in a car road tripping. South Padre Island was always beautiful. When my parents were able to save a little more, we’d drive down further to visit family in Mexico, a much longer drive, but always worth it.
Contrary to what many believe, you do not need a lot of money to travel. Save a little, organize your activities with your budget, and get yourself out there! There is so much to see and do. Who you travel with will also impact your experience.
Travel with Family
Like I stated above, traveling with family brings some of the most memorable experiences and memories that you will treasure for a lifetime. The whole family does not always have to be together to travel.
One of my all time favorite trips was when it was just my mom and I flying to visit my grandma. We went to the Teotihuacan Pyramids in Mexico City and had a blast! Climbing each and every single step up the pyramid was quite the experience. When we finally made it to the top, we were tired but very ecstatic. There we were, three generations of women, admiring the breathtaking view and celebrating our love for one another.
Travel with Friends
Clubbing in Vegas and drinking mimosas the next day for brunch is not exactly something you’d do with your mom and dad. That’s when your best girlfriends come in. Go out and have girl time in another city! I know schedules can be conflicting, but sort something out and book those trips.
My sister, college bestie, and I still reminisce about our New York trip. Being small town girls, we had only dreamed about visiting The Big Apple, so when we were able to finally go, we made sure to plan bucketlist-worthy activities. I will definitely update you with a whole post on that trip later, but we went to a Broadway Musical, visited Central Park, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and so much more!
Like I’ve mentioned before in my About Me page, I’m definitely an introvert so I do not have tons of friends, but that has not stopped me from traveling with the few I do have! The feeling of being carefree and adventurous with your friends is amazing. Whether it’s a three-hour road trip to San Antonio, or a flight to Vegas, or New York, what matters is that you go out there and enjoy yourself.
Travel with Your Significant Other
Something all couples should do before having children is traveling. There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a foreign city with your significant other. Your relationship and love grow immensely because for those couple of days that you are on vacation, all you focus on is each other. You indulge in delicious new food, snap romantic pictures, and just enjoy each other’s company.
Even though I am Mexican, I haven’t always done things according to tradition. My boyfriend and I became homeowners first, traveled some, and THEN we got married. Of course my dad almost had a heart attack because marriage is supposed to come first, but it wasn’t the case with me.
Hubs and I traveled as boyfriend and girlfriend, as fiancées, and we even had a destination wedding in Jamaica, that should give you a hint at how much we love traveling. Just like I mentioned earlier, I did not grow up with money and neither did he, but at the very beginning of our relationship I remember stating how I wanted to see what was out there in the world, beyond our little town. Sure enough, we budgeted better, planned and booked ahead, and before we knew it we were out trying macaroons in Switzerland!
Travel with Your Little Ones
“Well I hope you got the whole traveling thing out of your system because when you get married and have babies, you won’t be able to anymore.” Those were some words I’d hear from various people in my life when I announced I was pregnant. Boy, were they wrong! Again, hubby and I talked about this beforehand, how we wanted to continue traveling even with babies. Communication is key! You have to be on the same page as your significant other, and if traveling is important to the both of you, you will make it happen.
Another thing people would bring up was how our babies will not remember the trips we take because they are so little. That couldn’t be further from the truth! There are pictures, souvenirs, and all the memories in our hearts that we will treasure and celebrate for years to come!
Traveling Alone
I debated on including this section because I have ZERO experience traveling alone. I am too much of a chicken to venture out on my own, but if you are one that enjoys traveling solo or have thought about giving it a try, go for it! My friend from college is a pro when it comes to traveling alone. Her photos are always so fun to browse through. The latest ones I saw from her in Peru and Indonesia were breathtaking!
Final Thoughts
I can’t stress this enough, traveling is not about how much you have in your bank account. My husband is a driver and I am a teacher. A teacher! Lord knows we do not make tons of money. Then when we decided I’d stay home with our babies, we said bye to my salary altogether, but that has not stopped us from traveling. Sit down, write out your expenses, and budget. Make the proper accommodations even if it means cutting down on your weekly drinks or shopping trips. Trust me it is worth it!
