My Travel Style

Are you the type of traveler who makes a list of tourist attractions to check off each day? Or may you just like to go with the flow and see what the day presents? I’m actually a mix of both!

I’m someone who loves to do tons of research about my destination and make a big spreadsheet of things to do. And then I see how the day goes. While I want to see as much as I can, it’s just as important to me when I travel to take time during the day to look around and be present in the moment.

Gordes Village in the Luberon, France, from a view point.

Travel Activities

Katie Elaine Travels isn’t going to provide tips on super active and adventurous activities, like river rafting or cave spelunking or bungee jumping. I’m all about that museum life, my friends! I love old houses, gardens, cemeteries, and beautiful streets. I go back and forth about how important foodie experiences are for me. Don’t get me wrong - I love to eat! And I think trying local food is an essential part of traveling, but I don’t want to spend a lot of time at meals when I could be seeing more of the city.

Pena Palace in Sintra Portugal

The Importance of Travel

Since I work full time and only have 20 days of paid time off each year, I try to make the most of them! I prefer 7-10 day trips abroad. Lately, I’ve been able to squeeze in two of these per year and then have a few extra days for visiting family and friends. I’d love to have more time to travel, but I feel lucky to have at least 4 weeks. In the United States, this isn’t always a guarantee. 

So many inspiring travel blogs are written by digital nomads, but on Katie Elaine Travels, I hope to inspire those who have limited vacation time to know that it’s still possible to have memorable experiences traveling. In fact, taking 7-14 days off at a time can be really difficult in corporate culture, but studies show that it’s vital in lowering stress, lowering risk for certain diseases, and even increases your mental capacity. One article I read said that you even get health benefits by just planning a vacation! 

So let’s de-stress together and talk travel! It’s good for you.