Pages on Travel Budget Girl

About

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Yo, I’m Rebecca 👋

Full-Time traveler, backpacker, and builder of cool things on the internet.

Welcome to TravelBudgetGirl — my little corner of the internet where I document every adventure, every mistake, and every hidden gem I find while travelling the world on a shoestring.

I’m a twenty-something originally from Orlando, Florida — yes, the city of theme parks and eternal sunshine — and no, I never thought I’d end up living out of a 40-litre backpack. These days I split my time between countries I couldn’t have pointed to on a map five years ago, writing honestly about what I find: the magic, the chaos, and everything in between. If you’re looking for filtered highlight reels, you’re probably in the wrong place. If you’re looking for real — pull up a chair.

How it started

I grew up in Orlando, never having left the United States — not even close. International travel felt like something other people did: older people, wealthier people, people with gap-year parents and trust funds. That changed at 22, when I scraped together enough savings to book a flight to Morocco. It was terrifying, disorienting, overwhelming, and the single best decision I’d ever made. Standing in the medina of Marrakech, completely lost and completely alive, something clicked.

Around that same time, Instagram was exploding with female solo travelers — women my age crossing continents, sleeping in hostels, navigating languages they didn’t speak, and documenting every step of it. I devoured those accounts. Seeing people who looked like me doing something I’d been told was too dangerous, too expensive, or too complicated planted a seed I couldn’t ignore. If they could do it, why couldn’t I? I started planning my next trip before I’d even unpacked from Morocco.

By 24, the seed had grown into something I couldn’t contain. I handed in my notice, sold most of what I owned, and bought a one-way ticket. No safety net. No five-year plan. Just a backpack, a budget spreadsheet, and more excitement than sense. That was the beginning of TravelTown — and I’ve never looked back.

Slow, scrappy, and stubbornly off-script

I’m a firm believer that you don’t need a fat wallet to see the world. Morocco proved that to me on a budget that made my friends wince, and every trip since has reinforced it. My philosophy has sharpened into something I actually stand behind: travel is about presence, not pace. The best stories I have didn’t come from five countries in ten days — they came from staying long enough to become a regular at the corner café, to learn three words of a language, to get genuinely, pleasantly lost:

Slow travel — I’d rather spend two weeks in one country than rush through five
Local everything — street food, local buses, family-run guesthouses
Off the beaten path — if it’s on every Instagram feed, I’m probably looking somewhere else
Honest writing — I’ll tell you what was awful as much as what was amazing

I’d rather spend two weeks in one place and actually feel it, than two weeks racing through five countries and feeling nothing at all.

The budget-conscious part isn’t a gimmick — it’s how I actually travel. I research local transport obsessively, eat where there are no menus in English, and choose the family guesthouse over the boutique hotel every single time. Not because I can’t afford better (sometimes), but because I’ve learned that the best experiences rarely come with a lobby and a concierge. They come with a family who insists you stay for dinner, a bus ride that takes three times longer than expected, and a view nobody has bothered to put on a postcard yet.

What you’ll find here

Destinations — real guides from places I’ve actually been, with real prices
Travel Hub — tips, packing lists, budget breakdowns, and itineraries
Bucket List — the places I’m still dreaming about

I only write about places I’ve set foot in myself. Every guide comes with honest prices, honest opinions, and the details I wish someone had told me before I arrived.

And about what I pack, how I budget, and the itineraries I’ve actually road-tested. I share it all here so you can skip the trial-and-error I went through.

Not everywhere on TravelBudgetGirl is somewhere I’ve been yet. This is my public wishlist — the destinations I’m still obsessing over, researching, and slowly saving toward. Check my Bucket List here.

Beyond the passport

When I’m not wandering through unfamiliar streets or planning my next trip, you’ll usually find me with a book in my hands, a camera over my shoulder, or a notebook full of ideas. I love reading everything from travel memoirs and history to novels that make me want to book a flight the moment I turn the last page. Writing has become just as important as traveling itself — it’s how I make sense of the places I’ve been and hopefully inspire someone else to take that first leap.

