Did your favorite blog make the list? Read on to find out!
Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Viator Travel Awards, an annual awards competition where we let our travelers select the top things to do and see in each of the major regions we serve, as well as the top things to do in our most popular tour categories. The awards culminate in the Viator Top Travel Destinations and our annual list of the world’s most travel-inspiring attractions.
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Welcome to the 2011 Viator Travel Awards: Travel Blog edition, your indispensable guide to the Top 25 Travel Blogs You Should Be Reading. Here at Viator, we love travel blogs. They’re great traveling companions and advisors, provide the travel lover with loads of tips, recommendations, photographs, great writing, and fascinating insights. Travel blogs are also great places to share your experiences and adventures. Thus, we got together and narrowed down our favorite travel blogs to present to you with this year’s picks for the Top 25 Travel Blogs of 2011!
#25. d travels ’round
The subtitle for friendly thirty-something Diana “D” Edelman is “life is not about living happily ever after, it’s about living.” Her Escapes section, especially, showcases her travels with witty, fun, and personal observations and lots of photos. She even publishes guest posts on this very blog!
#24. Landlopers
Landlopers creator and “Gen-X professional” with a passion for travel Matt Long offers an extensive site, featuring categories for travel news, travel tips, and “good eats”. Pull-down menus are arranged by locations, and his earthy, unpretentious first-person prose has a universal appeal. Photos are warm and candid, like he’s traveling right beside you.
#23. 501 Places
Travel writer Andy Jarosz shares his travel experiences in this entertaining, “non-commercial” blog designed to present fellow travelers with honest insights into the nearly 100 countries he’s visited. Essentially a labor of love, the blog is filled with photos, easy-to-read prose, and a great Travel Chatter menu, where you can talk about culture, toilets and gripes.
#22. Mallory On Travel
Epic travel photo courtesy of Mallory On Travel
Former Army Warrant Advisor and organizer for adventurous pursuits, Ian Mallory combined his love of wanderlust, “life-long need for adventure,” and experience to create this exciting blog for adventure travelers and culture seekers. Photos, insightful entries, gear recommendations, and tips make this a perfect adventure traveler companion.
#21. The Trip Chicks
Trip Chicks Ann Lombardi and Wendy Swartzell welcome leisure travelers to peruse their site and let them help you plan your trip. Boomer travel is the focus here, and these former travel consultants and tour managers help you plan group tours, cruises, soft-adventure getaways, and other leisure excursions.
#20. OttsWorld Travel Experiences
Sherry Ott, self-described “middle age wanderer”, shares her travel sojourns through friendly first-person posts and engaging photography. She likes visiting off-the-beaten path destinations, and encourages her primarily female audience to take a break from the corporate world and explore. Her pull-down menus include volunteering, tips, and 25 things you didn’t know about her.
Looking forward to more travel in 2012! - photo courtesy of Sherry Ott via OttsWorld
#19. Twenty-Something Travel
Stephanie Yoder believes in enjoying the riches the world has to offer while still in her 20s. Getting outside your comfort zone and pursuing a unique adventure is the theme. Her experiences are varied, from tasting Colombian fruits to exploring the white cliffs of Dover. Nice photos, guest posts, and travel tips help inspire.
#18. The Cranky Flier
Airline geek Brett Snyder proffers up loads of entertaining anecdotes, news, advice, assistance on airline travel. From posts on Virgin America system changes to Your Favorite Denver Airport Conspiracy, the Cranky Flier wins kudos for its unabashed (and hilariously cranky!), insightful look at the airline industry.
#17. Jaunted
For the pop culture savvy traveler, Jaunted is your first stop for the latest hip happenings around the world. From celebrity hangouts to tweeting at the Toronto airport, Jaunted has it covered. Have a Jaunted travel-worth photo, cool travel tip, or story to share? You can do that here, too.
#16. Travel For Love
Roberto & Laura travel for love! - photo courtesy of Travel for Love
Follow the travel adventures of Roberto and Laura, from Brazil and the U.S. respectively, who spend time with each other in places around the world, chronicling their travels with photography, tips, and pithy overviews of each destination they visit. The site continues to grow, and their personality and love and respect for each other and the places they visit are infectious.
#15. A Luxury Travel Blog
Want to immerse yourself in the world of luxury? Industry veteran Paul Johnson uncovers everything for the discerning traveler, from the most exclusive restaurants and luxury resorts to private island getaways and first class travel gadgets. Even for those with less-than-deep pocketbooks, the blog provides much fun for the imagination.
#14. The Travel Bite
Foodies who love to travel and travelers who love to eat can discover many epicurean delights inside this blog, created by Rachelle Lucas, who believes “the best way to learn about a destination is through its flavors”. This she does, with appetizing videos, photos, and posts on everything from the best coffees around the world to favorite sushi places. The recipe section is icing on the cake.
