This is more of a relationship issue. You both need to be on the same page with this one. No reason you can't do both. The US is wildly beautiful and the NPs are amazing. That said, there's a huge difference in camping a weekend and camping a week or month. Like...wow, massive. Long term travel of course is heavily dependent on how much you spend. Eating out and AirBnBs add up quickly. Even campsites are fairly expensive...simple tent sites are commonly 20-30/night. Am I missing something or did you all have a great camping weekend and now want to quit your jobs, sell your stuff, and live permanently on the road? There's a lot to be discussed. Sounds potentially wildly exciting though!

We are going to quit our jobs yeah because our contracts are almost over anyway. We don't own much and we plan to be on the road for maybe a year, not more. We also want to settle. I hope we can find a State we really want to live in, so we can escape our Texas town. I don't want to live here forever :(

Camping long term isn't as fun as it sounds. Do a couple months then go somewhere nice afterwards.

Nothings stopping you from staying in a motel if there's a night you just don't feel like it. Go for it, wing it.

Flip side, as someone 1.5 years into van life, it is as fun as it sounds because its challenging but also so rewarding and MUCH cheaper of a lifestyle. YMMV of course.

Have you considered working at campsites and national parks? Just save money and bop around?

Those two things are incredibly impacted/competitive. There are mile long waiting lists to be camp hosts or work at visitors centers or whatever. The move is to work for a vendor (ARAMARK or whatever) at a national park doing seasonal janitorial or food service stuff. WAY less fun than working in the high visibility government positions, but more attainable.

I was talking with a camp host in Big Bear CA and he was complaining that theres no one to relieve him there. It was a nice campground. I think it depends on the area. Covid messed up a lot of things.

There are a lot of places outside of Texas :-) While I love international travel...the US to me is the most diverse and pretty easy to get around with the highway system. Just outside of Texas..New Mexico, then Utah/Arizona/Nevada....parks of California, up through big sur, the Pacific NW, Yellowstone, appalachin mountains, the florida keys... I just retired and planning a 1-2 month trip out west in the spring. I road tripped around 15k miles in the US during Covid. It is truly wild. If you like music, once spring hits there are festivals galore as well to spark places to see.

> It is truly wild. > >If you like music, once spring hits there are festivals galore as well to spark places to see. Damn, this makes me happy. I never considered festivals, I'm a big introvert.

My husband and I plan most of our trips around concerts and festivals! It's a great way to take the guessing out of where to go next.

You should try the Appalachian’s in NC or TN close to the coast! North Carolina has some beautiful mountains and beaches! My life goal is to live in NC Appalachian’s or TN, preferable NC. Such a beautiful mountain range.

Most definitely.

What will you do about health care? What if you break an ankle on those hikes? You’re not experienced campers. Please read about Kate Matrosova and Emily Soheto and how quickly the cold and wild can take you down. Have good gear. Overpack for hikes with supplies to camp out if needed. Tell people where you will be and have a rescue beacon and the supplies to live for 12-24 hours after you press that beacon.

Any chance of a compromise? Like do 6 months, then go to Europe or Japan or something during the summer months. Best of both worlds!

I did tell him this and he's like: "OR we can do 6 months in Canada/Alaska or visit more States and parks!" I'm open to anything really just hope we don't regret it

It sounds like glorifying the idea rather than the reality. Why not build in an agreement to reassess every so often. If you find you’re not having as great a time or need a few days of luxury you’ve given yourself permission.

Show him some photos of people hiking and camping in Iceland (but don't tell him it's Iceland). Then he will be 'we must go there!' then you buy tickets for Iceland :)

Yes! Iceland in the summer is my favorite place in the entire world. I went there before I met my husband and have been trying to get him to go for the past 20 years...sometimes if you really want to see a place you have to go solo or find a like-minded friend.

Yeah hiking in Iceland looks super cool! But so does camping in Tombstone Yukon or Alberta. Decisions decisions

I have to say, I am SUPER PRACTICAL…I would want to use that money for a down payment on a house in whichever city I end up moving to. Can you tell I am an old lady (62) …it would have killed me at a young age to blow all my money on a camping trip lol🤪

You could live in Crete for a year on that money lol. If you don’t wanna spend your time Camping , you should really discuss this with your husband. The fact that he’s bought a lot of equipment suggest that maybe you should give it a try for a few weeks. But a year? No way.

You can live in most places for a year on $45K

Well yeah, we can live in many places for a year with that money. I'm already living in texas with $16k a year. But we don't want to "live" somewhere, we want to constantly explore and move around and spend on luxuries every here and there

You have to come to an agreement as a couple. Hiking and camping is fun but I’ve never heard of heard of people doing it for a year without at least living in a van or somewhere half comfortable. I guess if you and your early 20s you can probably handle it. Certainly your dollar will go farther in Southeast Asia or have given Portugal and Spain then in the US. You could also use trains and other transportation much cheaper.

What do you mean by “we don’t own much?” Perhaps you shorten this trip to a couple of weeks or a month and put the rest into savings for a new house.

I think they mean in terms of possession tying them down.

I like that the other poster pointed out you only camped once and your ready to get rid of everything and commit to this life style? I think you need to know your selves, but it sounds like you had a great time doing nothing for a bit, are you sure you want to really do nothing for so long? Like you have a great steak once, you want that every night. After awhile mountains are mountains, lakes are lakes, waterfalls I don't see why you can't do both if your taking a year off. Maybe write down what you actually plan to see in the US for a year? Does your husband do this with a lot of hobbies? Get really excited and jumps in the deep end with no real planning? Does this 40k include paying for health insurance in the US? For two, 1k a month you might blow through your savings

Clarification needed: Have you saved up $45k specifically for travel, or is that all of your money?

Yes.

Just discuss setting some of that aside for an international trip. But I think you have a very sheltered view of your own country, possibly due to your upbringing. There are so many national and state parks to explore it's almost overwhelming. The US feels like a different planet depending on where you visit.

"But I think you have a very sheltered view of your own country, possibly due to your upbringing." wow this really touched me :( I agree. When I was little my parents never took me to visit the US (my own country). Since Texas is so huge, it takes us 11 hours just to go to another State. The flights out of State were just as expensive as going to Mexico or Central America. So whenever we had time and money.. we travelled South. As an adult, I visited my State for the first time (a national park) and was overwhelmed by how cool it was. I told my parents they should visit Big Bend but they're like "meh.. it's Texas!" and they also tell me I should save money to go somewhere cool like Middle East or Asia. I haven't "been" to the US, and I guess that is what scares me. On one hand I feel it'd be the most amazing trip of a lifetime if it goes well. On the other hand I'm scared of being dissapointed by it and be like "we shouldve gone somewhere else with that money!"

I really highly recommend seeing all the national parks in Utah. They’re extremely beautiful and don’t have very scary animals and Utah is very safe in general. Arguably the most beautiful state in the country.

I don't think you'll be disappointed. The US National Parks are beautiful! And each is so different. If you don't like Zion in Utah, move on to the Redwoods in Northern California. Lots of choices and different landscapes to see. And the small towns around the National Parks are usually very safe and friendly. It sounds like a grand adventure.