I’m also happiest when I have a camera in hand, chasing interesting light, quiet streets, and everyday moments that most people walk straight past. Photography lets me preserve memories that words sometimes can’t. And when I’m back home, you’ll probably catch me working on a jigsaw puzzle with a cup of coffee nearby. There’s something satisfying about slowing down, piecing together the bigger picture one small piece at a time — a lot like travel itself.

Get in touch

Have a question about a destination? Want to share a tip? I’d love to hear from you — head over to the Contact page.

Currently based: Orlando, FL — currently travelling: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Bucket List

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Ever since I was 16, I’ve kept a list. Not on paper — in my head, then eventually on my phone, then on scraps of paper stuffed into a drawer. Places I saw in magazines, destinations friends mentioned, corners of the world that made me stop scrolling and just stare.

Some of them I’ve ticked off, sometimes in ways I never imagined. Some are booked, planned, and quietly terrifying me. And some — honestly — feel like they belong to another version of me, a braver one, a richer one, or just a future one who finally ran out of excuses.

This is that list. All 99 of them. The ones with the green checkmark? Done. The black and white ones? Still waiting for me.

✓

Eiffel Tower

Paris, France

Christ the Redeemer

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

✓

Colosseum

Rome, Italy

Great Wall of China

China

✓

Machu Picchu

Peru

Santorini

Greece

Petra

Jordan

✓

Taj Mahal

Agra, India

Pyramids of Giza

Egypt

✓

Statue of Liberty

New York City, USA

Grand Canyon

Arizona, USA

Niagara Falls

Canada/USA

✓

Burj Khalifa

Dubai, UAE

Sydney Opera House

Sydney, Australia

Mount Fuji

Japan

✓

Venice Canals

Venice, Italy

Northern Lights

Iceland

Swiss Alps

Switzerland

✓

Bali Rice Terraces

Bali, Indonesia

Banff National Park

Canada

Cappadocia Hot Air Balloons

Turkey

Maldives Overwater Villas

Maldives

✓

Angkor Wat

Cambodia

Yellowstone National Park

USA

Bora Bora

French Polynesia

Serengeti Safari

Tanzania

Victoria Falls

Zambia/Zimbabwe

✓

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Times Square

New York City, USA

✓

Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco, USA

Stonehenge

England

Acropolis

Athens, Greece

Prague Castle

Prague, Czech Republic

✓

Amalfi Coast

Italy

Hallstatt

Austria

Neuschwanstein Castle

Germany

✓

Tokyo Shibuya Crossing

Japan

✓

Kyoto Temples

Japan

Great Barrier Reef

Australia

Mount Kilimanjaro

Tanzania

Chichen Itza

Mexico

Yosemite National Park

USA

Antelope Canyon

Arizona, USA

Moraine Lake

Canada

✓

Sahara Desert Camel Ride

Morocco

✓

Chefchaouen Blue City

Morocco

Dubai Desert Safari

UAE

✓

The Louvre Museum

Paris, France

Buckingham Palace

London, England

✓

Big Ben

London, England

Harry Potter Studio Tour

England

✓

Disney World

Orlando, USA

Universal Studios Japan

Osaka, Japan

Mount Bromo Sunrise

Indonesia

Komodo Island

Indonesia

Ha Long Bay

Vietnam

✓

Phuket Beaches

Thailand

✓

Phi Phi Islands

Thailand

Singapore Marina Bay Sands

Singapore

Gardens by the Bay

Singapore

Seoul Namsan Tower

South Korea

Jeju Island

South Korea

Amazon Rainforest

Brazil

Patagonia

Argentina/Chile

Iguazu Falls

Argentina/Brazil

Easter Island

Chile

Galápagos Islands

Ecuador

Zion National Park

Utah, USA

Monument Valley

Arizona/Utah, USA

✓

Route 66 Road Trip

USA

New Orleans French Quarter

USA

Waikiki Beach

Hawaii, USA

Road to Hana

Maui, Hawaii

Alaskan Cruise

Alaska, USA

Reykjavik

Iceland

Norwegian Fjords

Norway

Lapland Glass Igloos

Finland

Black Forest

Germany

✓

Dubrovnik Old Town

Croatia

Blue Mosque

Istanbul, Turkey

Pamukkale

Turkey

Dead Sea

Jordan

Wadi Rum Desert

Jordan

Mount Everest Base Camp

Nepal

Bhutan Tiger's Nest Monastery

Bhutan

The Forbidden City

Beijing, China

Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge

China

✓

Hong Kong Skyline

Hong Kong

Taipei 101

Taiwan

Lake Bled

Slovenia

Plitvice Lakes

Croatia

Edinburgh Castle