Find recipes for your favorite travel foods at The Travel Bite! - photo courtesy of The Travel Bite
#13. Intelligent Travel
Hiking adventures, train trips, organic farm stays, family spring break resources—National Geographic’s Intelligent Travel blog covers a wide swath of excursions with an eye on sustainable travel. National Geographic’s bounty of resources is at your disposable, too, so you’ll find eye-catching photos, insightful writing, Top 10 lists, and videos.
#12. Gridskipper
Urban travelers need look no further than Gridskipper. Discerning, in-the-know editors and writers give you the lowdown on restaurants of the moment, hip hotels, the coolest clubs, and where the beautiful people shop. It’s easy to navigate, too, and stunning photos and maps will whet your appetite for a cool urban experience.
#11. WhyGo Family
This comprehensive family travel site, part of the Bootsnall Travel Network, comes loaded with family travel guides and tips, including suggestions as where to go gelato tasting in Rome and how to spend Christmas in Portland. Detailed pull-down menus enable easy planning and provides hours of discovery.
#10. The Planet D
Dave and Deb on a Mount Everest Adventure - photo courtesy of The Planet D
Follow the adventures of Dave and Deb from Toronto as they climb, bike, hike, and paddle their way around five continents. Captivating photos, videos, and posts filled with insights and tips make this a fun spot for adventure travelers.
#9. Kyle The Vagabond
Travelers seeking new destinations will have much to discover from Kyle the Vagabond. Kyle, a seasoned travel journalist, is forever on the road, documenting his travels with lively photos, videos, unique itineraries, and concise overviews, tips, and personal picks in an easy-to-read-and-navigate guide-like style. Find guest posts by Kyle on our own Travel Blog.
#8. Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site
Nomadic Matt, a “thirty-something vagabond,” provides a comprehensive guide-like site, rich with tips, news, excellent photos, and advice. His love of travel spills onto the pages, and he even includes a blog-within-a-blog for travelers to share their experiences. The travel guide section is top-notch, including top things to see and money saving tips.
#7. Soul Travelers 3
A truly spiritual, enriching family blog, Soul Travelers 3 chronicles this Santa Cruz family’s trips around the globe. The blog shares such tips from eating healthy to family camping in Europe, along with insightful words, photos, and videos that bring their journey to life. For families new to traveling, this is an excellent resource.
The littlest of the Soul Travelers 3 in Morocco - photo courtesy of their Flickr
#6. Budget Travel
Budget Travel’s blog is the first stop for budget travelers, jam-packed with travel news, tips, up-to-date deals, planning information, travel stories, and itineraries on a budget. You’ll also find insightful travel stories and firsthand tips from travel journalists, editors, and people who just love travel. No topic goes uncovered, from eco-friendly tips and destinations to traveling on a Megabus.
#5. Where I’ve Been
Share your travel experiences on Where I’ve Been, an interactive site where you can upload photos, recommendations, and tips from places you’ve visited. You can also tap into the community and learn about new places to visit. Create a profile, make new friends, and away you go!
#4. Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet’s well-earned reputation as an essential travel resource extends to their blog, with a backpack full of topics from favorite travel literature titles and travel tips to photography and shared experiences. Whether planning a trip to outback Australia or an overland excursion in Africa, the LP staff and travel writers will point you in the right direction.
#3. Go Backpacking
Read about Peru's tallest mountain and lots more at GoBackpacking - photo courtesy of GoBackpacking
From climbing Peru’s tallest mountain to visiting the world’s most famous breweries, Go Backpacking provides how-to articles, destination advice, and budget tips on how to make the most of your travel adventure. Best-ofs make finding information easy, and the gear guides get you prepared.
#2. Frommer’s
Travel stalwart Frommer’s has come a long way in recent years, especially in the travel blog arena. Editors and writers share insights into everything travel, from London’s Punk Beer Revolution to the latest in cruises. Namesake traveler expert Arthur Frommer’s is here, too, with his sharp and savvy insights.
#1. Gadling
Affiliated with Huffington Post, Gadling is one of the most popular travel blogs. It’s a comprehensive site, covering everything from budget travel and travel news to a variety of travel tips and travel technology. Stories, podcasts, and videos are always entertaining, and often surprise with fun topics. Interactive maps and crisp photos make it fun site for armchair travelers, too.
That’s Viator’s list of the Top 25 Travel Blogs in 2011. Stay tuned for more lists in the coming days, to help you plan your next trip across the globe. Let us know what you think, tell us about your own travel experiences, and most important of all – happy travels in 2012!
January 12, 2012 at 6:48 PM
LonelyPlanet’s look so professional. Other blogs I never see, so thanks for your suggest.
January 31, 2012 at 1:19 AM
Wow..I went through some of the travelblog sites mentioned here and they are really informative and I can realise why they are top 25.I am starting travelblog recently based in Nepal ,hope in near future my travelblog site make in list here.
Happy travel blogging…Enjoy