Meet Megan: Navigating Family Travel as a Military Spouse and Travel Expert

Dive into the inspiring journey of Megan, a maritime academy graduate turned military spouse and travel guide creator. In this interview, Megan shares her unique travel experiences, from sailing through South America and the South Pacific to relocating across continents with her family. Learn how her military lifestyle fuels her passion for exploring new destinations and crafting military-friendly travel guides that help other families make the most of their adventures. Megan also offers top tips for balancing travel with family life and making the most of military perks.

Liv Coning

Marketing Lead

Meet Megan: Navigating Family Travel as a Military Spouse and Travel Expert

Oct 10 2024

Meet Megan, a travel expert who brings military family adventures to life.

In this interview, Megan shares her journey from maritime academy experiences to becoming a military spouse, her passion for family travel, and offers insights into her experiences as a frequent traveler and creator of military-friendly travel guides.

Hey Megan, let’s get into it! Your journey into travel began with your college choice and maritime academy experiences. What made you choose this path and how did those early voyages throughout South America and the South Pacific Ocean shape your perspective on travel and influence your current approach to exploring new destinations?

Traveling during college was very easy and I got to see a lot more than the average college student with a level of safety and oversight of teachers and later coworkers. It gave me a sense of adventure in a safe way and I got to experience a lot of cultures I might not have otherwise known. There was also a level of show up and figure it out which gave me some confidence in being able to handle any travel issue on the fly.

As a military spouse, how has your experience with frequent relocations and base assignments influenced your approach to travel planning, both for yourself and for other military families?

We have lived in a lot of different places, including some I wouldn’t choose to move back to, but the common thread between them is that they were fun because we made them fun. We sought out new friends, we discovered what the local area had to offer and immersed ourselves in that culture. Our most recent relocation was to Naples, Italy which we chose because of the infinite opportunities to travel Europe and to really immerse our family in this different way of life.

You’ve traveled all over the world. Which destination has had the most profound impact on you personally, and why? Additionally, is there a destination at the top of your travel bucket list?

My time traveling ports while on a ship working in Alaska was very formative because I did a lot more solo travel. I learned to enjoy eating alone in a restaurant or looking out at a beach by myself and not feel lonely.

As for my bucket list, I look forward to exploring the little places that most American travelers to Europe don’t think to seek out. Little farm stays in France, the lesser known islands in Greece, the small villages in Switzerland. I want to have the experiences you don’t find in guidebooks.

You mentioned taking your kids on international trips. How has traveling with children shaped your perspective on family travel, and what advice would you give to other parents looking to explore the world with their kids?

Our kids have always traveled with us. I’m a strong believer that children don’t learn how to act in public unless they get opportunities to be in public, as hard as that can be. Covid definitely made that harder for a time. I’m filled with joy thinking about my daughters’ first memories being of exploring temples in Bali or finding a way to play with a kid on a playground who doesn’t speak English.

Some of my own first memories are of ordering a Coke in Spanish at a Mexican swim-up bar. It’s a lot of work in the beginning but eventually there is a balance, and finding what works for each individual family is a learning curve. And ultimately being exposed to so many different cultures and people will hopefully make them more empathetic and well-rounded people in the future.

Your goal of traveling somewhere once a month in 2024 is inspiring. How do you balance this ambitious travel schedule with your family life and work commitments, and what strategies do you use to make frequent travel more accessible and affordable?

When I say travel, I don’t mean we are flying cross continental or even cross country once a month. Travel is such a state of mind, and ultimately anytime you take the opportunity to take a step back from your every day life and see or do something new, I consider that a success. Now, living in Italy traveling once a month is a lot more accessible, but making a decision and all the planning can be a lot.

I try to arrange the big details: flights, hotels, and if needed transportation, and I let some of the smaller details fall into place. This also gives us the flexibility to make decisions on the fly or just take a walk or a nap if needed. Travel, frequent travel especially, also needs to be restorative so we allow time to veg in an airbnb or take a trip to the local playground. Grocery stores are another favorite unscheduled outing for the kids and me. I love trying local snacks.

Could you share your top three tips for military families looking to prioritize travel?

I’d recommend taking advantage of the

1) hotels that offer military/government rates (Marriott and Omni are 2 great ones) 2) military cruise rates (Celebrity and Royal Caribbean are super family friendly) 3) where it makes sense use military bases for lodging, rentals, and services.

There are a handful of space available flights from the US to Japan and several places in Europe and camping equipment is super cheap to rent with MWR.

What can travelers expect to find in your travel guides? How do they stand out from other guides available on Thatch?

I feature a lot of locations near military installations as well as free resources like San Diego with Military Perks guide with as many of the great programs and discounts for service members in San Diego and PCS Chronicles, 2 different roadtrip guides from San Diego, CA to Norfolk, VA or back (a trip we’ve done 5 times over the years).

And for my non-military friends there’s plenty for you too! My guides include family friendly recommendations for restaurants, hotels and activities all over the world. And if I haven’t yet visited your desired destination I also offer custom recommendations and itineraries where I do the planning for you!