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Inspiring others to live a wildly adventurous life, the wildly life, adventure travel couple, you've come to the right place + we are so glad that you are here, adventure travel, if you love....

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THE WILDLY LIFE was created to inspire others to live a wildly adventurous life! It's so much more than just your typical adventure travel blog. We love to take you along on our adventures by sharing our experiences in a honest and relatable. Whether that's hiking in the mountains or an international road trip - we are all about anything that makes life feel like a grand adventure! Explore around. Read our blogs, watch our home videos, and find us on the 'Gram for all things the wildly life! 

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HOME VIDEOS

Home Videos are our versions of travel vlogs but in a more real, authentic, and relatable way. We get to experience lots of amazing things and places that we are so grateful for! But that doesn't mean our travels are always "picture perfect". Our goal is to capture the moments how they happen and sharing our adventures honestly! From locations we loved to the weather ruining our plans. Life isn't perfect and travels aren't usually either, we strive to always keep it real! 

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HI FRIENDS! WE'RE SYDNEY + CALEB

Just a wildly in love husband and wife duo adventuring around the world together! We prioritize memories over things. We've created a life that brings us so much joy by constantly traveling and experiencing new adventures together.  We love it so much we want to share all our adventure travel tips, tricks, and more so that you can do it too! 

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About Live Adventure Travel

I just want to take a minute to thank you for clicking onto my little corner of the internet. Hi, my name is Laura, I am an Irish girl with a passion for travel, the great outdoors and photography.

Live Adventure Travel initially began as just a small blog. A place for me to share the stories of my travels. I never really imagined it becoming such a major part of my life today.

Fast forward five years, I have developed a range of skills that ultimately led to me expanding this brand beyond the little diary entries I used to write in 2017.

I have been lucky enough to go on a range of adventures both abroad and around my home country, Ireland.

This prints store is the perfect place for me to share some of my favourite photos from my travels. I hope they make a lovely addition to your home. Or, perhaps a nice present for your loved ones.

If you would like to follow along on my travel adventures, feel free to follow me on my social media channels down below.

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Hi! Welcome to my little corner of cyberspace.

Misadventures of an Outdoorsy Diva is an adventure travel blog for women who love outdoor adventure, unique travel experiences, the great outdoors, foodie adventures, theme parks and every other kind of adventure.

If I inspire anyone at all to pursue a dream, to step out of their norm, and to really take time to appreciate the beauty of the world we live in then it will all be worth it. Being the “Outdoorsy” type doesn’t mean you wear camouflage or that you’re any less feminine. And being feminine and liking designer purses doesn’t mean that you can’t connect with nature, even if you make a fool of yourself in the process. If this girl can get in touch with her outdoorsy side then so can you!

Life is about creating moments and I look forward to sharing my moments and adventures in my blog with all of you. Check out “Where I’ve been” and learn more in “About Me”. I love to connect with my readers so don’t be shy! Comment or send me a note via the contact page.

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Top 25 Adventure Travel Blogs of 2024

This list is an attempt to highlight some of the best blogs about adventure travel   that can be found on the web. The ranking was compiled tracking hundreds of blogs. The top sites that made this list are ranked according to Alexa (33.3%), Domain Authority (33.3%), Page Authority (33.3%) indicators. The list doesn't involve our personal opinion in any way.

The ranking is updated once every year with new blogs and up-to-date scores. The data was collected in December 2020 for the current list.

To all who made it to the list, a big congratulations!. You deserved it for the great job you are doing with your blog. For those who didn't make it this time, don't get yourself down. Study what the other blogs are doing and get ready for the next update!

SCORING SYSTEM

In order to evaluate every blog in an objective way we use indicators that measure the web traffic and the authority of the site on the internet.

The total score that every blog receive is based on 3 key indicators: Alexa Score , Page Authority and Domain Authority . For full details on what these indicators mean and how to improve them, we recommend you to read this page on NomadicSamuel.com that explains everything in an easy way to understand.

All the blogs get ranked on these 3 categories and they receive a score (points) according to their rank on each category. The sum of those 3 scores is the blog's total score.

TOP 25 ADVENTURE TRAVEL BLOGS

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SUBMIT YOUR BLOG FOR THE NEXT UPDATE

If you would like to submit your blog and be considered for this list, it needs to meet the following requirements:

  • Be  adventure travel specific . Only real adventure blogs are accepted.
  • Your site must have a  blog section .
  • Being  updated regularly . Sites that haven't been updated within the last 3 months won't be considered.
  • You must  own the domain (i.e. wordpress.com, weebly or blogspot blogs don't rank for their own Domain Authority score).

DOES YOUR BLOG MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS?

We would love to hear from you!

Please send us a message to  [email protected] with the subject "Top 25 Adventure Travel Blogs" to be considered for the next update.

CHECK OUT OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE WEB 

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Top 8 Best Blogs On Adventure Travel

When I am not climbing mountains or exploring new destinations, I spend much of my free time reading about adventure. While I am always looking to read the next great book on adventure or the latest addition of Outside Magazine or National Geographic, over the years I have found myself increasingly interested in following the adventure blogs of real life explorers.

Listed below are my Top 8 Best Blogs on Adventure Travel . Each of them are written by individuals who have a gift for storytelling, a thirst for exploration and the courage to blaze their own path through life!

Reading their travel blog sites has helped me to keep motivated, and inspires me to plan my own new epic adventures.

The Top 8 Best Blogs On Adventure Travel

  • The Expert Vagabond – Matthew Karsten
  • Alison’s Adventures – Alison Teal
  • Alastair Humphreys
  • Andrew Skurka
  • Eric Larsen Explore – Eric Larsen
  • Section Hiker – Philip Werner
  • Wild Junket – Nellie Huang
  • SoCal Hiker – Jeff Hester

1.  The Expert Vagabond – Matthew Karsten

The Expert Vagabond

Visit Matthew’s Blog by click HERE or follow the link below:

https://expertvagabond.com/travel-blog/

As stated on his site, the definition of a vagabond is “wandering from place to place without any settled home; nomadic” and this perfectly sums up Karsten’s life. At the age of 29 Matthew quit his job, sold his possessions and headed out on the road. Karsten has traveled across the globe for five years while travel blogging to share his adventures with the world and he doesn’t have any plans to slow down. The Expert Vagabond is living proof that it is possible to live an adventurous life and follow your dreams.

2.  Alison’s Adventures – Alison Teal

Alison Teal

Visit Alison’s Blog by clicking HERE or follow the link below:

https://alisonsadventures.com/news/

Continuously on the go, nothing can stop this worldwide adventurer who is dubbed “The Female Indiana Jones”. Whether she is surfing in Hawaii, exploring the ancient city of Petra, or backpacking through Indonesia, Alison Teal, through her adventures teaches people to follow their dreams while also showing the beauty of the world for all of us to see. Alison’s Adventures is one of the best adventure travel blogs on the web.

3.  Alastair Humphreys

Alastair Humphreys

Visit Alastair’s Blog by click HERE or follow the link below:

https://alastairhumphreys.com/blog/

This British adventurer who coined the term ‘micro adventure’ advocates that people don’t need to go across the world to find adventure, but can actually find it closer to home. Although Humphreys has written a best selling book on micro adventures which you can check out HERE , this doesn’t stop him from continuously testing the boundaries of global exploration. Nominated as a National Geographic Adventurer in 2012, Humphreys has crossed Iceland by foot and pack raft, rowed across the Atlantic ocean, and cycled round the world for four years. This adventure travel blog is a must for anyone who loves to explore!

4.  Andrew Skurka

Andrew Skurka

Visit Andrew’s Blog by click HERE or follow the link below:

https://andrewskurka.com/blog/

Described by National Geographic as “one of the best traveled and fastest hikers on the planet” , Andrew Skurka has made a name for himself by hiking super human distances across rugged terrain. One example is his 7,775-mile, eleven month sea-to-sea route expedition. The sea-to-sea route connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in the United States.

Being awarded the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2007, Skurka has perfected the art of moving fast and lightly through the mountains, and has actually published a gear guide on the subject titled “The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Techniques to Hit the Trail” which you can find HERE .

5.  Eric Larsen Explore – Eric Larsen

Eric Larsen

Visit Eric’s Blog by click HERE or follow the link below:

http://www.ericlarsenexplore.com/updates

The best way to describe explorer Eric Larsen is that he LOVES the cold. The seasoned polar explorer has skied to both the North and South Pole, and after summiting Mount Everest in October of 2010 Eric became the first person to reach the three poles in a 365 day period. He also uses his expeditions as a platform to create awareness on the effects of climate change on the earth.

I first saw Eric speak in 2014 at the REI Adventure Store in New York City and have been following this polar explorers’ adventures ever since.

6.  Section Hiker – Philip Werner

Philip Werner

Visit Philip’s Blog by click HERE or follow the link below:

http://sectionhiker.com

Whenever I have a question on gear, backpacking skills, or a trail I am about to hike I always check out the Section Hiker blog. Section Hiker is an encyclopedia of information and is one of my go-to resources on the web for anything hiking related. The blog is penned by Philip Werner, who is an accomplished adventurer and has completed notable adventures such as the 272 mile long trail in Vermont and two coast-to-coast backpacking trips across the Scottish highlands.

A few year’s ago I was looking for help with an Appalachian trail hike and I was able to find everything that I needed on the Section Hiker blog.

7.  Wild Junket – Nellie Huang

Wild Junket

Visit Nellie’s Blog by click HERE or follow the link below:

https://www.wildjunket.com/blog/

Professional adventure traveller Nellie Huang has been traveling the world since 2003 and documenting her journeys in the adventure blog, Wild Junket. With over ninety countries under her belt, regardless of whether she is climbing active volcanos in Guatemala, scuba diving in Borneo or exploring the Silk Road, Nellie is always in search of her next great adventure.

8.  SoCal Hiker – Jeff Hester

SoCal Hiker

Visit Jeff’s Blog by click HERE or follow the link below:

https://socalhiker.net/

The SoCal hiker blog was created by Jeff Hester and is an excellent resource of trails for those who live in the Southern California area. Many of the blog posts are written as detailed guides with trail descriptions and photos to help you navigate. For those who are interested in hiking the John Muir trail, there is one of the most comprehensive guides that I have seen, which will help you plan your adventure. Anyone that loves to explore the mountains, the SoCal Hiker is one of the best travel blog sites on the web.

We hope that you have enjoyed our post on the 8 Best Blogs on Adventure Travel. If you would like to learn more about our adventures click HERE or if you have a favorite blog on adventure travel we would love to hear about it just shoot us an email at [email protected].

I look forward to seeing you on the trail!

Jeff Bonaldi Founder & CEO The Explorer’s Passage

About Jeff Bonaldi

Jeff Bonaldi is the Founder and CEO of The Explorer’s Passage, a premier adventure travel company. His mission is to provide travelers with the opportunity to transform their lives and the planet through the power of adventure.

Learn more about Jeff’s story and his company HERE .

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Adventure Possible

Trial & Error in a Life of Adventure

Live a Life of Adventure in 15 Steps

Share adventure with others.

Our family believes in designing the life one wants to live, and we have designed an approach for our life that builds adventure into our life plan. This approach is evolving through trial and error, so by no means is it perfect. For the ease of referring to this life we’ve designed, we’ll call it the Adventure Possible Life.

Adventure Possible Life

The Adventure Possible life borrows five years from retirement. Inspired by Stefan Sagmeister.

In a traditional life, an average person spends the first twenty five years of their life learning through school or trade. The person then spends forty years working with the goal of saving enough money to retire at sixty five. At which time, they hope to enjoy some fifteen years of healthy retirement while living off a nest egg and before passing.

We modify life’s traditional arc.

