As a kid, I trotted around the United States exploring the national parks and learning to appreciate our country from the comfort of a car. During the day, we wandered along hiking trails and explored quirky and significant roadside attractions, but by night we always camped. At least a few weeks out of every summer I slept in campgrounds. I learned to love the smoky taste of baked beans and hot dogs for dinner, and I grew comfortable sleeping on an orange inflatable mat in a tent shared with my sister and dad.

A number of years have passed since those days, but my love for camping has been a constant. I received a hand-me-down tent from my dad while I was in college, and I slept in my bulky sleeping bag for a long time before I upgraded at an REI garage sale just a few short years ago, though I still own that orange inflatable mat. Because my love for camping continues to flourish, my husband and I seek out opportunities to pitch our tent every year. For lots of people, camping is a production. They have to acquire gear, find a way to pack it into the car and then hope to high heck that they didn’t forget something.

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My dad used to tell this story about how, when I was young enough to fly for free, I’d go with him on business trips to Iowa. I’d ride on his briefcase through the airport terminal and sit on his lap in the airplane. He’d drop me off at my grandparents’ house and then, I presume, go from business meeting to business meeting. I don’t actually remember these trips; I don’t know how often I went or how many I went on.

Stories of early adventures with my dad have been enhanced with additional anecdotes as the two of us have taken more trips together, and my mom and I have started creeping into the travel world together as well, most recently with a road trip from Wisconsin to Pennsylvania.

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That’s been a lot written on how to save money for travel, and certainly the fact that traveling can be quite pricey is a legitimate concern. However, I am of the belief that some quality experiences cost money, and it’s okay to pay for them. I understand that lots of people take pride in traveling on a budget, but I also know that some of these people miss out on a lot because they don’t want to spend money. They don’t take tours, don’t visit significant sites, always take public transportation and cook in the hostel kitchen when they could be eating stellar local meals … all because these things cost more than they want to spend.

I’m sure that some people will disagree with what I have to say on this subject, and they’ll say that they have fantastic travel experiences without spending a lot of money. I am not denying what they have to say, but I would argue that it’s also perfectly okay to splurge when you travel. I do it, and I don’t regret it. Here’s why:

Freedom costs money. As much as I enjoy riding trains, I thoroughly enjoy having my own set of wheels. Renting a car in other countries has given me the ability to go places that public transportation doesn’t go. It’s allowed me to visit places at times when tour buses aren’t there and given me the freedom to leave when tour buses arrive.

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