50 Top American Travel Bloggers who will make you eager to hit the road

Despite the stereotype – which typically casts Americans as the loud, braggadocios, stay-at-home and eat spare ribs while watching reality tv sort, we are an adventurous bunch. From breaking out and conquering the Western frontier in the days of Lewis and Clark, to journeys to the moon (if you believe in that kind of thing), to late-night divey diners with curly cheese fries; – there is no frontier we won’t explore. While it is true that our passport wielding numbers are paltry comparatively to other developed nations, and our country is large enough you could spend a lifetime just traveling the ol’ US of A, we are increasingly tackling the globe head on and spattering our experiences all over these here interwebs, as this list shows. From travel blogs showcasing that Americans can in fact be be hip and stylish (I am looking at you blonde abroad) to traveling as green as possible to even traveling while raising your kid – the American Travel Bloggers are are diverse tribe, venting into any niche you can think of. So without further rambling on about how we aren’t all wearing socks with sandals on tour buses (that does start to sound amazingly comfortable at 30+ though), here are the some of the top American Travel Bloggers to check out in 2017.

1. Captain and Clark

Looking for some amazing video and hosting skills to go along with that durrr traveling writing? Look no further than Captain and Clark. This dynamic duo from shush from Tacoma Seattle but we won’t tell are the epitome of the modern day, power traveling duo, now packing a tot in tow. Be prepared for some dope videos.

2. Tam Minton – Travels with Tam

Always wanted to travel adventurously, but have continually deferred your dreams until the kids move out? If they are about to flee the nest, let Tam Minton of Travels with Tam help with your trip planning.

A SCUBA enthusiast who calls Dallas, Texas home when she isn’t gallivanting around America and the world, her posts are filled with plenty of underwater photography in addition to shots from her other adventures.

3. Lisa Lubin – LL World Tour

Like many world travelers, Lisa Lubin first set up LL World Tour as a way to share her travels with friends and family when she left Chicago behind in 2006.

What was supposed to be a one year sabbatical from her job as a TV producer turned into three years of intense global exploration.

While Lisa still travels abroad these days, she has slowed down her travels by re-adopting Chicago as a home base. If you are looking for the best food or sights to see in Chicago, this is a travel blog you’ll want to read.

4. Beth & Randy – Beer and Beans

Hailing from San Diego, Beth & Randy of Beer and Beans have the best of both worlds as travel bloggers.

When they aren’t touring amazing destinations like Iceland or road tripping across America, they get to call one of the most livable cities in the USA home.

This pair of top American travel bloggers is also well-known for their travel photography; check out their Pinterest boards, which boast over 8 million followers collectively.

5. Sarah & Nathan – Live Dream Discover

A couple aiming to promote balanced living as a key to life fulfillment, Sarah & Nathan of Live Dream Discover publish articles on their blog designed to inspire others to seek out their vision of the ideal life.

From tempting you with pictures from amazing locales all over the world to sharing content on healthy living and motivational pieces designed to inspire you to chase your dreams, this is an excellent site to keep in your RSS feed.

6. Lillie Marshall – Around the World “L” Travel Blog

Of all the traditional careers one can have, teaching allows established professionals the greatest amount of leeway when it comes to planning extended travels.

Lillie Marshall started Around the World “L” Travel Blog in 2009 to document her one-year sabbatical from the profession, only to find she missed teaching back home in Boston.

In addition to targeting her site at teachers looking to travel, she moved into covering family travel in 2013 when her first child arrived. If you are part of either niche, reading this blog will provide you with the inspiration you need.

7. Donna & Allan Hull – My Itchy Travel Feet

While the travel blogosphere is a saturated place, there is nowhere near as much content for boomers as there is for Millennials. Donna & Allan Hull sought to change this when they started up My Itchy Travel Feet in 2008.

Introduced to the wonders of overseas trips just a few years before by Allan’s parents, Donna and her husband demonstrate to their peers the world they can discover now that their kids are out of the house.

8. A Southern Traveler

It’s easy to feel jealous of the trips that many top American travel bloggers get to go on if you consume a lot of travel media. What about the 9-5 warrior who loves their job?