The Adventure Possible life borrows five years from retirement, dispersing those years in one year blocks about every five to seven years throughout the typical working years.

As a result, we create five or so distinct opportunities for adventure.

We work hard for about five to seven years, advancing careers, making money, saving money, and investing.

For those working years, we thrive, driving professional success while dreaming and planning the next adventure.

The adventure can be whatever desired. It’s personal. Backpacking. Cycling. Paddling. Expat living in a foreign country. RV’ing America. It doesn’t have to be dangerous, unconquered, far away, or even last a full year, as long as we get into the adventure mentality by pushing ourselves into new experiences, disconnecting from the rat race, and forcing change in our lives.

At AdventurePossible.com, we share our family’s story along with lots of lessons learned about the experiences and practicalities of living the Adventure Possible life. Planning adventure. Making money. Saving money. Investing in assets. Exiting and entering the workforce. We focus on these practical topics so that we can learn how to better manage and design this life, and so that you can apply them in your own design.

Why have we designed this life?

The Adventure Possible concept emerged out of our own necessity to balance ambitions for having successful professional careers, building wealth, having a happy and healthy family, and embarking on epic adventures.

We often found these ambitions to be in conflict with one another. As career and family progressed, excuses and concerns about money, timing, and family smothered adventure travel dreams.

The Adventure Possible life helps us make adventure an integral part of life, giving us reason and methods to remove some of the most common barriers to adventure while minimizing the sacrifices related to work, money, and family.

Is this a risky life?

Over the years, we’ve had naysayers tell us we’re going to derail our careers, crush our finances, endanger our children, or otherwise put ourselves at risk by leaving work and adventuring. The questions and concerns expressed by others often lead us to think more deeply about our lifestyle, and in some cases refine our approach to employment, parenting, finance, and education. As we move through the 15 Steps to Make Adventure Possible, we’ll share our perspective on some of the common concerns and deeper considerations we’ve had to ponder. In each step, there are links to other articles and anecdotes from our adventures. So explore the content and decide for yourself how you’ll manage the risk of adventure.

The 15 Steps to Make Adventure Possible

For you would-be adventurers, we’re capturing our learnings in a step-by-step process that we hope will inspire you to lead a life of adventure.

Built around the concept of taking one year sabbatical every five to seven years, we’ll walk you through the following steps and provide you with many ancillary articles for each step so that you can make adventure possible.

Step 1: Determine Your Adventure Step 2: Manage Debt Before the Adventure Step 3: Analyze Current Household Spending Step 4: Cut Current Expenses Step 5: Create an Adventure Travel Budget Step 6: Create a Gear & Equipment List with Pricing Step 7: Create an Adventure Travel Savings Plan Step 8: Commit to Long Term Savings & Investing Step 9: Plan your Exit from the Workforce Step 10: Shed Your Stuff Step 11: Make Money While You Travel Step 12: Embark on the Adventure Step 13: Manage Finances and Other Matters While Traveling Step 14: Re-Enter the Workforce Step 15: Return to Step 1

Note: For those steps not linked, the articles are coming soon (maybe).

Want to find out when they publish? Sign up for our email.

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August 22, 2016 at 10:23 pm

Very cool article – we love adventure not just in our home country New Zealand but in other wildernesses 🙂

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August 23, 2016 at 12:29 am

Sounds great, Mia. Thanks for stopping by and the comment!

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September 16, 2016 at 3:20 pm

I am excited to have found this site! We are in the process of planning a cross country family rv trip, for a period of 6-12+ months. Any help in preparation would be welcome! We can’t wait to make real life changing memories with our family! Thank you for doing this, even if we don’t qualify. What an amazing program!

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September 16, 2016 at 3:44 pm

Nicole, feel free to email me any specific questions. We published a few “how we planned, what we packed, how we decided” posts early on. I’m happy to help answer any questions you might have. So glad to hear you’re doing this!!

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October 4, 2016 at 3:55 pm

Stumbled upon your site when searching full time RV budgeting! Very interested to see how it’s going for you! We just purchased an Airstream trailer and spend all of our time daydreaming about quitting our jobs and travelling full time. I’ll be reading all of your posts more in depth – especially the transition period and what you did with all of your worldly possessions! Thanks and enjoy your adventure!

October 5, 2016 at 8:04 am

Hi Sally, that’s great you bought an Airstream. I hope you all can get on the road full-time sooner than later. Let us know if you have any questions while considering your trip. We’re happy to help and it gives us ideas for blog posts.

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November 29, 2016 at 5:51 pm

I think you guys are so awesome! You are living the dream I’m working towards. I’m currently planning an AT thru hike this spring.

February 2, 2017 at 8:52 pm

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December 23, 2017 at 2:27 am

For Adventure just only thing about these – 1. Think that you are the purest and best thing that god has ever made. 2. If you try your best , then whole universe will bring you that. 3.Dream for fun,love,family,champion. 4. You are a hero , you are unstoppable, work on your dreams, let them run wild. 5.Create happiness, love, see best in others, do your best. One last thing , my age is 14 years, hope you understand what i am planning.

– Siddharth Upadhyay

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May 11, 2018 at 2:13 pm

My wife and i just bought a 36 foot 1993 Fleetwood Bounder with only 011480 original miles. We are going to Oregon first then to Arizona from there we want to just continue around the United States. We are looking for ways to fund our dream. I just put a new roof on, i am replacing the plumbing since it leaks threw alot of the fittings. There isn’t a kitchen,since it was a office previously. Thats our next project after we buy tires it still has original tires they have great tread but they are dry roted. Would you like to sponsor us with 7 Goodyear tires, possibly a kitchen. We are thinking about possibly doing a wrap with advertising from our sponsors. We just need to make sure they have our values. In God we trust and work for, we are constitutionalists and animal lovers who don’t want to hurt our environment our planet. We believe we need government reform without a civil war.

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The Top 10 RV Blogs You’ll Want To Follow

  • Nikki Cleveland
  • January 12, 2022
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Airstream on desert road featured in RV blogs

Where to Learn About RVing on YouTube and Blogs

There is a lot of useful information for RVers online whether you’re considering full-timing, interested in boondocking , or just love to find new places to camp.

Ten of the Best 2022 RV Blogs to Follow Include:

Follow these ten RV blogs as they travel full-time and post their tips, stories, and beautiful travel photos.

1. Getaway Couple

Jason and Rae Miller, also known as the Getaway Couple , travel full-time with their dog in a Grand Design fifth wheel. The couple blogs about destinations they’ve visited around the US, as well as RV tips and tricks they’ve learned. They also share videos from the road on their YouTube channel .

Marc and Julie Bennett of RVLOVE have a very informative blog, YouTube channel , as well as a complete book on everything you need to know about RVing. Their blog includes DIY RV mods, tips and checklists, tips on RV trip planning, RV vehicle setups and more.

Follow their YouTube channel to catch up on their latest travel tips and adventures. In the video below, RVLOVE gives a full tour of their new 2019 Casita travel trailer.

3. Drivin’ And Vibin’

Kyle and Olivia Brady of Drivin’ And Vibin’ post daily articles on all things RVing. They also share useful RV tips and tours over on their YouTube channel .  They offer some of the best tips on boondocking, free campsites, and RV living.  

4. Mortons On The Move

Tom & Cait Morton of Mortons On The Move were featured on the hit show, The RVers.  These full-time RV experts share weekly RV comics and lifestyle tips on their website , as well as tips for RV newbies and maintenance.

You can also follow their YouTube channel to catch up on their latest travels and tips. They recently renovated a 20-year-old truck camper into a luxury overland vehicle, and shared the process in the video below.

5. You, Me, & The RV

Phil & Stacey Farley of You, Me, & The RV offer lots of useful tips on their website Today is Someday . They have RV lifestyle tips on their blog, as well as links to their favorite gear and fundraising efforts for military charities. Subscribe to their YouTube to follow their latest RV life tips and vlogs.

6. Changing Lanes

Chad and Tara Florian of Changing Lanes have a wealth of great content on their website and YouTube channel . They share must-visit locations, educational articles, gear reviews, and fun videos on the RV lifestyle. 

7. Keep Your Daydream

Marc and Tricia Leach of Keep Your Daydream have an inspiring blog , podcast , YouTube channel , and website, HowToStartAYouTubeChannel.com . Their blog includes a wide variety of useful tips on the RV lifestyle and travel guides. Pull up their YouTube to watch their latest adventures, KYD Route 66 Series, and KYD cooking tips.

8. Enjoy The Journey

Tom and Cheri Kennemore share RV living tips and more on their site, EnjoyTheJourney.Life . On their blog, you’ll also find links to their favorite RV gadgets as well as great RV living resources. Head over to their YouTube to check out their latest adventures and RV tours. 

9. RV Lifestyle

The Wendlends cover all things RVing on RV Lifestyle , including amazing destinations, RV equipment, can’t-miss campgrounds, and boondocking tips. Both newbies and seasoned RVers can find useful tips on their blog and YouTube channel .

10. Hinton The Trail

See also: Watch These Top 10 RV Travel Youtube Channels

You may also like:, our top tips for planting an rv garden, what rvers should expect during the 2024 solar eclipse, embracing the full rv experience: find joy in every moment, catching up with the border hookups, rv snowbirds: should you travel this winter or stay in one spot, unlock your freedom: the 2024 rubber tramp rendezvous by homes on wheels alliance, rvtv continues to expand to new platforms, class a rv vs class c: which one is right for you, setting up camp after dark here’s what you should know, 29 thoughts on “ the top 10 rv blogs you’ll want to follow ”.

Thank you for including us, Nikki! (Camp Addict) Definitely some great blogs in this list. Well done. 👏🏼

Hi thank you for having available. This for people like me who are new to rving my name is Jana long and I am 40 years old and I got a 93 Fleetwood Southwind it was very well taken care of previous owners only one although it hasn’t been run in a while so I’m learning everything about this I am moving out of my apartment leaving everything I know he Hind to see memories and enjoy what I have left in life I am very anxious to get any and all pointers chips and whatever else anybody feels like telling me please my email I don’t know if it’s a lot or not but my email is [email protected] . I look forward to sharing my stories and continuing to watch others

I’d like to recommend Love Your RV. Ray Burr has done many repairs and has both beginning and advanced type videos for all interested rv’ers.

What’s his URL address??

I second that. I check with Ray everyday

Hey Nikki. Thank you for putting together this great resource. We’ve had the pleasure of connecting with some of the awesome folks on your list and look forward to checking out the blogs that are new to us.

I second Love your RV. Rays quality videos and reviews of campgrounds and RV equipment is well worth a look. Cheers!

So many others! Keep Your Daydream, Long Long Honeymoon, All About RVs, Fate Unbound – All have RVing vlogs on YouTube that are excellent!

Thank you for including us on this list of “blogs”. We’re in great company 😊

Thank you so much for the highlight of our blog. Exciting! We are so fortunate to be part of this wonderful RVing community!

This is a great list of blog/vlogs. Many I read and watch all of the time, some I know personally, (Free as Wheel Ever Be) and I know how much work and time they put into sharing information with us all. Their work is appreciated and thanks for bringing them together in this great article.

Thank you, this is a helpful list of RV Blogs.

stricksretirement.blogspot.com

We’d love to be included in the 2020 list. We have a great following on our YouTube, Blog, Instagram and more. https://www.TheAdventureTravelers.com

Thank in advance,

Michael & Melissa

My wife & I normally travel to Az for the winter. We’d like to see what you bloggers think about RV travel this winter. Are you going or staying put? Bruce & Paula Miller

Awesome lineup of some very helpful RV blogs and resources. Along with some great youtube channels with huge followings. If you have an “honorable mention” list I’d love to be included on your next write up. http://www.aowanders.com ~ Travelers Junction helping RVers travel longer, safer, smarter & CHEAPER

Thank you for sharing this list. It will be a great source of information for the people who are looking for it. I really love to camp and travel.

