Growing up in the Midwest suburbs, family vacations were often limited to surrounding states or my grandparent’s lake house. I got my first passport when I was 15 for my first out of the country trip to Canada and didn’t leave the country again until I was 28. This is a familiar commonality for many of my friends growing up and other middle-class Midwestern kids.

While there’s nothing wrong with this, the mentality is that any larger trip out of the country or anywhere deemed exotic is the “trip of a lifetime.” Maybe this is a less widely spread idea as time goes on but I still find myself awkwardly explaining to my family that I have no reason to visit another city, state, or country outside of the fact that I just want to. 

I don’t have a car or kids, I no longer blow a lot of money at Target as I did in my mid 20’s. I have a lot of cost-saving measures in place that allows me to devote my hard earned money to saying yes when someone invites me to visit or travel because I feel like I just need to get out of town or really want to visit my best friend. This confuses almost every older relative I come in contact with. Maybe they wonder why I just haven’t settled down yet. (Mind you, I’m in a committed relationship and a homeowner but what about marriage and kids?!)

I don’t want to push aside exploration or commit myself to falling in love with one location, revisiting every few years to remind me of the first time. I can’t think of anything more depressing than letting one experience define me. Have you ever met that person in a bar who talks about that one trip they took in college almost 10 years ago? Of course you have.

I want my experiences to grow with me; not define me, but influence the person I am continually becoming. What I really want to say with this post is to not feel guilty for wanting more than what is expected or considered normal. You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone if you want to be on a pink sand beach or hike up a mountain. It’s your lifetime. 

As someone who works remotely full-time, podcasts are essential to my everyday. Sure, they are informative, funny, and inspiring but above all, it’s nice to hear another human voice during my workday. I listen to a range of podcasts but today I wanted to share my favorites that inspire travel. I might never sell my house to live in a van but I sure like hearing about people who have!

On She Goes is a podcast I first heard about on Call Your Girlfriend, another podcast I adore. It’s a travel podcast made, hosted by, and featuring women of color, and their travel stories, tips, and candid experiences as women of color out in the world. 

Wild Ideas Worth Living interviews people from all backgrounds on their “wild idea.” While not strictly a travel podcast, many of the interviews are centered around outdoor athletes, the environment, and unique trips or challenges.

Out There is a more journalistic podcast going deep into personal stories related to the outdoors. It often deals with harder topics like loss, overcoming adversity, and personal exploration.

The Budget Minded Traveler is filled with stories, tips, and inspiration to bring travel into your own life. The host Jackie is one of those people who left a real home base behind and has been traveling since. Her enthusiasm is infectious and she loves a good pint. This podcast is all around a really fun time.

She Explores is exactly as it sounds, interviews and other stories about women and their connection to the outdoors. I absolutely love this podcast and particularly some of the interviews with serious hikers. I don’t have plans to “do Wild” or anything related but the trail stories fascinate me nonetheless. 

What are your favorite outdoor or travel podcasts? I’m always looking for more 🙂