Want to know what it takes to visit over 100 countries?
Today's top travel blogs come from experts with decades of experience, like Derek Earl Baron's non-stop travels since 1999 and platforms like Nomadic Matt guiding over 1,000,000 monthly readers. The Blonde Abroad's founder Kiersten has even transformed her 10-year blogging expertise into a thriving tour company.
Our carefully curated list features over 25 outstanding travel blogs providing genuine, practical advice for every type of traveler — from budget backpackers to luxury enthusiasts. Let's dive in!
Budget Travel Blogs
Becoming skilled at budget travel takes guidance from experienced travelers who know all the tricks. These blogs stand out because they provide tested, practical advice about seeing the world without draining your wallet.
The Broke Backpacker
The Broke Backpacker evolved from simple travel notes into a budget adventure powerhouse. Founder Will Hatton proved meaningful exploration is possible on just $10 per day. His audience exploded from 22,000 monthly visitors in 2016 to 1.2 million by 2019, with a team creating comprehensive budget travel guides.
Nomadic Matt
New York Times bestselling author Matt Kepnes has explored over 100 countries while teaching money-saving strategies. Originally maintaining a $50 daily budget (now $75 due to inflation), his expertise extends to earning free flights and hotel stays through strategic point collection from everyday spending on groceries and dining.
Budget Your Trip
This innovative platform gathers real travel costs from actual travelers worldwide. Users track expenses and access genuine pricing data across destinations. With weekly budget-friendly tips and regular contests, travelers can plan with realistic expectations based on other adventurers' actual spending patterns.
Luxury Travel Blogs
The world of luxury travel offers amazing experiences created by experts who know the best destinations worldwide. These blogs highlight luxurious stays, unique adventures, and special access to the world's finest properties.
The Luxury Travel Expert
This remarkable blog stands out because it provides detailed coverage of high-end travel experiences. Weekly newsletters feature luxury travel contests, tips, and detailed hotel reviews. The blog also creates top 10 travel lists and reviews Business Class products from different airlines.
World of Wanderlust
Brooke Saward's World of Wanderlust has grown into a leading source of luxury travel inspiration. The blog finds hidden gems and presents them with refined sophistication. Saward combines practical luxury travel advice with engaging stories that help readers turn their travel dreams into reality.
Luxury Travel Diary
Luxury Travel Diary ranks among the world's most influential travel advisors and holds top positions as a Four Seasons advisor globally and in North America. The blog gives unique insights about the finest hotels and valuable tips for selective travelers. Their concierge service provides free room upgrades and special benefits you won't find through regular booking systems.
Adventure Travel Blogs
Adventure travel blogs capture thrilling experiences from scaling active volcanoes to navigating treacherous mountain passes.
Expert Vagabond
Matt Karsten left his full-time job to become an adventure travel photographer and digital nomad. He has been learning about the world for over 10 years. His blog mixes entertaining stories with practical advice as he has visited more than 50 countries while living as a traveling digital nomad.
The Planet D
Dave and Deb, "Canada's Adventure Couple," have explored 115 countries across all seven continents during their 13-year journey. Their motto "Adventure is for Everyone" resonates through content featuring everything from whitewater kayaking to conquering the Mongol Rally.
Adventure Journal
Steve Casimiro, National Geographic's former West Coast Editor, created Adventure Journal to offer fresh perspectives on outdoor pursuits. The publication combines biking and overland content with historical adventure narratives.
Solo Female Travel Blogs
Solo female travel blogs empower women to explore the world on their own terms. These influential bloggers share real experiences and practical safety advice.
The Blonde Abroad
Kiersten Rich's journey from investment banking to founding The Blonde Abroad demonstrates how solo travel builds confidence. Her blog serves as a comprehensive resource for women worldwide, covering everything from safety tips to photography tutorials. Her all-female travel company, TBA Escapes, proves that solo travel doesn't have an age limit.
Adventurous Kate
Kate McCulley has visited more than 80 countries since 2010, most of them alone. She challenges the "it's not safe" narrative with well-researched, destination-specific guidance on her blog. Her exceptional guides balance potential risks with practical solutions for house sitting, party destinations, and advice for travelers over 40.
Be My Travel Muse
Kristin Addis left investment banking in 2012 for adventure. Her website attracts millions yearly with off-the-beaten-path experiences. Through her breakthrough book "Conquering Mountains" and honest storytelling, she demonstrates that successful solo travel is a learnable skill, often noting that women travelers face less violence abroad than at home.
