Welcome!
Hello! We are Alaina’s Wandering Tribe - Bogey, Ellie, Alaina and Benny. We are humbled that you would like to get to know us.
We are your weekend wanderers and home improvement weekend warriors here in our little corner of the world in California. We are your average family of 4 who finds joy in travel, whether it be short day trips, weekend getaways or long exotic vacations. We want to see the world BUT the reality is, like most of you, we have responsibilities — day jobs (I’m a dentist and Bogey is in sales), a child in school, a fur baby, and a home in a place that we truly enjoy. Yes, our roots are deeply implanted in the Bay Area but that doesn’t have to get in the way of our desire to see what is out there. So… knowing that life is short (YOLO! Do people still say that?! I think I just aged myself here lol), Bogey and I decided that we should get “awt” (see what I did there? lol) and explore this big, beautiful world of ours whenever our time (and budget!) permits. We don’t have an unlimited budget BUT what we do have is an unlimited thirst for adventure.
Meaningful travel may mean different things for different people. For us, it’s getting out of our home and experiencing something new with our family. These trips give us a chance to learn and grow with each other and experience these incredible moments together. There is nothing like standing on top of a mountain overlooking breathtaking 360 degree vistas or sliding down a massive natural waterslide to make you feel truly alive.
When we are not catching our breaths hiking or jumping off a cliff into cerulean blue waters, you can expect us enjoying some down time in our home. DIY home projects is another passion of the tribe (well, at least one person 🙋🏻♀️, my husband might beg to disagree 🤨). Like any obsessive home improver, I have never-ending to-do lists of easy projects (translation: “Our home needs a lot of work”). I am telling you, that Pinterest rabbit hole is a dangerous place…eeeeek! Seeing the transformation of a room or furniture piece and knowing that you accomplished that (on a shoestring budget, no less!) rivals the highs of traveling for me.
My hope in starting this blog is to offer real life tips and encouragement for your busy family to find awesome adventures that will be etched in your memories long after you’ve unpacked that suitcase, AND unpacking that suitcase in a home you love to be in with easy home design ideas you can take on yourself. With careful planning, budgeting and prioritizing, you CAN have the best of both worlds, a fulfilling life at home peppered with meaningful travel experiences that will rejuvenate you and transform you and your family. I’ve spent countless hours researching places to explore and uncomplicated DIY home improvement projects to tackle so that you don’t have to.
So whether your family is simply searching for your next adventure or ready to take on a home weekend warrior project, we hope you’ll find some practical advice and inspiration here! Ready? Come and join us!
-Ellie
The Tribe
Bogey
Bogey is the chief logistics officer and the type B to Ellie’s type A. He is the cheerleader who encourages our tribe to conquer our fear during daring adventures. Although he likes an active itinerary, he also likes plenty of downtime to enjoy his coffee and talk to the locals. An adventure junkie, name any outdoor activity and he is down for it. Here he is about to conquer Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.
Ellie
Ellie is the dreamer and master planner. She spends hours researching and creating itineraries for exciting escapades without breaking the bank. Looking at her packed, timed itineraries, one might think she is a drill sergeant. She is a recovering Type A and dreams of island life upon (hopefully, early) retirement. When she is not searching for travel deals, you will find her tinkering around the house looking for her next DIY project.
Alaina
Sassy adventurer Alaina is our resident entertainer. She enjoys singing at the top of her lungs so road trips with her are never boring. Heights don’t scare her but tiny bugs do. She is game for scaling massive granite canyons but balks at the idea of not having her iPad for a day. The only thing she loves more than pizza is Benny.
Benny
Benny is the sweetest and snuggliest member of our tribe. He likes hugs, kisses and walks on the beach lol. Baths and the vacuum cleaner are the banes of his existence.