A Southern Traveler knows exactly where you are coming from, as she works full-time as a marketer, with only a few weeks per year in vacation.

In addition to addressing these issues, she covers travel destinations in the American South, giving visitors an idea of what to expect from the perspective of a local.

9. Debra Schroeder – Traveling Well for Less

Ever wonder how top American travel bloggers can take to the skies so frequently without handing over a disproportionate chunk of their bank account in the process?

The answer lies in a practice known as travel hacking, a topic which Debra Schroeder covers in detail on her blog, Traveling Well for Less.

While you will find some destination content, the majority of posts deal with Air Miles credit cards, loyalty programs, and strategies to amass points and exploit loopholes to your advantage.

10. Beth Blair, Jennifer Miner, & Kara Williams – The Vacation Gals

Looking for a family travel blog with can give an accurate idea of what to see and do across the whole of America?

This can be tough for a single blogger to do, as the responsibilities of raising kids make it nearly impossible to comprehensively cover a nation this big.

The Vacation Gals attempts to solve this problem with a novel approach: by having three bloggers spread across the USA covering their own backyards.

With Beth being in Minneapolis, Jennifer in Southern California, and Kara in Colorado, these top American travel bloggers are able to produce a blog with content varied enough to make their family travel blog one of the most informative in America.

11. Sherry Ott – Ott’s World

Many of the top American travel bloggers on this list have only been around for several years. Most burn out before then, having achieved only mediocre results at best.

Sherry Ott is the notable exception to this norm, as this corporate drop out has been at it since 2008 with her iconic blog, Ott’s World.

While she had wandered the world perpetually for close to a decade, Sherry has embarked on the next chapter in her life by establishing a home base in Denver.

This doesn’t mean she is done traveling – with this move, further exploration of America and the Rockies in her backyard will be a big part of what she plans to focus on in the foreseeable future.

12. A Couple for the Road

Another travel couple who have chosen not to abandon their careers for a life of perpetual travel, the pair behind A Couple for the Road have dedicated their blog towards those looking to make the most of their free time away from work.

Calling South Florida home when they aren’t on the road, these top American travel bloggers are on the constant hunt for culture and the arts, making this site a great one to follow if you share the same interests.

13. Brett Love & Mary Gabbett – Green Global Travel

There’s nothing like travel to make you aware of the beauty and fragility of our planet. This is the message Brett Love and & Mary Gabbett have been spreading via their eco-travel blog Green Global Travel since 2010.

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, not only do they profile the most environmentally friendly ways to travel across America and around the world, but these top American travel bloggers have also interviewed some famous people within the conservation movement (like Jane Goodall).

These two qualities make this blog a must-follow if you are even slightly interested in the environment and travel.

14. Travis Sherry – Extra Pack of Peanuts

Skeptical of your ability to afford the trips you see splashed all over the covers of the latest travel magazines? Once you let go of the idea that travel has to cost thousands of dollars per trip, a whole new world opens up to you.

This is the drum Travis Sherry of Extra Pack of Peanuts has been banging for years. On his site, you’ll find ways to earn tons of Air Miles, score cheap hotel rooms, and stay in cheap apartments in places like the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia.

15. Matt Long – Landlopers

In this round up of top American travel bloggers so far, we’ve seen representation from Millennials and Baby Boomers, but what about all the Gen X’ers out there?

Often a forgotten cohort, Matt Long of Landlopers represents his peer group admirably, giving them detailed travelogues with an emphasis on luxury.

Basing himself from Washington DC between trips, he loves spending time in his suburban home with his partner and three dogs when he isn’t out revealing the wonders of the world to his audience.

16. Kristin Addis – Be My Travel Muse

A former investment banker who ditched this demanding profession in a bid make the most of her life, Kristin Addis has come a long way from spending 12+ hour days in a stale cubicle back in Southern California.

When she hit the road in 2012, she started Be My Travel Muse at the same time, and over time, it has become a major resource for women planning solo trips.

Gaining empowerment from her example, it is a great site to check out if you are in the same position now as Kristin was five years ago.

17. Annette – Bucket List Journey

Much has been made of the so-called bucket list since the movie starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson hit theaters in 2007.

It has become something of a cliché in present times, as for most people, they are more of a list of passive wishes than a statement of intention to do life changing and affirming things.