We’ve had our blog going for 10 years….all over the country in our 40-footer.

https://stricksretirement.blogspot.com/

check it out

Thank you for all of the great resources. Looking forward to getting out and about soon.

would anyone be interested in a blog by a single woman who will be hitting the road with her 3 dogs, cat and sugar glider in a 40 ft car hauler with living quarters? I’m a total newbie and anticipate many antics….. I will be staying 2-3 month in each location as I will be working full time from my RV. anyone?

Nikki, Thank you so much for including us with these other folks. There are so many great bloggers and vloggers out there and it’s an honor to get mentioned alongside some of these big names. We really appreciate it and hope we’re able to help a few other RVers find their path. -Chris & Suzannah

I have also enjoyed and learned a lot from RV Street. I think this one should be near the top of your list.

You’ve left out the very best blog,,,Long long honeymoon, absolutely the best anywhere on YouTube

Hi Kate, I would be interested in your blog if you are still traveling. I m a new solo camper with 13 ft Scamp. would love suggestions and lessons learned while you have been on the road.

Great resource! Thanks for sharing – and, also for including Morton’s on the Move…wonderful communicators and masters of the traveled and less-traveled roads!

Thank you for this list. I do follow most of these blogs. I’d love to see more Class C owners’ blogs. I get a lot of generic information from the travel trailer peeps but not much for Class C owners.

Great list!

What about Living in Beauty, http://www.livinginbeauty.net

Hi everybody!

I’m hanging out in LA for a while and I’m looking to buy a class B or a class C recently used rig. Can anyone recommend a dealership with the largest inventory within 150 miles or so? Thanks!

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Nomad Veronica

75 Most Inspirational Travel Blogs

Posted on Published: October 21, 2023

Categories Travel

75 Most Inspirational Travel Blogs

Big travel publications like National Geographic and Conde Nast have dominated the travel education space for decades. These days blog posts filled with great content are written by top travel bloggers. We’ve searched the internet for the best travel blogs that are filled with useful information and personal stories.

Finding travel influencers that jive with your ideal travel style will be easy using this favorite travel blogs guide. Our priority with this list was to find actively managed blogs that will continue to provide updated great resources for your next vacation.

Best Accessible Travel Blogs

  • Best Adventure Travel Blogs

Best Budget Travel Blogs

  • Best Digital Nomad Travel Blogs
  • Best Famous Travel Blogs
  • Best Foodie Travel Blogs
  • Best LGBTQ+ Run Travel Blogs
  • Best Luxury Travel Blogs
  • Best Mental Health Focused Travel Blogs
  • Best Off the Beaten Path Travel Blogs

Best Solo Female Travel Blogs

  • Best Sustainable Travel Blogs

best travel blogs for every travel style

Dive into a World of Adventure with the Best Travel Blogs

Have you ever felt the thrill of discovering hidden alleys during a sunset in Venice or experienced the rush of wind against your face while surfing in Costa Rica? Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just starting your journey, there’s a vast world out there, full of adventures waiting just for you! 

And guess what? You get to research these beautiful destinations through the unique perspective of a traveler just like you. If you’re a poor traveler you’ll find a travel writer giving you budget travel tips. A solo female traveler can find destination guides for virtually everywhere on the planet coming from an award-winning travel blogger.

From the bustling streets of New York City to serene landscapes in South America, the best travel blogs offer you a passport to worlds you’ve never imagined. Each blog is a treasure trove of real-life travel stories, practical advice, and stunning travel photos that will have you packing your bags in no time!

Stay tuned and keep scrolling, as we unravel the unique flavors each of these best travel blogs adds to your adventure platter!

I share products I love with you through affiliate links, which means if you buy something through one of these links, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Why Follow the Best Travel Blogs?

Many of google’s top results are dedicated to people who make website views their full time job. The best travel blogs might, but aren’t guaranteed, to show up in the first few pages of google.

Write Blog Posts that Rank on Google’s 1st Page

Our guide includes new travel blogs and unique travel blogs, with the focus on being a helpful travel website above selling you on a junky affiliate product. You might not know this, but many of the BEST OF guides are written based on which hotel, restaurant, or activity was willing to sponsor that popular travel blog to visit for free.

Imagine planning your next trip. You save for months from your corporate job and finally have enough money to book your carefully planned vacation . The hotel you pick and dinner on your first night were both suggestions from a “best things” travel blog. Only they both suck. You were probably reading a guide that focused on profit as opposed to the type of advice you would give to a good friend.

how to find the best travel bloggers

Real-life Experiences, Not Just Facts

Travel blogs are more than just online travel diaries; they’re a window into the genuine experiences of people who share your love of exploration. Unlike generic travel guides, these blogs take you on an intimate journey, allowing you to witness the beauty, chaos, and transformative power of travel through their eyes. 

Whether it’s overcoming challenges on road trips, indulging in the local culture of Southeast Asia, or navigating the dynamic lifestyle of being a digital nomad, these stories resonate on a personal level, often staying with you longer than a fleeting piece of travel advice.

Tips and Hacks from the Road

Who better to provide practical travel tips than the travelers themselves? From learning how to pack smartly to finding the best street food joints, travel bloggers furnish you with insights that come from being in the situation themselves. They’re your best bet for up-to-date, practical advice that’s been tried and tested, right from the horse’s mouth. And honestly, who wouldn’t prefer a friend’s recommendation for the best places to visit over a generic list found somewhere online?

Inspiration to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Following the best travel blogs isn’t just about the glamorous parts of travel. It’s also about the courage to step out of your comfort zone and embrace different cultures and experiences. These bloggers show you the raw side of travel, encouraging you to take leaps, big or small. They challenge you to look beyond the typical ‘touristy’ spots, inspiring you with tales from offbeat paths and adventures in places like Central America or hidden gems in busy metropolises like New York City.

A Sense of Community and Belonging

Being an avid follower of these blogs means you’re part of a larger community. You’re not just a spectator; you’re an active participant, engaging with stories, sharing your insights, and sometimes, forming lasting connections with fellow travel enthusiasts. This community becomes a space of learning, inspiration, and a reservoir of tried-and-true travel advice.

As we delve deeper into our list of the best travel blogs, remember, each one offers something unique, shaping your travel experiences in ways you’d never expect. So, buckle up! The journey through these blogs is nothing short of an adventure in itself, filled with tales of discovery, wonder, and the sheer joy of travel.

find the right travel blogger for your travel style

5 Tips for Finding the Best Travel Blogs

Embarking on an adventure is always exciting, but finding reliable sources to guide your journey can be a task. Not all travel blogs are created equal, and what works for one wanderer might not work for another. 

The trick to getting the most out of these treasure troves of information? Knowing how to find the best travel blogs that resonate with your personal travel style and aspirations. 

Here’s how you can make these blogs your trusty companions in adventure, guiding you from the bustling streets of cities to the tranquil retreats in undiscovered corners of the world.

1. Seek Authenticity and Experience

In a sea of travel content, authenticity is your guiding star. The best travel blogs are those fueled by the genuine passion of the traveler. These bloggers share not just the glossy, postcard-perfect shots, but also the mishaps, the unexpected detours, and the candid moments that make travel what it truly is – an adventure. 

In the travel writing space we are taught to niche down. Starting a lifestyle blog of travel experiences along with personal stories is frowned upon in the travel blogging space. But, as readers we connect best with blogs that share their whole story and not just a profit focused niche.

2. Practical Advice from First-hand Experience

Nothing beats tips and hacks learned through personal experience. The best travel blogs save you the effort of trial and error. They offer practical advice, whether you’re trying to live out of a backpack, hunting for budget travel options, planning extensive road trips across the United States, or seeking solitude in the mountains of South America. 

These bloggers have been there, done that, and they’re ready to pass on their wisdom, so your journey is just a bit smoother. There are countless times that I’ve arrived in a country and remembered advice from a travel blog and thought to myself, “Oh that’s what they meant.” 

learn from expert travel bloggers

3. Niche Travel Style

Are you a solo traveler seeking your next adventure or perhaps a vegan who wants to try every local delicacy? Whatever your niche, there’s a travel blog for you. The beauty of the best travel blogs lies in their diversity. 

From luxury travel to exploring under-the-radar locales, there’s a voice for every traveler. Identifying with a blogger who shares your interests or inspires you to step out of your comfort zone can make all the difference in planning your next trip.

4. Consistency is Key

A great travel blog isn’t just about the stories or the stunning travel photos; it’s also about the commitment to sharing those experiences. Look for blogs that are routinely updated with fresh content, providing a continuous stream of inspiration for your next escapades. 

Whether they’re exploring new places or revisiting old favorites to provide updated insights, dedicated bloggers make sure their followers are in the loop. Active travel bloggers will give you key insight to current conditions which will make your potential trip go smoother.

5. Engage and Connect

The travel community is vibrant and interactive. Look for blogs where the writer engages with their readers through comments, social media, or even travel forums. It opens up avenues for you to ask questions, share your experiences, or get the latest scoop on potential travel destinations. Plus, following your favorite bloggers on platforms like an Instagram account can provide a real-time glimpse into their travels.

You might be surprised to know that any pretty good travel blog is looking for ways to help their readers. If you have questions about a destination or travel style they are writing about, ASK! They will be thrilled to provide content that is truly helpful to their long time supporters.

So, are you ready to find the travel companion that speaks to your wanderer’s soul? Dive in as we unveil the best travel blogs that have been inspiring adventurers worldwide.

travel blogs written by solo women travelers

Best Travel Blogs Across Different Categories

Navigating the world of travel blogs can be akin to navigating a world map without borders – overwhelming, yet filled with infinite possibilities. To help guide you, we’ve curated a list of the best travel blogs across diverse categories. These blogs are not just about marking territories but about experiencing every hue, culture, challenge, and joy that comes with traveling.

Focusing on accessibility, these blogs are dedicated to ensuring travel is a universal privilege. They offer resources, tips, and inspiration for travelers with disabilities, proving the world is open for everyone to explore. 

#1 Curb Free With Cory

#2 seek the world, #3 simply emma, #4 blind girl adventures, #5 my love for traveling, top adventure travel blogs.

For the thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies, adventure travel blogs are your compass to heart-racing exploits. They pack in exhilarating experiences, from skydiving in New Zealand to scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, ensuring your bucket list never ends. These bloggers’ daring escapades and practical advice are all the motivation you need to leap into your wild side.

#6 Time Travel Turtle

#7 wild junket, #8 we seek travel, #9 ordinary traveler, #10 alison’s adventures, #11 alastair humphreys.

Empowering, fearless, and insightful, these blogs are a treasure trove for women striking out on their own. Blogs like “The Blonde Abroad” feature destinations that are not only stunning but also safe, enriching, and welcoming to female solo travelers. Their tips, personal narratives, and vibrant travel photos are invaluable for women ready to embrace adventure.

#12 Young Adventuress

#13 where goes rose, #14 girl vs. globe, #15 adventurous kate, #16 hey ciara, #17 one girl travel, #18 adventures all around, #19 veronika’s adventure, #20 runaway juno, #21 be my travel muse, eco-conscious and sustainable travel blogs.

In a world grappling with environmental concerns, these travel blogs are a breath of fresh air. Advocating for sustainable tourism, they spotlight eco-friendly accommodations, green travel tips, and conservation efforts, inspiring travelers to tread lightly and make eco-conscious choices. Their journeys respect our planet, ensuring there’s a beautiful world left to explore.

