Before we tell you a little bit more about ourselves, we wanted to let you in on how we joined (awesome) forces to become the FWS you know and love.

It all started very organically, if you can believe it. We are, wait for it, three friends who like to travel together. And we all use super huge suitcases (OK that isn’t ALL it is). Hey, we are three girls after all (and not the backpacking, hostel-staying, haven’t-washed-our-hair-in-days kind of girls either). But let’s rewind…We each grew up with a love of traveling and had the happy accident of meeting at work. One night over many, many cheap beers (because all the best decisions happen over alcohol, right?!) we vowed to take an epic trip together. And guess what?!?! We actually did it!

In 2012 with no clue what we were getting into, we set off for Oktoberfest in Munich. We had a  drunken magical time and realized that these trips had to happen. Every. Single. Year. Over the years, the groups evolved and the locations changed, but each time we came back to the same two things; 1. We loved this shit 2. We literally couldn’t get enough.

As time went on and more thousands of miles were covered, our friends blew us up for trip recommendations and tips. And wouldn’t you know it, we forking loved helping them plan their trips (almost) as much as taking them ourselves! 

Each time we helped a friend, it was like reliving our trip all over again. And that is really what FWS is all about: Showing our friends and family that you can travel comfortably and in style without staying in a hostel and that you should! 

The most common thing we hear is “how can you travel so much? It’s so expensive.” And while it’s not free (damn we wish), it can really be reasonable if planned properly. If you’re reading this and thinking to yourself “hmmm a trip sounds great,” but you have no idea where to start, we are here for you!

Through this blog we hope to inspire you to travel and to show you that it doesn’t take years of planning and lots of savings to check some items off that ever-growing bucket list!

Now, without further ado, a little bit about us – the Friends With Suitcases:

I took my first flight at three months old and never looked back. I was born in NYC but have lived in sunny Florida most of my life. Even as a teenager growing up in Florida, I felt I had the soul of a worldly New Yorker with a desire to roam. My family went on many cruises (I’ve been on 18), so my first peek at other countries was through a porthole in the Caribbean. That makes me somewhat of a cruise connoisseur…a cruisisseur if you will…wait that sounds like a dinosaur. Anyhoo…My first taste of Europe was at the age of 17, and my hunger to see the rest of the world has only grown from there. I’ve been to 30 Countries/Territories but only 15 US states (I really need to work on that!) When I’m not traveling I can be found snuggling with my two dogs, two cats and husband while planning our next trip. When I am traveling I can be found struggling with my love of new places vs. my fear of subpar restrooms!

Even as a kid, I always had a love of traveling and experiencing different cultures. A Tampa native, I grew up taking family road trips to Florida beaches and all around the southeastern United States. And although I’ve always loved traveling, I didn’t go on my first international trip until 2009 when I went to Ireland and caught the travel bug. I was so excited to be abroad I had a perma-Cheshire grin plastered on my face and I knew I was hooked!

Since then, I’ve visited 23 countries, sailed on six cruises, missed three flights, been robbed twice and taken about a bagillion pictures. I am legit not happy unless I am planning a trip and I think people who end the year with leftover PTO days are probably aliens. I mean…how?!?! When I am not traveling I am probably eating my feelings hanging out with friends, catching a concert, or binge-watching Netflix!

I have a problem. I am a travel addict. Maybe it’s because I grew up in five different states, but whatever the reason, I’m glad I get antsy when I’ve been home for “too long” and can’t go more than two five minutes without thinking about taking a trip. At this point, I’m almost certain there is no cure and I’ve come to accept my fate as a forever globetrotter. I have visited more than 30 countries and 30 US states; three of the Seven Wonders of the World, six of the seven continents (you’re next, Antarctica!) and have a duck collection that spans the globe. Yes, a duck collection. No, not live ones!

Even still, it sounds super weird – right? If you ask me where I enjoy traveling the most, without a shadow of a doubt, the answer is London, but for good reason. I drank lots of pints at the local pub studied abroad there in college, and learned how to travel. From sleeping under the stars in the Sahara Desert to accidentally seeing Snoop Dog in concert in Copenhagen (not a lie), I’ll never forget those experiences. If I’m not with friends or family, I’m most likely going through my Ziplock bag of foreign currency, trying to figure out where to travel next!

I took my first flight at three months old and never looked back. I was born in NYC but have lived in sunny Florida most of my life. Even as a teenager growing up in Florida, I felt I had the soul of a worldly New Yorker with a desire to roam. My family went on many cruises (I’ve been on 18), so my first peek at other countries was through a porthole in the Caribbean. That makes me somewhat of a cruise connoisseur…a cruisisseur if you will…wait that sounds like a dinosaur. Anyhoo…My first taste of Europe was at the age of 17, and my hunger to see the rest of the world has only grown from there. I’ve been to 30 Countries/Territories but only 15 US states (I really need to work on that!) When I’m not traveling I can be found snuggling with my two dogs, two cats and husband while planning our next trip. When I am traveling I can be found struggling with my love of new places vs. my fear of subpar restrooms!

Even as a kid, I always had a love of traveling and experiencing different cultures. A Tampa native, I grew up taking family road trips to Florida beaches and all around the southeastern United States. And although I’ve always loved traveling, I didn’t go on my first international trip until 2009 when I went to Ireland and caught the travel bug. I was so excited to be abroad I had a perma-Cheshire grin plastered on my face and I knew I was hooked!

Since then, I’ve visited 23 countries, sailed on six cruises, missed three flights, been robbed twice and taken about a bagillion pictures. I am legit not happy unless I am planning a trip and I think people who end the year with leftover PTO days are probably aliens. I mean…how?!?! When I am not traveling I am probably eating my feelings hanging out with friends, catching a concert, or binge-watching Netflix!

I have a problem. I am a travel addict. Maybe it’s because I grew up in five different states, but whatever the reason, I’m glad I get antsy when I’ve been home for “too long” and can’t go more than two five minutes without thinking about taking a trip. At this point, I’m almost certain there is no cure and I’ve come to accept my fate as a forever globetrotter. I have visited more than 30 countries and 30 US states; three of the Seven Wonders of the World, six of the seven continents (you’re next, Antarctica!) and have a duck collection that spans the globe. Yes, a duck collection. No, not live ones!

Even still, it sounds super weird – right? If you ask me where I enjoy traveling the most, without a shadow of a doubt, the answer is London, but for good reason. I drank lots of pints at the local pub studied abroad there in college, and learned how to travel. From sleeping under the stars in the Sahara Desert to accidentally seeing Snoop Dog in concert in Copenhagen (not a lie), I’ll never forget those experiences. If I’m not with friends or family, I’m most likely going through my Ziplock bag of foreign currency, trying to figure out where to travel next!