Meet Jess, an outdoor enthusiast based in Seattle who grew up exploring the Pacific Northwest, and early on was infected with the travel bug. She tried to suppress her wanderlust in pursuit of a traditional career path, but after a short stint as a lawyer, she left the confines of my office to get back in touch with her roots. Now, she wanders the world taking photos, making memories and sharing her love for travel with others on JessWandering.com!
Name: Jess Dales
Facebook: @jess.wandering
Instagram: @jess.wandering
Website: jesswandering.com
Age: 31
Title: Travel blogger and photographer
City you live in: Seattle, Washington
Most recent city visited… I rarely visit cities! I’m more of a nature girl. But the last place I traveled to was Chile.
A typical day in my life includes… Waking up, doing some sort of workout, and then working on editing photos, writing blogs, responding to emails. When I’m on the road, most days involve waking up for sunrise, getting outside, and capturing as many beautiful places as possible!
I was born… in Utah, but my family moved to Seattle when I was about 5 years old. So all of my childhood memories are from here.
When I was younger, I wanted to be… a biologist. I wanted to understand how everything worked!
My first job was… at a candy shop.
My favorite thing about traveling is… never knowing what the next day is going to look like.
I’m currently listening to… audiobooks!
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be… haha I’m so introverted, the thought of having dinner with a stranger I admire is kind of intimidating. If I could choose, I’d probably just spend more time with my family and friends!
One thing I cannot travel without… my camera.
I’m inspired by… kindness.
The one person who motivates me is… my mom! She never gives up on anything and it has been amazing to grow up with a role model like that.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be… all the divisiveness between people.
The perfect day would be… waking up in a beautiful place and spending the entire day unplugged with loved ones just enjoying each others company.
My favorite place I’ve visited… I know it’s going to seem like I’m just saying this, but Mexico is one of my all time favorites. It’s such a beautiful country, and the people are so friendly. In fact, last year, our trip to La Huasteca Potosina was one of the best! Other favorites include Peru, Hawaii, Portugal and Thailand.
My top 3 bucket list destinations… My bucket list is always growing and changing. Right now I would love to travel to Turkey, South Africa and Morocco.
My life… is a wild ride! And I’m so grateful for the current journey that I’m on.
I’m currently working on… a blog post about my favorite books to inspire travel and adventure.
Always… be grateful.
Never… judge.
Favorite quote… People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. – Maya Angelou
Biggest dream… to be happy with what I already have.
My pet peeve(s)… vandalism, overcooked noodles, litter, wasteful packaging, lukewarm coffee lol
My 3 favorite travel influencers to follow… So hard! Everyone I follow is super talented. @everchanginghorizon @josiahwg @parisverra