My Personal Travel Style: A Balance of Luxury and Affordability

Travel is one of life’s greatest joys, but as much as I love exploring the world, I’ve always been mindful of how to make each trip both memorable and financially sustainable. Over the years, Jake and I have developed a travel style that’s uniquely ours, blending boutique accommodations, a few luxury splurges, and budget-friendly choices to create vacations that feel indulgent yet accessible. Let me take you through how we make it all work—and how we’ve adapted our strategy now that we’re traveling with our daughter, Kiah.

Boutique Hotels and Affordable Gems

There’s something magical about staying in a place with character. For us, boutique hotels and locally-owned accommodations offer a personalized touch that chain hotels often lack. We’ve stayed in a cliffside bed & breakfast in Ravello Italy, a Nile/temple view hotel in Luxor Egypt, and a traditional Hanok in Seoul South Korea. These places immerse us in the culture and allow us to support local businesses—all without breaking the bank.

To keep costs balanced, we mix these splurges with budget-friendly stays, like boutique hotels or VRBO’s. For example, during a trip to Khao Sok National Park, Thailand, we chose a boutique floating resort for a night and paired it with a simpler, affordable jungle bungalow for $15 a night! This mix allows us to indulge in luxury without exceeding our overall budget.

Splurge Strategically

We believe in spending on experiences that make a trip unforgettable. Whether it’s an intimate Nile Cruise in Egypt or dining at a 5-course meal dinner cruise on the Seine in Paris, we carefully select a few high-impact splurges for each trip. These moments create lasting memories and elevate the entire experience.

However, we’re intentional about where we save and where we spend. A city or oceanfront view might be worth it for a special occasion, but for most trips, we’re happy to forgo extravagant accommodations to allocate our budget toward activities and experiences. It’s all about choosing what’s most meaningful.

Prioritizing Less Developed Destinations

Before having Kiah, Jake and I made a conscious decision to explore further: less developed countries and a few romantic destinations on our bucket list. Destinations like Thailand and Egypt were high priorities because they offered incredible experiences that required a bit more flexibility and resilience—something we knew would be harder to manage with a young child.

Italy was a destination we wanted to experience as a couple, but we know we will definitely bring Kiah there in the near future, as it’s a family-friendly destination.

We saved destinations like Scandinavia, Western Europe, Mexico, and other more expensive or closer family-friendly countries for later, knowing they’d be easier to navigate with Kiah in tow. This approach has allowed us to maximize our travel adventures while tailoring our destinations to our current stage of life.

Maximizing Credit Card Rewards

One of our biggest secrets to making travel affordable is mastering the art of travel hacking. By strategically using credit card bonuses, we’ve been able to book flights and hotels for little to no cost. We always plan ahead to take advantage of sign-up bonuses, especially with cards like Bank of America Alaska, Chase Sapphire, and Capital One Venture, which offer significant miles or points for meeting minimum spend requirements. Reach out if you are looking at one of these cards, as I have referral codes!

Our strategy is simple: use the rewards from our everyday expenses to fund our travel dreams. By paying attention to promotional offers and leveraging loyalty programs, we’ve booked international flights for free and covered luxurious stays at no extra cost. It’s a game-changer for keeping travel accessible while still enjoying high-end experiences.

Adapting Travel with Kiah

Traveling with a toddler has shifted our approach but hasn’t dampened our love for exploration. Over the years, we’ve learned to prioritize location when choosing our stays, often paying a little more for convenience. This has become even more important now that we have Kiah. We’re conscious of walking distances, public transport options, and proximity to family-friendly activities when picking destinations and accommodations. This added thoughtfulness ensures a smoother, more enjoyable experience for everyone.

We started our family travel with nearby destinations like Seattle, Orange County, California, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to visit family. We are now planning trips to Greece, Turkey, Portugal, France, and Mexico, which we think will be perfect for this new phase, offering plenty of activities for young children and the peace of mind we need as parents. In fact, we’re even considering an all-inclusive Greek and Turkey cruise—something that definitely wasn’t our travel style a few years ago but makes perfect sense for this stage of life.

We’ve also learned to pack light and prioritize convenience, choosing accommodations that provide amenities like cribs or kitchenettes. It’s all about striking a balance between maintaining our adventurous spirit and creating a comfortable environment for Kiah.

Finding Balance

Our travel style reflects who we are: people who love adventure, appreciate life’s finer things, and value thoughtful planning. Over time, our style has evolved—and that’s okay. Adapting our travel approach to suit our stage of life has allowed us to keep exploring while making sure everyone’s needs are met. By mixing luxury with affordability and leveraging smart strategies like travel rewards, we’ve found a way to make travel a sustainable part of our lives.

If you’re looking to craft a travel style that suits your personality and budget, I hope our approach inspires you. Travel doesn’t have to be extravagant or unattainable—with a little planning and a lot of passion, it can be everything you dream of and more.