How We Met
We met each other back in 2015 through mutual friends. We actually have pictures together in college, but never remember meeting until after we graduated. We both had a big passion for travel before we met and travel has been a part of our relationship since the beginning. We took our first trip together after only 3 months of dating. We have a strong desire to discover new places and experience new cultures as much as we can.
Duration Of Our Trips
We traveled full-time as a couple before having our daughter and started traveling with our daughter when she was 6 weeks old. She was on her first international flight at 3 months old. We have been traveling full-time since, however, our adventures are much slower than they used to be.
We now typically spend at least 1 month in a place before moving to the next.
Beyond Borders: Curating Memorable Travel Experiences Rooted In Preparation
When deciding on a location for our next trip, a lot of factors come into play.
If we are flying, the price of airfare usually determines when and where we are going. We always try to travel on a budget so we are always looking for cheap flight options.
We also always look at the weather because we enjoy spending a lot of time outside. Especially since having kids, we prioritize getting outside and the weather must be comfortable to do so.
We like to go to new places that spark our interest, either due to culture, scenery, or food.
Lastly, we look at how kid-friendly the location is. We want to make sure there are plenty of things to do that she will enjoy as well.
I always say "hiking is my playground" but after we finish our hike we find her a playground.
Once we decide on a location, the preparation takes place. Because we like to travel slow, we typically do not need to prepare much.
We find a few key things we must do while we are there through travel blogs. However, we find most of our suggestions, and the best ones, come from locals once we get to our destination.
Packing Strategies For Family Adventures
We like to pack as light as possible because it makes everything so much easier!
We typically leave with only a backpack and carry-on for each of us, or we will all split 1 checked bag if the checked bag is free.
Additionally, we have a travel stroller and travel car seat we travel with now that we have our daughter with us. We always try to book an Airbnb that provides a pack-n-play or we will buy one at our destination because that's usually cheaper than checking one.
Now that we travel with kids, our must-have items are 100% snacks! They are the best distraction and entertainment!
Our Favorite US and Global Travel Destinations & A Bucket List of Places
Our favorite US destinations include Kauai, Hawaii, Glacier National Park, Montana, Zion National Park, Utah, and Key West.
Our favorite destinations around the world include the Norway Fjords, the South Island of New Zealand, the island of Moorea, and Spain!
Our bucket list is still a mile long! Some places that are at the top right now are Japan, Greece, and Chile!
Sacrifices and Journeys: Preparing for a Life On The Open Road
We decided to start full-time traveling right after we both graduated from grad school. I guess you can say we weren't ready to join corporate America quite yet.
We saved as much as we could, which meant we missed out on events, get-togethers, and fun while we were saving. Before we left we sold everything we could! We then packed up everything we thought we would need into our tiny VW Eurovan and took off on our first big long-term adventure, which was life-changing for us.
We learned that you do not need much and how to be adaptable. We have not looked back since, so I guess the risk was worth it.
Trail Companions Turned Friends: From Grand Teton to Banff
We love meeting other travelers and locals when we travel!
We met an awesome couple while we were traveling the US in our campervan. We spent multiple days hiking with them in Grand Teton National Park. We stayed in touch as we went our separate ways and eventually connected again in Banff National Park in Canada a few months later.
We still keep in touch with them to this day and plan to get together with them in Europe soon!
One Of Our Exciting Travel Stories
One of our most exciting outdoor experiences was when we hiked to Havasupai Falls and camped for 3 days at the bottom of the Grand Canyon!
We were super rookie tent campers at the time and the hike was long carrying that much weight on our backs, but we learned a bunch!
Seeing the bright blue waterfalls at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is a picture in my mind I will never forget.
Guiding the Way: Navigating Family Travel on Our Blog
We were inspired to start Ruhls Of The Road simply because we enjoyed sharing our passion with others. It started as sharing travel tips we had learned through our experiences and destination guides on places we visited.
Now our blog's mission is to show people that travel does not need to stop once you have kids. Now we focus on sharing tips for traveling with babies and/or toddlers and destination guides that are kid-friendly.
We also love sharing different experiences and adventures we took our daughter on that most people would probably think was impossible.
How We Manage Our Work & Travels
Managing time to work on our blog and social media channels has been challenging since we had our daughter.
Finding time for all the things in a day sometimes seems impossible. We typically work on things during nap time, before she wakes up, or after she goes to bed.
Finding a balance between adventure time and work time has always been a major challenge because, of course, adventure is way more fun!
Why Solo Travelers Should Download The GAFFL APP
I think GAFFL is a great tool for solo travelers! It's an awesome tool for meeting other travelers who share the same lifestyle and interests. I think it would be an awesome tool to meet amazing lifelong friends around the world, which I think is super cool!
When we travel I tend to use Pinterest and other blogs to find things to do that interest me, but I think it would be awesome to meet people along the way!
Take The Risk
My biggest advice is to take the risk. It was the best decision we ever made!
Nothing is permanent if you don't want it to be, so why not give it a try.
Things We Wish We Would Have Known When We First Started Traveling
When I first started traveling I wish I knew how to pack light! You truly do not need much, and I have learned you can usually buy something at your destination if you're really missing it. Adventure has taught me to be curious, brave and adaptable which are now important characteristics I'm helping my daughter navigate as well.