#22 Green Global Travel

#23 she wanders miles, #24 paulina on the road, #25 land of size, #26 uncornered market, best digital nomad blogs.

Blending work and wanderlust, these blogs cater to the lifestyle of the digital nomad. They offer insights into remote work, co-living spaces, connectivity, and balancing job responsibilities with the love of travel. If you’re aspiring to break free from the 9-5 routine and traverse the globe, these nomadic tales pave the way.

#27 Nomad Veronica

#28 planet d, #29 goats on the road, #30 barefoot nomad, #31 jessie on a journey, #32 nomadic chick, #33 nomad girl, #34 andy sto, #35 lifestyle hunter, #36 wandering earl, unmissable luxury travel blogs.

If opulence and comfort are your travel mantras, luxury travel blogs are your go-to. Featuring exquisite getaways, exclusive experiences, and lavish retreats, they redefine travel in style. These blogs help you indulge in the finer things in life, from private island bookings to bespoke cultural experiences.

#37 Velvet Escape

#38 andre de mello, #39 salty luxe, #40 and a thousand words, #41 carmen’s luxury travel, best travel blogs for mental health.

Finding the right place on the planet where you can breathe deeper is a testament to the  transformative power of travel for mental well-being. These bloggers offer not just escape but reflection, resilience, and healing, taking you on journeys that nourish the soul and mend the heart through personal travel stories.

#42 Breathe Dream Go

#43 bald hiker, #44 emily’s eye’s explore, #45 hannah’s happy adventures, #46 healthy travel blog, inclusive lgbtq+ travel blogs.

Travel knows no boundaries, and these LGBTQ+ travel blogs stand testament to that spirit. They emphasize safe spaces, LGBTQ+ friendly destinations, pride events, and inclusive travel experiences around the globe. These narratives are bold, colorful, and vital for planning joy-filled and discrimination-free journeys.

#47 Travels of Adam

#48 nomadic boys, #49 every queer, #50 couple of men, #51 lez see the world.

Just because you have no money does not mean you don’t dream of traveling. Find out how to make your dollar stretch as far as your dreams. Budget travelers use every hack and resource at their disposal to see the world and teach you how to do the same.

#52 Budget Travel with Gabby

#53 budget travel, #54 big world small pockets, #55 budget traveller, #56 savvy backpacker, travel blogs that take you off the beaten path.

Escape the tourist traps with blogs dedicated to hidden gems and uncharted territories. These bloggers venture beyond the typical hotspots, uncovering the world’s best-kept secrets. They’re the key to immersive travel experiences, connecting you with local cultures, undiscovered beaches, and rustic hideaways.

#57 Against the Compass

#58 don’t stop living, #59 travels with elle, #60 off the beaten path, #61 expert vagabond, #62 not in the guidebooks, best foodie focused travel blogs.

Trying local cuisine is a great example of experiencing a place like a local instead of like a tourist. However, dietary restrictions or food allergies can make eating in foreign countries a bit tricky. Find out how these foodie travelers accommodate their food needs or preferences within local cuisines.

#63 Legal Nomads

#64 ticker eats the world, #65 mindful wanderlust – vegan traveller, #66 food fun travel, #67 miss allergic reactor, #68 nomadic foodist, best-selling author mega travel blogs.

After dipping their toes into writing travel content on a blog, the most successful blogs turn into full-time businesses. There are many bloggers who have used their expertise to write a travel book, some of which have ended up on the New York Times best sellers list. Find out what the most influential voices in the travel industry have to say.

#69 Rick Steves

#70 nomadic matt, #71 love assembly, #72 katy colins, #73 world of wanderlust, #74 fearful adventurer, #75 as the bird flies, supporting and engaging with travel bloggers.

In the sprawling digital landscape of travel content, behind every great travel blog is a storyteller who pours their heart into sharing unique experiences and practical advice. 

But did you know your engagement can fuel their journey? 

Here’s how supporting your favorite travel bloggers doesn’t just return the love but also enhances your own travel experiences.

Support Your Favorite Travel Blogger

1. Visit, Comment, and Share

The easiest way to support travel bloggers? Engage with their blog content! Whether you’re wanderlusting from your desk or planning your next escape, delve into those captivating travel stories and leave your footprint with comments. Commenting on their blog might seem so old school, but it’s a nod to Google that their content is relevant and engaging.

Sharing their blog posts on your social media isn’t just a nod to their hard work; it’s a way to keep your fellow travel enthusiasts in the loop. You don’t have to limit your sharing to Facebook and Instagram which have traditionally been travel influencer breading grounds. Use that Pinterest link at the bottom of their post or make a TikTok encouraging people to visit a post that resonated with you.

2. Give Them Your E-Mail

Want to be the first to know about hidden gems and travel hacks? Subscribe to newsletters from the best travel blogs. It’s more than just a regular email; it’s your ticket to exclusive content, tips that haven’t hit the blog yet, and personal anecdotes from your favorite digital nomads. 

Plus, your subscription supports their online presence, helping them grow. Sometimes traffic consistency from Google and Pinterest makes growing a blog seem impossible. If a blogger has your email it helps them stay engaged with likely fans even when outside traffic dips.

3. Use Affiliate Links

Here’s a supportive move that doesn’t cost you a penny: use bloggers’ affiliate links for your travel bookings. This is one of the best ways to support your favorite blogger, because it puts cash directly in their pocket.

Large companies pay your favorite travel blogger from their marketing budget. Be it for accommodations ,  travel gear , or insurance , these links don’t increase your expenses. But, they play a huge part in funding the free travel advice and thrilling stories you enjoy.

4. Engage on Social Media

Putting themselves out there on social media is nerve racking. It’s always awkward waiting to see if people are going to resonate with the content they create. Before they hit post their brain is swirling with all the way that people could rip them apart or criticize their content.

Beyond just double-tapping on Instagram or hitting like on Facebook, share their profiles, and engage with their posts. Ask questions, suggest places, or share your experiences. Your active participation boosts their work and could lead to insightful discussions that enhance your own travel plans!

5. Patreon and Other Support Platforms

Some of the best travel bloggers set up shop on platforms like Patreon, offering a chance for dedicated followers to support them financially. Even the smallest contribution can aid in creating more of the content you love, granting you access to behind-the-scenes, special travel guides, or even a personalized thank you note!

6. Share Your Positive Experiences

Did a travel tip work wonderfully for you? Or perhaps a destination guide became your travel bible? Let them know! Sharing back positive outcomes or stories where their advice came in handy is incredibly rewarding for bloggers. It’s proof that their hard work resonates and helps real travelers on their journeys.

Online personalities are always sharing content in order to get feedback from someone somewhere in the world. You could be that person who shows them that they aren’t just speaking to the wind.

Supporting your favorite travel bloggers is a cycle of inspiration and appreciation. It’s what keeps the travel blogging community thriving. You can ensure these digital storytellers continue to sprinkle our lives with new explorations, candid advice, and the travel bug we all cherish. So, next time you find a piece that inspires you, take a moment to engage—you’ll make a world of difference!

find mental health focused travel blogs

Embarking on Endless Journeys

As we navigate the corners of this comprehensive guide, one truth stands clear: the best travel blogs are more than just digital diaries or destination lists. They’re treasure troves of genuine experiences, heartfelt advice, and vivid narratives that teleport us across the globe. Whether through the lens of a solo adventurer, a luxury connoisseur, or an eco-conscious explorer, these blogs stitch the world a bit closer, one story at a time.

Your Passport to Authentic Experiences

These handpicked travel blogs, steeped in diversity and authenticity, are your passports to living the adventures you read about. They remind us that travel is not just about stepping into new geographies but also about embracing different cultures, challenging our comfort zones, and forming a global community bound by wanderlust.

The Ripple Effect of Your Engagement

Remember, your journey with these travel bloggers doesn’t end with bookmarking their advice or following their itineraries. By engaging with their content, sharing their stories, and even utilizing their affiliate links, you’re fueling their ability to unearth more hidden gems, practical tips, and transformative experiences for you. It’s a cycle of support that enhances the entire travel community.

Beyond the Horizon: What’s Next in Travel Blogging?

As the travel industry evolves, so too will travel blogs. What awaits us? Perhaps more immersive experiences, off-the-beaten-path destinations, or virtual reality explorations. The canvas is wide, and the potential is limitless. Keeping abreast of emerging trends through these top travel blogs ensures you’re always at the forefront of the next big thing in travel.

best travel blogs for sustainable travel

Your Adventure Awaits

So, whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter, planning your first international escape, or simply dreaming from the comfort of your home, let these best travel blogs be your compass. Set sail on your journey, draw inspiration, learn from the experiences of others, and don’t forget to share your own. The world is vast, beautiful, and full of surprises, and your next adventure is but a blog post away.

To all the nomadic souls and those writing their first travel bucket lists, this is more than a conclusion. It’s an invitation to explore, to discover, and to live the narratives penned by travelers worldwide. Your ticket is booked, your destinations await, and the best travel blogs are your ever-inspiring guides. Happy travels!

Join the Global Community of Wanderlust

As our journey through the labyrinth of the world’s best travel blogs concludes, your personal adventure burgeons, teeming with possibilities. But, dear reader, a vital part of this expedition is not just the absorption of tales and tips but also active participation in this ever-expanding community of globetrotters. So, what next?

We’re All Ears: Share Your Travel Chronicles!

Have you recently followed the trail set by one of these best travel blogs and ventured into the unknown, tasted the exotic, or embraced a new culture? We’re anchored on the edge of our seats, eager to hear your travel stories! 

Dive into our comments section below, spill the beans on your escapades, the diamonds in the rough you discovered, or the new friends you made from different cultures. Your insights are the loose threads eager wanderers are waiting to pull and unravel their next journey.

best travel blogs for budget travel

Caught the Travel Bug? Spread It Around!

If this blog has fueled your wanderlust, chances are it will ignite someone else’s! Share this treasure trove of travel inspiration with your friends, family, or social media circles. Whether they’re seasoned explorers, planning their next trip, or seeking a nudge to step out of their comfort zone, your share could be the passport to their greatest adventure.

What Do You Want to See Next?

The realm of travel is as vast as the world itself, and we’re on a constant trek to bring you content that resonates and inspires. Are there specific travel topics, regions, tips, or stories you’re itching to explore? Cast your suggestions into our digital suggestion box, and let’s chart new territories together!

Embarking on journeys, whether through bustling city streets, under serene tropical canopies, or across the comforting quiet of deserts, isn’t just about the miles traversed. It’s about the stories gathered, the connections forged, and the horizons broadened. So, keep the cycle of adventure spinning—read, explore, share, and contribute. Our global traveler’s circle awaits your voice, turning solitary footprints into a communal path of world-wide exploration.

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FAQs: Best Travel Blogs

Why are travel blogs important for trip planning.

Travel blogs can offer real-life experiences, detailed destination guides, and practical advice from seasoned wanderers, filling the gaps that traditional guidebooks may miss. They provide up-to-date, firsthand information and insights that can help you plan a more authentic and personalized trip.

How do travel blogs stay reliable and authentic?

The truth is that not all of them do. Some travel blogs are sell outs. The best travel blogs maintain their reliability by sharing their personal travel experiences, good and bad. They earn trust through transparency—disclosing sponsorships, detailing their travel expenses, and providing honest reviews and recommendations.

Can I travel the world by following travel blogs?

Absolutely! Travel blogs can offer extensive resources, tips for different budgets, guidance on local cultures, and advice on both popular spots and hidden gems worldwide. They can help you craft a journey tailored to your interests and needs, potentially allowing you to travel extensively.

Are travel blogs suitable for budget travelers?

Yes, many travel blogs specialize in budget travel, offering invaluable advice on saving money, finding affordable accommodation, exploring destinations cost-effectively, and choosing cheaper transportation options. They prove that world travel can be accessible and affordable.