Annette of Bucket List Journey has made it her life’s mission to embody the latter approach. On her blog, you’ll learn about all the amazing things you can do around the world to fill your days with the energy you’ve been seeking for so long.

18. Esther & Jacob – Local Adventurer

Many top American travel bloggers attempt to capture the essence of a city by spending a few days or even a week, but this is not nearly enough time to learn the secrets that only locals know about.

This is the conundrum Local Adventurer was created to solve. Started by Esther & Jacob, who are presently based in Portland, Oregon, they have since added two other writers in Asheville, NC.

Spending one year in a city, before moving on, these top American travel bloggers have covered the aforementioned cities, plus Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Diego, so check them out if you are looking for some truly in-depth info some of America’s coolest urban environments.

19. Gary Arndt – Everything Everywhere

Another long-time veteran of the travel blogosphere, Gary Arndt, owner of Everything Everywhere, has long been known for the quality of his photos.

However, a heartening fact for amateur shooters out there is that he was horrible by his own admission when he started.

Over time, he read and learned from online courses and with a bit of trial and error mixed in, he became known for taking some truly stunning travel shots over the years.

In addition to notching 175 countries in his travel belt, he is also known for visiting national parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, giving his site a curious air that is tough to ignore.

20. Kate McCulley – Adventurous Kate

When it comes to female top American travel bloggers, few are as well-known as Kate McCulley. Starting Adventurous Kate during a trip to Southeast Asia in 2010, she had no idea the stories it would tell in the years that followed.

From surviving the sinking of a ferry in Indonesia to starring as an extra in a German film, her countless fans have been around for it all.

These days, she travels less than she used to, calling New York City home for much of the year. As such, there are a number of articles on her new home that may be of interest to you if you are headed to the Big Apple soon.

21. Matthew Karsten – The Expert Vagabond

Looking to do more on your travels than look at pretty sights? If so, Matthew Karsten is your guy, as he frequently engages in adrenaline sports ranging from surfing to skydiving in the destinations he visits.

With seven years of traveling under his hat, he shares his perspective on his site, The Expert Vagabond on a weekly basis.

One of the most daring trips of his career took place recently, as he spent several weeks trekking through the mountains of Afghanistan, capturing pictures few top American travel bloggers have ever managed to capture.

22. Matthew Kepnes – Nomadic Matt

As far as name recognition goes, nobody can hold a candle to Matthew Kepnes. Founder of Nomadic Matt, he was one of the first big-time travel bloggers noticed by the mainstream media.

The main theme of his site revolves around budget travel, with posts designed to break through people’s objections to travel on financial grounds.

As a New York Times best-selling author (How to Travel the World on $50/day), there is no better authority on this subject.

23. Kiersten – The Blonde Abroad

Leaving behind a career in finance to pursue a life as a travel writer and online entrepreneur, Kristen of The Blonde Abroad leads a life towards which many of her female fans aspire.

In addition to providing women-centric advice to solo female travelers, she also is a trendsetter for fashions on vacation and how to remain stylish even on the move. I would delve farther into here awesomeness, but my fashion sense stops at Nordstrom Rack.

24. Derek Earl Baron – Wandering Earl

Beginning his travel career in 1999, Derek Earl Baron has been traveling for 18 years.

There have been many ways he has sustained his journey over the years, with working on cruise ships being the most prominent job he’s held, but it was only when he started Wandering Earl when his perpetual trip took on a whole new life.

He has parlayed the popularity he built into launching a small tour company (led by him) in 2012, but the primary thrust of his blog has been to demonstrate that adopting continual travel as a lifestyle isn’t just some pipe-dream fantasy – it is entirely doable.

25. Joanna Haugen – Kaleidoscopic Wandering

Not all top American travel bloggers are based in America or travel perpetually. Joanna Haugen found her home base overseas in Kiev, Ukraine alongside her husband Cory.

Being based in Eastern Europe, they offer an American perspective to travel in this region via their blog, Kaleidoscopic Wandering.

Additionally, they do make it home on a regular basis, so you’ll also find a selection of American destinations on this blog as well.

