FAQS

I am currently 24 years old, and I have been traveling internationally for approximately five years. I was born on September 20th, so I am a Virgo! 

Yes! I have a twin brother who I've gone on MANY trips with (hence the name "The Traveling Twin"), a sister that is a few years younger than me, and a little brother who is almost two decades younger than me. We are all very close. 

I currently work at a digital marketing company called Develomark. I am the Director of Content which means that I work with clients and my team to ensure that client goals are met when it comes to the textual elements of a website. 

When I was growing up, my family went on your typical trips to Cape Cod, New Jersey, Florida, etc. 

The first trip that I planned myself and went on without adult supervision was to Scotland and Iceland in January of 2018.  I went with my twin brother Ryan and our friends Alexa and Sam. We stayed in Edinburgh for six days and then flew to Reykjavík in Iceland. While it wasn't the best trip I have ever planned, it was my first taste of freedom and I look back on it fondly. 

My favorite place I have been to date is Bali! I've been lucky enough to be able to go on trips to multiple different regions and adventure throughout the terrain of countless countries but this trip stood out to me solely because of vibes. It was a group of my brother and four close friends and it was two weeks of learning to drive scooters through the jungle, meeting new friends, tanning on beaches and roof tops, and living our best lives. I love everything about Bali- except the spiders! 

I can't pick just one place! I have had a few places on my mind lately, including:

• Italy
• Greece
• Egypt
• Japan
• Maldives

YES! I currently have the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card and to say I'm in love is an understatement. This card offers so many perks, it's ridiculous. From the generous sign up bonus and the 25% point boost when redeeming for travel via Chase to the baggage delay insurance and rental car insurance, this card is top-of-the-line. It also helps to get free DoorDash delivery and 3x the points on dining ;) 

Are you looking to ask me a question that isn't displayed in this FAQ section? If so, don't hesitate to contact me by emailing rachsteck@gmail.com. I would love to answer any questions you have. 

When it comes to tips for booking flights, I am your girl! A few rules of thumb that can help you out in a pinch include: 

• Book your flights on a Tuesday! Most airlines will put up discounts on Monday nights. You can save as much as 10-25% by doing this alone. 
• Travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays to get the best deals. The fewest amount of people travel on these days which is why you may see a price drop during this time as opposed to Fridays and Sundays!
• The "season" or time of year that you travel can make a BIG price difference. I believe that the fall and winter are typically the best times to travel because this is when kids are in school. Summer months (June-August) tend to be the most expensive since these are the months most families will travel.
• If you are flexible when it comes to the month you are going to travel, do some comparing research! See which month is cheapest. Hopper is an app that I use when I am trying to do some comparing work. Once you input your departure airport and your destination, you can see each month shaded by which days are cheapest vs most expensive to fly. 

To me, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. It all depends on the type of couple you and your significant other are! If your idea of an ideal vacation is pink sand and clear water, an island like Aruba or the Bahamas may be best. If you and your bae are more into hiking and the outdoors, places like Oregon, Utah, and Colorado may be best! The best way to figure out a vacation with your significant other is to sit down with them and make a list of what your ideal vacation would be. What would you do on the day-to-day, and what would you see? What is your budget, and what do you want the weather to be like? Once you have these questions answered, I guarentee you will be much closer to picking a perfect spot than you were before. 

Whenever I get this question I immediately think of Southeast Asia. I'm talking Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. While these countries may carry a heftier flight price, they are cheap once you arrive. That's why it's best to spend a week or more in these countries and then go home! One of the cheapest places I've ever been to was Bali. While that flight was around $850, I spent less than $500 when it came to accomodations, food, and excursions! 

There are a multitude of ways that you can keep travel expenses on the lower side. A few tips I can give include:

• Go with a group! The more people you can fit in an airbnb, the cheaper it will be ;) 
• Location matters. A hotel or airbnb with a view of the Eiffel Tower will be more expensive than one 10 minutes from the beach in Bali. Choose wisely and budget accordingly! 
• Fly on the cheapest days. Depending on the day you travel, you can save a few quick bucks.
• Look for deals! Websites like Scottscheaptravel.com can send you daily flight deals. These can save you hundreds if you aren't picky with the destination.  
• Be picky where you eat. When many people picture going on vacation, they envision sampling a variety of restaurants. If you are going on a longer trip, I suggest hitting your local grocery store for quick snacks and meals. If you are really looking to put emphasis on sampling the local cuisine for your trip, try to stay away from restaurants in tourist areas. In most cases, if you travel just 3-4 streets away from a tourist area you can find hidden gems that the locals eat at for less inflated prices. 

Don't let other people stop you from living your dreams and crossing destinations off your bucket list! Instead, find a place that is safe for female travel. Some destinations that come to mind include:

• Canada
• Iceland 
• Japan 
• Ireland
• New Zealand 
• Singapore
• Poland
• Sweden
• Switzerland

As a college student, you want to go somewhere where you can hang out with a big group of friends and relax. You also probably want somewhere that has a good nightlife. Some places in the U.S. I would recommend  include:

• Nashville, TN
• Myrtle Beach, SC
• Jacksonville, FL 
• Tuscon, AZ

If you are looking to step out of the U.S. and dip your toes into some international travel, some destinations I would suggest are: 

• Bali
• Thailand
• Puerto Rico
• Mexico
• Costa Rica
• Albania
• Canada
• Vietnam