How often are travel blogs updated with new content?

The frequency can vary, but the best travel blogs update their content regularly—often weekly or bi-weekly. They strive to keep their travel advice, destination guides, and reviews current with the latest information, ensuring readers have fresh, reliable content for planning their trips. In this guide we’ve included actively managed blogs with up to date content.

Do travel bloggers collaborate with tourism boards or travel companies?

Many travel bloggers collaborate with tourism boards and travel companies to showcase specific destinations, experiences, or products. However, reputable bloggers prioritize their readers’ trust and often disclose such partnerships and maintain honesty in their storytelling and reviews. Just because that was the only breakfast place they ate at or the only hotel they stayed at does not make it the BEST. Reputable travel blogs will be clear about both pros and cons.

Can I start my own travel blog? Is it financially sustainable?

Starting a travel blog is possible for anyone with a passion for travel and storytelling. While it can be financially sustainable, it requires considerable effort, commitment, and time to build a following, create engaging content, and find revenue streams through advertising, sponsorships, or sales of products or services you create.

What makes a travel blog stand out among others?

A standout travel blog offers unique perspectives, high-quality content (including images and videos), engaging storytelling, and valuable, practical information for travelers. It often has a personal voice that connects with readers, an attractive and user-friendly design, and an active community of followers and contributors.

Veronica Hanson

Veronica Hanson blogs from whatever country she happens to be in at the time, currently she's hanging out in Japan. She's been living as a nomad remote entrepreneur with her family since 2020.

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As a fellow blogger, I can appreciate the time and effort that goes into creating well-crafted posts You are doing an amazing job

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From beginner-friendly white water to world-class breaks for pros, barrel through our guide to Costa Rica's top surf

Best surf spots in Costa Rica to hang ten

From beginner-friendly white water to world-class breaks for pros, barrel through our guide to costa rica's top surf.

Along with its lush rainforests, exotic wildlife, and thrill-seeking activities, Costa Rica is a world-renowned surfing hotspot beckoning visitors year-round with its rugged coastline, laid-back surf culture, acclaimed surf camps, and award-winning beaches. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer seeking world-class breaks or a curious beginner looking to catch your first white water at a trusted surf school, we’ve rounded up our 8 favourite Pacific Coast surf spots for all levels in our ultimate guide to surfing in Costa Rica.

Best surf spots on Costa Rica’s Northern Pacific Coast

1. tamarindo, costa rica.

Nestled on Costa Rica's golden Guanacaste coast, Tamarindo is a surfer's paradise and widely renowned as one of the best places to learn to surf in Costa Rica. Named by Forbes as Costa Rica’s most popular beach, visitors flock to this Mediterranean-inspired town to make the most of the consistent swells which make it ideal for all skill levels; from first-timers catching gentle waves at Playa del Coco to seasoned riders carving into Tamarindo Beach's legendary breaks.

a solo female traveller surfs on Tamarindo Beach

Beyond the waves, Tamarindo offers you plenty of chances to let your salty locks down with its vibrant atmosphere. Take your pick from beachfront yoga studios, world-class surf camps, delicious local fare, and lively nightlife. And if the waves didn’t get the heart racing enough, why not try ziplining, snorkelling or kayaking in the nearby mangrove forests in Las Baulas National Park.

2. Nosara, Costa Rica

Nosara, nestled on Costa Rica's Guanacaste coast, is a wellness wonderland, perfect for beginner and intermediate surfers. Set against a lush backdrop, beginners can paddle out in crystal-clear waters to hone their skills on gentle waves. Nosara’s piece de resistance is the spectacular Playa Guiones, a three-mile long beach break with consistent swells that cater to all levels; you can expect forgiving rollers for beginners and long, smooth waves for intermediates.

a solo male traveller surfs as the sun sets on Nosara Beach

For something more challenging, Playa Ostional offers powerful waves ideal for experienced surfers during the dry season (December-April). It’s no wonder that National Geographic named this gem in their pick of the ‘20 Best Surf Towns in the World’.

Beyond the beginner-friendly breaks and world-class yoga retreats, the chic and uncrowded beach town of Nosara boasts warm waters for swimming and stunning wildlife encounters with dolphins and turtles regularly making an appearance so you can get to work on that bucket list.

3. Playa Negra, Costa Rica

Playa Negra isn't for the faint of heart. This Guanacaste spot, immortalised in Endless Summer II , is a world-renowned reef break that unleashes powerful, hollow barrels. Experienced riders come here for high tide thrills and quick right tubes, surrounded by dramatic rock outcroppings.

a calm black sand beach moment on Playa Negra, Costa Rica

Playa Negra caters to intermediate and advanced surfers, particularly at lower tides when the reef creates a steep, challenging wave face while higher tides offer a more forgiving ride for experienced surfers. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a pro, head here in the dry season (December-April) to join other surfers seeking towering barrels. While the waves may be intense, the pristine black-sand beach and laid back vibes of nearby Playa Negra village offer a welcome contrast and the perfect spot to unwind with a refreshing beer after a day on the waves. Playa Negra is one to add to the bingo card of Costa Rica surf spots.

Best surf spots on Costa Rica’s Southern Pacific Coast

4. pavones, costa rica.

Craving a long and thrilling ride? Costa Rica’s iconic Pavones in South Puntarenas beckons with its legendary left-point break – the second-longest in the world. Picture yourself hanging ten on a silky-smooth wave for over a kilometre against a lush rainforest backdrop.

a trio of surfers heading back in from the Pavones surf

Less easily accessible and therefore more secluded, peaceful Pavones caters to intermediate skill levels and beginners with an instructor, with gentle rollers for beginners to epic barrels that challenge pros. Widely considered as one of the best spots for intermediate surfers, the dry season (December-April) brings consistent offshore winds and head-high waves. During the rainy season (May-November), the swells pick up and attract experienced surfers seeking adrenaline-pumping rides. Whether you're a seasoned shredder or a curious first-timer, Pavones promises perfection every time.

5. Matapalo, Costa Rica

Away from the crowds, Matapalo is a one-of-a-kind surf spot on Costa Rica’s wild and rugged Osa Peninsula. Matapalo boasts three distinct breaks, all offering incredible right-handers. Beginners can find their wave at Pan Dulce, with mellow rollers perfect for practicing pop ups and turns. Experienced surfers will find their thrill at Backwash and Cabo Matapalo, known for long, powerful rides with hollow barrels. These breaks are best at low to mid-tide, and require a strong south or west swell to truly come alive. Visit during the dry season (December-April) to make the most of consistent conditions.

a runner chases the endless waves along Matapalo Beach after sunset

Beyond the world-class surf, Matapalo promises an unforgettable adventure with some of the best wildlife in the world; spend your time here spotting scarlet macaws, exploring the lush rainforest or switching off on the pristine beach with a good page turner. Matapalo is all about the slower pace of pura vida .

Best surf spots on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast

6. santa teresa, costa rica.

Santa Teresa on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula isn't just a surfer's paradise, it's a lifestyle. Small, intimate and non-commercialised, Santa Teresa offers everything you could dream of in a surf break; a bohemian beach town with incredible wildlife and consistent waves, suitable for every skill level.

a bohemian surfer holding his board against the backdrop of Santa Teresa

The area boasts a variety of different breaks, from mellow beach rollers at Playa Carmen ideal for beginners, to the powerful barrels of Playa Santa Teresa that challenge experienced surfers. The wet season (May-November) delivers the biggest swells, perfect for honing barrel-riding skills.

Beyond the waves, immerse yourself in the pura vida and explore nearby waterfalls, take a day trip to the beautiful Isla Tortuga, snorkel volcanic rock reef, zipline in the lush rainforest, horseback ride along the beach or explore marine life with a scuba dive. If relaxation is on the agenda, sample local cuisine in one of the authentic local seafood shacks, stretch it out with a yoga class or set off on a gentle hike in search of the country’s spectacular orchids.

7. Jaco, Costa Rica

For those searching for a buzzier base for their surfing adventure, Jaco has all the answers. One of the most accessible (just 1.5 hours from San Jose airport) and biggest surf towns in Costa Rica, Jaco Beach beckons surfers with its lively beach town and long, sandy beach breaks, ideal for beginners and longboarders. One of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica to learn how to surf, gentle rollers at high tide provide the ideal canvas for perfecting the pop up and ride in the consistent dry season (December-April). Experienced surfers visit in the rainy season (May-November) to hone their cutbacks on gnarly waves and enjoy Jaco’s infectious energy.

Jaco Beach is set up for surfers of all levels and lots of fun

When you’re not on the water, Jaco town awaits with bustling beach bars, perfect for a sunset beer, vibrant nightlife, a range of chic surf camps, local restaurants, yoga studios, and surf shops.

8. Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica

Just south of Jaco, you’ll find peaceful and uncrowded Playa Hermosa, widely regarded as a mecca for intermediate surfers with its powerful waves, reliable conditions and epic barrels.

a happy woman traveller with the surf splashing around her

A protected surf spot awarded the title of ‘World Surfing Reserve in 2020’, Playa Hermosa wows with clean barrels and beach breaks that challenge even the most seasoned wave riders. Visit in the dry season (December-April) to make the most of particularly clean and powerful waves along this six-kilometre (or 3.7 mi) stretch of black-sand beach which plays host to world-class surfers each year for the Costa Rica National Surfing Tournament Finals.

When is the best time of year to go surfing in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica has a year-round surf season, thanks to two coasts and a balmy climate. During the rainy season (May-November), the Pacific coast offers consistent conditions, powerful swells, bigger waves, and some mellow spots for beginners.

The dry season (December-April) has smaller waves for beginners, amazing weather, and the opportunity for some early morning, ultra-clean waves when the northern swell and offshore winds perfectly combine. It's also the best time to go surfing on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast.

What is the weather like in Costa Rica?

In Costa Rica, expect an average annual temperature of 26-32°C (80°-90°F) on the coasts and 23-29°C (75°-85°F) in the inland areas and Central Valley. Further up in the highlands (like Monteverde), expect slightly cooler climes of around 18°-21°C (65°-70°F) but not much less than that.

Dry Season (December-April): Visitors travelling to Costa Rica in the dry season will experience less rain and calmer waves so it’s ideal for beginner surfers and those seeking sunshine.

Rainy Season (May-November): Visitors to Costa Rica during the rainy season will enjoy bigger swells and more challenging waves for experienced surfers. Offshore winds from June to September create prime surfing conditions.

What’s the water temperature like in Costa Rica?

With a year-round tropical climate, Costa Rica’s warm water temperatures stay between 25-30°C (77-86°F) so you can take to the water in your swim gear and leave your wetsuit behind. Whether you're popping up like a pro or just SUPing for the first time, we recommend wearing a rash vest to protect your skin from the sun.

What language is spoken in Costa Rica?

Spanish is spoken across Costa Rica, although most tourist spots and surf camps will have English-speaking staff. Indigenous languages like Chibcha, Cabecar and Bribri are also spoken in specific areas, though this isn’t where you’ll be surfing.

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Woman rides trail above Crested Butte

The 10 Best Bike Towns in America, Ranked

A lifetime cyclist, our columnist pulled the data and weighed other factors to determine the most bike-friendly small towns across America

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The U.S. was built for cars. I’m talking about our infrastructure: the interstate system, traffic laws, speed limits, and streets. They’re all designed with vehicles in mind. And yet, some communities have embraced and are moving toward the bicycle over the car.

