By: Michael Youngblood, Captain of Experiences at Unsettled.

If Unsettled could hire an infomercial actor to pop-up during your next Netflix commercial break and look into the screen, he’s have an epic mustache and tell you: “Are you sick and tired of your routine? Burnout at work? Need to get out of the office? Do you want an adventure of a lifetime this summer? What are you waiting on?!”

Until then, I’ll be growing out my ‘stache for this summer’s sailing trip in Croatia!

Here are our top ten reasons to set sail with us in Croatia this summer!

1. Learn to Sail, Unsettled Style

We will spend 4-6 hours a day sailing on the dark blue waters in Croatia. You will learn to take the wheel (technically the helm…you’ll learn all the lingo) from the moment you board your ship (with support from your captain, of course!). For a week, you will learn to hoist up those sails, anchor the ship, and be the skipper of your very own crew. But you do this in the most Unsettled of ways: while or between sailing, you’re filling the day with meaningful conversations, reflections on our work/life balance, and big questions about what we are pursuing and working towards. We also continue our family-style dinners and find some fun ways to host pop-up workshops, whether it’s over a map talking about how we plan and navigate in our lives or on a beach by a campfire.

2. Inclusive Community

Our sailing retreats are for those who replace routine with adventure and welcome and include diverse souls.

Unsettled is a community for those who refuse to settle in their pursuit of growth, meaning, and adventure. Our community thrives on diverse perspectives, backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and identities. We extend an invitation to all who embrace these values of respect and inclusivity of others. If you’re like us, you seek out diversity and want to learn, experience, and grow from it. Welcome home. And if you don’t value diversity like we do, see our “no assholes allowed” policy.

Our community is full of life-explorers, professionals, and dreamers who seek more than just a vacation. Unsettled is for the adventurous spirits who desire to immerse in new cultures, connect with like-minded individuals, and grow both personally and professionally. Our travelers are diverse, ranging from creatives and entrepreneurs to freelancers and full-time professionals, all united by a shared passion for authentic, sustainable, and transformative experiences.
Our trips cater to those in their 30s to 50s, who value the balance of exhilarating adventures and rejuvenating wellness activities, and who seek deeper connections with the world and themselves.

3. The Smallest Packing List of All Time

Perfect for you procrastinating packers, you can carry everything you need in your pocket for our weeklong journey. Sunscreen, one or two swimsuits, and a toothbrush and you’re ready to hop on board and sail away for a week. What does this mean for you? It’s amazing how easy we’ve made the logistics to live on a sailboat, getting a taste of the cruising life, for a week. Grab your swimsuit or costume and let’s go! 

4. Beach Brunches

Every day we go to shore to explore an island, national park, a new beach, or walk through a historical town. We might even have brunch beach days when we dinghy to shore with a cooler full of brunch goodies. Will the orange juice and champagne last to day 4 for our “Mimosa Brunch on the Beach”? That is the question and together we will live to learn the answer.

5. Navigate the Open Waters

Every morning as a captain and a crew, we will pull out our chart and compass and talk about where we hope to go that day, what we hope to accomplish (or not accomplish!), and how to get there. That is, we will set a course and work as a team to figure out how we get there. And you may just learn how heading into the unknown in life is much like following your true north on the sea.

6. Unsettled Knows How to Have a Good Time

The islands have seen a lot of good times, especially when the Unsettled crew sails in. Our relaxed and laid back “work hard-play hard” attitude journeys from one island to the next where we will celebrate life and one another.

7. Epic Costume Days

So a pirate walks into a bar… Your captains have been seen wearing coconut bras, unicorn tights, and glow-in-the-dark paint. We have also casually walked into island bars with 40 people from 18 countries all clad in neon outfits. What are we wearing while sailing?

8. Where It All Began

Unsettled was founded on a sailing trip in 2014. This year you can experience for yourself the power behind this place and this trip. What could the open waters inspire you to dream up? You might be surprised to learn what a week of unplugged, close connections might bring.

9. Dreaming Under the Stars

Sharing your favorite poem or story with a crew of new friends under the Milky Way? Anything is possible. With clean air, the stars come out in spades. Without a skyscraper in sight, these nights are truly magical.

10. Unplug to Recharge

With the sole mission to sail from island to island and be present, for your crew and for yourself, the setting is ripe for rejuvenation. Recalibrate where you are and where you are heading. Embrace the unknown. Never settle.

Are you ready to get on deck?