I found Wanderful at just the right moment.
It was the spring of 2015, and I wasn’t on my travels – not really – but I had very recently uprooted and moved my entire life from the Outer Hebrides of Scotland to the hustle and bustle of New York City, and aside from my husband, I knew no-one.
Enter Wanderful, a travel community that aims to connect, inspire, and empower women to travel the world. Attending their Women In Travel Summit (WITS) in Boston that spring made all the difference. Not only did I meet fellow bloggers and travellers, and learnt a lot, but I met new friends, too.
We all laughed as we simultaneously reached for our phones and cameras to take photos of dinner. We exchanged travel tales and stories of expat life, relayed the backgrounds of our blogs, and shared tips for working in this weird and wonderful industry.
In a profession where a lot of connection happens online, communities like Wanderful are essential.
I bounce business ideas off my fellow BlogHouse graduates, and relax with friends while learning about new destinations at Travel Massive each month. And at Wanderful, I ask for travel recommendations, stay connected with fellow travellers on the road, and of course, keep up with my friends from WITS, like Mel, Eileen, and Gabi.
This year, though, the online community is having a bit of a makeover. While a lot of their main offerings are still free, or available to non-members – like the WITS Summit and (very useful!) Facebook group – the new global membership gives Wanderful members access to even more perks.
First up, there’s the recently launched members-only, identity-verified homesharing network. The homesharing community allows Wanderful members to stay with a local host when they travel, or if they prefer, check into a hotel but meet up with another Wanderful woman in their favourite local hangout (who doesn’t love seeing a new city through the eyes of a local?).
Then there’s the access to exclusive trips, hotel discounts, and members-only events around the world. Not only are Wanderful giving travellers the chance to connect online, but in person, too, something I definitely appreciate in our digital-heavy society.
It’s safe to say I’m excited to see what this year holds for Wanderful – and you can join me!
To celebrate the launch of the world’s first homesharing network for women, and the revamped Wanderful platform, I’m partnering with Wanderful to give away ten annual memberships, each worth $119!
Today only, the first ten readers to comment telling me how they connect with fellow travellers on the road will each win a Wanderful membership.* (Sorry guys, but this one is just for the women!)
And if you miss out on the free membership, don’t fret. Stories My Suitcase Could Tell readers can still get $15 off an annual membership by using the code SUITCASESTORIES before May 1st 2017.
Good luck, and I’ll see you in the Wanderful community…!
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*The competition opens ends at midnight EST on Thursday 2nd March (or after ten eligible comments have been posted). Winners will be notified by email within 48 hours. Good luck!
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Want to read more?
What Life As A Travel Blogger Is Really Like
BlogHouse Philadelphia: Where The Past Met The Present
Stories My Suitcase Could Tell Turns Six!
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Hi Katie! I love this post and it’s awesome you’re partnering with Wanderful! Part of what’s so cool about social media is how it opens up the doors for so many possibilities to connect with like minded travelers almost anywhere. When I’m traveling throughout cities in Europe I usually start off with a free walking tour which not only provides an excellent base for sightseeing around the city, but allows for varied conversation with others looking to get a practical overview of a city. Another way to connect with travelers is to post where you’re going on your personal FB or on a FB group (I completely agree with you that the Wanderful FB group is incredibly useful!) and see what responses you get. In fact, I posted about my travels to Prague a few months ago on the Wanderful FB group and received many helpful replies and tons of recommendations that greatly enhanced my days in the city. Another way I connect with travelers is to read and follow blogs about destinations where I’m looking to travel. For example, if I see that a blogger is organizing a meetup at a place I’m going to, I’ll definitely do my best to be there and meet others who also have that specific interest (sidenote: went to the World of Wanderlust meetup in NYC a couple years ago and she is so genuine in person!). I also had been following Travels of Adam’s blog for a couple years at the time I first went to Berlin, and I tweeted him that I was going to be there and we met up for drinks with a few friend from my hostel, who I still keep in touch with, 2 years later. In other parts of the world like Thailand & Vietnam which I was fortunate to travel to last year, I found food tours to be the best way to connect with other travels. The tour guide for my food tour in Hanoi, Vietnam was an open book of knowledge and took us to several unique eateries I never would have been able to find on my own in the beautiful mess that is Hanoi. Food tours are a win win because you get to learn about another culture through expanding your boundaries and trying new foods (at least for me) and get to have meaningful conversations with other guests on the tour from other counties – and generally the groups for these kinds of tours are kept small. Participating in free walking tours, reaching out to select Facebook groups and on social media for travel advice and recommendations, and going on food tours are excellent ways to connect with fellow travelers in authentic and meaningful ways. The destinations are there to stay, but the people are what makes a place so memorable, so that’s why I find it so fulfilling to connect with others whenever I’m on the road!
Thanks for your awesome comment, Katherine! So great to hear from you 🙂 I love doing walking and food tours too – such a good introduction to the city, and a way to meet people, too! And couldn’t agree more with you on this: “the destinations are there to stay, but the people are what makes a place so memorable.”
I love reading your blog, Katie. What a wonderful community idea. I know women empower each other, by just being there (whether on-line or in person). Travel can be a little overwhelming when taking a trip by yourself. We have many female single travellers who come to our Italian cooking holidays, in central Italy, some travel with another single friend and others travel by themselves. I would love to connect with this community and offer a group package to your ladies, what do you think? I would also just like to connect to exchange ideas.
