A Conversation with Lauren Richardson — TripIt Blog

Likely Spots is a new series from TripIt that highlights frequent travelers to showcase their one of a kind journey designs and insider ideas. 

For Lauren Richardson, travel blogger at Lauren’s Suitcase, journey is all about obtaining creative. That is, obtaining innovative with how she travels, wherever she travels, and how she manages her vacation price range. 

“As a graduate university student, I have to juggle my limited funds with my enthusiasm for vacation,” Lauren told me. “I’m normally on the lookout for means to preserve when I travel—from just having my carry-on bag and not finding a seat in advance of check out-in (no extra expenses!) to relying on airfare deals and mistake fares to getting as adaptable as achievable.” 

Enter: COVID-19, and Lauren once once again experienced to get artistic with journey setting up. 

“I planned A Good deal of street outings,” she claimed. “About 6 months into the pandemic, my fiancé and I transformed a Subaru into a car or truck-camper and expended two months traveling by some of the (U.S.) Rocky Mountain states.” 

Without the need of these myriad obstructions, Lauren might not have frequented her beloved underneath-the-radar destination to date: New Mexico. 

“New Mexico has something for absolutely everyone! Food items, culture, camping, nationwide parks, a sizzling air balloon festival… to me, it’s a single of the most disregarded locations in the U.S. If it weren’t for the pandemic changing lots of of my vacation strategies, I may well not have done that excursion. I’m so glad I experienced the probability to take a look at.” 

Travel preparing? Songs to her ears 

Regardless of whether on the road or in the sky, Lauren likes to retain her travel options structured with TripIt. 

“I wasn’t at all structured until I learned TripIt,” she shared. “It’s so beneficial to have every little thing in one particular area. When I backpacked by means of Europe a couple of yrs in the past, I booked so quite a few modes of transportation: bus, practice, plane—you title it. Possessing TripIt aided me continue to keep observe of it all.” 

“I use TripIt even when I really don’t vacation,” she claimed. “I’m a large live tunes supporter, so I forward all my tickets for future concert events to the app—that way I know what exhibits I have booked, what venues they are participating in at, and extra.” 

On being safe and sound although touring solo—and finding out from the locals

A different TripIt function Lauren relies on is the skill to share her journey plans—a habit she’s gotten into specifically when taking a solo journey. 

“I’m so grateful for the solo outings I have taken. I utilised to set off visits until finally I identified a vacation buddy, but then I experienced this ah-ha second, like, why am I ready for another person to go with?” she shared. “But of course, I want to be protected when I vacation by myself, so the capacity to share my TripIt itineraries offers me—and my family—peace of mind when I’m going it by itself.” 

Lauren also retains an eye on the security score of her vacation spot with TripIt’s Neighborhood Protection Scores, so she can plan in advance if she’s viewing somewhere that has a heightened stage of chance. 

So, what’s her information for making the most of a solo excursion? “Make friends with the locals! I like to get someplace and fake I reside there. So, I usually make a place to get to know the locals, and request about what they like to do.”

“I also pick to stay at hostels for solo vacationers simply because they have household dinners and host strolling tours that make it simple to meet persons,” she included. 

Did you know? Recent survey data from TripIt confirmed one particular-3rd (33%) of People planning to vacation solo claimed their vacation would also be a bucket-checklist excursion. 

Any other strategies for fellow budget travelers—solo or otherwise? “Always e-book your flights very first,” she reported. “And be adaptable. Prices can vary by just a day or two, so catching a great flight offer on a a little various departure day may possibly open up up area in your price range for an excursion you’ve experienced your eye on.” 

Want to master much more of Lauren’s strategies for traveling on a finances? Examine out her Instagram and weblog for far more tips, and come across out the place she (and her carry-on suitcase) is headed following.  

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