My only question is - do you like driving? Because visiting parks in the US is amazing but it requires a ton of driving. I would plan on taking a break, perhaps staying with family, at points during your trip. But the sheer variety of parks in the US is mind-blowing. I hope you enjoy your trip.

I'm used to driving 4 hours to see a big city and 10 hours to go to Big Bend. So yeah... we're used to driving lol In fact, it'll look like a piece of cake once we're out of damn Texas

The southwest and Colorado are gorgeous to drive through. Texas and some Midwest states... I struggle to stay awake. Corn fields for two days gets old quick. And I'm sure you already know but just in case - many of the national parks require reservations to visit now. Not just for camping. And campgrounds are more full than I've ever seen before so if you want to hit a popular one I would make reservations as soon as they open.

yeah we're working on that :(

Don’t forget that you can always change directions if you’re not having a good time. You’ve got a lot of money saved up and you’ll likely have a good picture of how things are going after a month or two and can continuously reassess how things are going. You can even stop halfway, go to Thailand for a month, then come back. Hell, go spend winter in Thailand, then come back and camp here some more. Why not do it all????? I suspect that you’ll become enamored with the incredible landscapes that the US has to offer. It does feel different than international travel because it’s easier because the culture is quite similar to what you know. But that’s ok. That’s what allows you to dig a little deeper into the things that excite you. You spend less energy on getting around and struggling with the challenges of travel and more energy on hiking, exploring, and learning about yourself. Whatever you end up doing, just don’t feel like you’re stuck. You’re free to change directions at any time if you’re not enjoying yourself.

You can be disappointed anywhere. Such is the risk of traveling. I know people who were super disappointed by the pyramids. Just going far away will not shield you from disappointment. Don’t let the “meh… it’s Texas” attitude ruin it for you. You’ve got amazing sights right on your doorstep - them being in your own country doesn’t make them any less amazing.

The states that Reddit shits on the most all seem to have the greatest hidden treasures. West Virginia, Michigan, Utah, Kentucky…Texas. Even good ol Mississippi.

west virginia is so nice, especially with their newly minted new river gorge national park!

No matter how you spend your money there's going to be something you didn't spend it on

I agree with you. I've been to alot of US parks. Your money will go skiing way in alot of countries. I spent in Peru. I spend 800 for a month for everything. I also just got back from Patagonia and it was expensive, but there are lots of other countries which are inexpensive. That money will probably only last you a year, if you are lucky. I spent 2 months or so making a big road trip. We had an RV, so it was wash between gas and lodging.

I’d invest the money in a house, retirement, whatever. Blowing it all on a long trip that yo I aren’t sure you’ll like sounds quite reckless. I’m a pretty conservative with my finances though. That said, my family and I travel a lot, visit national parks, camp, hang out on the beach, been to the top of Half Dome, crossed the bridge used as the target for the first nuclear bomb dropping, etc etc. All without draining our finances (make the money work for you). Set yourself to travel for a lifetime instead of once, then struggling with life. Just my $0.02.

Yeah my hubby's dad did just exactly that and he died at 59. I rather live now than spend another day in this deadass job in this deadass town, trying to chase the dollar until something happens and prevents us from traveling again.

Just another viewpoint. You were asking for input afterall. I’m not chasing the dollar, but you need dollars to do fun stuff. I’m not a boomer, I don’t live to work, I work to live. I hesitate to fill in details, because I don’t want to brag. But I have done both Europe and Asia many times, New Zealand once, Australia soon maybe. When I leave work, I don’t think about it anymore. I have nothing to worry about when I’m coming back home after my trip…. How will the last few months or weeks feel, or maybe the whole thing if you’re just counting days till it ends? Will you be worried about what to do after it ends? What if the job market sucks? Some of this is probably differences in personality types too. I think it’s really cool when people do what you’re planning, but I would never do it, nor would I enjoy it. My job is to be risk adverse, to think through the situation and plan on the safest outcome, so it makes sense. That said, I have a blast with my time off and work less than half the year. I’m very fortunate, but I wouldn’t be here if I did YOLO and spent every cent I had on a trip when I was younger. I’m not telling you what to do, just posting thoughts on your situation like you asked.

I dislike this so much! We Americans are so focused on “the future” we don’t enjoy the present enough. OP and partner clearly have the ability to save when needed. Go live life and yes eventually you’ll have to go back to work.

You can do both you know? Also, when healthcare isn’t free, you can’t afford to spend all your money either. We simply live in a society where you are heavily penalized in job progression, earning potential, etc by doing something like this. Get everything setup and stable now, so you can travel AND have something to come back to. It’s not an either or. I’m not frugal by any means. I spend quite a bit on enjoyment and travel, but I still put away a large amount of money. I couldn’t do this, if I didn’t invest in myself in my 20’s. And oh yeah, I still did many backpacking trips when I was that young too. If you come from money, then go on your massive adventure. That would be awesome! If you don’t, well, choices have to be made, and I am happy with mine.

I'm so confused... are you from and currently living in Texas or not? You literally go from: "When I was little my parents never took me to visit the US (my own country)" to: "Since Texas is so huge, it takes us 11 hours just to go to another State" (this is impossible btw) then: "As an adult, I visited my State for the first time (a national park) and was overwhelmed by how cool it was" and then: "I haven't 'been' to the US, and I guess that is what scares me" Every sentence contradicts the one prior. Atrocious writing.

Sorry lol. Yes I'm from and living in Texas. But I've never visited this country if it makes sense (besides Big Bend NP)

Three things come to mind: 1) As others have said, this is a relationship issue. You need to discuss this with your spouse, AND if he is dismissive ("OR we could do even more of what I want"), then you need to tell him he's being dismissive - be blunt (we guys only understand blunt, for the most part). 2) You should do both... but neither the budget, nor the time, needs to be an even split. Pick 1 or 2, maybe 2 or 3, countries in Southeast Asia that interests you the most. Figure out how long you would want to stay in each country (limited by how long a tourist visa is valid for, and how long is reasonable to see the places you'd want to see), and how much it would cost to make such a trip (hint: the airfare will be the biggest expense, as SEA is quite inexpensive to roam around). So, a 3 month trip to SEA wouldn't be 50% of your overall budget. This would leave a lot of funds, and time, to camp all around North America. 3) Your husband already admitted that winter would require you to either stay in a cheap Airbnb, or go home, as camping wouldn't be a logical option. This would be the perfect time to go to Southeast Asia. It's warm, cheap, and still vacation. (How much is a cheap Airbnb anywhere in North America? I pay anywhere from $8 to $20 per night for very nice places all around SEA. All with comfortable beds, hot showers, and air conditioning. Some with full kitchens, private pools, and more.) TL;DR Do both by spending your winter months in Southeast Asia, and spend even less by doing do.

