- Steven and Lauren Keys retired at age 29 by saving more than 60% of their income and investing early.
- With a net worth of $1.1 million, they have visited every state and national park.
- Their favorite is Death Valley, while they are not so fond of Hot Springs or Gateway Arch.
Steven and Lauren Keys, now 33 and 34, retired at 29 and have visited every state and national park — and managed to grow their wealth while doing so.
Although neither of them earned more than $90,000 a year working full-time, they saved more than 60% of their income, started investing early, and avoided unnecessary purchases, allowing them to travel most of the year and come back with more money than when they started. On one three-month trip, they came back with $26,000 more money while working only part-time by cutting costs, getting bonuses, and making big investment gains.
“We never blow our savings while on vacation, and we usually come out richer in the process,” says Steven.
They’ve been to most of the country, and decided their favorite national parks are in California and Alaska — while their least favorite national parks are in the Midwest.
Achieving financial independence
Steven and Lauren are part of the FIRE — financial independence, retire early — community of people who are saving and investing enough to feel financially secure and not dependent on income from work.
They went to high school together outside Tampa and then attended the University of Florida. Lauren paid her own way through scholarships, grants, and various jobs. Steven got help from his parents and received a scholarship to college. Both graduated debt-free.
The summer after graduation, they took a road trip across the US, driving from Florida to Alaska with a stop in New York. They slept in their car for most of the 45-day trip and didn’t spend much money on food.
After a brief stint in California, they moved back to Florida, where Steven earned a full scholarship to a master’s program in science education. Lauren got a job at a small financial firm, and the two earned about $40,000 a year. Because of their tight budget, they saved more than 60% of their income. In two years of working at five-figure jobs, they saved more than $100,000.
After growing tired of their full-time jobs, they got married and took a six-month sabbatical in Hawaii, where they lived frugally. They rented an apartment for six months instead of staying in a hotel, bought a cheap car and sold it for more than they bought it for, and worked a few part-time jobs. Despite barely working, they returned with over $1,000 more net worth than when they started with their part-time jobs, low-cost purchases, and investments.
They bought their first home — a $71,000 condo in Gainesville — with cash, then moved around for a few years until they were both earning about $90,000 a year. By 2019, they were worth about $600,000, and they felt it was time to embark on a seven-month road trip to visit every national park in the U.S. Because of their investments and part-time jobs on the road, the trip didn’t cost them a dime.
“The best way to save money on any trip is to address your biggest costs, which are lodging and transportation,” Steven says. “Anywhere you’re willing to drive instead of fly, especially if you have a lot of people, that’s going to save you a lot of money in terms of airfare. Another thing is camping, whether it’s in your own vehicle or in a tent or a campsite or something like that.”
Lauren retired in 2020 while Steven worked full-time for six months before moving to part-time. They moved into an oceanfront condo on Florida’s east coast and continued to grow their investments in low-cost index funds, real estate holdings, and retirement accounts. Steven continued to freelance through tutoring while Lauren did part-time social media work.
This has allowed them to take a variety of one- to three-month vacations over the past four years. Last year, they took a three-month trip to Australia, after which they returned with $26,000. They keep their expenses under $18,000 plus $3,000 in U.S. spending, and they make about $19,000 in freelance income and $28,000 in investment profits. They bought a cheap car on Facebook Marketplace in Australia, which they sold for a little more than they bought it for, get free loyalty nights at hotels, cook many of their own meals, and go to free museums and concerts.
Their net worth is $1.1 million, and they are preparing for a road trip to eastern Canada. They calculate that their sweet spot is spending a maximum of $26,000 a year to feel satisfied without breaking the bank, though they don’t track their spending or budget.
Favorite — and least favorite — national parks
Steven and Lauren ranked their favorite and least favorite national parks from their trip based on factors like how amazing the park was, how many fun things the park had, and how easy it was to find peace in the park.
“There’s nothing worse than coming to a beautiful place and not being able to take pictures without a crowd,” Lauren says. “We’ve been to Yosemite a few times, and there are a few places where you’re stuck in traffic in the national park for 45 minutes.”
Death Valley was their favorite, citing the expansive sand dunes of Eureka Valley, the salt flats of Badwater Basin, and the colorful rocks of Artist’s Palette. Despite the crowds, Yosemite came in second overall, noting its incredible waterfalls and granite cliffs.
Hawai’i Volcanoes was their third favorite, since they lived nearby for six months and explored the park’s intricacies. They ranked Hawaii’s Haleakalā, Maui’s highest point, ninth.
Other parks that topped the list included Yellowstone, American Samoa, Carlsbad Caverns, and Canyonlands.
About 41% of the total cost of visiting all national parks comes from travel to Alaska, Hawaii, and other U.S. territories. However, four of the top 10 parks are outside the United States.
They say one of the easiest — and cheapest — places to camp is Alaska, which they have visited three times.
“You don’t have to pay anything because you can go wherever you want,” Steven said. “No one sees if you’re camping or sleeping in your vehicle.”
Their least favorite national park was Hot Springs in Arkansas, which was the first national park they visited. They felt it didn’t live up to its “national park” status, which is also how they felt about the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. They also weren’t thrilled with Voyageurs in Minnesota, which didn’t have much to do other than cheap boat tours; the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas, which had fantastic views but was hard to get to; and Lassen Volcanic in California, which they said was peaceful but smelled like “a bubbling pot of sulfur water.”
Best and worst countries
Keys’ four favorite states are California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah.
“In terms of natural beauty and uniqueness, California has so much diversity,” Steven said. “Northern and Southern California are two completely different places with two completely different incredible experiences.”
Even though everyone goes to Oahu, Hawai’i’s Big Island is “very underrated,” Lauren says, because of its scenery and relatively quiet atmosphere.
Their home state of Florida was not high on their list of states to visit, as they considered the state’s three national parks to be less interesting from above ground than many other national parks, although they are great for diving or snorkeling.
Their least favorite states were Kansas, Missouri, South Carolina, and New Jersey. They found Kansas to be a bit monotonous with lots of cornfields, and they found St. Louis and Kansas City to be very populous but lacking the same appeal as other big cities.
They feel that North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, and Montana get less attention, as they each have their favorite national parks, affordable accommodations, and quieter suburban towns. However, they think Mount Rushmore is overrated, as they think it is bigger.
Have you visited any — or most — of the national or state parks? Are you part of the FIRE movement or live by some of its principles? Contact this reporter at nsheidlower@businessinsider.com.