Thanks so much Sally, I’m so glad you enjoy the blog! And I can imagine that your cooking holidays are perfect for solo female travellers – it sounds like a wonderful experience!
I am so excited to attend WITS this year! Especially as it’s only a 3 hour drive from where I live in Iowa! I love meeting other travellers when I’m on the road! Facebook and twitter have made it so easy to connect with people now! Most of my blogging connections have been made though twitter or being part of Facebook groups (such as Midwest Travel Bloggers). If it’s a non blogger that I meet, I usually add them on Facebook and follow their travels on my personal account! 🙂
I completely agree – social media has made meeting people on the road so much easier! And you’ll love WITS, it’s such an encouraging, supportive (and inspiring!) event!
Hey Katie! What a great opportunity. I’ve seen the Wanderful brand around the internet but didn’t know they had so much more to offer. I way I connect with other travellers is through meetup groups, by staying in smaller boutique hotels or guesthouses, free walking tours, and the one I’m most excited about: the TBEX conference in Ireland this year. I already got my ticket and hope to connect with other bloggers and other travellers who are going since I don’t know anyone else at this point. For that I’ll be hitting up Facebook groups to ask who else is going so we can meet up during the conference.
Hi Lillian, thanks so much for your comment! I love meet-up groups, especially now that I’m an expat – they’re such a good way of meeting new people. I’m so jealous that you’re going to TBEX in Ireland! I still haven’t made it to a TBEX, but I’ve heard they’re brilliant… and I really fancied visiting Ireland, but I don’t think I can make it this year. I’ll look forward to hearing what you think of it 🙂
That’s a great question. I usually try to stay in Airbnb accommodation in a private room when I’m looking to connect with locals while I’m on the road. Sometimes I reach out to Facebook groups and sometimes I find people on Instagram with similar style photos to shoot with. Meet-ups in NYC have been really good to me and now I look for Travel Massives in whatever city I’m visiting. Also, Happy Birthday Katie! 🙂
I never thought of doing that with Air BnB – that’s a good idea (and it sounds like the Wanderful homesharing network will be similar!). And I love your tip of finding people on Instagram to shoot with! I might have to try that out on my next trip 🙂 Such a fun idea!
Hello! I love reading all your travel stories. I have only just begun my own solo travelling adventures, recently travelling to Paris and London, and hoping to visit Iceland later in the year!
I connect with other travellers by staying at hostels, I usually choose to stay in smaller rooms because I find people are a wee bit chattier that way (and also it’s easier to get a quiet night in a small room haha!)
I’m also a member of a Facebook group for female travellers and it’s a great community. I’ve posted a couple of times with queries about trips I’m planning and the girls on it are always so helpful. I notice a lot of people organise meet-ups on their travels in the group too.
The travel community are pretty great!
Happy Birthday ?
Thanks Bethany! Hostels are definitely a good spot to meet other travellers (although I have to admit I find it difficult to sleep in dorms if there’s a lot of noise!). Facebook groups are great too, I’m in the Wanderful one and a few others as well – people are so generous in sharing their advice 🙂
Hey Katie! I has such a great time at the first WITs summit and meet you 🙂 I’d love to get connected back with the community and all you ladies, as it was a huge source of inspiration for me. Love that we stay connected via social media, and hope to meet up on the road again someday very soon!
That first WITS was so much fun – our little press trip was such a good laugh! It looks like I might be in London sometime this year, so I’ll get in touch when I’m in town 🙂 It would be great to catch up!
I love reading the travel series. I love traveling by myself I have met so many wonderful people on the journey. I went to Ireland, scotland England France, germany by myself and always met someone who shares the passion of traveling and willing to share experiences or even just a coffee.
It’s true, you do always meet people when you’re travelling solo 🙂 It’s such a great experience!
I’ve only just touched the surface of travelling by doing a trek America tour last year, which was a road trip from New York to LA and it really gave me the taste for solo travelling.
I’ve found instagram is a great way of doing some research, also air bnb and hostels. There were quite a few hostel stays included in my Trek and I met all sorts of people.
Ooh I’ve heard great things about Trek America – a New York to LA road trip sounds amazing! I bet it was a great way to meet new people, too.
I live in a tourist destination, so most often I actually make connections with travelers in my own city. And I love showing off my city to my gal friends that make it to Alaska! Having a local to show you around makes such a difference! Wanderful sounds like a great idea.
I’m the same, Elizabeth – living in a tourist destination means you connect with so many travellers! And I love showing friends and family from Scotland around NYC. If (hopefully when!) I make to Alaska, I’ll be getting in touch for tips 🙂
Please do!
I love this post. I’m excited about the new couch surfing network I read about this week and I will definitely make my home available to visitors whenever I can! I’ve had such wonderful experiences when connecting with strangers. Back in the day it was almost always a note posted in the hostel bulletin board. We’re so lucky to live in an age where we can do it virtually and connect ahead of time!
Social media has totally transformed travel, hasn’t it? I’m excited about the homesharing network too – I think it’s such a great idea!
I didn’t realize you are part of Wanderful! I love the community they have created!
I’ve been at least loosely involved since my first WITS back in 2015 – it’s such an inspiring community!