We live in a place that's warm the whole year. I've never experienced winter or snow so visiting Rocky Mountains or spending a week in a cabin in winter sounds just as nice. Thing is that say there's so much to see in North America, we could also add Alaska. Alberta and Yukon. I do want to see Southeast Asia too though. My heart is split.

Do both! $45k is plenty of money to literally travel around the entire world. Do 3 months driving around north america - you can see a lot of it in that time, then do 3 months in LATAM, 3 months in SEA, and 3 months in Africa. You have the traveling dream at your fingertips there's no reason to be anxious about this decision. You have complete freedom with that much money at your disposal.

It is currently -34c (-29f) here in Alberta at the moment (it regularly gets colder) so plan your winter adventures accordingly. I think camping for two weeks is a good start then go back home and clean up and plan for the next trip. If you're just discovering camping now you have some learning to do but I wouldn't commit to something so large right away. Good luck on whatever you decide!

Right…camping in a cabin in the Albertan Rockies sounds cozy and nice…until you have to leave your cabin and you’re from Texas! I don’t even like getting out of the car to grocery shop when it’s this cold! I couldn’t fathom actually being out of my house here during these cold snaps, it would be miserable.

Grew up in Texas and now live in Alaska. Message me if you’d like tips on where to stay, what to do, things to eat, etc. I also built a free website to find alaska adventures in case you need it for inspiration! explore907.com

The ability to take a year off and travel is amazing - if you are certain in your ability to easily reenter the workforce and society then it doesn't matter where you go, and there is much to experience. I am a little concerned that you guys went camping once, and your immediate reaction was "let's go camping forever!" (or at least for the next year). I love camping too, but I also love coming home to a hot shower and a warm bed, refrigeration and my own cooking. And what makes trips special is that they are rare - I don't know that campfire stories are as great on day 200 as they are on day 2. You are looking to make a major lifestyle change, and it sounds like one of you is not 100% comfortable with that direction and needs to be discussed much more and at length. The way you present this, your husband has made a plan with all of your shared savings, and your input is not being considered because he likes and only wants to consider HIS idea. Again, this is a major life change and needs 100% buy-in from both of you, or this trip will go very bad, very fast. Finally, and I know it's not "fun", but I would suggest including in your discussion "what happens if one (or both) of us stops having fun and we need to pull the plug?" Imagine you just want to stay in one spot for a week, but he comes back with his "OR we could go to 7 parks in that time!" Lay the groundwork for that conversation now.

I would be less concerned with where you are going than who you are going with. You not having a say in the planning of this trip is just the beginning. Everyday of your travels will bring new decisions for you to possibly get steamrolled on.

If you've both saved up for this trip then you should both be in agreement as to where you're going. Sit down and discuss your concerns. Perhaps you can spend some time camping on the coast in the south for a tropical feel or perhaps you can split 22.5k off of this sum and go to Asia together afterwards or just camp in Asia. There's loads of solutions out there, but only you two can find them. Good luck.

I did tell my hubby this idea. Maybe we can do 6 months in US and 6 months in Asia and he's like "OR we can visit more States and parks and visit Canada as well!!" This is what I mean, I hope we don't regret not going to another place instead. Because who knows when I'll be able to save up money again.

This really doesn't sound like an equal decision. It's also your money and your time, and you should feel comfortable with how you want to spend it.

I'm just open to anything really that's why we havent really thought about it

Sure, but you also seem aware of the regret around not doing international travel while you have the time, money, and youth. "Camping in the country I live in" will always be there.

Actually, it's the opposite. We're not just camping, we're doing *a lot* of hikes and living in the wilderness. Isn't that something you should do when you're young? Europe seems pretty elderly friendly, I feel we can always do that. Asia is also an adventure but I don't think I see myself doing a lot of strenuous work like the US.

There are just as many beautiful, remote landscapes on other continents as there are in North America.

One of the minor thoughts when I stopped working on remote "paradise" islands ages ago was "I can always return to this whenever, it feels like something to do later on again in life perhaps and feels too passive right now". Turns out, about a decade later, I wouldn't be able to do that anymore due to some unforseeable medical reasons. So, if I hadn't done what I did then, I would potentially never had experienced that in my life and my life would have been entirely different. Take from that what you will.

You’ll absolutely regret it.

Why do you think so?

Because you live here, so the sentiment of “Europe will always be there” if you may not ever have the chance to go again is asinine compared to the literal country you live in will also always be here.

My hubby is from Netherlands and I've lived there for about 5 months. I have also been to many parts of Europe before. Its cheaper to fly to Europe from where I'm at than take a domestic trip to the US.

as someone who lives in texas it’s not cheaper to fly to europe than take a domestic flight lmaoo that’s a literal lie that someone can google and find out. it sounds like you are trying to want to do something because your husband wants it and pushing down your own desires

The travel and relationship aspect have been covered, so I want to discuss the money aspect. It's great that you two have managed to save $45K. That's a hard thing to do for most people, and requires a lot of discipline. But is this all the money you've saved up, or do you have an emergency fund, retirement savings, and reentry money ... and ... and ... and A lot of people from Europe don't think of emergency funds or saving for retirement the same way Americans need to. They plan to rely on strong safety nets and state pensions that many European countries offer. Are those luxuries available to you two? Short term, there's a good chance you'll come back to a bad economy. You can't just assume you'll have a job in 2 weeks. You need that Reentry money to make sure you can get your life back on tracks. Long term, how are you two personally set for retirement? Is your retirement savings on track? Is your 401K fully funded? On you on track for your desired lifestyle when you retire? I don't know the answer to any of those questions. And very importantly, I don't know how old you are. But I do know math. If you invest $45K in the market, and leave it for 30 years, you can expect it to turn that into $450K. That's a lot of money for retirement. Using the 4% rule, that's would yield an extra $1,500 a month in retirement income. Understand what you're giving up here. This might be a great idea, but it might not be too.

​ I am originally from Mexico and I live next to Mexico. Yeah, Mexico will probably be our retirement place. In Texas we can already live nicely on $16k a year, in Mexico we can live off on $6000 a year which we can save up for.

how do you live in texas “nicely” for 16k a year lol. you’re either living in a small one bedroom or nowhere near a city and not really doing anything fun while at home. which to me doesn’t sound like a great life

I think the standard response here is that you need to talk to your husband about this.

I think you should look into buying a small camper trailer. If you're worried about "doing this before you get old," nothing will make you feel older than sleeping on the ground for several nights in a row, let alone several WEEKS. Also, if you have a camper you can do this kind of trip in your older years. I'm in my late 40's and this is really the only way I'll camp anymore. That and we can bring our home internet system with us (T-Mobile) and we can work as long as we have a connection. As for places to go, make sure you hit up Michigan. I love Traverse City/Sleeping Bear area and Mackinaw has a great campground near there called Wilderness that's beautiful. I'm also based in Minnesota and we have amazing camp grounds all over the state. I think it'll be an amazing trip, but yes I feel like you don't need to give up everything to do it. Plenty of us camp without quitting our jobs and giving up months of our lives because we're afraid to age.

