Our Story
We kept our jobs, sold nothing, and started traveling the world anyway.
We’re the Lockwoods.
And we’re traveling the world to experience—up close and in person—all the natural wonders and distinct cultures that our kids would otherwise see only in textbooks and TV. We think it’s a better way to learn and we’re working hard to fund this little experiment in the hope that our kids will grow up wiser, kinder, and more grateful for the beauty of our diverse planet and its people.
2018
For years, we had been living like many American families: We had a comfortable home (in Denver, USA) and Phil’s small business provided us with a comfortable income and enough time for regular vacations around the U.S. But every day pretty much felt the same as the last. We were craving change.
2019
We were struggling to find the right schools for our 3 kids and we were longing to escape the chilly Colorado winters. Our morning walks became daily discussions about how we’d live in the future. Eventually, something clicked. We decided to stop planning for the life of our dreams and instead just make the changes that would let us start living it. Our mindset had switched from “one day” to “day one.”
2020
Within a year, the pandemic and our own intentional efforts had changed everything and pushed us into a very different place: three kids in online school and all of us locked down in our new Coronado Island home in California.
By the time travel restrictions lifted, our paradigm had completely changed. We were longing to explore the world—and between the kids’ virtual schools and Phil’s virtual office, we had the freedom to do just that. We began designing our life around travel instead of the other way around.
2021
As we saw how much our kids (and the two of us) were changing and growing through our constant travels and by being immersed in different cultures, we focused on making each trip less about leisure activities and more about experiencing authentic local culture. We also started giving back.
Reagan had her heart set on starting her freshman year in a traditional, in-person high school environment. So, she’s been splitting her time between our home and her mother’s home. The other four of us schedule most of our travel for when Reagan’s with her mom but she still joins our trips whenever she wants, especially during school breaks.
2023
Brooklyn and Colt, on the other hand, are still studying through their online program, which allows us to visit and experience the same areas of history, geography, and people that they’re learning about in school.
2024
We’ve now set up a second home in Metro Manila, Philippines. Our new Asian hub makes it easier to visit all seven continents every year and allows us to spend more time exploring one of our favorite countries in the world.
Erin
Former competitive figure skater, world’s biggest Oregon Ducks Football fan, our primary video editor, and author of six published novels.
Phil
Former pilot and Air Force veteran. Designer, children’s book author, travel journalist, and founder/CEO of Distill.
Reagan
High school senior, swimmer, and social butterfly. Will babysit for cash (and cat sit for free).
Brooklyn
8th-grade student, artist, comedian, astronomer, student pilot, and fashion designer.
Colt
8th-grade student, craftsman, gamer, and herpetologist. Crocodile Hunter meets 007.
First time here?
Enjoy a few episodes that provide some insight into our family and our life of constant travel.
“Many stories begin with a moment of unexpected change. And that’s how they continue too. Whether it’s a sixty-word tabloid piece about a TV star’s tiara falling off or a 350,000-word epic such as Anna Karenina, every story you’ll ever hear amounts to ‘something changed’. Change is endlessly fascinating to brains. ‘Almost all perception is based on the detection of change’ says the neuroscientist Professor Sophie Scott. ‘Our perceptual systems basically don’t work unless there are changes to detect.’ In a stable environment, the brain is relatively calm. But when it detects change, that event is immediately registered as a surge of neural activity.”
—The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better