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Practical Wanderlust

Responsible Travel on a Budget

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Budget Travel

In this post, I'm throwing all the tips I've learned from years of saving money for travel. You'll learn how to calculate the cost of your dream trip, how to budget for travel and cut expenses at home, and creative ways to earn extra money for travel.

How to Save Money for Travel (& How We Saved $30,000 for a Year-Long Trip)

Finances are often the biggest hurdle to travel. Everyone has a trip they dream about taking, but too often, that once-in-a-lifetime vacation seems like a faraway dream. Well, I'm not here to tell you that it's super easy to save money for travel. … [Read more...] about How to Save Money for Travel (& How We Saved $30,000 for a Year-Long Trip)

In this post, you'll learn all about my favorite credit card for international travel, why I've been using it for the past decade for all of my trips, how it's save my a** several times when things went sideways, and how I use credit card rewards to help pay for travel (including saving up enough money to quit my job and travel for a year ).

The Best Credit Card for International Travel (& Why I’ll Never Travel Without It Again)

The summer after I graduated college, I took my first independent backpacking trip. I'd won a fashion design scholarship (RIP, my sewing skills pre-blogging) so I decided to use the cash prize to treat myself to 2-week trip across Europe. I … [Read more...] about The Best Credit Card for International Travel (& Why I’ll Never Travel Without It Again)

How to plan a Lake Tahoe winter trip on a budget, from Lake Tahoe ski resorts to what to do in Lake Tahoe other than skiing, and more!

How to Plan an Amazing Lake Tahoe Winter Trip (on a Budget)

Living in the California Bay Area means taking Lake Tahoe winter trips is somewhat of a regular requirement. Every year for the past 7 years, we've rounded up a group of our friends, piled them into 2 cars, and headed into the Sierra Nevadas for a … [Read more...] about How to Plan an Amazing Lake Tahoe Winter Trip (on a Budget)

Las Vegas on a Budget: a local's guide to saving money in Sin City!

Las Vegas on a Budget: A Massive Local’s Guide to Sin City on the Cheap

Las Vegas is one of the most famous, bucket-list destinations in the USA. Everyone's gotta go there once in a lifetime. Or, if you happen to live in California, everyone's gotta go there at least once a year. The parties are as lit as the neon signs, … [Read more...] about Las Vegas on a Budget: A Massive Local’s Guide to Sin City on the Cheap

Pool and bungalow with palm trees in Bali, Indonesia

How to Visit Bali on a Budget: 8 Money-Saving Tips

Before our trip to Bali this past July, we wondered: Is it actually possible to visit Bali on a budget? I mean, 99% of the Bali photos you see on Instagram involve fabulously beautiful people rolling around in luxury villas, swimming with all 18 of … [Read more...] about How to Visit Bali on a Budget: 8 Money-Saving Tips

25 amazing gifts for hikers under $25, so you can splurge on your friend or family member who's addicted to hiking without breaking the bank! #giftguide #hiking

25 Gifts for Hikers Under $25: The Ultimate Budget-Friendly Hiker Gift Guide

Buying gifts for hikers isn't as easy as you might think. I mean, chances are they've already got the basics covered - hiking boots, a hydration pack, hiking pants - and if you're not an avid hiker yourself, it can be difficult to know what to … [Read more...] about 25 Gifts for Hikers Under $25: The Ultimate Budget-Friendly Hiker Gift Guide

One of the beautiful private thatched roof huts at our favorite hostel in Minca, Casa Loma!

The Best Minca Hostel: Casa Loma in Minca, Colombia

It's no secret that Jeremy and I love Minca, Colombia, a tiny town perched up in the Sierra Nevada mountains overlooking Santa Marta on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia. We've been back to visit multiple times (Lia: 3x, Jeremy: 2x, and … [Read more...] about The Best Minca Hostel: Casa Loma in Minca, Colombia

Hostel Ruthensteiner is the oldest hostel in Vienna and one of the best places to stay in Vienna, Austria!