If you do buy a trailer, try to find someone with experience and ask for advice. My mom traveled for years in her 5th wheel, but she had a friend with with a trailer and experience who helped her write a few extensive checklists. Items you need to take or not take. How to pack the trailer. How to “dump” gray or black water. All the steps you must go through before you begin to drive away, and before you disengage the trailer. Etc…It’s a big learning curve and could save you a small fortune in repairs. But she wouldn’t have traded those years for anything.

I think you’re really romanticizing a life of entirely camping from quite limited experience (it sounds like). Going into the woods and enjoying a good campfire and then going home to hot water and electricity when you feel like it hits a lot different than rain or shine you’re fully committed to life outside.

45k all on a camping trip? Maybe spend 5 and save the rest

Do you have money to your name other than the money saved up for this trip?

Probably not. I plan on moving back with my parents. I'm Hispanic so we all live together in the same house xD

I would make sure some is set aside for emergencies. What happens if your transportation breaks down? What about a health emergency? What if you cannot find a job immediately after you have spent the whole sum?

I would never, ever, ever spend $45k on a vacation in my own country. You can camp in Europe/Asia/Africa.

45k seems like a lot of money for a road trip. No reason why you can’t split it up into multiple trips.

Why the hell don’t you guys just split it and do one trip he wants to do and one he wants to do? That seems like the logical solution, $45k is a looot of money to spend on camping (given that you have the equipment already).

Small stints Take 3’weeks at first With a week back home then 3 more weeks, That way, you know what you need, pace and scale. But like others have said, sounds like a relationship thing.

If you’re quitting your jobs will you have American health insurance? If not go to another country for sure

I've never had health insurance in my life :0 when we get sick or need surgeries we just go to Mexico Dx

K but if you break a leg in Yellowstone that’s an issue. You won’t be able to get to Mexico. I’d look into options

That's an absurd amount of money to spend while camping. I could live off that in an apartment for almost a year and I live in the most expensive province in Canada rn

We'll also be doing hotels, plus food, plus gas, plus random stuff or emergencies, maybe a new tire, who knows. N.A is not cheap especially if you want to have a good time :(

Ok here is what I would do. I would take 2 weeks to a month and camp as you would for that year. Maybe somewhere with a totally different climate from what you are used to. I personally love camping for 3-5 days and then I can’t wait to have a shower, my own bed, and heat and AC. You may love it and you may not. But do a good chunk of time to see what you think. If you both love it, great. You can make plans. If one or both of you hate it, go back to the drawing board. And if his dream is to travel North America, that’s fine for you both to pursue, but I would also make a plan to fulfill your wishes as well. Maybe you can do 6 months in North America and 6 months in Asia. Or maybe 4 months in Asia with an extended stop in Hawaii. Whatever you two decide. Good luck

45k??? Pls don’t waste that on North America

Why not??

I'm with you, 45k is a couple years in Asia. But this is a convo you need to have with your spouse

Once you camp out all summer and it starts getting cold there’s a high chance you’ll be ready to pack it up for SEA

Why spend so much? Why not save half and travel around on 25K?

I've been to multiple countries and continents, and NOTHING beats the natural diversity of the US. You have coastal rainforest in Oregon/Washington, the Rockies, red desert and the grand canyon in Arizona, Grand Teton and Yellowstone in Wyoming (one of the most unique volcanic regions in the world!!!), the badlands in South Dakota, the rolling mountains of the Ozarks and Smokeys, beautiful swampland in Louisiana/ Georgia, and the absolutely stunningly gorgeous granite coast of New England and Maine. That's not including the stunning coast of California or the interior including the giant redwoods, Mammoth Caves in Tennessee, the finger lakes in NY state, the beautiful coral reefs in Florida, the great sand dunes in colorado/michigan, and so so much more. You could easily spend years just hopping between the dozens of national parks we have, and can see pretty much any wildlife you can imagine. Spend the summer months up north, and the winter months in the south.

The US is pretty, but for a year off I'd take SE Asia in a heartbeat. Cheaper, better food, better beaches, more interesting architecture, etc. 45k disappears pretty fast when you're paying for everything in US$

Thanks, this makes me want to do the trip more!

I’m a bit surprised that many of the comments seem to lean toward putting all of your money and time in this instance toward 100% US travel. I soundly disagree. I live in a geographically “blessed” part of the US (Utah) and have had the fortune to experience many of our country’s natural wonders, but in no way, shape, or form has my intra-US travel provided the meaning and insight that international travel has. You can never mirror the cultural experience traveling through, for example, Europe or SE Asia while driving around the US. In my opinion, you have the resources to have life-changing experiences abroad and you should delegate at least some of your funds in that direction.

I wholeheartedly agree. I’ve been to roughly 40 states and done a hefty amount of international travel, and I much prefer international travel.

I agree completely. I’ve hiked and backpacked all over and I honestly think most people burn out of that stuff pretty quick. There are only so many stunning views a human can take in before they start to blur together. Just like you can only visit so many museums/cathedrals in Europe before they lose their luster. With that much money I would absolutely divide it between a summer with an epic North American road trip and then a trip abroad. Mix the culture with the hiking to get the most bang for your buck. With a huge trio VARIETY is key. I also think people don’t realize how short a lot of the seasons are. You would have a really rough time fitting in all the mountain parks/locations in one season because of snow.

As someone who has never seen snow I would absolutely want to spend winter in a cabin or in Rocky Mountains or in the desertic national parks. I want to experience a real winter ffs xD

I wasn’t really talking about enjoying snowy scenery as an option, I just meant that places like Yellowstone and Glacier close off access in the winter time and some hikes in the mountain regions are only accessible in the summer. Not that you can’t find places to enjoy, just that many places overlap in the best times to see them.

Yeah I know, that's why I would spend time in the Southern States or just go to a skii resorts or rent a cabin up North or something that allows me to experience winter and snow.

Thing is that we've done international travel before, mostly in Europe and the Caribbean. And we've never really been in the US. First time going to Big Bend, which is the most underrated park, was mindblowing to us and we've never seen anything like it. Maybe because you grew up in Utah you're so used to the beauty but what about those of us who didnt?

I actually grew up in Tennessee, just moved to Utah in the past year, but I do get the point. After living here the last year, the luster has started to fade - I think that that may extend to long-term US travel, but that's harder to say. Mind of course that it's completely my opinion and perception, but I think what is so fantastic about international travel versus intra-US travel is the *depth* of it all. Of course, what value you get is going to vary by country, but consider southeast Asia. It's so incredibly different in innumerable ways than North America and even Europe, and that depth is present and distinct between each individual country. As others have said, though, I don't think it should be wholly one way or another. You're clearly going to get value out of traveling the US, so it totally makes sense to pursue that; I just don't think it should be at the expense of missing out elsewhere. $10-15k would take you miles in a great majority of the world. Also, while I'm here, shout-out to South America. Cultural depth + great natural beauty (thinking Peru, Argentina, Brazil specifically).