These towns have done so much: created bike-lane infrastructure and robust greenway systems, leveraged their natural attributes by building singletrack, and put in signage and lower speed limits to make country roads safer. Bike towns vary wildly, some filled with people who pedal to work and shuttle toddlers around via cargo bikes, others good for those who exist solely to shred dirt trails or ascend mountain roads.

child and woman ride at Rio Grande Trail, Aspen

To create this list of the Best Small Bike Towns in America, I studied data collected each year by People for Bikes , a non-profit that ranks the “Best Places to Bike” based on factors like local speed limits and cycling infrastructure, giving each community a score from 0 to 100. The average city in the U.S. scores in the mid-20s, while the most bike-friendly places rate in the 70s to low 90s.

I doubled down on data by bringing in info from the League of American Bicyclists , a non-profit that promotes cycling through education and advocacy, and rates communities with Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze status dependent on a town’s numbers of bike lanes and lane connectivity.

Safe streets and being able to commute to school and work are important, but other factors determine a great bike town, like the number of dirt trails and mountains nearby to ascend. So I also sought data from Trailforks,  which catalogs the number of mountain-bike trails within feasible reach of each community, and looked for towns that also have access both to world-class road-cycling routes and lonely gravel roads to explore. (Trailforks is owned by Outside Inc., the same company that owns Outside.)

I wanted to focus on small towns across the U.S., so I capped populations at 100,000, which left out some big hitters like Boulder, Colorado, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, both outstanding places to live if you want to bike. My compliments to those communities—please keep up the good work.

While I used as many data points as I could find, this list also contains some subjectivity based on my own experience. For example, Park City, Utah, is in here even though it receives a middling score from People for Bikes. Why? The mountain biking is amazing and there’s so much of it. I also included towns that go above and beyond for commuters, others that have vibrant social cycling scenes (like group rides and events), and others with epic road routes.

Of course, some cities do it all, and I put them at the top of the list. Here are the 10 Best Small Bike Towns in America, ranked.

1. Crested Butte, Colorado

Population: 1,654

People for Bikes Score: 87

League of American Bicyclists: Gold

Person bike riding through wildflowers

Why I Chose It: This small Colorado ski town could have earned a spot on this list solely based on its assessments in People for Bikes and the League of American Bicyclists for its bike infrastructure and safe streets. But Crested Butte rose to the top of the pack because it’s also a fantastic mountain-bike mecca, with a lift-served downhill park on the edge of town and access to more than 750 miles of trails within the greater Gunnison Valley.

Woman bikes down Elk Avenue in Crested Butte, Colorado

Oh, and it’s an underrated road-cycling destination, with mixed gravel and paved rides beginning in town and climbing to scenic lookouts like Ohio Pass and Kebler Pass, where the Elk Mountains rise ahead in a mix of craggy peaks and aspen-clad slopes.

Number of Bike Trails: 247

mountain biking Crested Butte, Colorado

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: Trail 401 tops the lists. This eight-mile, mostly downhill high-alpine trail begins at Schofield Pass and drops more than 1,000 feet, passing through wildflower meadows with views of the Gothic Valley and Mount Crested Butte.

2. Davis, California

Population: 68,000

People for Bikes Score: 77, highest ranked medium-sized city in its report

League of American Bicyclists Status: Platinum

Cyclist on country road in Davis, California

Why I Chose It: Davis, a college town on the outskirts of Sacramento, is a bike commuter’s dream. It was the first city in the U.S. to implement dedicated bike lanes, back in 1967, and has only improved its bike infrastructure since. Currently, more than 95 percent of the city’s streets have bike lanes, giving locals 102 miles of those and 63 miles of off-street paths to pedal. Many intersections have bike-specific signals, and there are even bike boulevards, meaning streets shut down to motorized vehicles. Davis has been repeatedly touted as the most bike-friendly city in the U.S. by organizations like People for Bikes, and the League of American Bicyclists estimates that 22 percent of residents commute regularly by bike.

family biking in park in Davis, Calif.

Number of Bike Trails: 7. Davis proper isn’t much of a mountain-bike community–most of the in-town trails are short paths cutting through neighborhoods and parks. But there are good trail systems within the greater Sacramento Valley, known for its patchwork of vegetable and fruit farms, including the 20 miles of trail at Rockville Hills Regional Park 30 minutes south.

Lake Front Trail

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: Rockville Trail , in Rockville Hills, connects you from the trailhead parking lot to the gems within the stacked-loop system, including Lake Front, which has a fun, easy downhill before skirting Grey Goose Lake.

 3. Jackson, Wyoming

Population : 10,698

People for Bikes Score: 79

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

road biking Tetons

Why I Chose It : Jackson Hole made this list for its bike-lane connectivity. More than 100 miles of paved trails run through and beyond town, with 115 miles of singletrack surrounding it—and that’s just within the valley known as Jackson Hole. Not only can you bike to the grocery store on a designated route, you can pedal into the National Wildlife Refuge and Grand Teton National Park on a paved trail (it’s 20 miles from Jackson to Jenny Lake inside the park), with views of the jagged Teton Range and herds of elk.

Autumn biking Tetons on skyline

Trailheads for popular singletrack begin right on the edge of neighborhood streets, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s extensive lift-served routes are 15 minutes from the town center. Biking is woven into the fabric of the community, through the extensive infrastructure and events like bike swaps, youth programs, and local race series. In June, a landslide closed a 10-mile stretch of the Teton Pass mountain road for three weeks, impeding the commute between Jackson and less expensive communities in Idaho. The silver lining? Cyclists enjoyed a car-free pedal to the top of the pass. Teton Pass is open now, and classic rides like Parallel Trail, a 1.5-mile downhill with lots of jumps, are once again easy to access.

Number of Bike Trails: 105

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Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: Putt Putt takes top honors. This beginner-friendly three-mile cross-country trail begins at the Cache Creek Trailhead and has a number of connectors that allow you to form fast, rolling loops with other trails in the same system, like Hagen , for nearby post-work romps.

4. Aspen, Colorado

Population : 6,741

People for Bikes Score : 75

League of American Bicyclists Status : Gold

mountain bike riders on Smuggler Mountain, above Aspen

Why I Chose It : Aspen checks all the boxes, scoring high marks from People for Bikes and the League of American Bicyclists thanks to its infrastructure and low-speed streets. The city of Aspen manages more than 22 miles of paved bike trails connecting parks within the town’s limits, and the Rio Grande Trail offers 42 miles of no-traffic asphalt from Aspen to Glenwood Springs.

Aspen also has a bike-share program in the form of We-Cycle , which has stations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and offers 30-minute free rides in town.

three women riding bikes through Aspen in summer

Aspen-Snowmass and the Roaring Fork Valley was the first destination in Colorado to earn Gold Level Ride Center status from the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA). The Roaring Fork Valley has more than 300 miles of trails, from lift-served descents at Snowmass Mountain Resort to hut-to-hut bikepacking through some of the 10th Mountain Division’s cabin system. And then you have the road routes, like the bucket-list-worthy 16-mile roundtrip from downtown to Maroon Bells, where the twin 14,000-foot Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak rise above the placid Maroon Lake.

mountain biker in autumn foliage in Aspen, Colorado

Number of Bike Trails: 191

Most Popular Bike Trail: The crown goes to French Press , a 4.4-mile downhill romp in Snowmass’ Bike Park that is full of berms and rollers from top to bottom. Both beginners and pros love it as being fun regardless of how fast you tackle it.

5. Ashland, Oregon

Population: 21,285

People for Bikes Score: 70

Ashland, Oregon

Why I Chose It : Ashland is celebrated for its annual Shakespeare Festival, but this southern Oregon town deserves to be just as famous for its biking. The only question is which riders have it better here, the roadies or the mountain bikers? Road cyclists have the 55-mile Cascade Siskiyou Scenic Bikeway, which begins and ends downtown and climbs 5,000 feet out of Bear Valley, with views of iconic landmarks like the volcanic Pilot Rock and the 9,000-foot tall Mount McLoughlin.

Gaia map Ashland Watersjed

Hundreds of miles of rural paved roads extend into the surrounding Siskiyou Range. Mountain bikers enjoy the 100-mile trail system in the 15,000-acre Ashland Watershed , where singletrack ascends to the top of 7,532-foot Mount Ashland and runs all the way back into town, more than 5,000 feet below. Ashland Mountain Adventures runs shuttles ($30 per person), so you can skip the climb up Mount Ashland and focus on the descent during your 13- to 25-mile (depending on the route) ride.

road biking Ashland, Oregon

All cyclists get to pedal the 20-mile Bear Creek Greenway that runs north from the edge of town, connecting Ashland with surrounding communities. Fun fact: Ashland is home to the United Bicycle Institute, a school for bike mechanics and builders, that has offered one- and two-week programs since 1981.

Number of Bike Trails: 86 trails

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: Locals love the two-mile Jabberwocky , which drops almost 1,000 feet of elevation in a series of machine-built berms and tabletops. (Hand-built trails are narrower and often more technical.)

6. Park City, Utah

Population: 8,374

People for Bikes Score: 48

biking in Park City, Utah

Why I Chose It: Park City’s People for Bikes score isn’t stellar. While at 48 it’s well above the U.S. average, it still doesn’t crack their list of the top 10 small cities due to the city’s lack of bike-safety projects and bike access to core services like grocery stores and hospitals. But its ranking is climbing—up 15 points, from 33, in the last three years—and the town is interlaced by an impressive 40 miles of non-motorized bike paths. Park City also has a share fleet of electric bikes, and the city introduced a reward program that actually pays people to commute during winter.

woman in Park City, Utah, smiles on an ebike

All of that is great, but I chose Park City for this list because of its mountain biking. It is an IMBA Gold-Level Ride Center, with more than 400 miles of singletrack extending directly from town into the Wasatch Mountains. I live in a good city for mountain bikers (Asheville) but am jealous: the amount of dirt you can pedal in Park City is absolutely bonkers: this might be the best town in America to live in if you’re a mountain biker. The only downside is the trails’ seasonality; you’re not riding dirt in the winter, but that’s why they make skis.

woman mountain biking at Deer Valley, Utah

Number of Bike Trails: 629

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: The Wasatch Crest Trail is a classic mountain-bike ride in Park City, running for 13 miles west of the city with plenty of high-alpine ridgeline singletrack and accompanying big-mountain views. Almost all of the trails are amazing, but locals love The Spine , a short A-line section of the Wasatch Crest Trail, with crazy exposure on a knife-edge ridge.

7. Harbor Springs, Michigan

Population: 1,271

People for Bikes Score: 92

League of American Bicyclists Status: Not Ranked (communities must apply for consideration)

bike, sunset, lake in Michigan

Why I Chose It: Harbor Springs, a small waterfront village on Lake Michigan, earned an outstanding score in People for Bikes’ latest rankings for connectivity: cyclists can pedal everywhere safely, from grocery stores to schools to parks, thanks to low-traffic, low-speed streets (that are pretty flat, too), and the Little Traverse Wheelway, a 26-mile greenway that connects Harbor Springs with several communities and parks along Little Traverse Bay.

Highlands Bike Park, Boyne Resorts, Michiga

Pedaling isn’t just relegated to in-town cruising, though. The place has a vibrant mountain-biking scene thanks largely to The Highlands , a lift-served bike park with 22 miles of mountain-bike trails. There’s a mix of trails for all levels, while cyclists just looking to cruise will find several miles of wide paths at the Offield Family Nature Reserve and the McCune Nature Preserve .

Number of Bike Trails: 54

Rider in forest Highlands Bike Park, Boyne Resort

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: The short Dirt Sample , a double-black downhill trail at the Highlands Bike Park, gets top honors for its bevy of wooden features like jumps, drops, and berms.

