Hi there! We’re Deanne and Ryan – avid travelers always planning our next adventure. Since our first time backpacking through Europe more than 20 years ago, we’ve learned a lot about maximizing our schedule to see the most in the least amount of time without feeling rushed.
For years, people who knew us asked our advice on trip planning, itineraries, and destinations. We decided to compile our tips and knowledge and share it with you in hopes that we can help more people realize their travel dreams.
We aren’t full-time travelers. (Wouldn’t that be nice!) We’re based in the U.S., working hectic jobs while raising three kids. At times, our lives feel like a revolving door going from work to our kids’ activities and back again.
As crazy as our schedule is, we realize the importance of investing in travel and intentionally making memories now without waiting until we retire. The only way we are able to sneak dream travel into our schedule is by being smart about it.
Smart, efficient travel doesn’t sound sexy – but it has allowed Ryan and me to travel overseas numerous times even in the midst of a busy life.
We don’t have months at a time to spend abroad. Most often not even two weeks. We firmly believe you don’t need that much time. Being savvy with our planning allows us to fit shorter trips into our schedule. Traveling at an active – not rushed – pace allows us to create countless memories while crossing dream destinations off our travel bucket list.
Without a little savvy, we wouldn’t have been able to:
- soak in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon
- throw back a pint in Munich
- tour the Colosseum in Rome
- explore Austria’s fairytale village of Hallstatt
- cruise Germany’s Rhine River and London’s River Thames
- voyage around Amsterdam’s canals and through Norway’s awe-inspiring fjords
- Barcelona, Paris, and Venice would be just a distant dream instead of our radical reality.
You’d think with multiple European trips stamped on our passport we have money trees growing in our backyard, but that’s not the case either. We know the importance of smartly preparing for each trip maximizing our time and money to see the most amazing sights in the most efficient way possible.
If you are leading a crazy busy life thinking international travel is only a dream, or even just a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, we’re here to help you get your passport stamped – not once, but again and again.
Feeling overwhelmed with the thought of planning an overseas trip?
Dig in to our website where you’ll find planning tips, expert info, savvy secrets and accounts of amazing destinations. And since we love to adventure stateside, too, there are plenty of U.S. destinations and information we’re excited to share with you also.
What separates us from other travel blogs?
- We are not full-time travelers. We realize most people have to fit travel in between work and responsibilities – just like us.
- While the current trend is to spend an extended amount of time in one specific destination to thoroughly explore and connect to the local culture in a laid-back, slow manner – that’s not the way we travel and not realistic for most busy adults who are short on time but big on adventure. We advise smartly preparing an itinerary that makes the most of your time and allows you to enjoy a variety of experiences that matter most to you – while skipping those that don’t.
- At Scenic and Savvy, we don’t just provide our travel tips and tales; we feature various travelers’ experiences on our Inspiration page. People like you detail how they made their dream destinations a reality. Find your travel muse as you follow along on all of our journeys.
Not sure where to start? Check out these helpful posts:
1. How to Make the Most of Limited Travel Time: Amsterdam and London in 3 days
2. International travel: Should you bring the kids?
3. Travel overseas with just a backpack? Yes, really!
Thanks for visiting!
Be savvy and make dream travel a reality!
We’re here to help.
Deanne and Ryan