Family Travel Blogs
Kids can help us see travel in a whole new light. These family-focused blogs share useful tips and touching stories about exploring the world with children.
Y Travel Blog
Caz and Craig have made travel their way of life for over 25 years with their daughters Kalyra and Savannah. They're Australian natives who now call Raleigh, NC home after getting a Green Card for their exceptional travel blogging skills. Their blog shines with detailed guides about family-friendly spots, ways to save money, and essential trip planning tips.
Travel Babbo
Eric Stoen takes family travel to new heights. He's taken his kids to 62 countries and all 7 continents. Each year, his children (aged 12, 14, and 16) get to pick any place in the world for a special one-on-one trip. His blog shows how cultural experiences shape children's views of the world.
Family Travel Magazine
This independent online magazine shares real stories about family trips and provides thorough hotel reviews and destination guides. Their articles cover everything from finding the right family hotels to helping kids adapt to new cultures.
Food Travel Blogs
Food helps us learn about cultures around the world and brings people together across borders. Food blogs guide their readers through local cuisines and cultural traditions.
Migrationology
Mark Wiens turned his love for food into detailed city guides that focus on local experiences. His Bangkok food guide draws over a million monthly readers who want to learn about regional Thai cuisines. He believes in experiencing food through cultural immersion and has created travel guides for cities like Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Seoul.
Legal Nomads
Jodi Ettenberg left her legal career to become a food journalist in 2008. Her blog stands out because she writes about street food safety and demonstrates why local cuisines are culturally significant. She spent a decade traveling and created detailed guides that help travelers with dietary restrictions.
Will Fly for Food
This blog helps travelers discover genuine local flavors, rather than tourist traps. Their guides cover everything from street food to high-end dining. The blog succeeds because it shows how culture influences food (e.g., their Filipino food guide reveals how colonial history shaped the country's diverse food scene).
Photography Travel Blogs
Travel photography tells visual stories and reveals hidden corners of the world. These specialized blogs blend technical expertise with artistic vision.
Capture the Atlas
This photography-focused blog stands out with its complete guides on landscape and night photography. The blog features specialized calendars for photographing the Milky Way at different latitudes, as well as detailed tutorials for capturing celestial phenomena. Weekly updates feature practical photography tips and immersive photo essays from destinations worldwide.
Hand Luggage Only
Photography leads the way in this blog's travel documentation. Their guides demonstrate how extraordinary photos can be created from ordinary subjects, highlighting beauty in everyday scenes.
Digital Nomad Blogs
Remote work trailblazers share their stories about building careers without location constraints while they travel the world. These digital nomad blogs are a great resource for practical guidance if you want to become a remote worker and seek freedom and flexibility.
Goats on the Road
Nick and Dariece, a Canadian couple, left their regular jobs in 2008 to find different career paths abroad. Their blog grew from travel stories into a complete resource earning $10,000-12,000 monthly through content creation and affiliate marketing. The couple knows how to balance work with travel.
Digital Nomad Soul
Denise Mai, who left her corporate job, created this blog to provide comprehensive resources for future digital nomads. The site helps readers move from regular jobs to location-independent work. Their content covers everything from remote job opportunities to budgeting strategies and productivity tips.
Points & Miles Blogs
Smart credit card usage can help you earn travel rewards that lead to premium experiences. Popular blogs break down complex loyalty programs and show readers how to turn regular spending into amazing trips.
The Points Guy
Brian Kelly's platform serves as the life-blood resource for travel rewards enthusiasts. The site shows how credit cards can help you access travel experiences that seem out of reach. Their detailed guides cover card selection and bonus maximization strategies. Kelly suggests a $95 annual fee card could earn you $1,000 worth of points in welcome bonuses.
One Mile at a Time
Ben Schlappig excels at breaking down loyalty programs and premium travel experiences. The blog shows that smart consumers earn airline miles through credit cards rather than flying. Their guides focus on transferable points currencies.
View from the Wing
Conde Nast Traveler recognizes Gary Leff among the world's top travel experts. He brings over two decades of loyalty program expertise. His blog started as a hobby in 2002 and now attracts seven-figure monthly readership.
Cultural Travel Blogs
Cultural experiences can turn simple trips into deep journeys of understanding. These specialized blogs help readers connect with locals and find meaningful ways to travel.
