Hi, We’re Amanda & Mark
Welcome to Our 9 to 5 Travels.
We’re a Florida-based couple who believe you don’t need unlimited PTO, a huge travel budget, or a remote job to see incredible places.
Like many people, we’re balancing travel with full-time careers. Amanda is a mechanical engineer and Mark is a construction project manager. Between work, home responsibilities and everyday life, finding time to travel isn’t always easy—but we’ve learned that it’s absolutely possible.
And honestly, that’s why this blog exists.
How It Started
When we started dating nearly a decade ago, we weren’t exactly jet-setting around the world.
Like many young couples, we were focused on building our lives together. We took a few small trips when we could afford them, but travel wasn’t something we did consistently. Between growing our careers, saving for a home, and figuring out adulthood, there were always other priorities competing for our time and money.
Once we got settled into homeownership and our careers, we started traveling a little more.
At first, that mostly meant road trips.
Then came our first big trip together: Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
What we thought would be just another vacation ended up changing the way we looked at travel entirely.
Before that trip, travel felt like something you did once or twice a year when time and money allowed. But standing in places that had only existed in photographs made us realize there was a whole world of experiences we wanted to have.
For the first time, we started asking ourselves:
What if travel became part of our lifestyle instead of something we occasionally squeezed in?
The challenge was that we still had full-time careers, limited PTO, and all the responsibilities that come with everyday life.
So we had to figure out how to make travel fit the life we already had.
Why We Created Our 9 to 5 Travels
One of the biggest misconceptions we had was thinking travel had to mean:
- A full week off work
- A major destination
- Months of planning
- A big budget
Eventually we realized some of our favorite memories were coming from shorter trips, weekend getaways, long weekends, and destinations that fit into our actual lives.
Once we stopped waiting for the “perfect” trip, we started traveling more than we ever thought possible.
Along the way, friends, family, and coworkers kept asking us the same questions:
- How do you travel so much while working full-time?
- How do you find these places?
- Can you share your itinerary with us?
- How do you make your PTO stretch so far?
After answering those questions over and over again, we realized maybe our approach could help other people too.
Today, we use a combination of weekend getaways, strategic PTO planning, road trips, points and miles, and long weekend itineraries to explore more while still working traditional 9-to-5 jobs.
That’s how Our 9 to 5 Travels was born.
Meet Amanda
Mechanical engineer, trip planner, photographer, passenger princess and the person behind the keyboard.
Growing up, my family spent time camping, cruising, and taking road trips whenever we could. Those trips weren’t always extravagant, but they sparked a lifelong curiosity about new places and experiences.
Today, I’m the one researching destinations, building itineraries, comparing flight options, and figuring out how to squeeze one more stop into the schedule. (Mark would tell you that’s both my greatest strength and biggest weakness.)
For years, I joked that I picked the wrong career path and should have been a travel blogger. Considering I was already spending hours building itineraries, researching destinations, and planning future trips, maybe it wasn’t really a joke after all.
Favorite travel experiences so far:
- Breakfast on the rock pile at Moraine Lake
- Floating the Snake River in Grand Teton
- Whitewater rafting in a glacial river in Jasper National Park
- Driftwood Beach in Jekyll Island
Meet Mark
Construction project manager, adventure partner, designated driver and flying skeptic.
Growing up, travel wasn’t as big a part of my life. For a long time I wasn’t convinced airplanes were worth the trouble, which is why many of our early trips were road trips.
Then Amanda convinced me to visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
Turns out seeing places like that is worth getting on a plane for. These days I’m willing to fly, as long as I get the window seat.
Amanda plans the trips. I provide moral support and drive the rental car.
Most of the time I don’t know where we’re going, what we’re doing, or what she’s added to the itinerary since the day before. I just show up when I’m told and enjoy the adventure.
One other thing: I love traveling. I do not love being photographed while traveling.
If you’ve ever wondered why Amanda is smiling in our pictures and I look like I’d rather be anywhere else, now you know.
Favorite travel experiences so far:
- Fishing charter in Everglades National Park
- Touring a retired coal mine in Beckley, WV
- Spotting moose in Grand Teton
- Teatro ZinZanni dinner show in Chicago
What You’ll Find Here
At Our 9 to 5 Travels, we share:
- Detailed itineraries
- National park guides
- Weekend getaway ideas
- Travel planning tips
- PTO maximization strategies
- Honest destination reviews
Every destination featured on this site is somewhere we’ve personally traveled.
While we may occasionally include additional attractions or suggestions that we didn’t have time to experience ourselves, the itineraries and guides we share are built around our own trips and firsthand experiences.
Everything we publish is built around one core idea:
Travel should fit into real life.
You don’t have to quit your job, become a travel influencer, or wait until retirement to start exploring.
Whether you’re planning a bucket-list national park trip, a long weekend getaway, or simply looking for ideas close to home, we hope our experiences help you take that next adventure.
Because some of the best trips start with just deciding to go anyway.
Thanks for following along with us. We are so glad you are here!
— Amanda & Mark
