Marissa Ellsworth

Chicago architecture tour💚 this is my second time going on the Lake + River tour!! the first time was with my sister as well hehe such a fun time! have you ever done a Chicago architecture boat tour? #chicagoarchitecture #chicagoarchitecturetour #chicagoboattour #thingstodochicago

dreaming of a Caribbean summer💭 everyone always talks about a European summer but something to consider…summer is a shoulder season in the Caribbean due to it being a bit rainier👀 this means you can often get flight + hotel deals✈️ I visited the Bahamas in July and the weather was beautifullll! it did rain a bit, but mostly tropical storms aka rain for 30 min and then right back to beautiful sunny weather! is the Caribbean on your summer bucket list?✨ follow @mletraveldiary for more travel content like this🫶🏼 and check out my blog (link in bio) for more deets on my stay at the @slsbahamar !

let’s be real for a minute…👇🏼 I could go on + on about how Instagram is just a highlight reel, but I’m just gonna jump right into it: 1. SEO confuses the heck out of me and has made me discouraged to post on my blog, especially with the google updates/changes (? not even too sure what this is but have been seeing it on Threads). I know I have such helpful info to share but the thought of organizing it in a way that is optimized for google is daunting😩 2. I wanted to focus more on slow travel this year, but that somehow resulted in me just booking less trips overall😓 which then makes me feel silly about having a travel blog when I have nothing new or exciting to share! 3. I have had a drone for almost a year and have only tried to use it once. I really want to be a drone expert and take the coolest content with one but don’t know where to start and don’t feel motivated to teach myself🫣 happy tuesday my friend!!🫶🏼 despite these struggles, I am so so thankful for my blog and the opportunities I have every day to be creative and challenge myself and connect with new friends here🥹 can you relate to any of these?🙈

this audio is literally how it feels coming home😭 who else always has to have their next trip planned?!🙋🏽‍♀️ #travelblogger #travelcontent #travelhumor #wakemeup

yes, YOU!!!🫶🏼 solo travel is the best thing that ever happened to me🥹 I didn’t have the opportunity to study abroad and didn’t take my first solo trip until I was 26 which seems crazy looking back because I wanted to travel but was always so scared to go alone! it’s one of the most freeing realizations to know that I am capable of doing whatever I want to do and don’t need to wait for someone else to do it🙌🏼 have you ever solo traveled?✨ follow @mletraveldiary for more solo travel tips + content!

cannot get over how pretty @the_flower_fields are😍 these photos don’t even do it justice! have you ever visited the Flower Fields?✨ #theflowerfields #flowerfieldscarlsbad #flowerfields #thingstodocalifornia #losangelesdaytrip

total breakdown👇🏼 I stayed at a stunningg luxury retreat hotel in Costa Rica last winter to 💅🏻treat myself💅🏻 and it was so amazing, I 1000% plan on going back🤩 we spent a total of 1.911.37, here is the breakdown: flights*: $386.57 hotel + food (all inclusive): $1,140.60 transit: $113.00 activities: $271.20 💰total: $1,911.37 *we ended up booking a different flight to go directly to Costa Rica since our first one was going through El Salvador and had a long layover! I only included the cost of the flight we took but since our first one was nonrefundable this did end up double costing me😅 for the most part, we stayed at the Retreat and enjoyed everything that they had to offer (yoga classes, meditation, spa treatments) but did a day trip excursion to the La Paz Waterfall Garden and Poás Volcano!🌋 was that more or less than you expected? if you’re new here, hi! follow @mletraveldiary for more travel content like this🫶🏼 #costaricatravel #visitcostarica #theretreatcostarica #travelbudget #travelcosts #costaricatraveler

sunflowers + strawberries = the perfect saturday!🌻🍓 highly recommend adding strawberry picking to your bucket list!! save 📌 this post for inspo! deets on where we went👇🏼 📍 Carlsbad Strawberry Company 🚗 parking is free and super easy - there’s a big lot right out front! 💰U-Pick strawberries is $10 to access the fields (you can bring your own bucket) or $15 for access & a bucket! we used their buckets and came home with sooo many strawberries😋 🍓you can also eat as many strawberries as your heart desires while you are in the fields! these are literally the sweetest, freshest berries I’ve ever had - I don’t think I can eat regular berries after this😂 🌻there’s also a sunflower maze you can walk through, and lots of other activities that are great especially for younger kids! have you ever been strawberry picking?✨ follow @mletraveldiary for more things to do in Southern California & travel content!🫶🏼

which one are you?👀 I almost always go to the airport in my leggings and sneakers😂 unless it’s like a 2-3 hour flight and then I’ll wear jeans & a cute top!! but usually comfy > stylish 😇 binge my content for all things travel, and follow along for more!🫶🏼 #planeoutfit #traveloutfit #traveloutfits #traveltips #travelbloggervibes

just do it🫶🏼 reminds me of a quote i love - “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” sometimes you just have to give things your best shot and trust that you will learn as you go and everything will be ok in the end🥰 #selfcare #selfdevelopment #wellnessjourney #wellnesslifestyle #growthmindset #selfempowerment

affordable luxury travel to me is the perfect balance between once-in-a-lifetime luxurious experiences and sticking to my budget for each trip! to achieve this, I usually splurge on one or two things (5⭐️ hotel room, sunset boat cruise, etc) but offset the cost by saving money on everything else (economy flights, bringing my own snacks, etc) however, i have a few non-negotiables… 👉🏼but first, follow @mletraveldiary for more travel content! 1. safety + security!🔐 first & foremost, i never want to put myself in a situation where I feel unsafe because i wanted to save $20. it’s just not worth it, especially as a solo female traveler! 2. a good night of sleep!😴 i’m all for staying in a hostel, but i always try to thoroughly vet the hostels beforehand or get recommendations from friends who have been there before! if i don’t get a get a good night of sleep i literally cannot function the next day and it can ruin whatever i had planned for that day😩 as i’ve gotten older, i definitely lean more towards staying at hotels because of this! 3. unique experiences!🌄 i don’t want to have to miss out on things when i travel because i can’t afford it. because of this, i really try to minimize my expenses at home, and also do a ton of research ahead of time so i can maximize my time while traveling! 4. convenient travel / transportation!✈️ while i do search for the cheapest flight/bus/train options, i will spend a few extra $$ to avoid super long layovers or extra stops! i’ve done that before, and always end up regretting it and wishing i had just spent a little extra money to avoid those situations. what are your travel non-negotiables? #affordableluxurytravel #travelhacks #besttraveltips #besttravelhacks #savingmoney #moneysavingtips

happy earth day🌎🫶🏼 sharing some of my favorite, unconventional sustainable travel tips in honor of earth day today!💚 -stay at eco-friendly / sustainable hotels! -volunteer while you travel! there are lots of programs like worldpackers or workaway i’ve heard of that will connect you to experiences that enrich the local communities, often in exchange for a free stay☺️ -take a vacation from your screens 🤳🏼 as well with a lil digital detox to reduce your energy consumption! -use public transit or eco-friendly transportation like bikes🚴🏼‍♀️ what’s your best eco-friendly travel tip? #happyearthday #earthday2024 #sustainabletravel #sustainabletraveltips #ecofriendlytravel #ecofriendlytraveltips