REAL TALK TRAVEL TIPS FOR REAL LIFE ADVENTURES
Hey, I’m Rachel!
Here to prove you don’t need to quit your job or move abroad to explore like you live there. I’ll help you skip the tourist traps and plan trips that are more grounded, more personal, and way more fun.
What You’ll Find on Rachel IRL
Forget opening 5000 tabs and manually saving everything. My maps are layered, emoji-coded, and full of spots I actually recommend — organized by category and ready to use in your own Google Maps app.
Want my best recs?
Travel Letdowns Taught Me Everything
I’ve had my fair share of disappointing travel experiences.
Yeah. Been there. Done that. Never again.
At some point, I’d had enough underwhelming, overhyped, burnout-inducing experiences to know I wanted something different. And slowly, I started to figure out what that actually looked like.
Turns Out, Moving Countries Teaches You Stuff
I’ve lived in four cities across three countries: San Francisco. New York. Madrid. London.
Each move taught me how to get to know a place — quickly, and on my own terms.
I stopped overplanning and following advice that didn’t suit me. Started paying attention to what I actually enjoy.
I wasn’t just visiting anymore. I was figuring out how to adapt and live well anywhere I landed.
As I started skipping big attractions in favor of weird museums, local thrift shops, parks with good people-watching, and meals I never would’ve tried back home, I realized:
I was using travel to meet myself, and I really liked the person I met.
What Travel Means to Me Now
These days, I use travel as a way to reconnect with who I am. To slow down, pay attention, and remember what I care about — outside of work, to-do lists, and the general noise of life.
And that’s what I want for you, too.
You don’t have to quit your job or become a digital nomad. You just need to figure out how to travel in a way that actually suits you. That feels personal. Energizing. And real.
That’s what this blog is all about.
The Rachel IRL Philosophy
I created this blog as a space to help real people have real experiences while traveling.
Around here, that means being real (and realistic!) about:
Your Interests
We’re not here to tick off TripAdvisor’s top 10. I want you to prioritize the stuff that makes you feel alive.
Your Itinerary
Overstuffed plans are the fastest way to ruin a trip. Leave room to breathe, even if it means skipping a sight or two.
Your Comfort Zone
New experiences should stretch you, not drain you. I’ll help you plug in to the rhythm of any new place and engage in ways that feel energizing, not obligatory.
Your Impact
Destinations aren’t theme parks. We’re visitors in other people’s homes — and we should act like it.
Where to Start
Now that you’ve got a feel for what Rachel IRL is all about, here’s where to head next — depending on what you’re planning (or daydreaming about):
Looking for destination guides?
Start here for honest, curated recs — from what’s actually worth seeing to where to eat, shop, and wander like you live there.
Want to save hours planning?
Get my signature Google Maps — emoji-coded, layered by category, and full of real recs I actually use.
Ready to travel better?
My Travel Like a Local guide walks you through how to plan trips that actually feel good – with tips, journal prompts, and a few strong opinions.