The Bougie Dirtbag

where type-2 fun meets 5-star experiences

get the dirt

Welcome to The Bougie Dirtbag

This is for women who are a little bit bougie, and a little bit dirtbag.

You'll fit right in if you're just as down for a gritty outdoors adventure as you are a luxurious overwater bungalow. Here we'll talk about chasing goals (whether it's a summit or a personal milestone), and treating ourselves just because we can. Follow along and you'll also be the first to know when curated trips open up.

The Dirt

The latest stories, trip inspiration, and deep-dives into all the thoughts that come from spending time in challenging places.

When to Save vs When to Splurge

I Almost Quit the Garmin Marathon

A photo of Asturias taken from the coast

A Taste of Asturias, at This Moment in Time

My Two Takeaways After Summiting Mt Kilimanjaro

This is 40: Summiting Kilimanjaro, Learning on Safari, and Recharging in an Overwater Bungalow

Kim Merritt, Independent Creative & Founder of Goodera

One Year Into Self-Employment: How I'm Building a More Intentional Career

How I Invested in Women—And Myself—After Getting Dumped by Ellevest During Women's History Month

The End of an Era: Saying Goodbye to My Dad & The Mirage

An Adventure in Letting Go

Who is The Bougie Dirtbag?

Meet Kim Merritt

I'm a 40-something-year-old woman who loves a grueling multi-day hike with a middle-of-the-night summit push just as much as I love a spa appointment wedged between room service and a relaxing dip in the ocean.

While traveling through 40+ countries, I've been fortunate to enjoy more once-in-a-lifetime experiences and never-doing-this-again hikes than I can count. I'm the type of traveler who will fly a budget airline to stay at a private island resort. I'll have charcuterie girl dinners at home, and multi-course private chef dinners on vacation. And no matter how high or how freezing camp is, I'll never skip washing my face or brushing my teeth, morning or night.

Join me on this tiny corner of the internet, where I've somehow managed to turn my 15+ year ad agency experience into a career that combines my true loves: travel, adventure, writing, photography, and connecting with other inspiring women.