Why I Started Travel Breakdown
Hi, I’m Andrea.
For years, I thought I loved traveling. What I eventually realized was that I love planning trips almost as much as taking them. In some ways, I may even enjoy it more.
Long before I book a flight, I’m researching neighborhoods, comparing routes, reading trip reports, and trying to answer the same questions every traveler asks: Where should I stay? How many days do I really need? What’s actually worth my time? And what would someone who’s already been there tell me to do differently?
One thing you’ll quickly learn about me is that I’m almost always planning a trip. Sometimes it’s one that’s only a few weeks away. Other times it’s a destination I’ve been dreaming about for years. Even when I don’t have anything booked, I’m usually reading about a place, comparing itineraries, saving ideas, or building a rough plan simply because I’m curious.
After years of planning trips across Europe, South America, Central America, and Asia, I realized something: the hardest part of travel often isn’t the trip itself. It’s the planning.
There is no shortage of travel information online, but there is a shortage of information that helps you figure out what actually applies to your trip. That’s why I created Travel Breakdown.
I didn’t start this site to showcase perfect itineraries, convince you every destination is life-changing, or tell you to wake up at 5:00 a.m. every day so you can squeeze in one more attraction. Instead, I wanted to create the resource I was always looking for while planning my own trips—a place for realistic itineraries, practical logistics, honest travel costs, points and miles strategies, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.
Sometimes I’ll tell you a destination exceeded every expectation. Other times I’ll tell you what I’d do differently if I went back, or help you avoid the same mistakes I made. Because my goal isn’t to help you see everything. It’s to help you make the most of the time—and the budget—you have.
Travel is personal, and the perfect itinerary for me may not be the perfect itinerary for you. But if something I’ve shared helps you avoid a few mistakes, answer a planning question, or feel a little more confident about a trip you’re excited about, then Travel Breakdown is doing exactly what I hoped it would do.
I’m glad you’re here.
— Andrea
A Few Quick Facts
📍 Based in Philadelphia
✈️ Favorite style of travel: A mix of cities, nature, and enough flexibility to follow my curiosity
👨👩👧👦 I travel with family, friends, and solo depending on the trip
☕ Current travel planning fuel: Matcha
🎒 Most recent trips: Spain, the Croatian Coast, Central Europe, and Central America
📅 Currently planning: Peru, England, Taiwan, and Japan
📝 Favorite travel question: “What would you do differently if you went back?”
New Here?
A few good places to start:
Are You Building, Earning, or Burning Points? — The simple framework that changed how I think about points and miles.
Planning a 6-Day Amsterdam Trip — Why we skipped the checklist and embraced slow travel.
The Travel Planning Process I Wish I’d Learned Years Ago — The planning process I use before booking a single flight.
Why Some Destinations Feel Harder to Plan — Not every trip is equally complicated, and here’s why.