8. Provincetown, Massachusetts

Population: 3,664

People for Bikes Score: 96

League of American Bicyclists Status: Silver

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Why I Chose It: Provincetown had the second-highest People for Bikes score of any town in the U.S. thanks to its suite of low speed limits, multiple bike paths, a dedication to the commuting cause, and the lack of hills. The secluded island community of Mackinac Island, Michigan, had the only higher score, and while I love the idea of a town that bans cars, I ultimately left the place off this list because of its seclusion and the inherent difficulty of living and working there. (Mackinac only has 500 year-round residents.)

bikers Provincetown, Mass.

Provincetown has a Bicycle Committee that plans projects and prints an annual map of bike routes . A beach town on the tip of Cape Cod, it was essentially built for single-speed cruising—think pedaling to the ocean and then to get ice cream—and that sort of low-speed, casual cruising remains a fixture of the lifestyle. The year-round population is just over 3,000, and yet Provincetown has five bike shops. A five-mile loop trail traverses the forests and dunes outside of town, with spurs to beaches facing the Atlantic.

Number of Bike Trails: 21

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Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: Province Lands Bike Trail is the main attraction with a hilly, paved 5.25 mile loop through sand dunes and beech forest. Check out the 3.5-mile Herring Cove to Race Point Spur , which connects two popular beaches on opposite ends of the Cape.

9. Sewanee, Tennessee

Population: 2,922

People for Bikes Score: 83

League of American Bicyclists Status : None, but the University of the South in town has a Bronze ranking

Woody's Bicycles, Sewanee, Tennessee

Why I Chose It : Sewanee is a small college town on the top of the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee with beautiful Collegiate Gothic architecture and stunning fall foliage. Life revolves around the University of the South, and the community in general has the languid pace of a tiny southern mountain town, which, frankly, is ideal for someone riding around. Sewanee is the number-one-ranked Bike Friendly Community in the South, according to People for Bikes, based on the low-traffic streets and bike access to essential destinations like schools, jobs, and grocery stores.

Cumberland Plateau

Cyclists could probably live a car-free (or car-light) life, but there’s more here than just going from A to B. The 22-mile Perimeter Loop is a mix of singletrack, double track, and pavement that encircles the university’s campus and provides access to other trails in the area, while the 12-mile Mountain Goat Trail is a paved off-street option that traces an old railway from Sewanee northeast to the town of Monteagle. Road cyclists can create 25-mile-plus loops using the country roads that descend and ascend the 1,000-foot-tall Cumberland Plateau.

Number of Trails: 34

Perimeter Trail, Gaia map

Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: The 14-mile singletrack portion of the Perimeter Trail is the locals’ favorite option thanks to its cross-country flow and mild technical difficulty.

10. Fayetteville, Arkansas

Population: 99,285

People for Bikes Score: 50

Arkansas Graveler tour

Fayetteville barely made it under our population cap of 100,000, but this southern mountain town is a great sleeper destination for cyclists. It may not get quite the attention of hot towns like Bentonville, but Fayetteville is surrounded by the Ozark Mountains, with 50 miles of singletrack in town and the nearby ridges, not to mention hundreds of miles of gravel roads.

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Within the city, cruisers have 50 miles of paved bike trails, and the future is only looking brighter. Fayetteville’s council envisions a community where every resident is within a two-minute pedal of an established trail, and the town is building an average of two to three miles of paved trail every year. Fayetteville is also the beginning of the Razorback Greenway , a 40-mile regional bike path that connects communities throughout Northwestern Arkansas.

Number of Trails: 154

Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: Mountain bikers love Fayetteville Traverse , an intermediate flow trail that connects with two downhill trails, Red Rum and Chunky.

Graham Averill is Outside magazine’s national-parks columnist. He rides his bike everywhere around his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, even though it has a poor People for Bikes score because of a lack of greenways and bike lanes .

Graham Averill author

For more by this author, see:

8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture
The Best Ways to Get Outside in West Virginia
The 10 Best National Parks in Canada
The 5 Best National Park Road Trips in the U.S.
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  • America’s Best Small Towns 2023 Welcome to America’s Best Small Towns 2023 Best Small Beach Town Best Small Mountain Town Best Small Lake Town Best Small Desert Town Best Small Food + Culture Town Best Small Wine, Beer, + Spirits Town Best Small Spa + Wellness Town CLOSE Part of America’s Best Small Towns 2023

America’s Best Small Towns of 2023

Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown, sailed, road tripped, and taken the train countless miles. They've visited small towns and big cities, hidden gems and popular destinations, beaches and mountains, and everything in between. With a breadth of knowledge about destinations around the globe, air travel, cruises, hotels, food and drinks, outdoor adventure, and more, they are able to take their real-world experience and provide readers with tried-and-tested trip ideas, in-depth intel, and inspiration at every point of a journey.

  • Best Beach Town
  • Best Mountain Town
  • Best Lake Town
  • Best Desert Town
  • Best Food + Culture Town
  • Best Wine, Beer, + Spirits Town
  • Best Spa + Wellness Town

As curious travelers, we've ventured to bustling cities and sprawling countries across the globe, and we've found something to love in each of them — but it's some of the smallest towns right here in the U.S. that have stolen our hearts in the biggest way. They may not have designer shopping, popular restaurant chains, or even stoplights, but what they lack in cosmopolitan "buzz," they more than make up for in warm hospitality, creative small businesses, and local character. Now, it's finally time to celebrate them.

We launched America’s Best Small Towns to shine a spotlight on the lesser-visited destinations we want you, our readers, to know about this year, be it for natural beauty and outdoor adventure (think beaches, mountains, lakes, and deserts), or specific topics of interest, such as great restaurants or vineyards, interesting culture, and soothing wellness experiences. 

We’ve selected winners and runners up across seven small town categories to let you in on our travel secrets. We hope they inspire you to go out and get to know the places that are quietly making our country such a wonderful place to explore.

Peter Unger/Getty Images

In Honor of Lahaina, Hawaii

We can't talk about small towns this year without taking a moment to reflect on Lahaina, Hawaii — Maui's quintessential small town, full of Hawaiian culture and history — which was tragically devastated by wildfires earlier this month. Here, read more about the town and its deep meaning to Hawaiians. And don't forget to check out ways you can help Maui on its long road to recovery.

What are the categories?

  • Best Small Food + Culture Town
  • Best Small Wine, Beer, + Spirits Town
  • Best Small Spa + Wellness Town

What are the rules?

In order to qualify as one of America’s Best Small Towns, a town must be located in the United States and have a full-time population below 25,000 residents, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. It must also excel in its category and offer a variety of activities, accommodations, and a timely reason to visit — be it a notable new festival, hotel, restaurant, attraction, or tourism initiative. 

How did we choose the winners?

We polled our colleagues and contributors, trusted travel advisors, and more within our network of experts from all over the U.S. Our team of travel editors then sifted through the many thoughtful responses and chose the destinations we believe our readers will enjoy the most right now.

Want to nominate a town for next year?

We’d love to hear from you! Please submit your nomination here .

America's Best Small Beach Town

Vito Palmisano/Getty Images

Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island, Florida

While the state of Florida welcomes nearly 140 million visitors each year , only a small portion of them make their way to serene Gasparilla Island and its main town, Boca Grande, an upscale yet down-to-earth community on the Gulf of Mexico that’s just the right amount of sleepy (except when it comes to its role as “Tarpon Capital of the World”).

Back in action after the devastation of Hurricane Ian in 2022, Boca Grande remains a captivating place to visit — a tranquil respite from the frenetic pace of our modern world ( and many parts of Florida ) with a beachy, small-town allure all its own.

— Skye Sherman

Cynthia Drake/Travel + Leisure

Port Aransas, Texas

Port Aransas, located on a stretch of North Padre barrier island 40 miles east of downtown Corpus Christi, has long been cherished by Texans as a relaxed getaway for beachgoers and anglers. So it was especially devastating when 2017’s Hurricane Harvey pummeled the island with 130 mile-per-hour winds and 12-foot storm surges, leaving behind an estimated $1 billion in damage. Six years later, Port A is back in business. Brand new spacious beachfront family-style casitas at Palmilla Beach Resort & Golf Club offer full resort amenities. A new Patton Center for Marine Science Education educates visitors about local wildlife — and admission is free. For an ideal getaway, take professional sandcastle lessons; sail a jetty out to secluded San José Island; and zoom across the beach in a rental golf cart. On weekends, participate in a lighthearted local tradition: belt sander races at The Gaff, where a rusty truck used to stand sprayed with “Nice try, Harvey.”

— Cynthia J. Drake

America's Best Small Mountain Town

Kip Stahl/500px/Getty Images

Highlands, North Carolina

According to legend , Highlands, North Carolina, was formed in 1875 after developers in Kansas pulled out a map and drew two lines, one from New Orleans to New York and another from Chicago to Savannah . These routes, they believed, would soon become critical for trade, and the spot where they intersected would serve as a hub for commercial activity. Highlands never became a bustling city center, but the original predictions weren’t too far off —  Atlanta is a little over two hours away. 

Located within the Nantahala National Forest, at the highest crest of the Western North Carolina plateau , the area now known as Highlands was once used as hunting ground for the Cherokee . In the late 1800s, though, pioneers from the North and South, as well as Scotch-Irish from the surrounding valleys and mountains, began to settle the region. Driving distance from major cities in the Southeast — including Charleston , Nashville, and Charlotte — modern-day Highlands is a summer retreat for those looking to escape the humidity and a year-round haven for hiking, waterfall spotting, art, music, and top-tier dining and hospitality experiences.

— Lydia Mansel

Getty Images

Red Lodge, Montana

Red Lodge is more than a mile-high mountain town with no stoplights or Starbucks; it’s a gateway community leading to Yellowstone’s underrated northeast entrance. Whether en route to tackle the hairpin turns of the Beartooth Highway, one of the most scenic drives in the world, or coming for a ski sojourn at a resort that still has lift tickets under $100, everyone who visits ends up looking at real estate, even if it’s just out of curiosity. Annual events include renaissance fairs, rodeos, rallies, and races — including the highest foot race in America. If you don’t want to hoof it at 10,000+ feet, consider renting an e-bike or a Polaris slingshot from the newly opened Red Lodge Adventure Center . Of course, you can also just stroll Main Street and enjoy the boutiques and restaurants owned and operated by the welcoming locals who are behind every amazing mountain town.

— Katie Jackson

America's Best Small Lake Town

Courtesy of North House Folk School

Grand Marais, Minnesota

Two hours north of Duluth seems like an unlikely spot for most things, much less America’s best small lake town. But should you venture to Grand Marais, that’s exactly what you’ll find. In-the-know travelers flock here looking for an increasingly rare vintage seaside vibe, adventures into the state’s famed Boundary Waters, and local-yet-world-class art. Set along the forested edges of Lake Superior, up the state’s North Shore, this is also Minnesota’s artsiest town.

With that rare Goldilocks touch — think far more food trucks and art galleries than stoplights (in fact, there’s just one in the whole county) — we’re happily calling Grand Marais the nation’s best small lake town. With new openings, eclectic redesigns, and an accidentally hip devotion to all things local, Grand Marais is a grand foray on America’s “Fresh Coast.”

— Jacqueline Kehoe

Maya Kachroo-Levine/Travel + Leisure

Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

Picture it: Wood-clad Chris Craft speedboats bobbing by the docks in summer, colorful ice-fishing huts dotting the lake in winter, trees lit up gold and red against the quaint New England village scenery come autumn. The tiny town of Wolfeboro, NH — dubbed “the oldest summer resort in the U.S.” — sits between Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Wentworth and has been a go-to getaway spot since New Hampshire was still an English colony. Check into the Pickering House Inn (voted by T+L readers to be one of New England’s best stays in this year’s World’s Best Awards), an 1813 estate that’s been reimagined as a luxurious 10-room boutique hotel, and make it your jumping off point for mornings lounging in the sun on Brewster Beach and afternoon strolls down Main Street, just a block away from Winnipesaukee. The newly expanded Burnt Timber Brewing and Tavern is a laid-back spot for brunch or lunch — try the Korean fried chicken sandwich and a pint of the kaffir lime-infused Always Summer Saison. And don’t leave town without a meal at Pavilion, a three-year-old fine dining restaurant now run by chef Chris Viaud, a Top Chef alum and James Beard semifinalist whose New England upbringing and Haitian roots inspire his vibrant farm-to-table cuisine.

