Start planning smarter, more meaningful trips.
Hello, traveler! We are Michelle and Jedd.
We help independent travelers explore the world with purpose, travel smarter with technology, and discover experiences beyond the typical vacation.
You can learn more about our background and philosophy on our About page.
If you’re drowning in open browser tabs and conflicting travel advice, we’ll help you filter out the noise, distilling over a decade of full-time travel into the exact strategies and tools you need to plan with clarity and travel with confidence.
Here’s how to get the most out of Intentional Travelers:
1. Explore our blog for free travel tips and destination guides
Want practical, field-tested guidance for your next trip? Our website includes:
- 📍 Self-guided walking tours and off-the-beaten-path ideas
- 💸 Budget travel strategies and responsible travel advice
- 📱 Tech tips for trip planning and travel days
- 🌏 Destination-specific guides based on our own travels
Start exploring via the links below.
2. Download a free planning resource + join our email list
Don’t wonder if you’ve forgotten something important. Join our community of thousands of DIY travelers to receive our checklist and subscribe to our newsletter below.
We’ll send you our curated email series with the tools and strategies we’ve personally refined across 30+ countries.
3. Ready to go deeper? Join our Membership
Join us on the journey to life-changing experiences around the world. Our Intentional Travelers Toolkit Membership is our most direct path to travel mastery.
We’ve distilled our years of experience into field-tested tutorials—like our Google Maps Travel Hacks and Smartphone Savvy Travel—so you can spend less time researching and more time enjoying your trip.
Our members get full access to our paid resources, including step‑by‑step tutorials, planning tools, online events, and exclusive travel advice.
Explore our Intentional Travelers Toolkit Membership >
Free Travel Resources On The Blog
How do I find more authentic, meaningful experiences?
- How To Have Authentic, Meaningful Experiences in Touristy Areas
- Simple Rules for Intentional Travel
- Questions to Answer About a Culture Before Visiting
- 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Experience Life Abroad
- Our Guide to Meeting Locals and Like-Minded Travelers
- When Helping Hurts: How to Travel Intentionally
- What Sucks About Homestay and Why You Should Do Them Anyway
How do I travel more without overspending?
- An Intentional Travelers Guide to Unconventional Budget Accommodations: Creative Ways to Save Money on Transformational Travel [Book]
- How to Eat Well on a Budget While Traveling
- How to Travel On Just $15 A Day
- How to Save on Travel Accommodations with Help Exchange
- A Quick Guide to Couchsurfing: Travel Meets Hospitality
- How to Find Pet-Sitting and House-Sitting Gigs
- Top Resources for Long-Term Travel in the United States
How can I work remotely while traveling?
- What Is A Digital Nomad?
- How We Make A Living As Working Nomads
- Our Favorite Remote Freelance Business Tools
- How To Find Meaningful Work in Amazing Destinations
- My Portable Ergonomic Work Station Set Up for Digital Nomads
- Digital Nomad Tech Gear Essentials
What should I pack for my trip?
- Best Long Term Travel Clothing
- Packing Hacks of Frequent Travelers
- Best Tech Gear for Travel
- How to Choose a Travel Bag For Your Next Trip
- Best Lightweight Travel Jackets for Men and Women
- Minimalist Travel Toiletries List for Women
Other Independent Travel Tips and Shortcuts
- How to Book the Best International Flights
- How to Travel More With A Full Time Job
- What is Travel Hacking?
- Safe Travels: Personal Security Tips Every Smart Traveler Should Use
- Our Favorite Apps for Better Travel
- An Unofficial Guide to Cash, Credit Cards, and ATMs for International Travel
- A Checklist for Your International Trips
- What is it Like to Get Medical Care Abroad?
Explore our Intentional Travelers Toolkit Membership >
Destinations
These are some of our favorite adventures so far:
- We can’t get enough of Hoi An, Vietnam
- Another favorite place to stay long term: Cuenca, Ecuador
- The Etruscan Coast: a corner of Tuscany that we discovered through an amazing volunteer exchange (Cooking in Tuscany)
- We love hiking in beautiful places like Banff, Canada; the Swiss Alps; Sintra, Portugal; Oahu, Hawaii; and more.
- Cities are fun on foot, too! We have self-guided walking tour itineraries for Paris, Brussels, Florence, Lisbon, and more.
- After 2 years in Jamaica volunteering with Peace Corps, we shared tips for visiting Jamaica.
You can also browse our posts by region:
Read more in our book
Travel more. Spend less. Life-changing experiences you can afford.
This book offers a fresh perspective on how to save your travel dollars.
It’ll help you crack the code to meaningful, impactful and low-cost trips by tackling one of the biggest trip expenses: lodging.
Thanks for stopping by!
We love hearing from you. The best way to connect with us is through our e-newsletter.
We also post tips and updates from our travels on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Happy travels!
Michelle & Jedd