Roads and Kingdoms
This unique site blends cultural insights with food exploration. They pair well-known chefs with local experts to create exceptional experiences in places like Tasmania, Morocco, and Georgia. Their collaboration with culinary experts like José Andrés helps create trips that connect human geography with food traditions.
Uncornered Market
Daniel Noll and Audrey Scott are a husband-wife team who have explored more than 90 countries over 18 years. Their blog champions green tourism that helps local communities and preserves cultural heritage. They left their San Francisco life for Prague and turned their passion into a platform that helps tourism organizations create community-driven experiences.
Sustainable Travel Blogs
Today's conscious travelers seek ways to minimize their environmental impact as they explore the world. These specialized blogs show readers how eco-conscious travel can benefit nature and local communities.
Green Global Travel
Bret and Mary started their journey in 2010. They turned their love for wildlife and history into a platform that supports ecotourism. The blog shows that good tourism helps communities escape poverty and protects natural treasures.
Sustainable Travel International
This network has spent twenty years building tools to help businesses tackle climate impact. Their detailed approach focuses on sustainable resort standards, community involvement, and carbon footprint tracking. The platform guides businesses in reducing emissions and offers high-quality carbon offsets through training programs.
Off-Beat Travel Blogs
With this list of blogs, adventure-seeking travelers can find hidden wonders that mainstream tourism often misses.
Against the Compass
Joan Torres abandoned his regular life to build a unique travel resource about unusual destinations. His personal adventures transformed into group expeditions to Syria, Federal Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Torres's platform grew into a travel company by 2021 after its launch in October 2016.
Atlas Obscura
This remarkable platform has evolved into a community-driven guide with over 24,000 unexpected places worldwide. Their fresh approach blends articles, videos, and podcasts to highlight hidden wonders. They partner with Intrepid Travel to offer unique experiences like visits to Turkmenistan's Gates of Hell.
Unusual Places
This platform champions alternative tourism by featuring destinations that conventional guidebooks often skip. Their focus includes overlooked cities like Latvia and Bhutan, hidden historical sites such as Salaspils, and museums absent from typical top-10 lists.
Long-Term Travel Blogs
These seasoned travelers turned their short trips into lifelong adventures. Their stories show that extended travel needs more than just wanderlust.
Wandering Earl
Derek Earl Baron's remarkable trip began in 1999. He planned a three-month Southeast Asian adventure that grew into more than two decades of continuous travel. His success came from multiple income sources. He worked on cruise ships and taught English before starting his blog in 2009. Baron now guides unique small-group tours to his favorite destinations.
Never Ending Voyage
Simon Fairbairn and Erin McNeaney represent minimalist long-term travel. They sold everything in 2010 to explore the world without end. They travel with only carry-on luggage and have become skilled at slow travel while earning through their blog.
Nomadic Notes
James Clark's platform focuses on practical aspects of extended travel. His approach emphasizes good preparation and strategic planning for big trips. The blog excels at detailed transport and accommodation guides.
City Travel Blogs
City exploration reveals untold stories in busy metropolises. Travel blogs focused on urban life help readers experience authentic local spots and hidden neighborhoods.
Local Adventurer
Esther and Jacob created a fresh take on travel blogging in 2013. They moved to a new city every year to really explore their surroundings. Their blog's success comes from creating complete city bucket lists after living in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego, Portland, and NYC. Their approach has made them one of the Top 5 Travel Blogs worldwide.
Urban Travel Blog
Duncan Rhodes started this platform in 2009 after writing for Conde Nast, CNN, and The Guardian. His blog stands out with its network of 75+ complete city guides. Each guide covers everything about the city: key attractions, accommodation options, transportation details, restaurant recommendations, and nightlife suggestions.
World Travel Guide
The World Travel Guide's digital platform builds on 30 years of print history and 20 years online. Readers can access content in English, German, and Spanish, with over a million unique monthly visitors. Their global editorial team creates detailed content helping readers find authentic local experiences in cities worldwide.
Conclusion
Whether you're seeking budget-friendly adventures or luxury escapes, these exceptional travel blogs offer authentic guidance from experts who've mastered the art of exploration. From Derek Earl Baron's two decades of non-stop travel to Kiersten's transformation of The Blonde Abroad into a thriving tour company, these seasoned travelers provide unique insight and detailed travel guides.
As you plan your 2025 adventures, let these trusted voices guide your journey. Their collective wisdom, earned through countless miles and authentic experiences, will help you travel smarter, more responsibly, and with greater connection to the places and people you encounter.
