But we didn’t want to spend our new savings.

Instead of buying a house to settle down, we decided to take off for a family adventure around the world. So we decided to do something very different. We were raised to be frugal and we didn’t want money to change us. We considered buying a house or maybe a new car but it didn’t feel right to splurge.

After he sold it, we had the financial freedom to do a lot of different things. When my husband was a student in college he created an iPhone app and later sold it to Snapchat. How did The Bucket List Family concept come about? Some highlights have included swimming with humpback whales in Tonga, watching leatherback turtles lay their eggs in Dominica, and hopping alongside a troop of kangaroos in Australia. So far, we’ve travelled to 25 different countries together. Tip: Travel plans not going according to plan? TripIt can help-whether it’s finding an alternate flight or claiming compensation for a delay or cancellation.Īny final advice for families planning their next trip? “Just enjoy the journey! And relish the small things, like a good breakfast buffet, an airport with healthy food options, or an empty row on a plane!”Īfter all, it’s the little things-nay, experiences-that make the journey worth it.Ĭatch up on all Going Places features to learn new travel tips, discover underrated destinations, and more.Where has The Bucket List Family been so far, and what have been some of the highlights? Your best choice is to press forward and have a good attitude.” You can’t always control what happens when you travel things will go wrong. If you’re stressed out on a travel day, your kids will feed off of that energy. “My best tip for traveling with children is to remember that, as a parent, you set the tone for the trip. I love that TripIt finds my confirmations automatically in my email and then adds it into my itinerary.”Īccording to Jessica, feeling organized-and calm-goes a long way when you’re traveling with littles ones. “When I pack, everything has its place.”Īnd when it comes to organizing reservations (and more) for a family of five? “I use TripIt for every scheduled part of our trips: flights, rental cars, hotel confirmations-everything. “I’m always very well prepared for our travel days,” Jessica said. “A lot of our travels are geared around wildlife!” On staying organized-and packing a positive attitude So, where to next for The Bucket List Family? “Next on our bucket list is swimming with orcas in Norway and then seeing polar bears in the Arctic,” she said. “We remind ourselves of this daily, and remember that it all started by making the decision to step outside our comfort zones, step way outside the norms of society, and follow our hearts for what we felt would be the best path for our family.” “We understand how unique and amazing this opportunity is to take on the adventures of life together as family,” Jessica said. “We decided as a young family that we wanted to take the time to create traditions that will hopefully shape us into better people the rest of our lives.” These unforgettable moments were a big part of why Jessica and Garrett embarked on this journey in the first place. It’s an experience none of us will forget.” We had a special mother and calf come up and the mother held the calf up to our boat for minutes so we could rub it. The whales love to be touched and scratched. For decades, the gray whales have brought their calves to greet the local fishing boats. “We charted a little boat at this place called Guerrero Negro. “One of our most memorable travel moments from this year was with the gray whales in Baja Mexico,” shared Jessica. I love living with less, and gathering experiences over things.”Įxperiences that they not only get to share as a family, but that they’ll be talking about for years to come. But I’ve fallen in love with exploring the world with my family. “I wasn’t always a big traveler or explorer. “If you told me 10 years ago that traveling would be my career-that I would travel to 90 countries with my husband and kids-I never would have believed you,” Jessica told me. Life wasn’t always a flurry of planning travel and creating content for The Bucket List Family. You might already follow them on Instagram, watch their YouTube videos, or have seen them on Good Morning America.īut if you haven’t heard of them, here’s what to know: They’re an adventure-loving family that documents their trips around the world-and inspires millions of fans along the way. Fast-forward to 2022, the Gees-and their now three kids-are the well-known traveling tribe, The Bucket List Family. In 2015, Jessica and Garrett Gee sold all of their belongings to afford a four-month trip with their two children. Going Places is a new series from TripIt that highlights frequent travelers to showcase their unique travel styles and insider tips.

Garrett gee and jessica story