The Awkward Tourist

23/10/2024

Do any of these resonate with you?

It's weird to me to say that I'm a "professional traveler", but seeing as I make money as a travel content creator AND I'm a flight attendant, I think it applies

I don't do "pack with me" or anything like that because my packing isn't aesthetic, but it's FUNCTIONAL for me, and that's all that matters

That's all that matters for you, too...if you don't like packing cubes, don't use them. If "cute" luggage doesn't work for you, don't buy it. If you need to check a bag, check it.

Don't let anyone make you think that the way you're packing or traveling is WRONG, because it's unique to everyone!

travel influencer, travel tips, packing tips, travel hacks

15/10/2024

I've added a fun little travel quiz to my website, as a way to subscribe to my newsletter!
Https://www.theawkwardtourist.com

17/09/2024

INDIA 2025

Travel with Kevin & me to exotic India!

India is the perfect place to travel in a group with a guide because it can be an intimidating destination

But if the Taj Mahal is on your bucket list, don't miss out!

February 26 - March 5, 2025

Only 6 early-bird spots left!

Check out the link in my bio for more information

DM me with any questions!

12/04/2024

This is a love letter to my home state, California

I was born and raised in this state, and if I can help it I don't want to live anywhere else

It's not for everyone, but it's home for me

1. Garrapata State Park
2. Yosemite National Park
3. Dana Point
4. Point Reyes National Seashore
5. Mammoth Lakes
6. Eureka
7. Salvation Mountain
8. Mojave Desert
9. Solvang
10. Lompoc

Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

31/12/2023

Who is ready to plan trips for 2024??
I've put together a digital travel planner for those who like to stay organized, and it's fully customizable in Canva so you can put in all the details of your trip and share it with friends and family!
Check it out here:

Stan | Linksite

14/12/2023

Christmas in Vienna is magical! ❄️☃️🎀🎄

Kevin and I decided to visit Vienna this year in order to head to their Christmas markets. We chose Vienna because we don't have a flexible December schedule, and Vienna has some markets that open as early as mid-November!

So we decided to make a quick trip and experience European Christmas markets before we got to our busy time.

The markets we got to visit were:
Rathauseplatz
Altes AKG
Stephansplatz

Each market has its own vibe, so if you're heading to any European cities this year I encourage you to visit more than one market so you can sample a bunch!

Don't forget to check out our YouTube vlog of this trip! (link in bio)

13/12/2023

Some of my favorite Christmas snaps from over the years

📍 Wroclaw, Poland
📍 Vienna, Austria
📍 Long Beach, California
📍 Lake Tahoe, California
📍 Wrocaw, Poland
📍 Seal Beach, California
📍 NYC
📍 Vienna, Austria

Which is your favorite?

19/11/2023

New video up on YouTube!

When We heard that Vienna Austria was opening their Christmas Markets in November we knew we had to get there as a soon as possible. Join us on a captivating...

04/06/2023

11/03/2023

Can you believe this is in Kenya?

A photo of Diani Beach initially inspired me to visit Kenya, so and I went for my birthday this year (check out our YouTube videos from the trip, link in my bio!)

Diani is located south of the city of Mombasa, and there are plenty of flights from Nairobi to connect you to this cute beach town. You can also fly directly from Nairobi to the very small airport in Diani, which I actually recommend because driving in Mombasa is a nightmare and I 0/10 recommend

You can combine this with a trip to Seychelles, as it's an easy-ish flight from Kenya

Have you ever been to or dreamt of visiting this part of the world? Let me know in the comments!


travel influencer, beach destinations, bucket list places, honeymoon destinations

07/02/2023

Kenya is known for its safaris, but did you know it also has killer beaches?

The coast of Kenya sits at the Indian Ocean, not too far from Zanzibar or the Seychelles, meaning the water is a beautiful turquoise color and is incredibly warm

We took a trip with to experience the beautiful waters, where we went snorkeling at an incredible reef and ate traditional Swahili food! It was one for the books for sure

Did you know that Kenya has incredible beaches?



Kenya, Africa travel, travel influencer, travel tips, best beach

23/01/2023

This baby elephant is stoked to be getting her milk!

We visited the Baby Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya thanks to

Every baby here has been rescued from the wild, where they lost their family due to different reasons such as poaching, drought, or injury

The elephants are hand-reared here for up to 4 years, and then carefully integrated back into the wild!

Bottle feeding happens every day from 11AM-12PM and the public can come watch and learn about the babies, and also interact with them (with the elephants’ consent, of course!)

The Trust is run soley on donations/elephant sponsoring and merchandise sales, so every penny goes to caring for these cuties!

