The Wordy Traveler Summer 2021 Review

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I have a confession to make. I’m a subscription box addict. At one point last year, I had six boxes arriving at my house every month. I’ve whittled that down to two and one of those can be cancelled for the month. In reality, it’s just one box per month; at least that’s what I tell myself. I’m also an avid reader and book lover so when I saw The Wordy Traveler box, I knew I had to get it.

Right now, when so many people can’t travel, or choose not to travel, The Wordy Traveler bridges a gap between desire and inability. Every quarter this subscription delivers to your doorstep a new adventure in a new place. Each box revolves around a theme, a destination, and includes a book and other items from or about that destination.

In Summer 2021, The Wordy Traveler whisked us away to New England. The box came packed with seven useful items – compared to those boxes whose items are STILL taking up shelf space in my closets. There was also a newsletter with information about the Atlantic states and a recipe. The Wordy Traveler goes beyond a subscription box, too. They have a Facebook group where you can meet other book and travel lovers. And…the really fun part – each quarter Sarah and Cindy bake the featured recipe together on IGTV.

What is The Wordy Traveler

The Wordy Traveler is a quarterly (or seasonal) subscription box with a variety of tiers to meet your desires. I subscribed to the basic backpacker box which includes one book. There is also a dual backpacker (two books), a full suitcase (three books), a dual full suitcase (four books) and an overflowing suitcase (six books). After looking again, it seems I signed up for the non-fiction books. New subscribers do have the choice of fiction or non-fiction or a combination in the boxes with multiple books. They also have limited edition non-subscription boxes which are also themed, such as Danube River, Morocco, and now a Halloween box coming with stories about haunted places.

Each subscription box includes several fun items, like I mentioned before. Each box provides live sustaining nutrition for two children. The donation is made to Vitamin Angels, a global non-profit organization which helps at-risk populations in need – specifically pregnant women, new mothers, and children under five – gain access to life changing vitamins and minerals. Finally, all of the items in the boxes are produced by small businesses so each subscription helps support small businesses here in the US and around the world. Now that you’re all caught up on the basics, let’s jump in and see what came in the Summer 2021 box.

The Wordy Traveler Book – The Outer Beach

The Outer Beach is a collection of personal essays and observances by Robert Finch from walking more than 1,000 miles on Cape Cod’s Outer Beach over the past 40 years. A good book should transport you to the place where it’s set. It’s one of the reasons, when we vacation (or shortly thereafter), we read books set in the places where we travel. The Outer Beach does just that. Though I haven’t visited this part of the country, I could envision all of it – the beaches, the harbors, the wildlife. It’s a beautifully-written book and an excellent addition to any library.

The Rest of The Wordy Traveler Box

My only complaint about this box is that there’s no information about any of the products included except a card naming the items. I love a few of these and would like to be able to support them businesses which make them outside of this box but have no way of doing so because there’s no information about the products.

Packable Straw Vienna Visor

Nice visor, easy to put on and secure with velcro. It has a cute bow detail. It has an elastic strap sewn into the box detail which wraps around the top of the hat when it’s rolled up. I’m not sure I’d wear it to the beach or out kayaking in our hot summers; however, it will be a comfortable hat to wear around the garden.

Silver Anchor Bookmark

The bookmark is silver-colored (not actual silver, I’m sure) and thin enough to prevent damage to a book’s spine. It nestles beautifully between pages with the royal blue tassel draped on the outside of the book. I haven’t owned a real bookmark since I was a kid. Instead, I’ve used what slip of paper laid closest or (gasp) dog-eared the pages. Putting this bookmark in the book brought a flood of great feelings and memories. It’s going to get a lot of use!

Whale Tale Charm

I love the whale tale charm! I’m a big fan of all kinds of jewelry though. The charm looks like it would work best on a necklace but is small enough to suit a charm bracelet, too.

Ohio Tea Co Exclusive Blend

You know how there are coffee connoisseurs? I’m the same, with tea. I love loose leaf blends, especially small batch ones. I grow my own mint, ginger, roselle, camellia, and lavender to make my own tea. I mean, good tea is serious business. I always love to see a new tea in one of these boxes, and this one does not disappoint. Though I’ll drink any tea over ice, especially in the summer, I enjoy a tea blend made specifically for cold-brewing.

Print of Light House Oil Painting

A 4×6 print, it includes an envelope for use as a note card. As this art work is a regular part of The Wordy Traveler boxes, I plan to save this one and frame all four together for a unique piece of wall art.

Saltwater Taffy

Blech! No, I don’t like saltwater taffy. I tried a bit to see if that had changed. No. No, it didn’t. I gave the taffy to my son who declared it delicious and asked incredulously, “Why don’t you like it?”

Final Thoughts on The Wordy Traveler

I enjoyed my first box from The Wordy Traveler. My one year subscription includes three more boxes (which I will review as they arrive) and right now I expect I will likely upgrade to a dual backpacker box when my subscription renews next summer. I’m excited to see what future boxes hold as well as the limited edition non-subscription boxes. Interested in checking them out for yourself, head over to their website: https://www.thewordytraveler.com/.