how to: travel in your twenties

“The human spirit was meant to fly into the horizon. Meant to see sunrises from different latitudes. Meant to see sunsets from different longitudes. It’s the natural curiosity in us. We’re all birds at heart.”

- Brian LaFaille, 24, on his professional ambitions to connect travelers online

it's easy to associate travel with money. how can i afford to see the places i want to when i don't make enough to go there? how do others get the time off to go here or there? 

let me answer the latter first. if you want to travel, you must be patient, and picky with whom you work for or with. knowing upfront how much time off is allotted at a company, whether they will pay for you to travel on work trips, what holidays are given and not given...

in my case, i don't make much, but i have unlimited time off. that is my choice, to spend my money on experience and save as much as possible while i am home. my boyfriend works for a company that allows 3 weeks of vacation days and 10 sick days. this combined with his position's strict 40 hour work week rule, offers more opportunity for time off if he strategizes his months appropriately.

if you are interviewing at this time, i wouldn't come out the gates with questions about vacation... but as conversation flows make sure that the topic is covered and mention that you enjoy traveling during one of the interviews or with a superior. luckily for our generation, travel has become a larger priority for individuals in and out the workforce, and is now more widely accepted and offered. 

you may have to still wait a year before you are allotted time away for a true vacation, but in the meantime take your weekend trips. reach out to college friends who moved to other states and stay with them for a couple nights; take a camping trip; try to ride off your parents vacations - my brother and i still do this and we're in our late 20s. 

tips for traveling in your twenties

go with a big group + rent an AirBnB or a house

we rent a house for 7 nights every year, the house is $10,000 for the week but has 12 bedrooms, a pool, is onthe bay with access to jet ski's and two blocks from the beach. the house also comes with beach passes. about 20 people split the house, which amounts to $500/ per person for the whole week. plus we have all the amenities we'd otherwise pay extra for, your own bedroom, and there is a massive kitchen that we cook our meals to save more money. 

don't let a big price scare you, find people who would go - set up dates and see what works out best in the end.

plane tickets

set up email alerts for the place you'd like to visit on google flights. you will receive an email anytime the price drops.  

flights are typically at their best rate 3 months prior to when you'd like to fly at the present time, weekends are best to book! it used to be Wednesdays but this has since changed. 

non-stop trips are typically much more expensive. try to get a short layover or spend a day or two in a place on the way to your destination

be careful! check the reviews! some airlines will charge hundreds more for checked bags, even carry ons and food. some airlines come with a meal, some come with a tv and movie options. we've 'saved' on a flight but then spent more than we would have after extra fees were paid: i.e. bags, food, in flight entertainment.  i've had friends  miss connecting flights because of an airline that is known for being delayed constantly, but is significantly less expensive to fly. so check reviews of any airline you don't know! 

review the added fees, the food amenities, the space amenities.. be thorough in your search for a flight service to truly pick the airline that will give you the best overall price. yes i'm saying it a second time - it's that important

where to stay

Air Bnb is huge now! and you can find some great places, also with a kitchen so that you don't spend every meal out. 

Hotels check all discount sites, download apps like Hotel Tonight, then call the hotels and see what they can do. we've booked a room last minute that was not going to otherwise fill for $100 less

become a member. we've received upgraded rooms - specifically from Mariott and Hilton for being a rewards member

AAA offers A LOT of discounts, not just on airlines or hotels, but on attractions and at stores. ask if they have a AAA discount or check the site for a list of places that accept them.

reach out to friends + family to stay with

if you can study abroad go, if your friends are abroad, go!

camping i spent three months in an RV going across the country, and it was the best way to lodge in my opinion. however, it is very challenging - do not do this alone.  try camping: tents and blow up mattresses; don't underestimate that. i had a friend backpack through Asia, him and his girlfriend camped the whole way.

hostel not my top recommendation, however some are as nice or nicer than a hotel. in Europe specifically, hostels are incredible, some nicer than the hotels. read the reviews: who stays there, cleanliness, if it's known for partying, how rooms are set up, area of location 

outside of the main city and/or town you may have to travel a bit to get places but if the accommodations are not a huge inconvenience, sometimes it's nice to stay in the more residential areas. you learn more, meet locals, and have a little more peace and quiet than a downtown location. account for any additional expense and compare to overall price of the trip: i.e. car rental, cab rides, trains etc that you would incur from staying in another area. 

proper planning

to book your dream destination takes time. i plan my trips for the following year and spend months looking at flights, options for stay - including camping a night, staying with any friends we may have there... etc.  try not to rush the process. i get excited too and want 'get the booking process over with' but when you are on a budget, it requires more planning & more time to ensure you are getting the best 'bang for your buck' 

look into the attractions you want to see / do. some are only available specific times of the year. if you are planing to travel to more places within that country, look into those options: price of renting a car, taking a train, bus, flight. for instance in Peru, it was less expensive to purchase a plane ticket from Cusco to Lima. it is also less expensive to hike Matchu Picchu when you book your trip for the mountain in downtown (there) instead of online. this is a risk - one we did not take, but we have had friends do this in the past.

talk to people who have been there 

the best is to get advice from friends, family members, even strangers. with social media you can look at other people's trips to the same place and find out how they did it. with facebook, many times you can post question or respond to someone else comment / photo for more information.

money

i know what it's like to not have the money but go anyway.

it's not my top recommendation, but i've done it..

get an interest free credit card. for one trip, i applied for a credit card. it had interest free payments for 36 months. i knew i could pay off the trip i would book on this card by then so that is how i used it. be careful to not let this become a money pit. this card is specifically for your flight and lodging. other incurred expenses like food, attractions etc. should be paid with the money you SAVED for this trip. 

if i don't recommend this why am i listing it? i know what it's like - that i need to go NOW and there really is no talking yourself into waiting. if you are on the verge of a breakdown or this is the only time you can take this trip, don't waste it.. life is short (that's my opinion anyway)

SAVE: best option figure out approximately how much you need for the flights, lodging, attractions and food. i usually tack on another $500 after that too just incase. don't cut corners - because once you're there, you are more likely to spend money you didn't plan to.