About
way·ward
\ ˈwā-wərd \
(adj.)
not going or moving in the intended direction
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Hi, I’m Alyssa. Welcome to wayward, where I explore my passions for authentic travel and minimalish-style – and the point at which those passions intersect. I’m so glad you’re here.
After several years of traveling while working a traditional, full-time job and hearing from others, “I wish I could do that,” wayward was born in 2017. What began as a place to chronicle my favorite hidden gems and to share my tips for taking inexpensive weekend trips has morphed into a robust collection of detailed travel guides, real-life packing lists, and curated product reviews. Additionally, I truly believe that our time at home can be just as valuable and fulfilling as our time away, so over time, wayward has also evolved to feature home content as well as occasional doses of my home city of Charlotte. Most importantly, I seek to share all of this information responsibly; it’s crucial to me that topics featured here aren’t harmful to the world I love to visit and the people who live there.
Throughout the course of writing this blog, I’ve adopted what I consider a minimalish-lifestyle. Almost like magic, I discovered that editing and simplifying the things in my home opened my life to be filled with the things I love. These days, whether I’m making a decision to purchase something or drafting a trip itinerary, I always look for what will bring the most value to my life – that is, what will bring me the richest experiences without overspending. I hope you’ll consider giving it a try, too; you may just be surprised at how rewarding travel can be when you let go of others’ must-do lists and create one of your very own.
When I’m not off traveling, I’m likely out exploring my adopted home city of Charlotte, North Carolina, cooking up some of my favorite travel-inspired meals with my fiancé Michael, or curled up on the sofa with my cat Meow, knitting needles in hand.
Come along for the journey by signing up for the wayward newsletter, and by following me on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, or LTK.
Ready to get reading? Here are a few favorite posts to get you started:
- My Travel Essentials
- Style Reviews Index
- How to Split Travel Costs When One Person Makes More Money
- Twenty Questions You Should Ask a Potential Travel Partner
- What it’s Like to Fly Somewhere for the Day
- Four Days in Cartagena, Columbia Guide
- Day Trip Guide: Tequila, Mexico
- Lafayette, Louisiana Day Trip
- Three Days in Minneapolis-Saint Paul
- Checking In: A Review of The Liberty Trust in Roanoke, Virginia
- Packing List: Two Weeks in Europe in a Carry On
- Packing List: Five Days in Mexico City
- My Flight Got Canceled and All I Had to Wear Was This Dress
- Why I Changed My Name at Age 32
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Contact
I love connecting with current and future travelers, as well as soon-to-be friends local to Charlotte; feel free to drop me a line any time! You can also connect with me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. I look forward to seeing you out in the world!
Looking to collaborate?
I am committed to sharing off-the-beaten-path destinations, innovative travel products, and versatile clothing and accessories with wayward’s readers. Please visit my Work With Me page for more information and to contact me regarding potential collaborations.
Note: wayward does not accept collaborations that do not align with the writer’s values or any guest post submissions.
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About those links…
wayward contains affiliate links to offset the cost of blogging and to be able to run this site ad-free (isn’t it nice to not have to close out of a bunch of flashing pop-ups?). When a reader clicks on an affiliate link and makes a purchase, it may generate a small commission for the blog without additional cost to the reader. I carefully choose any items or services that are featured here and frequently turn down opportunities to promote products that don’t align with my ethics – so I am extremely grateful any time a purchase is made through one of these links. You can read more about affiliate links here.