26. Jeannie Mark – Nomadic Chick

Ever feel like you’ve allowed yourself to be trapped in a corporate career due to the expectations of family, friends, and society?

So did Jeannie Mark, until the thought of being an imposter in her own life for a day longer was far too painful to bear.

Shortly after buying a ticket to India in 2010, she started Nomadic Chick to chronicle her journey, and since then, it has become a resource for those looking to make a fresh start of their life.

27. Barbara Weibel – Hole in the Donut

While Jeannie Mark finally had enough in middle age, it took Barbara Weibel of Hole in the Donut until she was in her 50s to throw in the towel on the rat race.

Stricken with chronic Lyme Disease, she thought through her life while she was undergoing treatment, and decided she was done with living a life where she was empty inside.

These days, the Florida resident has one of the most engaging cultural travel blogs on the internet, with deep storytelling and vivid photos drawing fans back post after post.

28. Hank Leukart – Without Baggage

While the name Hank Leukart may not raise many eyebrows, the owner of Without Baggage has been involved with a number of noteworthy adventure TV productions over the years.

Responsible for filming scenes for shows such as Discovery’s Naked and Afraid, and producing episodes of CBS’s The Amazing Race, he is well acquainted with exotic travel, and he brings that flavor to his blog as well.

In every post, the experience he got starting as a reporter for Dartmouth College’s student newspaper shines through, so if you are looking for travel stories will a compelling narrative, Without Baggage is well worth following.

29. Nathan J. Comp – The Feral Scribe

Want to read travel content backed by the discipline only a seasoned journalist can possess? Nathan J.Comp is a great writer to follow.

When he isn’t penning articles for Isthmus, Madison, Wisconsin’s alt-news weekly, he is out on the road combing for stories to place on The Feral Scribe.

Whether it may be in Las Vegas or London, he has a knack for finding interesting angles to pursue, so be sure to give this under-appreciated site a chance.

30. Christy Woodrow & Scott Calafiore – Ordinary Traveler

Looking for more reassurance that you can travel adequately as a career-focused professional or entrepreneur back home?

Annoyed at the unstated assumption that permanent travel was the ideal toward which everyone should aspire, Christy Woodrow & Scott Calafiore started the Ordinary Traveler so show the world how they managed to balance a life of fulfilling work while fitting in plenty of time for amazing holidays.

In addition to this, there are a number of posts which focus on photography, as Christy makes her living shooting amazing scenes around the world when she isn’t home with Scott in San Diego, so if you are looking to improve your snaps, check out their posts on this subject.

31. Justin – Wandering Justin

Like to spend your holidays pursuing physical activity? Justin of Wandering Justin feels you, as he takes every opportunity to go hiking, ride mountain bikes, or walk until the soles of his feet ache.

Calling Phoenix, Arizona home, he has made more than his share of content on this increasingly popular city in the Southwest, so follow him if you are planning to visit this part of the world soon.

32. Jill Homer – Jill Outside

Looking for someone able to provide a female perspective to adventure sports travel? Jill Homer will give you what you are looking for, as the articles she publishes regularly on Jill Outside detail her exploits hiking through a variety of mountain terrain.

She treks trails in her backyard of Boulder, Colorado regularly, though she travels abroad regularly to places like the French Alps, where she is posting as of the writing of this guide.

Recommended for not just female adventure travelers, but for all who love the outdoors.

33. Stephanie Yoder & Megan Stetzel – Why Wait to See the World?

The blog formerly known as Twenty-Something Travel has re-branded itself into Why Wait to See the World, a travel magazine aimed at Millennials who are on the fence when its comes to world travel.

Along with Megan Stetzel, Stephanie Yoder promotes a variety of travel types, from solo backpacking to family and culinary-focused trips.

34. Wade Shepard – Vagabond Journey

Looking for some top American travel bloggers who take a more intellectual approach to the topics they choose to cover? Wade Shepard’s Vagabond Journey is a site which may be of interest to you.

Over the years, Wade has broken a number of stories which have gotten major traction in the American mainstream media, with the Ghost Cities of China being chief among them.

Recently on the blog, he got to explore Cyberjaya, part of Malaysia’s thrust to become a force in high tech, and he also penned an editorial speaking out against a new room tax which singles out foreigners.

