Hey there! We're Amanda, Alex, Addison, and Audrey, a family of adventure enthusiasts exploring the world through our travels. Our passion for discovery, photography, and sharing experiences is what started this travel website, and we've been traveling full time since 2018.

19 countries as a family later, this is where we keep all of it: the islands we couldn't bring ourselves to leave, the guides we wish we'd had, and the style, beauty, and small beautiful things we picked up along the way. We're here to show you life beyond the ordinary grind.

This is 

This is 

saltyVagabonds

saltyVagabonds

Meet  the Family 

Traveling since 2018 · 19 countries together· Currently in Hawaii

Hi, I'm Amanda. I'm a Texan girl, a Latina influencer, and a retired Air Force veteran who loves her margaritas and her native roots. I'm also a mom to two girls, and so far I've explored 24 countries, with more to come.

Before all of this, I had a whole other life. In the military I worked in medical and as an IT Tier II tech. My first military flight was in 2010 while I was on deployment. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I also worked in the hospitality industry as a hotel concierge, which is probably why I notice everything about a resort.

These days I share midsize fashion, resort style, beauty, and family travel through short form video and storytelling. And yes, I can do some damage shopping.

A few more things about me: BIPOC woman, sailor, total avgeek with VFR pilot training (I know how to fly a small airplane), proud military veteran, and part of the Wounded Warrior Project Alumni and AFW2. My side hustles and hobbies include an Etsy shop with digital art and printables, plus photography and film. I love taking photos and videos of my kids and all our adventures.

AMANDA

Meet Alex. He's from Kentucky, he's a salty soul, and he's happiest outdoors.

He has been flying since he was 11. That turned into a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from ERAU, and today he's an FAA certified pilot and aircraft dispatcher. He's also sUAS Part 107 certified to fly our drone, and he's the family weatherman.

He's our captain too. Alex is a sailor and boat builder who built our Wharram catamaran with the family and sailed it down the US West Coast.

Around here, he does most of the writing for our blog and takes a lot of our photography. He's the one who hikes the trails and tests the gear before we recommend it.

A few more things about Alex: cyclist, spearfishing and free diving lover, horseshoe pitching champion, adventuring pro, proudly nerdtastic, professional pirate (rum included), Lasagna King, and Instagram husband in training.

ALEX

This is Addison, our oldest, and our proof that worldschooling works.

We homeschooled her from 2017 all the way through graduation, most of it while traveling the world full time. Now she's a student at California State University, studying game development.

She's a digital artist and designer, and a Pacific sailor too. She crossed the Pacific with Alex and wrote a book about the journey called A Thousand Flying Fish.

These days she's the voice behind our young adult and college fashion. When she's not working on an outfit or her art, she's buried in a book or lost in music.

ADDISON

And this is Audrey, our youngest traveler and resident scientist.

She builds sandcastles like an architect and makes friends with every animal she meets. Ask her about any of them and you'll get a jaw dropping fact.

She loves snorkeling and collecting Pokémon cards, and when school is done you'll find her in Minecraft, Roblox, or Animal Jam.

She's worldschooled just like her sister, has her sights set on college, and plans to be a biologist.

AUDREY

Why the name SaltyVagabonds?

We're all about that beach life, and the name Salty Vagabonds just clicked. We built our sailboat as a family and cruised down the US West Coast, living the salty dream. After all our travels and adventures, salt is practically part of our style, from our hair to our toes. It's who we are: free spirits with a touch of seaside magic.

How we work

Every guide here comes from a place we have been ourselves, and every product from something we have worn, used, or tested. When an item is gifted or a link earns us a commission, we say so.

read the full guide

How do you manage to travel the world?

A big part of it is military benefits. We use them for flights and discounts, and we've flown Space-A more than 26 times across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. The rest is a real love of exploring and making the most of every trip.

read the full guide

How do the girls do school while you're traveling?

We homeschool, and we have since 2017. Learning is flexible and goes wherever we go, with a mix of resources and platforms that line up with the places we're exploring. And it works: Addison went from worldschooling straight into college. We go deeper on worldschooling here.

How do you handle medical emergencies while traveling?

We always carry comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical needs worldwide. We also look up the medical facilities wherever we're headed before we get there, so we're ready if something unexpected happens.

How do you decide where to go next?

It's a mix of careful planning and spur of the moment decisions. We look at seasons, safety, budget, and what you all want to see. And sometimes it's as simple as following our wanderlust.

What gear and software do you use?

Our camera bag holds a Fujifilm X-H2 and a GoPro 10 for underwater shots. For day to day life, we shoot on an iPhone 17 Pro Max and a 15 Pro Max. For everything we carry, see our full gear post.

Where are you right now?

Right now we're in Hawaii. After years of moving every few months, we chose Oahu for a longer stay so we could slow down, live near the beach, and finally share everything we've collected along the way.

We're still slow traveling the Pacific from here, so follow along on Instagram to see where we head next.

Where can I shop what you wear and use?

Everything we wear, pack, and use lives in our Shop. That's where you'll find our vacation dresses, beauty favorites, jewelry, and our newest finds, all in one place.

You can also follow our ShopMy and LTK storefronts. And before you check out anywhere, take a look at our discount codes page, since many of the brands we love have given us a code to share with you.

Do you work with brands?

Yes. We partner with travel, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands on content, photography, and features.

We've worked with brands like adidas, AT&T, Navy Federal, REI, Booking.com and Susan G. Komen. On the beauty and lifestyle side, we've partnered with Beautyblender, Clinique, Nutrafol, Rodan + Fields, Laundry Sauce, ERLY, and ShopMy, and we've been gifted by many more.

We're also affiliate partners with brands we use ourselves, including Beekman 1802, Get Your Guide, Walli, and Taste Salud, along with the brands in our ShopMy storefront.

Gifting is always welcome, and ShopMy is the best way to send it. It's how we find products worth writing about, and the ones we love get comprehensive, honest reviews that we work hard to rank in search.

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