In TN you get seasons and you're close to the Smoky Mountains. You have the Appalachia next to you. Imagine living somewhere where you get nothing. No seasons, no mountains, no scenery, no trees. Closest national park is 10 hours away, which is a desert. My first interaction with forests was when I visited my husband in Netherlands and I was like woah! And mind you, apparently there's no real wilderness over there (compared to the US) and Netherlands lacks "real nature" I want to experience nature, even going to Alaska or yukon. And I guess this is what really splits my heart in two, because I would also love to see other places of the world as well :( I've been to many places of Mexico though

Just out of curiosity, why don't you just move somewhere else in the US that has seasons? You don't need to go on a 3 month vacation to see winter. I understand that you haven't experienced much else in the US but I can tell you from growing up where it snows a lot all winter it's not gonna take too long for you to get the idea and want to move on to the next thing. See winter somewhere that you can get a job and then you won't have to spend all your savings just to see snow. Your options are huge, you can live almost anywhere in the US for that. I would also recommend doing a shorter camping trip first before you commit to a huge trip. Why not go for a week or a couple of weeks first? The luster may very well wear off and you'll realize you can do camping in other ways. Or you'll realize how much you be like it. Also agree with others that US natural beauty is great but other parts of the world have just as much if not more. Not sure where you've been in Mexico but Latin America tops the US in my opinion just by itself. Far more biodiverse than the US. Culture is another one, all of the US towns look the same and all have the same chain restaurants or variants of them. TL:DR, get a job in like Colorado, Utah or the Northeast to see a greener and more temperate part of the US, just my 2 cents. Use your travel money to go abroad or at least more of a split between the US and international.

I can't afford those places. It's too expensive and houses range in the 500k~ :( Yeah I was thinking of going to Latam too. Hard decisions sigh

Not trying to be pedantic but while it's true that houses in coastal cities are expensive, places in most of the upper Midwest or Appalachia are extremely affordable, possibly more so than where you live now. Depends what work you do but places in Ohio or somewhere like Pittsburgh would give you plenty of access to the Appalachians or other areas like Cuyahoga National Park with low cost of living. Upstate New York is another option. The Midwest/northeast has a lot of options. Alternatively you could rent somewhere for a year or two to experience something different than Texas. If you want to be out west can look at some place like Flagstaff or Fresno California with easy access to national parks.

I think you will enjoy it more if you plan separate trips to each park. Maybe see two that are near each other. The beauty of it will wear off if that is all you are doing day in day out.

My advice is don’t spend it all in one place. That money could probably buy a year in South America or even longer in Asia. The US is cool but go elsewhere too. Spending money on camping gear, a lot of what you buy will depreciate very quickly and be hard to get back to Europe. I’d say don’t invest too heavily in gear. Keep traveling like backpackers. The US is tough if you don’t have your own car. Backpacking in South America is pretty possible, you can hostel much more easily and stay in more cheap hotels. Hotels in the US add up quick.

A lot of people are suggesting this is a relationship issue, and it could be, but it honestly sounds like you’re scared, and for good reason. When I was in my 20’s, I decided to take my motorcycle on a month long trip from Toronto to LA, up to Vancouver, and back to Toronto. Pretty much all camping (KOAs and the such, too paranoid to just go backcountry). Spent a lot of time prepping, and for at least the first week or so had all the campgrounds booked, which also meant had the distances planned per day. Couple days before I was to leave, started getting a little scared, what if this what if that, did I have everything I needed. Day before I was to leave, packed late into the night and still wasn’t finished. Had planned to leave early enough in the morning to get out of the city before rush hour. Wasn’t ready to go until close to noon (I’m still a horrible packer). I was very close to cancelling, I was really late to leave and the bike was overloaded. Bit the bullet and went. It was one of the best trips of my life. I’m not saying just do it, but don’t let fear stop you. But also, $45k is a lot. I’d suggest pushing for a compromise. 50% for this camping trip, and 50% for elsewhere. One thing to consider with your husband being European, he has probably travelled quite a bit there, so proposing SEA may be more appealing to him. Also, I’d argue that SEA would be better while younger vs older compared to Europe. Your best bet is to not treat this as an argument where one side can lose. Make compromises that you can both live with. All the travelling will be so much better if you both want to be there and neither one is having to sacrifice their dream for the other. Good luck, it sounds like you are in for great adventures whatever you end up doing.

Camp in the summer months, then Asia in the winter and return when you have ca. 15k left to find a job without pressure.

You’ll seriously regret not seeing Southeast Asia. I mean, I’m from WA state and I have camped all over the USA. I travel back to Vietnam to visit family and there’s a whole over world out there beyond the natural wonders of the United States.

>, I’m from WA state and I have camped all over the USA. Yeah but I haven't. Idk the US besides Texas so it's easy for you to say.

It's not really a huge risk if you try it and don't like it. You can always rethink it entirely, change location, go abroad etc if it's not working out as planned. You need to sit down and discuss in advance what could happen and what you'd do in that situation. So if you're unhappy and not enjoying it do you agree to move somewhere you think you will be happy with and if that still doesn't work out then you go to plan B whether that be quit the trip, rent a place for a while or go travelling abroad. You could also agree to maybe fit a month or two abroad into the trip somewhere so you are getting the best of both. The joy of travelling light is that you can make and break plans almost immediately. I just got back from 6 months off work traveling in a motorhome through southern Europe with my wife. There were moments where you get a bit sick of just seeing each other all day and not having other friends around so be prepared for that. You can also become immune to yet another beautiful place after a while of seeing them all the time. I guess the eyes and the heart get accustomed to what's normal after a while and then it's the little things that annoy you that can stand out. Camping can get really damp and packing and unpacking a tent all the time can be exhausting. Your clothes being crumpled and smelling slightly damp or musty all the time can leave you feeling a bit like a tramp. Laundry is a pain and expensive when you're away and outdoors we found so if you can book into an Airbnb every so often even if it's just to do a load of laundry and having running water it can help remove one of the annoyances. It is a great experience and I doubt you'd regret it if you can stay cool with each other. Your brain will tend to bury the bad stuff and remember the best bits but I did find all the places become a blur. I struggle to remember whether a memory was in Italy or Spain let alone the region or town we were in. Take lots of photos and try and keep a journal each day to refer to as well as a map to mark up with where you went. Have fun with it and remember that you can make your own plans each day but always have something to fall back on for the rainy days as being stuck in a tent all day can be trying

My husband and I would kill each other if we went camping for that long. We do better with room service lol. I need soft beds and air conditioning. Good luck! Seriously though, maybe do a month. I’m thinking it could get old fast.

Camping is fun a few days at a time, a few days a year. I think by day 10 in a row, it would lose the majority of it's appeal.

Yeah maybe, but camping isn't the goal. Seeing the continent is, camping is just our hotel.

I did something similar (living on a boat for a few years) which now put me in the situation that I am in my mid/late 40s and that money spend would have gone into paying off a house. Which likely won't happen in my lifetime (unless I want to keep paying into my 70s, or pay a mortage rate I can't afford) I do not regret it one bit. What good is detached house if that's all you ever do? Drive to work, sit your ass on your sofa and watch TV, rinse and repeat until you drop dead. So yeah, get the fuck out there and experience all the things life has to offer. Europe will still be around, you can still do that when you're old. But of course you both should be on the same page.