Check out Get Your Guide for awesome unique experiences in thousands of destinations where they’re run by top local guides and up to the highest standard so you have the best time on your trip!

Make sure to check out our YouTube channel (link in bio) for the full video of our experience, coming out soon

Would you pet a baby elephant? Let me know in the comments!

06/12/2022

HOW to get a daily lottery permit to The Wave in Arizona

1. Download the Recreation.gov app...you need the app on your phone, you can't do it on your computer! You will apply 2 days before you want to hike

2. Make sure you're within the geofenced area. They want to make sure applicants are close by in case they win. They use the location on your phone

3. Pay the $9 application fee

4. Wait and if you're very, very lucky, you might just win one of the permits!

They only award a few permits a day (this is the last-minute lottery, remember) it's 4 permits or up to 16 people (4 per group). So if you have 4 solo hikers, those are the lucky 4!

5. Accept the permit and pay the permit fee of $7 per person by 8AM the next day

6. Pick up your permit in person in Kanab, Utah, or Page, Arizona at 8:30AM sharp. Only the person whose name is on the permit needs to go, and they will listen to a short safety briefing. This hike gets gnarly in the summertime!

That being said, we went in November and the weather was very pleasant (although the weather can go either way this time of year, it was snowing 2 days before!) and we went later in the day and actually had the spot all to ourselves for quite a long time

Have you ever wanted to hike The Wave? Let me know in the comments!

12/11/2022

Who remembers my trip to South Africa back in 2019?

I was just going through some of my edited photos and realized that I miss editing these fun shots and I thought maybe I'd share some of my past trips that have been documented through Instagram

For those who weren't around back then, wanted to take an African safari for our honeymoon (spoiler: we took 2 because I wanted to go to Bora Bora) and we went to Cape Town and then stayed at the amazing Earth Lodge

I would go back to Africa and take another safari in a heartbeat! Some other places I want to visit are Namibia, Botswana (thanks to for the inspo), Kenya, and Tanzania

Have you been on safari, or is it on your bucket list? Let me know in the comments!

11/11/2022

Hello! My name is Kelly aka The Awkward Tourist

There are some new faces around here and since my Reels don't say much about me I thought I'd reintroduce myself

I live in Southern California with my husband and 2 cats, Midge and Boris

I've been a flight attendant for a major US airline for the past 8+ years (and I just started a YouTube channel about it, check out the link in my bio!)

My favorite foods are poke, pasta with my family's pasta sauce, avocados, and potato chips

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people listen to music or videos out loud on their phone

I've been trying really hard to replace things I use with more eco-friendly versions in order to help with my carbon footprint, check the link in my bio to find out the stuff I like

I've been on a game show, was a special effects makeup artist for a short time, and went to acting school for 2 years

One of my favorite things to do is to find things that people have discarded and give them a new life, so you can always find me in thrift stores or fixing up old furniture

One thing that makes me emotional is knowing that more people than I've ever dreamed of follow me on social media, and I can't begin to tell you how grateful it makes me that even 1 person cares to know my story, let alone thousands. Thank you for being here!!!

Introduce yourself below, and let me know how long you've been following me for!

06/11/2022

We still have a few spots left on our 2023 group trip to Costa Rica! Book now to grab your spot and come hang out with me in Central America!
https://www.trovatrip.com/trips/costa-rica-with-kelly-&-kevin-lacy-mar-2023.html

What comes to mind when you think Costa Rica? Volcanoes, rainforests, beaches, wildlife? Get ready to see that and much more on this 7-day adventure-packed trip! Stand atop towering volcanoes, swim beneath tranquil waterfalls and relax on the beach while you discover what 'Pura Vida' truly means.

28/10/2022

There are 4 things that made this an incredible night:

- A beautiful 5 Star Hotel
- A glass of wine
- Fluffy robes
- My love (and best friend and PIC and photographer)

I can't think of a better way to wind down after a day of exploring NYC! (not pictured: us eating in bed)

14/06/2022

There are a few new faces around here, so I thought I'd (re)introduce myself!

I'm Kelly, a 30-something she/her/hers married to and living in Southern California

We travel part-time and have a black cat named Boris

I currently work as a flight attendant when I'm not working on content, so it's like I have 2 full-time jobs. I'm a busy girl!

I'm obsessed with Hawaiian poke, thrifting, and crazy ways to save money on travel

I really don't like brussel sprouts and my unpopular opinion is that I think Love Actually is a terrible movie

Also, Kevin and I are just finishing up the final details on a group trip that's happening early 2023! We'd love to meet and travel with you all!

I want to get to know you! Drop your name, a fact about yourself, and how long you've been following along on my adventures in the comments

Welcome and I'm glad you're here!