Danielle Shelton, MD
Board Certified Family Medicine Physician 
Co-Founder Re:Think Health 

I love traveling. Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to explore this planet from top to bottom, empty out its pockets and see what was hiding inside. It never mattered if it was the state next door or took a 24 hour plane ride to get to – if it was somewhere ‘other,’ it was a success in my book. 

This wanderlust has not dulled or diminished, it has only grown. It has taken me to Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, South America and around this beautiful United States. I have travelled by plane, train, automobile, and dugout canoe. Most times, especially as a college student, medical student, and resident, I have had very little by way of travel budget. Which has led to a bit of ingenuity on my part. How does one have an amazing vacation when she has spent most of the money just getting there? These days, though I admit I have a more generous budge to work with I still don’t like to spend extra money when I don’t have to or eat out more frequently than I need to. 

Here’s a few tips I’ve learned in my decade of travel. 

Accommodations 

I’ve stayed in nice hotels, I’ve stayed in hostels. Overall I much prefer VRBO, Airbnb or the like. Having a kitchen has become a must for me on vacations. Ever since my diet has changed to include simple, whole foods, I find that I don’t feel my best if I eat out 3 meals a day. It also ups the cost of a trip by a pretty hefty multiplier. So a small kitchen and a decent size fridge has become one of my most needed travel necessities. 

Food

Food is my language. It’s been my native tongue since long before I can remember. One of the reasons I choose travel destinations is based on food. Hong Kong was a smorgasbord of Michelin starred street food and I loved every bite. However, as mentioned above, eating out every meal has its toll both on my wallet and on my body. There are other great ways to sample a culture’s local cuisine besides restaurants. Local farmer’s markets and grocery stores are inexpensive but amazing ways to see what people really eat on a daily basis. I’ve had some of the best food imaginable (usually fresh fruits and veggies) at local markets. I could wax poetic about the flavorful local mangoes on Maui or just picked pineapple from a roadside stand in Panama, or what coconut water tastes like out of a freshly cracked coconut. These were also the most inexpensive meals or food I purchased in those locations. Food does not have to be expensive to be delicious. Nor does it have to be served on ceramic with real utensils. 

Adventure

We usually find loads of things that are free in places we visit – whether that’s a hike to a private beach on Maui, museums in London, or exploring local art shops. Sometimes we will rent bikes in a smaller city (big city and bike transportation are not kind to my rather clumsy soul, I need much more room for error), pack a small picnic lunch and just roam. I’ve done this in Barcelona, Spain, the outskirts of Rome, Italy,  Cascais, Portugal, and a variety of US towns. It’s usually pretty inexpensive, incredibly fun, full of physical activity (another thing I love doing on vacation and when I want to take a break from a traditional work out), and a great way to see a city. There’s plenty of ways to see a city that doesn’t require a large budget but rather a sprinkle of creativity. 

Some things are worth the money

Some things will require you to splurge. Whether it’s the whale watching trip in New Zealand, the diving expedition in Panama, the luau in Maui, or the ticket to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, some things are worth the cash it costs. Plan for it. Know the things that make a destination the destination you picked over others. Budget that in. Do the thing. See the sight. Climb the mountain. 

Don’t forget that there’s a reason you traveled there in the first place.