Christmas shopping is in full swing now. With a family of travelers, I’ve grown up seeing anything from hiking socks to first aid kits on Christmas lists. I mean, when others are asking for gift ideas, now is a prime time to start collecting the gear you’ll need for your next adventure!

Back in the summer of 2015 my sister and I backpacked Europe for about 3 weeks, visiting 4 countries and stopping in 13 different cities. With us both being poor college students at the time, you can bet traveling on a budget was a priority. Here are some of the tips we discovered along the way.

One of the most beautiful gardens I’ve been too lies just outside of Orlando, Bok Tower. It’s actually a National Historic Landmark, and happens to be one of Eric’s and my favorite places for a picnic. 

Over Labor Day weekend Eric and I got to travel up to Richmond, Virginia for a family wedding (I love love!). Since we were so close to Washington D.C. we opted to take a day trip up there to explore, and let me tell you, it was awesome.