Hey, I’m Nikki!
I’m a beach addict, travel writer, mom, drone pilot…the list goes on! My goal is to help you plan AMAZING vacations and create memories with your loved ones that fills your soul.
I believe traveling creates perspective. It’s the opportunity to see just how small you are in a world bigger than any of us can ever fully explore.
That’s why I travel.
To experience new cultures, food, traditions, and see incredible landscapes in this world. Traveling has the power to change perspective and gives us the ability to see life through a different lens. These experiences expand the mind and warms the soul.
Do you ever feel that, too?
How I caught the travel bug
Every summer when I was a little girl, my grandparents packed my entire family into a 1970’s RV and drove around the country. My grandmother and aunts were great at bowling and went to the national tournament every year in a different state.
Our camper was packed full of my cousins, aunts and uncles so some of my fondest memories of my childhood started on the road.
Thin Mints & funnel cakes
Then in high school I was part of a Girl Scout troop that worked very hard to earn money to save up for trips. I spent winters selling Girl Scout cookies (Thin Mints, anyone?).
And in the summers I was cooking and selling funnel cakes at festivals and county fairs. So at the age of 15, I worked hard at saving my money and spent 22 days in Mexico with the girls.
The first part of the trip we stayed at a service camp, where we joined other countries and girls around the globe to experience the culture in Cuernavaca, Mexico. All the troops took part in activities and festivals learning about the other parts of the world.
I specifically recall girls from the Dominican Republic, Spain, all over Mexico and the U.S. Our service project was to help out a local school. So we spent time painting furniture for the kids and painting murals on their walls.
After we left Cuernavaca, we traveled around more of Mexico including Mexico City, Merida and Cancun. We saw the ancient Mayan temple of Chichen Itza, and the ruins of Tulum, amongst others.
That experience opened my eyes to the world of travel. After all, as a 15 year-old from a small town in Nebraska, I got to see a new perspective on the world. I didn’t know it then, but the trip shaped my future and love of travel!
Fast forward to today
I absolutely love exploring new places, seeing the sights and understanding the locals. From the incredible beaches of Thailand to the ancient history in Greece, there’s so much to experience! Oh, and food. I love trying new flavor combinations and eating native cuisines.
My travel partner, AKA my husband, and I travel frequently. We got pretty good about prioritizing travel and saving our money to go amazing places…including paying for travel with points and miles.
We have two kids who absolutely love traveling, and tag along when school schedules allow.
And, as this world has a funny way of things turning back around, we now own an RV, which is perfect for traveling with our two golden retrievers, Kona and Kai.
I talk more about our road trips, RV experiences and hiking adventures over at InspiredRoutes.com, if you want to check that out.
She Saves She Travels resources – just for you!
I created this blog for you. This tiny little travel blog, started in 2018, and has now grown to help millions of people per year.
She Saves She Travels originally started to help people blow past the common misconception that traveling is expensive and provide resources to help save money in order to travel. Don’t worry, there’s still a few budget guides to check out.
But further, I hope to inspire you to see that the world is beautiful, traveling is fun and it truly is within your reach. The guides throughout this blog will help you plan your trip and create those long-lasting memories!
Favorite travel guides
It’s impossible to list my favorite places since I began this travel blog, but here are a few of my favorite spots I can’t stop talking about:
Can you sense a theme here? 😆 You can also search by state, country or region on the destinations page.
Flying a drone
I’ve been flying drones since 2018 and it’s truly one of my favorite hobbies. If you want to learn how to take epic vacation photos, a drone is an amazing way to do it.
Check out these drone resources to get started!
Connect via email
If you want a plethora of free resources and to follow my adventures in (almost) real-time, hop on my email list. I send out weekly updates with new travel guides, trip ideas, the destinations I’m exploring and more.
This freebie will get you ready for your next adventure:
And if you ever need to contact me please reach out on Instagram or send me an email – I really read all of them! I’m at nikki (at) shesavesshetravels (dot) com!
Brandi
Saturday 6th of January 2024
Safari in Africa, Greece, Bora Bora
Nikki
Tuesday 16th of January 2024
Oh I love these! I went to Greece last year and have some travel guides if they're helpful for planning that bucket list! https://shesavesshetravels.com/tag/greece/
Nat
Thursday 8th of June 2023
Hi Nikki! Unfortunately the reservation dates for getting a camping permit for kalalua trail are booked for the days we'll be there. Bummer as we really wanted to do a long hike. Do you have any other recommendations for similar trails in Kauai that are challenging/long? Any recommendations would be great!
Nikki
Thursday 8th of June 2023
Ah bummer! Those passes sell out lightening fast! I've really only done 2-5 mile hikes in Kauai, so I'm not really sure about something longer. However, you could do multiple hikes in a day or area to see a lot! I'd highly recommend the Waimea Canyon Trail and pair that with the Pihea Trail or Awa'awapuhi Trail. You'd get massive canyon views then right down the road in Koke'e State park, you'll get amazing NaPali Coast views! What an awesome day! I have a written guide on the Waimea Canyon Trail (but not the others yet) if you want to check it out: https://shesavesshetravels.com/travel-destinations/waimea-canyon-trail/
Mari Kyle
Sunday 7th of May 2023
I would like to take my family to an island next March for Spring Break. We have three kids who will be ages 13, 15, and 18.
Nikki
Friday 26th of May 2023
Yay! That sounds like fun, Mari. Did you see this guide? Might inspire some ideas for your spring break adventure! https://shesavesshetravels.com/travel-destinations/cheapest-island-vacations/
Israel HS
Friday 22nd of July 2022
Nice blog! My wife found your post about Puerto Morelos, thanks for the recommendations, we’ll be arriving tomorrow to that beach.
My destinations are: Italy, Japan and Patagonia
Nikki
Friday 22nd of July 2022
Ah thanks so much for the compliment! I hope you have the best time in Puerto Morelos! I hope you make it to your other dream destinations soon, too! Those are all incredible - I'm especially a fan of Italy :)
Christine
Tuesday 12th of April 2022
Caye Caulker, Belize and Turks and Caicos, pretty much anywhere there are awesome beaches and blue waters
Nikki
Saturday 16th of April 2022
Ahhh all those spots have amazing turquoise water! Love that list ❤️