35. Leah Davis – The Sweetest Way

Ever wonder how top American travel bloggers and other perpetual travelers stay on the road for so long without ever running out of money?

They aren’t trust fund kids – most have taken advantage of the increasing ability to get work done remotely to fund their daily existences.

Leah Davis preaches the gospel of location independence frequently on her blog, The Sweetest Way. While she does post on the destinations she visits, the focus is decidedly focused on how to make money on the road.

From social media strategies to the hottest co-working spaces, those looking to take their travels to the next level by developing a source of remote income will find plenty of actionable information on Leah’s corner of the internet.

36. Jessica Festa – Epicure and Culture

Many memorable travel experiences revolve around food, and it’s no surprise – no matter our divergent interests, at the end of the day, we all have to eat.

Native New Yorker Jessica Festa knows all about this, as her home city has one of the most vibrant food cultures in America, if not the world.

In the posts you’ll find on Epicure and Culture, you’ll find thoughtful write-ups on sustainable food culture, markets around the globe, amazing restaurants she has found on her travels, and more.

In addition to these articles, she also focuses on culture, the environment, and yoga as they relate to travel.

37. David & Veronica – The Gypsynesters

Why mope around a deafeningly quiet home when the world is begging to be explored? David & Veronica asked themselves this several years ago and ended up selling everything, starting The Gypsynesters, and chronicling their adventures every step of the way.

As empty nest travel blogs go, this site is among the best known in the genre. While its design is a bit on the busy side, it is packed with inspiration for adults who have seen the last of their offspring leave the house.

38. Randi & Michael – Just a Pack

Back in 2014, two kids from New York City when out on a date together. While they had much in common (travel being chief among their interests), a romantic spark just wasn’t present, so they decided to just be friends.

Soon after, they ended up planning an open-ended journey around the world together, and along the way, Just A Pack was born.

On their blog, you’ll find tips on how to be a responsible traveler, all while saving money in the process.

39. Jazmin & Steven – Travel to Blank

It’s funny how going down a certain road in life can change it so profoundly. When Steven met Jazmin while studying at the University of Colorado at Boulder, it would eventually lead to them getting married and moving with his new wife to her native Ecuador.

This touched off a series of travel adventures which resulted in the founding of Travel to Blank. While they have explored Latin America extensively, these top American travel bloggers have also spent their fair share of time in the United States and Asia as well, making it a great blog to consult if you are traveling to any of these regions.

40. Keith & Tina – Retire Early and Travel

About to retire, but don’t want to spend your golden years puttering around the same home you’ve known for decades?

Keith & Tina of Retire Early and Travel know you’ve worked hard your whole life, so they’ve dedicated their time over the past several years detailing all the places you can go once you no longer have your 9-5 job as an excuse for life postponement.

As they found when they looked at their finances and compared it with the cost of living abroad, you can take what you may think as meager savings and make them go much further in destinations like Hua Hin, Thailand, Cuenca, Ecuador, and Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

41. Michael Hodson – Go See Write

A lawyer who left his profession behind in 2008 to circle the globe without boarding a plane, Michael Hodson has always made a point of setting unique travel goals in order to keep them fresh and interesting.

During this time, he launched Go See Write so his family could stay on top of his travels, only to attract the attention of a wider audience as he went.

These days, the site of one of the more prolific top American travel bloggers is a bigger operation, as he has hired a number of regular contributors. If you are looking for information on a variety of travel topics, this site is one you should definitely bookmark.

42. Gareth Leonard – Tourist 2 Townie

After cashing out of a business he wasn’t passionate about, Gareth Leonard decided he’d rather hit the road than continue down a path which bored him to tears.

During this time, he put together a detailed plan to improve himself in each place he visited. While he was in the process of learning how to cook like a Peruvian in Lima and dancing the tango in Buenos Aires, he realized there was more to world travel than being a tourist.

Soon after this realization, Tourist 2 Townie was born. On the blog of one of the more interesting top American travel bloggers out there, you’ll find posts dedicated to helping you to travel deeper rather than passively experiencing the world like most people are content to do.

