CAROLINE MAKEPEACE - FOUNDER
Caroline Makepeace is the co-founder (with husband Craig) of two successful online publications: Y Travel Blog, one of the world’s most influential travel blogs since 2010, and This is Raleigh, a platform for anyone looking to explore the best of Wake County. It’s one of the premier sites on living in and moving to Raleigh.
Caroline has worked with the biggest brands in the world and has been featured by notable sites such as the Today Show, Conde Nast, and FOX Business, USA Today, Travel & Leisure, Forbes, National Geographic online and ABC Radio. Y Travel Blog has received a Modern Ontrapreneuer award from Ontraport for “Best Online Publisher” In addition, Y Travel Blog has been recognized by the White House… twice!
They were invited to the White House in 2014 as top global travel influencers to attend the first travel summit. And they received a green card in 2020 for their extraordinary ability in the art of travel blogging and for her contributions to the growth of tourism in the USA.
Caroline has written two ebooks, How to Create a Travel Life you Love and 12 Steps to Sacredness to help people lean into the life they really want and create epic memories. She also created a course, “6 steps to move from Blog to Business,” to help entrepreneurs make money from their love of blogging and a 6-week online program “30 days to Money Mindfulness” to help people improve their relationship with money (and create more of it!)
Caroline and Craig created an in-depth training guide on how to travel the USA for foreign teachers living in the USA, and a webinar to help Australians travel through Idaho. They are currently creating an in-depth training guide on relocating to Raleigh.
Caroline regularly speaks at conferences around the world on various topics such as global travel, family travel, social media, influencing and entrepreneurship. She has keynoted some of the world’s biggest travel conferences like TBEX and Women’s Travel Fest. She has also presented at conferences such as Problogger, New York Times Travel Show, and the Travel and Adventure Show.
Locally in Raleigh, she has presented at the Women’s Social Club, Raleigh Women in Marketing, City Club Raleigh, The Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, and keynoted at the NC Public Relations Society of America Conference.
In addition to running the blog and social brand, Caroline calls her work a personal mission to inspire and empower others to travel more and create a life they love. Her family is proof that travel can be a lifestyle!
Caroline has made travel the core focus of her life since 1997. She’s lived in 5 countries, traveled to over 60, traveled 7 years full time with her two daughters (including homeschooling them), and has been a full-time professional travel blogger since 2010 working with some of the biggest brands in the world including Lonely Planet, Airbnb, Canon, Amex, Ford, Nissan, TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Globus Tours, and Allianz Travel Insurance.
Locally in Raleigh, she has worked with big brands and small businesses such as RDU- International Airport, Nextdoor, Kane Realty, Outer Banks Tourism, Blue Water Spa, and Harris Teeter.
Caroline is also a licensed real estate agent in the state of North Carolina. She partners with a high-quality, successful broker to help people relocate and settle into their new life in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Caroline also goes by the name of Caz Makepeace- the shortened version of Caroline (it’s an Australian thing!) Caz is the flighty Libran of the Makepeace family, bringing harmony to the family through crystals, meditation, and downward dogs (and the odd glass of wine at 5pm). It’s all about the balance, right?
ALL ARTICLES WRITTEN BY Caroline Makepeace
12 Budget European Beach Destinations For Families
It’s time to start planning this year’s summer vacation in Europe. Those sun-bleached promenades, lazy seaside lunches, and the rhythmic sound of waves are calling, but there’s just one problem—the bank has run dry. We […]
The Perfect 4 Days in Charleston, SC: A Complete Itinerary Guide
Craig and I first fell in love with Charleston years ago — before having kids, and even before creating yTravel Blog, when we were traveling on the kind of budget that meant a horse and […]
Best Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads (2026 Review): SafetyWing Essential vs Complete
That moment we realized we really needed travel insurance. We’ll never forget the day Kalyra came flying off a hoverboard during our USA road trip. One minute she was laughing, the next there was blood, […]
Why the Australian Outback Is Best Explored by 4WD
The first time you drive into the Australian Outback, it’s hard to grasp the scale of it. The road stretches endlessly ahead. The landscape turns red and rugged. Towns become few and far between. Phone […]
Exciting Spring Break Destinations for Families in the United States
Spring break is just around the corner, and it’s the perfect time for families living in the United States to embark on unforgettable adventures together. While Spring break has long been synonymous as a sun-drenched […]
15 Small Towns With Big Personality In North Carolina
They say good things come in small packages, and in North Carolina, this is most certainly the case. Some of the smallest towns in North Carolina can make the biggest impressions, often tucked between mountains, […]
12 Destinations to Celebrate America250 on the East Coast: USA’s Most Patriotic Events!
America’s East Coast is where the story of the USA started, and where every year on the Fourth of July, the story is retold with gusto. In New England towns, the streets are full of […]
North Carolina’s Most Creative Towns (& why art lovers should go there)
Think of North Carolina and most people imagine the coastline or the Smoky mountains, but venture into its towns, and you’ll find a different kind of landscape: one painted in bold murals, sculpted in handmade […]
Where to Go for Your Craft Beer of Dreams in North Carolina
California and Pennsylvania may have the largest number of breweries per capita, but North Carolina has seen the largest increase in recent years, so if you’re a craft beer fan – look out, because North […]
10 Foodie Destinations in North Carolina to Stick a Fork Into!
North Carolina is a state where foodies can really unbutton their waistbands. You could be standing in line at a smokehouse waiting for a NC State BBQ sandwich prepared by pitmasters tending to hogs the […]
North Carolina’s Most Scenic Drives: Where the Journey is the Destination
North Carolina is a state of dramatic contrasts. On the Western edge, you can be exploring mist-shrouded mountains, in its heart, dense forests and lush farmlands spread out, and in the East, the windswept barrier […]
Guide to Kakadu National Park: Things to do + more!
Kakadu National Park is Australia’s largest national park, and is made up of floodplains filled with saltwater crocs, escarpments etched with ancient aboriginal rock art that spans 20,000 years, and hidden swimming holes protected by […]