Scotland

Cliffs of Moher

Ireland

Giant's Causeway

Northern Ireland

Faroe Islands

Denmark

✓

Cinque Terre

Italy

Mount Rainier National Park

USA

Glowworm Caves

New Zealand

Milford Sound

New Zealand

And then there’s number 100. The one I keep moving to the bottom of the list, not because I’ve forgotten it — but because it feels almost too big to write down. It’s the kind of dream that makes you laugh a little when you say it out loud, and then go quiet when you realise you actually mean it.

🧊 Cruise to Antarctica

The last great wilderness. The end of the world. Number 100 — and the biggest challenge on this entire list.

Contact

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Say hello 👋

Whether you have a question about a destination, want to share a travel tip, spotted an error in one of my guides, or just want to say hi — I read every message and reply to as many as I can.

I typically reply within a few days. For urgent destination questions, feel free to tag me on social media.

Privacy Policy

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Last updated: June 2026

Who we are

The privacy of our visitors is important to us. TravelBudgetGirl is a personal travel blog sharing budget travel guides, tips, and itineraries. Our website address is: https://www.travelbudgetgirl.com

For any questions regarding this policy or the site, you can reach out to the owner (Rebecca) via the contact form.

What personal data we collect and why

This is a free content site. We do not require any personal information from you to browse or read our articles. We never sell your personal information to third parties.

Contact form

When you use our contact form, we collect your name and email address (and any message you send) solely to respond to your inquiry. This data is not stored beyond what is needed to reply.

When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your name and email address. This data is stored securely with Brevo (our email service provider) and used only to send you occasional travel updates, tips, and new post notifications. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email.

Cookies

We use minimal cookies necessary for the site to function properly. We do not use advertising cookies and do not sell your data.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. This collects anonymized data about page visits, traffic sources, and general user behavior. No personally identifiable information is collected.

How long we retain your data

Newsletter subscribers’ data is retained until you unsubscribe. Contact form submissions are retained only as long as needed to respond and are then deleted.

Your rights

You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data at any time. Contact us using the form on our Contact page.

Third-party services

Brevo — email newsletter service
Google Analytics — website analytics
Cloudflare — hosting, performance, and security

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy occasionally. Any changes will be posted on this page with a new “Last updated” date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Thank you for visiting TravelBudgetGirl! Safe and budget-friendly travels, Rebecca

Terms of Use

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Last updated: June 2026

Acceptance of terms

By accessing or using TravelBudgetGirl, you agree to these Terms of Use in full. If you disagree with any part of these terms, you must not use this website.

Content

All content on TravelBudgetGirl — including text, photographs, travel guides, itineraries, tips, and recommendations — is provided for general informational and entertainment purposes only.

While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the information, travel conditions, prices, visa requirements, safety advice, and opening hours change frequently. You should always verify critical information with official sources before making any travel plans. TravelBudgetGirl is not responsible for any inaccuracies or omissions.

Intellectual property

Unless otherwise stated, Rebecca (TravelBudgetGirl) owns the intellectual property rights in all material on this website. All rights are reserved.