43. Kenin & Lauren – The Constant Rambler

Kenin & Lauren used to deal with crippling workloads which many Americans take for granted these days. However, it eventually became an untenable position for this Miami area couple to accept, so they resigned from their jobs and hit the road.

Not long after, they started The Constant Rambler, and from that day forward, they resolved to work to live rather than the other way around.

On their site, you’ll find articles which mostly focus on road trips, which have comprised the majority of their trips since they started their blog.

44. Larissa & Michael – Changes in Longitude

2011 was a big year for Larissa & Michael. After being married for 25 years, they decided to shake up their lives in grand fashion by selling their home and using the proceeds to fund a year-long trip around the world.

Their journey took them to all but one continent, with Changes in Longitude being founded to track their adventures.

With nothing keeping them in Philly once they returned, they decided to make their wanderings permanent, adopting the lives of high-flying top American travel bloggers.

45. Johnny Discala – Johnny Jet

Despite anxiety early on in his traveling career that led him to turn back from boarding what would have been his first flight when he was 17, Johnny Discala made up for it a few years later and never tured back.

He never started a site, though, until he heard about how cheaply his friends were traveling. Slightly jealous and more than a little intrigued, he learned everything they knew about travel hacking, and being the competitive guy he was, he ended up out-earning them (by a lot) within a couple of years.

Desperate to learn his secrets, he started an e-mail newsletter, and word spread beyond his inner circle. This eventually spawned Johnny Jet, one of the web’s leading authorities on travel hacking.

From air mile credit cards to loyalty programs, Johnny covers it all, so follow along and soon, you’ll be saving much more than you ever thought you would.

46. James & Susan – The Savvy Backpacker

As a couple from Missouri who dreamed of what life was like across the pond, James & Susan got their first taste on a Eurotrip they went on in 2011.

Much of the web content they found when researching their destination was of superficial quality, leaving them determined to come up with a better resource on their own; it was out this desire that The Savvy Backpacker was born.

With plenty of information on planning and preparing for a trip to Europe, as well as plenty of helpful tips about what to expect in many popular destinations, the site of these top American travel bloggers is a great one to keep tabs on if you are about to go on your own journey to Europe soon.

47. Josh – California Through My Lens

From deserts to rainforests, quaint towns to Alpha world cities, California has such diversity to it that if it were on any other continent, it would be its own country.

The sheer variety of things to see and do drove Josh to start California Through My Lens – 900 posts later, it has become the definitive resource for travelers seeking to plan a trip to the Golden State.

48. Rachel Jones – Hippie in Heels

Many careers seem glamorous when we study them in school. When we get out into the real world and find out the truth, though, we are faced with a stark choice: buckle down and accept 40 years of punishing, monotonous work, or cut your losses and do something else.

Rachel Jones chose the latter, abandoning her nascent career as a cardiac nurse in North Carolina to spend her days lounging on a beach in Goa, India.

Her love of this exotic country only grew from there, leading to the launch of Hippie In Heels. Since then, she has delved into luxury travel and has ventured elsewhere in the world, but from a cursory examination of one the best up and coming top American travel bloggers, it’s clear her heart belongs to the Subcontinent.

49. Liz Carlson – Young Adventuress

First introduced to the wonders of travel on a study abroad semester in Salamanca, Spain, Liz Carlson wasted no time in re-donning her backpack the second she collected her diploma back in New England.

Spending time exploring Europe in-between stints as an ESL teacher in Spain, she also found time to start Young Adventuress, the blog that would eventually fund her life.

These days, she lives in New Zealand and has recently appeared in the mainstream media spot detailing her life in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

50. Amanda Williams – A Dangerous Business

There are many triggers which lead us to pack our bags and hit the road for parts unknown for the first time. For Amanda Williams, it was her love of the Lord of the Rings trilogy which caused her to become infatuated with New Zealand.

As such, it wasn’t long after she graduated college that she left Ohio to seek out the country which had consumed her imagination.

With that, the travel bug had sunk its fangs into Amanda. While she prefers to keep a home base in the Buckeye State, she has still managed to visit 45 countries on six continents since 2005.

Since 2010, she has tracked her trips abroad on her blog, A Dangerous Business. If you want to learn how to balance a life at home while traveling as much as possible, this blog is an incredible resource.