Live Outside the Norm
Beyond the tourist traps lies a world of quiet wisdom. Join us as we navigate the world's most soulful corners.
Our Mission
We're Matt, Erika, and Shanti — a family that's been traveling full-time since 2019. School buses across America, tuk-tuks through Sri Lanka, an off-grid farm in Nepal, and now a little surf town in Mexico. Not a highlight reel — the real stuff, messy parts included.
Because travel isn't the destination — it's the mirror. Every border crossing, every breakdown, every stranger who became family showed us something about ourselves. If you're on your own path of growth, this is us living it out loud.
Travel isn't the destination — it's the mirror
The Happy Trails Philosophy
Curated Travel Guides
Soulful blueprints for your next intentional journey.
Sayulita, México
The complete insider guide to Mexico's most soulful surf town — every hidden trail, secret cove, and the best fish tacos in the state.
Puerto Vallarta, México
The complete insider guide to Mexico's Pacific soul — from a family that lived there three months. Every zone, taco, day trip, and the world-class medical care that first brought us down.
Sri Lanka
The complete insider guide to Sri Lanka — three weeks driving the island by tuk-tuk, guided by a local friend who showed us the tea country, Lion Rock, ethical elephants, and the warmest people we've ever met.
Americans Try Living Off-Grid on a Remote Farm in Nepal
The real stuff — off-grid living, family travel, and the messy, beautiful moments in between. Watch our films right here on the site.
Join the Journey
A weekly letter on slow travel, soulful destinations, and living outside the norm. No spam, just wonder.
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