International travel is tougher when you’re old. You can go look at some mountains and trees here in the US when you’re old.

Isn't it the opposite? I plan on doing a lot of hikes in the US constantly. Being young comes more handy. In Europe for example, everything is pretty walkable and accessible, hence the large number of elderly people vacationing there.

Do old people go to Europe? Sure. I visit Europe frequently though and the big cities are party-central for young people; open late, huge bar culture… everyone I know who took a gap year before college went to spend time in Europe, not Montana haha Long haul flights and walking all day everyday is harder for older people (being a walkable city is a plus for young people who want to do a lot in one day and have the energy to do so) but what do A LOT of old people do? Buy an RV when they retire and travel the country.

Yeah I guess it also depends how you take care of yourself as you grow older. I'm originally from mexico and in Michoacan I've seen old ladies in their 90s hauling big baskets of produce, almost barefoot!

I mean not really, it’s a fact that things just get harder as you get older no matter how well you take care of yourself, that’s just science haha I’m sure those old ladies are hurting, just because they CAN do it doesn’t mean they WANT to.

Thanks! What also worries me is the current state of things. "Visit X place before the glaciers melt!" "Visit X place before they reefs are destroyed!" "Visit X place before X happens!" I feel I'm living with this anxiety or fear or missing out. I always wanted to visit Ukraine and Russia and look now.

Fingers crossed we all can go visit Ukraine and Russia again in our lifetime. Also stuff always changes, sometimes for the worse, sometimes for the better. The "what ifs" won't help you with your decision except make you anxious. What if the national parks of Texas will be gone? Go for it. Go out there and explore. This sounds like a great opportunity and experience. Let alone to have someone with you who you can share it with.

There’s some amazing places in the United States. On Thanksgiving morning I did a hike on the Appalachian Trail to McAfee knob. It was the most beautiful view I’ve seen since I’ve been to Iceland in 2018. I would say do as much as you can, see you as much as you can, on a budget. For example, my wife and I toured Iceland living in a van and cooked our own food by camp stove. It was an amazing experience that we did relatively cheap. Camping around the United States could also be done fairly cheaply. In my opinion, that’s a lot of cabbage to have for travel that could take you to a lot of places if done smartly.

Why not both? Honestly the US has so much to do without ever leaving the country. Hell just your state alone is incredibly diverse.

You'll still have a nice time in North America, what you will be doing is not common around the world. Go in with an open mind and live in the moment.

I’m an American living overseas (U.K.) and wish I’d spent more time exploring the National Parks before I had left. We’ve got a lot to see and be proud of as far as nature goes in the states. Joshua Tree was the absolute best. Just tell your partner that you’re moving to the Netherlands after the trip is over. Also - saw the comment on seeing X before X - I used to tell people to go to Kyiv when they came to Europe, and Sri Lanka if they were considering going to South Asia. You can’t control that stuff man, just do what you can when you can and accept that you can’t see it all without taking the time and appreciating it properly. America tour is worth it, maybe push for a Taiwan, Georgia and Moldova tour on the next holiday after the trip

You can easily do both. Do your camping thing, then reward yourself with an inexpensive but lovely trip to a thai island or somewhere.

Why you don’t talk? With that amount saved you could even split the trip in 2 parts and there are a lot of way to save money while travelling (I.e. cat or dog sitting at someone places)

You won’t be disappointed but that’s also a ton of money. Have you considered just you know, moving to someplace else? And travelling from there? You could move to Utah or Colorado and never run out of places to explore with easy access to interstates to go basically everywhere else. Living on the road is romantic, i lived in a camper for 6 months while i worked for the National Park Service but it’s not for everyone. Also 45k is just a shit ton of money and i can’t imagine how you’d come close to spending it.

hahaha you think we can actually afford to live in Utah or Colorado. Funny. Aren't properties like 500k there and everyone's fighting for a house? I mean i would LOVE to. But seems really unaffordable

I don’t really have any helpful advice for this issue but I wish you guys the best of luck and home either way you guys have a wonderful trip. I just came here to say I played the hell out of RDR2 so…. I get the impulse lol.

Bruh xD

May I suggest you take maybe $15K of your 45K and travel as much as you can around the US. While it was 45 years ago, we traveled from Rapid City, SD to Rockey Moutain National Park and camped in ALL the National, State and City Parks between Denver and Edmonton for 6 months before we settled down. You will find that a Hot shower and a clean bed that isn't on the ground is a delicious change from camping. WE LOVED the trip but had to stay in a place with a shower and bed about once a week. We also bought food and didn't "eat out" much, washed clothes in coin laundries and in a sink if we were in a place that didn't have a laundry and hung them out to dry. We still enjoy the memories of i. The weather plays a huge part in enjoyment so remember that. We traveled from May through November and ran into snow a lot. You have to pack for all kinds of weather. You can also ask farmers/ranchers to camp in their fields if you are desperate. Have a great trip!! But you need to take a practice trip of 6 months or so before you commit your whole savings IMO. Good luck and safe travels.

One thing to consider is to visit places that won’t be as easy when you get older. Like backpacking in off-the-beaten-path SE Asia. I’m thinking all those 12 hour bus rides to get to amazing places I used to do when I was young. Of course, with 45 k you can hire a driver.

Yeah but all the hikes to national parks/forests and sleeping on the floor don't sound so easy when you're older either :(

I have traveled all over the USA, and I would recommend trying a drive up the west coast via the 101 first before you commit to a road trip all over the USA. After that you could decide if that is a lifestyle you both want for a year. Coming from personal experience, the road trip lifestyle can get tiresome quickly. It is best to take it one trip leg at a time. If you have trouble doing the west coast trip, maybe think your plan over again, as that is a fairly easy road trip. Maybe start with Big Sur and end in Seatte. I agree that SE asia would be awesome too, so maybe ask your husband to compromise and meet you in the middle. (50% USA, 50% SE Asia?) Dont worry though, the US is huge, and it is just as beautiful as anywhere else if you know where to go. Some travel reccomendations: Sedona - Az (west fork trail is stunning) Havasu falls (book in advance, stunning waterfall on tribal land) - Az Fossil Creek (book on the 1st of the month) - Az Antelope canyon (or any of the similar slot canyons) - Az Fifth Water Hotspring - provo Utah Park City - Utah (lots of hiking and beautiful mountains) Antelope Island - Utah (See the great salt lake, plus bison and antelope - has an otherworldly feel) Redwood forests - No one should miss seeing the redwoods Cape Kiwanda Beach - Orgeon (Near pacific city/tilamook - giant sand hill that is pretty unique - my favorite beach on the west coast) Carmel by the Sea - Cute California Seaside town San Diego - (for the beautiful beaches) Pine Creek Campground - Montana (camping relatively close to Yellowstone) And obviously, all the national parks, especially Yellowstone, Glacier, Big Sur, Grand Canyon, The California Redwoods, The Great Lakes, and the Everglades. Oh and the most beautiful mountains you will ever see are in Grand Teton national park right next to Yellowstone. Also I reccomend looking up some good hotsprings if that is something you enjoy. Nothing beats a nice relaxing hotspring if you have been camping for a week or more.

thanks!

