Why We Chose to Leave the American Dream Behind and Travel Full-Time as a Family

There comes a moment — often quiet and unassuming — when you realize you can’t keep doing life the way you’ve been doing it. For us, that moment came not with a bang, but with a slow unraveling. A series of quiet knowings. A thousand whispers that built into a roar we could no longer ignore.

We’re Liz and Isaac — two Michiganders, both realtors, investors, and parents to six kids in a beautifully blended family. Four grown. Two still at home. And all part of a dream that, for a while, looked a lot like the American Dream.

We had the house. The business. The school routines. The family dinners when we could squeeze them in. And still, something wasn’t right.

We were always running — running to closings, running to drop-offs, running through the motions of a life that was “good,” but never really ours. And then came the harder truths:

🚸 The school lockdowns.
📉 The endless grind for more, while getting less.
🥱 The glazed eyes from too much screen time.
😰 The quiet panic of asking, “Is this what our kids will inherit?”

That’s when the dream started to shift.

✨ The VIBE That Changed Everything

The name came before the plan.

VIBE — a simple acronym from our names

And, almost magically, both of our daughters share the same initials. That wasn’t planned. But it was a sign.

We began to imagine something else… a life that didn’t require scraping by emotionally, financially, or spiritually. A life that traded anxiety for adventure. That taught our daughters through connection, not worksheets. Through experience, not fear. Through real food, not processed lunch trays.

A life where we could truly be together.

🌍 From Michigan to the World

So we made a choice — this year, we finally leapt.

Fueled by the current political climate, school safety concerns, rising costs, and a deep desire for peace, we decided to stop waiting for “someday.” We sold, packed, rented, decluttered, and rebuilt.

Not just our lives, but our rhythm.

We’re starting slow — spending the summer in Canada, six months in Mexico, and a year exploring Europe with our daughters by our side. We’re worldschooling, which means learning through life: from forests and food markets to museums and maps. We’re working remotely, investing still, and sharing the journey as we go.

🧠 What We’re Leaving Behind (And What We’re Gaining)

We’re leaving behind:

• School bells and car lines
• Stress-fueled mornings
• Constant distraction
• The myth that more is always better

We’re choosing:

• Slow breakfasts and Spanish lessons
• Time in nature
• Markets over malls
• Living intentionally, together

We want less noise, more presence.
Less pressure, more purpose.

We want to give our daughters a childhood of discovery, not deadlines. To eat real food that heals instead of hurts. To swap iPads for jungle hikes, and math drills for currency exchanges.

💛 If You’re Dreaming Too…

You’re not alone.

We’re not rich. We’re not fearless. We’re just willing to trade certainty for possibility. And we believe more families are ready to do the same.

If you’re craving a different kind of life — not perfect, but deeply intentional — we hope our story gives you permission to start writing your own.

We’ll be here, walking (and sometimes fumbling) this path with you.

Welcome to Vibe Living Travel.
This isn’t just our journey. It’s a movement.

Want to see what a year of worldschooling looks like?
Grab our free guide: [Plan Your First 90 Days of Worldschooling]
Or follow us on Instagram @vibelivingtravel for the day-to-day magic.

Check out our Amazon Storefront to see all of our favorite travel products.