I never really understood the "dog mom" craze until we welcomed Wrigley into our lives and I immediately fell in love. Not long after bringing him home, he quickly became our newest adventure buddy. We had a summer full of road trips, breweries, beaches, and hikes. Along the way we definitely learned a thing or two about being first time puppy parents and the best way to travel with your four legged friend.

In this post I'm sharing all my recommended products and accessories to make life on the road easier as well as some important considerations to have in mind when heading to a new destination. We haven't flown with Wrigs (yet) so this post is focused on road trips or local day trips with your pup. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

Ahhh Amazon...is there anything you can't find here?! Now don't get me wrong, I don't claim to be a fashion blogger or on top of the latest trends. But I do know a thing or two about trying to cram as much as possible into a carry on suitcase and of course wanting to look cute on your travels. That's what led me to create a travel capsule wardrobe which allows you to mix and match staple pieces into multiple different outfits so you can pack less and still have all your basics no matter what your trip may bring. In fact, this packing list allows you to create 18 different outfits! Most of the items on this list are also some of my personal Amazon fashion favorites - meaning I own them already, recently ordered, or have them on my wish list. 

Keep in mind, this wardrobe is designed for spring/summer travel in a warmer climate. If you're planning to travel somewhere with cooler temps you might need to adjust things a bit. I also packed this "suitcase" for less adventure although there is an outfit for hiking and a beach day. But if you plan to do a lot of physical activity or strenuous hiking you may need to swap out some dressy pieces for additional activewear. I also didn't include other staples you'll need to pack such as pajamas, undergarments, toiletries, etc. so you'll want to allot additional room in your suitcase for those items. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Even though we may not be able to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, that shouldn't stop us from planning and continuing to add destinations to our bucket list so we are prepared when that glorious day comes and we can finally fly again. When I originally started this blog, my goal was to create travel guides and itineraries for the type-a personality in all of us. Now I realize some people like to "vacation" meaning they have a destination in mind and are perfectly content to arrive and spend their time relaxing on a beach. But, if you're anything like me, and like to "take trips" that are packed full of adventure and activities, it does take some research and planning ahead of time to make it happen. I'm sharing a few of my tips and strategies for how I plan trips to maximize our time in a location and get the most out of the experience. 

Hi, name is Jessica and I have a self-diagnosed case of flight anxiety. This may seem strange coming from a travel blogger whose passion in life is to travel as much as possible. But hear me out for a second. It's not the flying itself that is the source of my anxiety - in fact stepping foot on the plane is my favorite part. It's all the other aspects of flying that I worry about.

How on earth do I get to terminal XYZ? Am I at the right gate? Do I have my passport (after checking my bag 154 times)? What if my bag doesn't make it on the plane? Am I going to have enough time to make it through security? And the list goes on and on...

My hubby, bless his heart, is the flight master. When we travel together he handles all aspects of navigating the airport and I literally just follow him around and he always gets us to where we need to be. And while I SO appreciate his guidance in this area of our marriage, I do frequently travel without him and have to figure it all out on my own.

Over the years I've gotten much better at preparing myself in advance so I can eliminate as many variables as possible. Whether it's your first time flying, or you're just an over thinker like me, these 8 tips are designed to help you have a foolproof flight experience from start to finish.

You know those destinations that instantly steal a piece of your heart and you know right away you'll be back again and again? That is Hawaii for us.

We visited the islands of Oahu and Maui for the first time in August 2017 while on our honeymoon. After 10 days of living the island life we were head over heels in love and knew we would be back sooner rather than later. So we started saving and planning and in February 2019 we visited Kauai for the first time and returned to Maui (our personal favorite). 

In the months that followed as I've been talking to people about our trips and love for the Aloha state I've heard a lot of comments such as "Isn't Hawaii so expensive?!" and "You're went twice in two years..how can you afford that?" It was those types of comments that sparked the idea for this post and I'm excited to share some of the tips and tricks we use to save extra money for traveling. Now, keep in mind, this is certainly not an all-encompassing list. My husband and I are both blessed with great careers and are currently living the DINK (dual income no kids) lifestyle so we automatically have a bit more disposable income than others in different situations might.

With that being said, YES Hawaii is a more expensive than most other vacation destinations in the U.S. and may not be feasible for everyone. But wherever you're planning to travel, whether it's the trip you've been dreaming about for years, or simply a weekend getaway in your home state, I hope you can take away at least one or two tips from this list to help you save for your next adventure and make it a reality.