Hey There!

First, thank you for finding my website and being here! I am so thankful for readers like you as the purpose of this website is to create a community of people like myself that have a love for travel or may be hesitant to take the leap and explore.

My name is Heath Hines, and I was one of those people not too long ago. I had only been on one flight prior to graduating from college, and my second flight sent me to Mexico a week after graduation. I was a pre-med student scrapping together every dollar from my part-time job and selling plasma in hopes of funding my crazy dream of backpacking across Europe before starting medical school.

Being from Texas, Mexico was the test run as I know some basic Spanish and felt comfortable with the idea of navigating different destinations because I could communicate with the locals. Boy did it ever come in handy! That’s a story for another day. Anyway, I was bit by the travel bug and felt more connected with myself than ever before. From that day forward, I’ve been hooked and try to get away as often as I can.

Being a poor college graduate, I created a master budget and itinerary of what I wanted to do on my 2-month solo Eurotrip which kept me accountable and funded throughout. I spent $5,000 for the trip which included round-trip airfare from the USA, accommodations, food & drinks, experiences, and travel within and between destinations. I carry that frugal backpacker mentality with me to this day as I have now been to 18 countries and counting. I’ve also earned an MBA in finance, so you can trust that I’m good with money and that my recommendations will have yours in mind too.

As I graduate medical school and start residency, my days of finding the absolute cheapest accommodations and travel are beginning to transition toward finding the best value and bang for my buck. With this website, I hope to provide accommodation and experience options to my fellow travelers along the spectrum of budgets from backpackers to luxury. I cannot wait to share what I have learned through my experiences and make your life easier and more simplified when you travel so you can focus on what is most important: experiences and companionship!

Solo traveling is a very rewarding experience and will help you grow as an independent person. You will make friends everywhere you go if you are brave enough to simply introduce yourself. I’ve made friends around the world and have stayed with some of them during future travels! I will never forget my last day in Europe when I was sitting around a table at the hostel bar in Barcelona drinking sangria on tap with 10 of my friends I had met that day. We were from 8 different countries and were exchanging stories and laughs as we learned everything we could about each other’s backgrounds. You will make memories that last a lifetime, so I also highly recommend taking friends, significant others, or family with you as you experience all this beautiful planet has to offer as nothing brings people closer together than shared experiences.

For those of you who have it in your hearts to support my page and travel, there are tip jar options throughout the website and my Venmo is @Heath-Hines (last 4 digits are 6235). Another great way you can support me is to utilize links on my page that are part of an affiliate program where I earn a commission if you book or purchase through the link which is at no cost to you (think flights, accommodation, rental cars, gear, and other things you’d be buying anyway).

Also, my other social media platforms can all be found by searching @HinesSights. If blogs aren’t your thing, and you’re a visual person like me, maybe you’ll find your inspiration there! Until you do, I’ll be bringing the world to you one place at a time with “Sightseeing Redefined”.

– Heath Hines