Pack for Santiago with a one-bag layering system: Santiago-specific add-ons, how to adapt a core capsule, repeatable seasonal outfit formulas, a walking-first shoe strategy, plus toiletries, health, and tech essentials.
Ride the Santiago Metro Like a Local: bip! Card, Best Lines + Essential Tips
All you need to know to use Santiago’s excellent metro system, compiled from local experience. Includes hours, fares, how to pay (including buying and reloading the bip! transit card), the best metro lines for visitors, and tips on safety, etiquette, and rush hour crowds.
Why I'm Drawn to One-Bag, Minimalist Travel
My reflections on why one-bag, minimalist travel appeals to me, after years of sticking to it. And also a bit on how I got to my current 30L setup, and how my one-bag travel philosophy has translated to my everyday living.
Santiago in 1 Day: Ultimate Itinerary + Map (Efficient, Walkable, Local-Approved)
I built and tested this 1-day Santiago itinerary with my Santiaguino partner — an efficient route covering the city’s highlights with a map, hour-by-hour plan, transit/safety tips, and notes on each stop. Includes Bellavista, Plaza de Armas, museums, Santa Lucía Hill, and more.
My Two-Pair Shoe Strategy for One-Bag (Carry-On Only) Travel
My two-shoe strategy for full-time, four-season travel in one 30L bag: trail runners plus flip-flops. I’ve refined this strategy over time, and here’s why it works, my key selection criteria, pros/cons, and occasion-specific swaps for cities, trekking, rain, snow.
Santiago Neighborhoods, Decoded: The Easiest Bases for a Walkable Trip
Compiled from my many visits to Santiago, here’s a practical guide to the city’s best neighborhoods to stay: safety, walkability, transit, food, noise, and runner-friendly tips.
SCL Airport to Santiago: The Options I Actually Use (Time, Cost + Safety)
A fast, practical guide from SCL to Santiago: Uber vs airport bus + metro vs public buses + metro, with costs, timing, and safety tips. Born from my experience having navigated this route many times!
Santiago, Chile Travel Guide: Efficient Itineraries, Neighborhoods + Day Trips
Living Santiago travel hub: efficient itineraries, neighborhoods, transportation logistics, no-car day trips, one-bag packing, and running routes. Updated regularly.
Concón Dunes, Reñaca + Cliffside Walk: Active Day Trip Itinerary from Viña del Mar
I spent 3 days in Viña del Mar and this was my favorite active day. I stitched together a full coastal loop — Concón Dunes first, then a cliffside walk into Reñaca for lunch and beach time, finishing with the waterfront path back to central Viña.
Viña del Mar Running Route: Easy Beachfront 5K (Map + Tips)
A flat, foolproof beachfront run in Viña del Mar: a 5K (3.2 mi) out-and-back from Muelle Vergara to Playa Los Marinos along the oceanfront park. Wide paved paths, minimal crossings, nonstop views—perfect for keeping up training while traveling.
Viña del Mar Coastal Landmarks Walk: A Scenic Route + Map
This easy 3.4-mile / 5.4-km coastal landmarks walk links some of the city’s most iconic landmarks – Casino de Viña, Castillo Wulff, the Flower Clock, and others – with beautiful ocean views, then loops back to Playa Acapulco for golden hour and sunset. Great for first-timers to quickly get immersed in Viña’s vibe.
3 Days in Viña del Mar: An Active Traveler’s Guide + Itinerary
I spent 3 days in Viña del Mar and didn’t expect it to be such an active traveler’s dream. This guide includes travel logistics plus the 3-day itinerary I built and followed to hit the highlights (beaches, oceanfront landmarks, and scenic coastal paths) while getting your steps (or miles) in.
My One-Bag (30L) Packing List for Full-Time Four-Season Travel (2025 Edition)
I’ve refined this 30L one-bag setup over years of active travel. Here’s my exact four-season packing list — get the gear, capsule wardrobe, and minimalist packing system I use to travel lighter and move easier.
How I Packed Everything Into a 2-Liter Sling for a 3-Day Universal Orlando Trip
I challenged myself to pack for a 3-day, 2-night Universal Orlando trip using only my everyday 2-liter sling. This post breaks down what I wore, what I packed, what I learned, and why traveling ultralight made the trip more flexible and freeing.
Lima Travel Guide (2025): Where to Stay, Eat + Efficient Itineraries
This guide distills my time in Lima into everything you need to plan your trip: neighborhood pros and cons, best spots to eat Peruvian classics, efficient itineraries, what to pack for each season and practical tips for the city.
Lima’s Barranco in One Afternoon: Walking Itinerary + Map
Barranco is Lima’s bohemian coastal district, known for colorful street art, historic casonas, and ocean views. I spent an afternoon exploring on foot — this hour-by-hour walk hits the best street art, parks, landmarks, and cliffside views.
5 Airbnb Tips I’ve Learned from 100+ Stays (That People Often Miss)
After years of travel and more than 100 Airbnb stays around the world, I’ve learned plenty of lessons – some the hard way. In this post, I’m sharing the practical, lesser-known Airbnb tips I now follow to find great stays, avoid hidden rules or surprise fees, and protect myself while traveling.
Lima’s Historic Center in One Afternoon: Walking Itinerary + Map
Lima was once the capital of the Spanish Empire in South America. Its UNESCO-listed Historic Center boasts one of the continent’s grandest collections of Spanish colonial landmarks. During my visit in Lima, I planned a half-day itinerary where I covered the major sites and rich history in this area in an efficient walking tour.
One Perfect Day in Miraflores, Lima: Walking Itinerary + Map
Miraflores is Lima’s easiest district to explore on foot, with cliffside parks and major sights packed into a walkable loop. This efficient one-day itinerary covers Punto Azul ceviche, Parque Kennedy’s cats, Mercado Indio, an epic Malecón ocean walk, Larcomar, and dinner plus dessert.
Panama City Layover Itinerary: Canal + Casco Viejo (Map + Tips)
Being the opportunist that I am, I took my 12-hour layover as a chance to explore — from watching massive ships transit the Panama Canal to wandering through Casco Viejo, all before my next flight. Traveling with just an everyday-sized backpack made it easy to be spontaneous, and this post shares how I spent my solo day in Panama City.