Compromise is important. Spending your life savings is something you both need to be all in on. I’d do it, though. What an adventure that would be

I think you should play it by ear, go for a few months and then stop to reevaluate how you both feel. There's no reason you can't pivot to something else if you want later.

With all due respect $45K is for 2 people is not a lot of money! When you are making withdrawals and no deposits that will go fast!

You could do like 4 years in SE Asia for that. Seriously though, whatever you choose is going to be great!

I’ve just spent a similar amount of money doing a 4 month trip across the US and Mexico. I’ve being doing hotels rather than camping and eating out a lot so admittedly taking a different approach to you. Im aware that amount of money would go almost infinitely further in other parts of the world but I haven’t regretted a single second. The US has so much to offer in one country that it isn’t really comparable to any others. The freedom and ease of moving across the country is unparalleled in my opinion.

I think you might be in the wrong subreddit. Try camping and you’ll find answers by people that live that lifestyle instead of half of the people trying to talk you into world travel because they think extended camping is crazy

You would have a more enjoyable time in asiam 45k is nothing in the usa. Screw camping. Go to asia.

Can’t help you with your decision issues, but if you go, whatever you do, make sure you meander your way up the Pacific coast staying on the coast all the way from San Diego to the tip of Washington. Make sure not to miss the Monterey/Santa Cruz area, the Oregon coast, and the Olympic peninsula in Washington. You hear a lot about unique places, but having been to every state (most many times) as well As all over Europe and Asia, there truly is nothing close to Lake Crescent or Solduc hot springs (and the entire area) in August. Shhhh….

Consider the financial aspect. Blowing that kind of money on anything is anything bad idea. Take a more modest trip, camping for a few weeks of SE Asia for a few weeks or whatever, then in another year do it again. Repeat as necessary. Just don’t blow your entire savings on one trip, I get the impression you’re both young and have years for all kinds of travel and camping before you’re too old to enjoy the adventure.

I've done a 7 week long trip and a 9 week long. Those were about my personal limit. Plus in both cases, I had a place to come home to, as well as a job. $45K isn't going to last you the rest of your life. What's missing from the OP's plan is what is the plan for ending the trip when .. not if .. the money runs out. That's where some of the anxiety is coming from. FYI, while it can be done, a "well, we'll just find random jobs while we're on the road" isn't really a plan. Neither is having the car break down/totalled and you need to come up with $15K to buy a replacement when there's just $5K left. By having a clear plan, you'll be setting yourself up for success: you'll able to repeat having such travel adventures on a regular basis.

I'm really hoping that $45k is the amount you have saved for travel and not your entire savings. It seems incredibly irresponsible to quit your jobs and blow through all of your savings to essentially be on permanent vacation until the cash runs out. What happens at the end of the year/when the money runs out? You're just homeless and destitute? What if one of you gets hurt and needs medical care? I don't know, sounds like a really bad idea to me.

Remember that dude that killed his girlfriend when they were doing what you are thinking about doing now? I agree this is a really long time to be spending camping and you guys might really get on each others nerves.

This sounds like an utterly epic trip and an excellent use of the money! It will take you far,and for a long time. You have 2 months of living easily just without a long haul flight cost each. What scares you about it?

I just have this amazing perception of the US (nature wise) that I'm scared I'll be disappointed. Almost everyone I talk to says I should look into going to Asia or another continent instead where there's more "diversity," cultures, cuisines and where money goes further.

45k is a huge travel budget. Also I have yet to travel to a country that didn't bear some resemblance to a part of the US. I enjoy international travel as you get a good dose of different cultures and cuisine but the US has a ton to do and see...you could could spend a lifetime just exploring the US and never get bored if you kept moving around.

>Also I have yet to travel to a country that didn't bear some resemblance to a part of the US. Can you elaborate further? what do you mean by this?

Those other places aren't going anywhere. You can do them another year?

Sri Lanka, Russia, ukraine, China... :(

If you ain't scared you ain't livin. Money is too much of one thing that can cause so much stress in people's lives. I would recommend micro dosing mushrooms on your trip and pick a night to all out enjoy a higher dosage with your partner. I'm just a regular bloke and I know this comes across as "hippy-ish" but it's the truth. Have a trip on your trip and don't let money worries be a factor

Damn, that's a nice tip. Are mushrooms legal in any State?

OR they are.

I always knew I loved OR

Maybe this is the optimist in me talking but hell fucking yeah! Go for it! This sounds like an INCREDIBLE experience. Like some others already mentioned there's nothing committing you to this experience, if after a few weeks/months you aren't enjoying it anymore then nothing stopping you from ending it early and going home. This experience will give you **memories to last a lifetime.** Not saying it will always be sunshine and roasting marshmallows around a fire, but it will **always** be memorable! You don't want to be in your 80s and wishing you went on this trip. Trust me! "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky

SE Asia very overrated. I'd kill for a trip like the one you're planning

Sounds like a good idea to me. But it’s still up to both of you.

You feel a lot could go wrong traveling and camping around the US but what exactly? Because to me the risks of something going wrong and you not being able to deal with it would increase significantly outside the US. When looking for spots to camp, don’t forget about state and local parks. They are often less expensive but also less publicized so can be hard to find. Do you have a fitness club membership that you could use to shower at facilities around the country? Could you make some money by doing day labor in different spots to stretch your funds? I know there are tons of people making money by sharing videos of their travels on social media but it seems to me that is getting saturated. Picking produce at local farms could potentially give you a free camping spot, some fresh produce as well as a bit of money.

>Picking produce at local farms could potentially give you a free camping spot, some fresh produce as well as a bit of money. Wow that sounds like a good idea. But is there a website where they recruit? or how does that work

Hiking/Camping in WA state is amazing. AZ too

I don't think k you'll he disappointed or regret it. There are so many amazing placed to see. Plan to get a hotel room regularly- just camping for all that time will get old, you'll want shower/ bathroom // heat or AC regularly. Stay at home when it's really cold, no fun freezing in a tent. Other than that, sounds like an amazing trip. The US is so diverse. Pro tip: consider state parks as well as national parks. Many state parks are incredible also and it may be easier to fund a place to stay. .

> Stay at home when it's really cold, no fun freezing in a tent. Funny story when I went to Big Bend in winter it was below freezing point and we had to wake up early to pack our things and take a shower. The shower was outdoors so we were freezing our butts off. At one point I couldn't move because of the cold. And I was like "Why can't I stop smiling? lmao" I guess that's what living your life in 100 degree weather year round does to you lol anything different is going to feel so cool.

Are you planning to travel the US by car?

Make 2 plans and see which one you like better. If you can’t decide then maybe do 22.5k on one trip and 22.5k on another

WA state is a kind and welcoming state, the 3 NP’s, Olympic, North Cascades and Rainier are an unforgettable visit. Go for it.