— Lila Harron Battis

America's Best Small Desert Town

Courtesy of Kane County Office of Tourism

Kanab, Utah

The tiny town of Kanab, Utah, is perfectly perched within reach of the most iconic sites in the southwest. Three popular national parks — Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon — are one to two hours away by car, and Kanab acts as the gateway to The Wave , a popular red rock formation that resembles a wave in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness.

And while Kanab serves as the perfect homebase for exploring these famous sites (and more), it's still relatively unheard of — in fact, its motto is " Magically Unspoiled ." The tiny town of roughly 5,000 people includes athletes and outdoor lovers who can’t get enough of the adventures that await just outside their door.

— Evie Carrick

Courtesy of Town of Yucca Valley

Yucca Valley, California

Far from the middle-of-nowhere images that desert towns conjure up, Yucca Valley is an oasis of quirk, history, and art. 20 miles north of Palm Springs in Southern California’s San Bernardino Valley, the city often receives a quick stop or glance from visitors heading to Joshua Tree Park or Pioneertown , but has a life of its own. Over the years, a booming artist community drawn to the desert basin’s mystic mountains and dusty roads have produced eccentric art galleries like The Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum , which features over 100 pieces of sculptures and recycled materials on 10 acres just 10 minutes outside of town, and the annual Highway 62 Art Tours , where visitors can buy works from local artists. Vintage Western vibes at dining newcomer Tiny Pony Cafe  include framed velvet paintings of cats, a pool table, and elevated bar food, while the recently remodeled Copper Room , first opened in 1957, provides classic cocktails and Asian-inspired dishes on its tarmac location at Yucca Valley Airport (no boarding pass required). This November, the Yucca Valley Film Festival will celebrate its 5th year, and in 2024, in response to climate change and drought, a new Aquatics and Recreation Center will be built.

— Kristin Braswell

America's Best Small Food + Culture Town

Courtesy of The Inn at Mattei's Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection

Los Olivos, California

Los Olivos doesn’t wake up before 6 a.m. This year, when the Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, opened with a cafe that started pulling espresso shots at 6 every morning, the hours of Felix Coffee Shop were the talk of the town. Or, more accurately, the talk of the 2.5-square-mile unincorporated community in California’s Santa Ynez Valley .

There are 27 wineries in Los Olivos, which means you’re looking at a tasting room every .01 square mile. But don’t worry, you won’t be driving. The main drag of Los Olivos — Grand Avenue — is two blocks from the new hotel. And to help travelers soak up the wine — mostly pinot noirs and chardonnays marinating in the valley’s cool microclimates — are a few fantastic new restaurants, which landed Los Olivos the title of Travel + Leisure ’s very first best food and culture town in the U.S.

— Maya Kachroo-Levine

Courtesy of Sehnert Bakery

McCook, Nebraska

McCook, Nebraska, has a population of just 7,500, but this small prairie town boasts a culinary and cultural scene that far outpunches its weight class. It's home to the only James Beard Award-winning eatery in the state, Sehnert’s Bakery. In 2019, this homey spot was honored as an American Classic for its bierocks (a German-style, doughy hot pocket filled with kraut or cabbage). McCook’s contemporary art scene is another highlight, with a newly finished, community-led downtown mural. But, perhaps the most striking offering in McCook is the 6th Floor Project , a purposeful gallery nestled on the top floor of the Keystone Business Center and offering a rare birds-eye view of town. This innovative effort seeks to elevate the art of under-appreciated creators from across the globe while reinvigorating rural Nebraska. On the festival front, the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival just celebrated its 26th year of programming with a cowboy twist.

— Katy Spratte Joyce

America's Best Small Wine, Beer, + Spirits Town

Monica Farber/Travel + Leisure

Dahlonega, Georgia

Tucked away in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, a small Georgia town hides an alluring secret: award-winning wineries and tasting rooms that offer local, regional, and international wines and spirits. With a thriving wine culture and a picturesque backdrop of mountains and foothills, Dahlonega, Georgia, is a pleasant escape to somewhere surprisingly unexpected. 

Home to eight wineries, a dozen wine-tasting rooms, and a new surge of craft breweries and distilleries, Dahlonega is a thriving destination for in-the-know wine and spirits enthusiasts, without any of the pomp or circumstance.  And while Dahlonega’s wineries are what draw many, recent hotel renovations and updates from local businesses — combined with unparalleled views of the North Georgia mountains — are showing visitors that this humble town packs quite a punch with some big-city amenities.

— Karen Ruffini

Greenport, New York

Christopher Simpson

Located on Long Island’s bucolic 30-mile North Fork peninsula, Greenport is a charming seaside town with historic architecture, hip restaurants, and a thriving beer, wine, and spirits scene. It attracts weekenders seeking a more casual alternative to the ritzy Hamptons across the bay, and it’s renowned as a destination for wine lovers, boasting over 60 unique vineyards. Of those, Greenport is home to Kontokosta , serving both spectacular views and viognier. One Woman Wines , run by Italian expat Claudia Purita, has a tasting room in nearby Southold and is poured at Greenport’s First & South , a farm-to-table restaurant where the beverages are as locally sourced as the food. Equally popular are the many craft breweries and small batch distilleries nearby; beer drinkers hop to the tasting room at Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. for an IPA flight, while cocktail aficionados pick up spiced rum, vodkas, and grappa from Greenport Distilling . The hotel scene has also boomed, with three openings this season alone including Hotel Moraine , Silver Sands , and ZEY Hotel , owned by restaurateur and reality TV star, Zach Erdem.

— Amy Louise Bailey

America's Best Small Spa + Wellness Town

Heather Ainsworth/Travel + Leisure

Aurora, New York

When it comes to small towns with big reputations, lakeside Aurora, New York, is top of the class. The 724-person village, hugging the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, is probably best known as the headquarters of MacKenzie-Childs, the homewares retailer that still paints its distinctive serveware by hand in the blissful quiet of this stretch of Cayuga County.

But it’s also becoming a destination for wellness thanks to the Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa, a collection of six small lodgings and one stunning hilltop retreat that T+L readers recently voted among the very best resorts in New York state . Throw in the fact that this stretch of the Finger Lakes is filled with gorge hikes, tap rooms, farm stands, and low-key beaches, and Aurora starts to look like not only the best small town for wellness, but for just about anybody’s idea of what the chilled-out good life should be.

— Paul Brady

Girdwood, Alaska

Sage Dudick/Travel + Leisure

With the opening of the Alyeska Nordic Spa last September, the small Alaskan hamlet of Girdwood suddenly became a mountain sanctuary for wellness. The old mining town had been known for winter adventures like heli-skiing, ski touring, cross-country skiing, and downhill skiing at Alyeska Resort — a classic far north ski experience in the Chugach Mountains that was just added to the Ikon Pass . Now skiers can combine nature-based activities with rejuvenating in the Nordic Spa, just a quick walk next door from the European-style slopeside Alyeska Hotel. The 50,000-acre forested spa grounds feature a circuit of open-air hot and cold pools designed to maximize the benefits of hydrotherapy, interspersed with an exfoliation cabin, essential oil-infused steam room, traditional Finnish sauna, and halotherapy sauna lined in salt walls. Indoors, massage rooms and a bistro serving local foods complete the revitalizing offerings.

— Cassidy Randall

America’s Best Small Towns 2023

Related articles.

I took my 6-year-old to Los Angeles. I was surprised by how kid-friendly the city is.

  • I traveled from Maine to California with my 6-year-old son.
  • I hadn't been in almost a decade and worried about what to do with him so he wouldn't get bored.
  • I was surprised at how kid-friendly LA is, and now my son wants to go back again.

Insider Today

My family usually takes a big summer trip, but I  tore my ACL  earlier this year, so we decided to take it slow and allow my body to heal. That said, I also can't stay still, so I decided to plan a trip for my oldest kid and me to visit friends in Los Angeles.

At first, I was worried about taking a 6-year-old to such a massive city. We live in Portland, Maine , and it sometimes feels like there's not enough to do with the kids. Our activities are usually centered on food and birthday parties.

I asked on Threads for tips on what to do and quickly realized the options were endless. We did so much fun stuff, and now I know Los Angeles is truly a kid-friendly city.

He loved all of our adventures

Our flight out West was delayed , so when we finally arrived in LA, I threw our bags in the room, and we ran out to explore. Our first stop was the La Brea tar pits, which friends highly recommended. I purchased a Go City pass , which allows you to visit several attractions without having to pay for a ticket, and the tar pits were included.

We explored the pits, which blew my adult mind, and then the museum, which included skeletons and fossils found there. My son loves archeology, so this was a great kick-off to the trip.

Related stories

We then headed to Ripley's Believe It or Not museum, which is kind of a tourist trap, but I remember loving it as a kid. His mind was once again blown when he stood next to the tallest man ever; I loved seeing Marilyn Monroe's dress that Kim Kardashian wore in real life.

We then walked the Hollywood Boulevard looking for celebrity stars until we reached a thrift store. We went shopping, and the cashier decided to give us 25% off because she thought my son was funny. A similar thing happened when we bought T-shirts at Amoeba Music.

The next day, we headed to Universal Studios Hollywood so he could visit the Super Nintendo World . Since we had early entrance and walked into the park at 8 a.m. we only stayed half a day.

After that, we went to the Griffith Observatory, where we saw the Hollywood sign and all the planetarium exhibitions, and watched a movie about whether life exists on other planets. He had so many questions after that.

No trip to LA is complete without a stop at In-And-Out , where before I could even place my order, my son was gifted stickers and a chocolate shake.

The next day, I took him to Sidecar for donuts, and the employee decided to give him his doughnut for free. At this point, my son started to think that all kids get free things in LA. We then walked to buy shoes for me, and while I was looking for cool sneakers, the shop owner called my son over to shoot some basketballs in a hoop.

After buying shoes, we went to the LA Zoo , which several people had recommended. I'm not a fan of zoos, but when we walked in, we saw there was a Lego DREAMzzz: a Wild Adventure where kids could help build a giant narwhal. Being a huge Lego bricks fan, my son was thrilled to participate and meet a true Lego master builder. He even got to leave with a goodie bag for participating.

To close out our trip and continue the Lego theme, we drove to Legoland in San Diego . He was walking all over the park screaming, "This is the best place eveeeeeer," which was pretty adorable to see.

We did more in a week than we do in a month at home

If it sounds like we did a lot of things, that's because we did. And while he tends to be a homebody at home, being in a new city had him excited for whatever was coming next.

When we are in Maine, all our activities revolve around where we eat and whether we have a party to attend. There's not much culture and diversity for kids, and we tend to have to drive to New Hampshire or Boston for more kid-friendly activities.

Even at restaurants here, it's often hard to find kid activity books or crayons, which I know is not the responsibility of the owner but rather the parents. Still, having a sticker book handed out with burgers made dinner so much easier .

At the end of our trip, I asked him what his favorite thing had been. He said, "Everything," and even when I tried to press for one top activity, he came back with the same answer.

As for me, I'm already thinking about when we can return to Los Angeles, because now that I know it's this kid-friendly, I have so many more things I want to do.

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