You are granted a limited license to view, download for caching purposes, and print pages from the website for your own personal, non-commercial use only, subject to the restrictions below.

You must not:

Republish, reproduce, duplicate, copy, or redistribute any content (including photos and guides) without explicit written permission
Sell, rent, sub-license, or commercially exploit any material from the website
Edit, modify, or create derivative works from any content
Use any content for commercial purposes
Scrape, data mine, extract, or systematically collect data from the website

Sharing individual article links is always welcome and encouraged.

Affiliate links & sponsored content

Some articles on TravelBudgetGirl contain affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase or booking, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

We only recommend products, services, and companies we personally trust and believe offer good value. These commissions help support the running and maintenance of this blog. Our opinions and recommendations remain honest and independent.

No warranties

This website and its content are provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied. TravelBudgetGirl makes no warranties regarding the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or availability of the website or its content.

Nothing on this website constitutes legal, financial, medical, or professional advice. If you need such advice, you should consult an appropriate professional.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, TravelBudgetGirl and Rebecca will not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages arising out of your use of (or inability to use) this website or reliance on any information provided on it.

This includes, but is not limited to, any loss, injury, damage, or expense incurred during your travels based on information found on this site. Travel always involves risk — you are solely responsible for your own decisions and safety.

Acceptable use

You must not use this website in any way that causes, or may cause, damage to the website or impairment of its availability or accessibility. You must not use the website:

For any unlawful, illegal, fraudulent, or harmful purpose or activity
To transmit or distribute viruses, malware, or other malicious software
To conduct any systematic or automated data collection activities (including scraping, data mining, or harvesting)
To send unsolicited commercial communications

User content

Any content you submit through the contact form or newsletter subscription (your name, email, and message) is considered user content.

You grant TravelBudgetGirl a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use this content solely for the purpose of responding to you or sending newsletter communications.

You warrant that any material you submit will not be illegal, defamatory, or infringe any third party’s rights.

External links

This website may contain links to third-party websites. These links are provided for your convenience only. We have no control over the content, privacy policies, or practices of any external sites and accept no responsibility for them.

Changes to these terms

We reserve the right to revise these Terms of Use at any time. Revised terms will be posted on this page with a new “Last updated” date. Your continued use of the website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless TravelBudgetGirl and Rebecca from and against any losses, damages, costs, liabilities, and expenses arising out of any breach by you of these Terms of Use.

Governing law

These Terms of Use shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of the website will be subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate courts in the United States.

Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us through the Contact page.

Thank you for visiting TravelBudgetGirl! Safe and budget-friendly travels, Rebecca

Bucket List

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The dream list 🗺️

Some people have a savings account. I have this.

These are the places that live rent-free in my head — destinations I’m actively planning, vaguely dreaming about, or saving up for one day.

🌍 Africa

Morocco — the medinas of Fes and Marrakech
Ethiopia — Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches
Tanzania — Zanzibar and a budget safari

🌏 Asia

Mongolia — a ger stay on the steppe
Kyrgyzstan — trekking the Tian Shan mountains
Bhutan — when the budget finally allows it

🌎 Americas

Colombia — Cartagena to the coffee region
Bolivia — the salt flats at sunrise
Patagonia — hiking Torres del Paine

🌍 Europe

Albania — Europe’s last undiscovered gem
Georgia — Tbilisi and the Caucasus Mountains
Kosovo — the capital Pristina on the cheap

🌊 Oceania

Papua New Guinea — the Highlands Festival
Vanuatu — diving the SS President Coolidge

Already ticked ✅

(These move here when I’ve written a full destination post about them)

Last updated: January 2024 — this list is never finished.

Message sent!

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks, your message is on its way ✈️

I’ve received your message and will get back to you within a few days.

In the meantime, why not explore some destinations?

👉 Browse Destinations · Travel Hub · Home