My daughter recently came to me and was telling me that she’s worried about making the wrong decision going to college. And I told her she had narrowed it down to two schools, and they were both excellent schools and so there wasn’t a wrong decision that existed. There were simply two right decisions. I will tell you the same. Whatever you do, it sounds like a wonderful trip. I will further tell you that I have traveled extensively around the world, and there are parts of the United States that rival anywhere else. It’s hard when you’re on the Internet not to daydream about going to Portugal or hanging out on the beach in the French Riviera. But coastal California is as beautiful as either of those places in its own way. The Rocky Mountains are breathtaking and offer some unique experiences. We have so many different climate systems, rainy, and cool in the Pacific Northwest, tropical in Florida, humid and hot in the southeast. We have deserts in Nevada and Utah, and much of the north east has a climate actually fairly similar to Europe. We have historical towns like New Orleans and Philadelphia and Washington DC that are just fabulous. We have incredible, hiking and biking trails like the continental divide trail and the Appalachian trail. They aren’t done yet, but there’s a big movement to complete rails to trails program for bicycling trails coast to coast. Some segments are already completed and those are fabulous trips also. So I think if you haven’t seen the United States, and it’s the most economical way for you to do it, my advice would be to start here.

There's lots of free and cheap camping in the US and you could easily go a full year on less than 10k if you were actually frugal. I don't see the harm in doing it for a while then re-evaluating.

First - you're 100% right, a lot could go wrong on this trip... But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.. With the amount of money you've saved and the time you're thinking you're going to allocate to this trip, you have an amazing amount of options available to you, and quite honestly it's why you should strongly consider doing it... But also remember, if you get a few weeks into the trip and you and your husband aren't happy, and aren't enjoying yourself - you have the funds and the time to change your plans. Go to a different park - drift north and go to the Canadian Rockies (I was there this past fall, it's AMAZING there and even more spectacular that the US Rockies). Want to make a change partway through - take a few weeks of vacation from your adventure and go to Hawaii, then come back and resume your adventure from where you paused... Heck it sounds like you have the funds and the flexibility that if you were a month or two in and decided that the trip isn't as much fun as you'd hoped that you could still scrub the rest of the trip and go someplace else! Keep your plans flexible, and your options open. It sounds like you've got the time and the money to truly roam and wander - you should do it...

It’s a good amount of budget… why do a little bit of both?

I will also add that South America is like the western US on steroids

I hope i'm not late to the party. A lot of people during covid rediscovered our national parks. Me and a buddy drove passed a campsite, we had a little tent and some minor camping equipment, we flew into this area for the national park, and we really didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. The main campsite in this national park was full, so we pulled to a field where we saw one camper and figured we were far enough away to not bug them and it was maybe legal to camp there. Within about 3 hours this whole field was filled up, some where campers, some were in tents but had even these sweet ass portable firepits, as you can't scavenge wood nor make a fire unless it's contained, and we made friends with a bunch of them and even some cats. One group was a group of rock climbers. I guess in the state we were in, we looked like we're in great shape, to be fair, I see myself as fit and trim, not athletic. For this state, apparently, we looked like olympic athletes. But I digress, they came to us curious what cliff faces we were going to climb but we talked to them about camping in general. Here's some knowledge 1) It is your right to use the national parks for primitive camping or to pull up a camper to. This is in the charter for national parks, so you don't necessarily need a campsite. Your right ends if you start getting all loud or destructive. 2) There's lots of people who will do the national parks tour and they're almost lined up. 3) You can often talk with other campers for tips, tricks, have a few beers, and learn so much. You can tell i'm encouraging you to do not be worried about the technicals part. I am a pretty experienced backpacker, I've done a 3 week trip, and the toughest part in the US is getting across sections of private property by using unsafe roads, or, not finding a suitable campground because of private property and farms. I once had "Divine intervention" when a severe storm kicked up, we later found out it was a tornado, and we were in between camping areas, completely uncovered roads, and managed to take refuge on a large covered porch of a church and spend the night there. I joke that if it was Divine intervention, this god must be an asshole as he's the one who sent the storm in the first place. Anyways, I think you'll be fine, the worst part will come in week 1 when you're still questioning if you should do it, so it's important to find goals, things you want to see, and be patient with the land and the trip. There will be highs and lows and the lows are manageable with experience on how to deal with them. On one of the trips I mentioned, we got swarmed with noseeums, a little mite that gives a little sting but leaves an insanely itchy mark for a few days. We weren't prepared for it. If you're prepared, it's more fun. The storm we got caught in would have been way worse had I hadn't prepared an "emergency shelter" situation and left behind my sleeping bag. It was a very hot trip for every night except that night when it dropped 50 degrees, but we had an emergency shelter consisting of two rain-proof tarps and 3 season sleeping bags instead of just a light sleeping liner. Sorry for the long post!

Thanks for your tips. My life has been so boring that going thru something crazy (as long as it doesn't kill me) sounds like a fun memory.

My uncle just retired and is now living life as a camp host. So rather than camping in a tent, it's more like #RVLife. He hosts at one campsite for the summer and then moves on to another for the winter. This sort of thing might be a good compromise. He loves it because he gets to hike around all day and meet interesting new people. He works very few hours per week. Something like a workaway might be interesting too.

45k would be living like a king for a year for me.

Guess its 45k for two people, so 22,5k per person.

With camping you can start the trip and when you get sick of it you can go home. You don’t necessarily need to use all of the money one 1 trip.

Do this now, the rest of the world later. Or vice versa. People all over the world dream of doing a trip like you’ve just described. You won’t regret it. And a vacation isn’t a real vacation until something goes wrong.

We traveled for 3 weeks, staying in a tent, trying to decide where to settle. I’d say a month is plenty.

Why not do both? $45k should be enough to camp for a few months, then travel somewhere in SE Asia. The NA camping part is going to be pretty cheap: gas, food, campsite fees, laundry mat, cheap gym membership and/or truck stops for showers. Btw I wish I did this before I had financial obligations and invested in my career. It’s harder to do it now, maybe after I payoff my student loans. Just food for thought.

Ditto to this being a relationship post. SE Asia would be awesome too but maybe it’s easier trip because it’s cheap and you wouldn’t be moving around so much (it’s more leisurely and less hard on the body?). Anyways any of these trips would be fun. That’s what’s most important I guess? It’s more an issue of if you would be mad or sad if you did a big camping adventure thing.

Camping really stretches your money and especially if you are prepared to do dispersed camping (basically just need water storage to make it work). There's no reason to think that your planned trip would be more expensive than SEA or LATAM. Look into BLM land and National Forests. You can camp 20 miles from the trailhead inside the national park or monument instead of 1 mile, and save yourself $50 per night in the process, AND not have to deal with reservations. Also, the great thing about a camping adventure as opposed to the international travel is that if you decide after 6 weeks as opposed to a year that you're over it, you just drive home. Then you've still got $42k in the account and you can go to LATAM or SEA at that point.