Where to Stay in Vienna on a Budget: Hostel Ruthensteiner

As budget travelers, we always look for a good hostel in each destination we visit. This is particularly true in Europe, where even budget backpacking can be pricey. Hostels are the answer to our budget traveler dreams: the price and amenities can’t … [Read more...] about Where to Stay in Vienna on a Budget: Hostel Ruthensteiner

Totally unique and off-beat places to stay near San Francisco!

12 Off-Beat Places to Stay Near San Francisco (on a budget)

Weekend trips are like the travel fairy godmother’s answer to living in the San Francisco Bay Area. From anywhere near San Francisco, you can hop in a car on Friday night and drive for a few hours to absolutely anything you could possibly want: beach … [Read more...] about 12 Off-Beat Places to Stay Near San Francisco (on a budget)

Best Hostels in Colombia Where to Stay

Best Hostels in Colombia: Where to Stay … & Where NOT to Stay!

We spent a month backpacking through Colombia, from Cartagena to Minca to Medellin to San Gil to Salento to Bogota (ahem - and as you can see by my subtle link hints, we've written quite a bit about backpacking in … [Read more...] about Best Hostels in Colombia: Where to Stay … & Where NOT to Stay!

Kabas Hostel is an eco-friendly hostel in Antwerp, Belgium. It's cheap budget accomodation, and most importantly, there are chickens. Eco-friendly Kabas Hostel is in our opinion, the best hostel in Antwerp, Belgium! Read our hostel review for more.

The Best Hostel in Antwerp, Belgium

There are many different kinds of hostels: some hostels feel like college dorms; some feel like futuristic pod-homes; some feel like mountain sanctuaries; a few even feel a bit like hostel summer camp. Every budget traveler has their favorite "type" … [Read more...] about The Best Hostel in Antwerp, Belgium

Casablanca Valley: Budget Friendly Wine Tasting in Valparaiso (Without a Tour)

Valparaiso, Chile: a unique coastal city perched in the hills, only a stone's throw away from the incredible Casablanca Valley in Chile. Valparaiso is well-deserving of its old nickname "Little San Francisco." The whole city reminded us of our Bay … [Read more...] about Casablanca Valley: Budget Friendly Wine Tasting in Valparaiso (Without a Tour)

Banos, Ecuador is an adventure town, a spa town, and an absolute must-visit destination in Ecuador. Discover all of the best things to do in Banos de Agua Santa, Ecuador!

11 Mind-Blowing Things to Do in Baños, Ecuador (on a budget)

Baños, Ecuador - full name Baños de Agua Santa - was one of our favorite places on our entire 5-month trip to South America. It was our 2nd favorite place overall in Ecuador (nothing beats the Galapagos!) and we would go back again in a … [Read more...] about 11 Mind-Blowing Things to Do in Baños, Ecuador (on a budget)

La Serrana Hostel in Salento, Colombia is one of the best hostels in Colombia!

Hostel Review: La Serrana Hostel in Salento, Colombia

2020 Update: Unfortunately, La Serrana Hostel has closed its doors and is no longer open! It's still one of our favorite places that we're ever stayed at and we're sad that other travelers won't be able to experience the magic of La Serrana as we … [Read more...] about Hostel Review: La Serrana Hostel in Salento, Colombia

What and where to eat in Cartagena

The Best Restaurants in Cartagena, Colombia: What and Where to Eat on a Budget

During our month in Colombia, we were blown away by how good the food in Colombia was. It took us totally by surprise - Colombia wasn't the country in South America that we were most looking forward to eating our way through. But … [Read more...] about The Best Restaurants in Cartagena, Colombia: What and Where to Eat on a Budget

Parque Tayrona, Colombia: an idyllic beach tucked into the jungle. You have to walk 2 hours to get there, but it's SO worth it! Read more in our guide to Parque Tayrona.

Parque Tayrona, Colombia: How to Get There & Where to Stay

I'm writing this from inside an open air hut. To my left, Lia is swaying on a hammock. Past her is a pool, complete with waterfall and slide. In front of me is our beautiful cabana nestled in foliage and trees. Around us we hear various birds, water … [Read more...] about Parque Tayrona, Colombia: How to Get There & Where to Stay

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