A Conversation with Lauren Richardson — TripIt Blog

Likely Sites is a new series from TripIt that highlights repeated vacationers to showcase their exclusive travel styles and insider recommendations. 

For Lauren Richardson, travel blogger at Lauren’s Suitcase, travel is all about getting creative. That is, having resourceful with how she travels, in which she travels, and how she manages her vacation finances. 

“As a graduate pupil, I have to juggle my constrained finances with my passion for journey,” Lauren told me. “I’m usually on the lookout for means to help you save when I travel—from just using my carry-on bag and not choosing a seat ahead of examine-in (no more expenses!) to relying on airfare discounts and oversight fares to staying as versatile as attainable.” 

Enter: COVID-19, and Lauren as soon as yet again had to get artistic with vacation preparing. 

“I planned A Whole lot of road excursions,” she explained. “About six months into the pandemic, my fiancé and I converted a Subaru into a car or truck-camper and expended two weeks traveling via some of the (U.S.) Rocky Mountain states.” 

With no these myriad obstructions, Lauren may not have frequented her most loved less than-the-radar destination to day: New Mexico. 

“New Mexico has a little something for everybody! Foodstuff, culture, camping, national parks, a very hot air balloon festival… to me, it’s one of the most forgotten locations in the U.S. If it weren’t for the pandemic shifting a lot of of my travel options, I may not have completed that trip. I’m so happy I experienced the likelihood to visit.” 

Travel organizing? Tunes to her ears 

No matter whether on the street or in the sky, Lauren likes to hold her journey programs arranged with TripIt. 

“I was not at all structured till I identified TripIt,” she shared. “It’s so beneficial to have every thing in a person area. When I backpacked by way of Europe a few yrs back, I booked so many modes of transportation: bus, practice, plane—you identify it. Having TripIt helped me continue to keep monitor of it all.” 

“I use TripIt even when I really don’t travel,” she mentioned. “I’m a large reside audio lover, so I forward all my tickets for impending concerts to the app—that way I know what exhibits I have booked, what venues they are enjoying at, and more.” 

On being harmless although touring solo—and mastering from the locals

Yet another TripIt feature Lauren relies on is the skill to share her vacation plans—a behavior she’s gotten into particularly when having a solo vacation. 

“I’m so grateful for the solo excursions I have taken. I used to place off outings until eventually I found a travel buddy, but then I experienced this ah-ha instant, like, why am I waiting for an individual to go with?” she shared. “But of training course, I want to be safe when I travel by myself, so the ability to share my TripIt itineraries offers me—and my family—peace of thoughts when I’m going it alone.” 

Lauren also keeps an eye on the basic safety rating of her location with TripIt’s Community Security Scores, so she can approach forward if she’s browsing someplace that has a heightened amount of possibility. 

So, what’s her tips for earning the most of a solo trip? “Make buddies with the locals! I like to get someplace and pretend I reside there. So, I always make a position to get to know the locals, and inquire about what they like to do.”

“I also pick out to stay at hostels for solo travelers due to the fact they have relatives dinners and host going for walks excursions that make it easy to meet up with people,” she added. 

Did you know? Current survey knowledge from TripIt showed 1-3rd (33%) of Us residents setting up to journey solo claimed their vacation would also be a bucket-list trip. 

Any other ideas for fellow budget travelers—solo or usually? “Always reserve your flights initially,” she mentioned. “And be versatile. Rates can range by just a day or two, so catching a great flight offer on a slightly unique departure working day may well open up area in your budget for an excursion you’ve experienced your eye on.” 

Want to understand more of Lauren’s recommendations for touring on a price range? Check out her Instagram and web site for a lot more thoughts, and come across out wherever she (and her have-on suitcase) is headed up coming.  

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