The Best Travel Blogs and Websites 2017
Big round of applause for all those hardworking travelers. Photo courtesy of Fresh Off the Grid.
When we compiled our original list of the 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites, we thought we were creating an index that would be useful for readers and for ourselves. Little did we know it would become the most popular feature we've ever published.
We're doing things a little differently in 2017, asking previous winners of the Blogs & Websites feature to nominate their favorite travel sites. The results give a refreshing glimpse into a tight-knit travel community filled with old pals and new voices.
We're excited to present the 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites of 2017.
Off Assignment
Recommended by Jungles in Paris (2015 and 2016 winner)
Why they love it: It's a platform for reflective travel writing. With travel media getting more and more commercial, it's nice to have a place where professionals can get into the real stories inherent in a foreign encounter. It's retro and forward-thinking in the right ways.
Why we love it: The Letters to a Stranger section is equally heartwarming and haunting. The Triptionary section makes for a lunch-break laugh.
Fresh Off the Grid
Recommended by Sidetracked (2015)
Why they love it: This is the work of Megan McDuffie and Michael Van Vliet as they share their life on the road (in an old Ford Focus) along with fantastic guides and recipes that cater to backpackers, road-trippers, and campers. The site proves that outdoor cooking can go way beyond just burgers.
Why we love it: The sheer variety of what this couple can make on to go — from chicken marbella to vegan kebab tacos — makes us eager to gather 'round the campfire.
Carnets de Traverse
Recommended by Classetouriste (2014, 2016)
Why they love it: The people behind the site travel in a very interesting and genuine way, combining secret addresses with beautiful destinations, usually skipping the obvious places. The photography has evolved a lot; the essence of a place is captured very well. Note that it's in French, but the Instagram feed is bi-lingual.
Why we love it: The thorough road trip stories (accompanied with route maps and location photos) are more than enough to make us want to use the Google "translate this page" tool.
Scandinavia Standard
Recommended by The Travelling Light (2015), 12hrs (2014, 2016)
Why they love it: This site covers cool culture, events, and design in Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, and Norway. There are posts on the best local designers, stores, restaurants, and hangouts mainly in major cities, and also articles on quirky local customs. It's the ultimate resource for all things Scandi.
Why we love it: The calendar section is particularly helpful for spontaneous travelers.
Meraviglia Paper
Recommended by The Voyageur (2014, 2016)
Why they love it: Whether in the founder's backyard in Northern Italy or a sidewalk in sunny California, the people behind this site manage to pinpoint the most soulful places and portray them in a low-key, intimate way. Impeccable taste looks effortless.
Why we love it: Poetic photos and lyrical narratives make for a lovely introduction to intimate places around the world.
Lost With Purpose
Recommended by Spirited Pursuit (2016)
Why she loves it: Alex and Sebastiaan visit lesser-known regions of the world and tell vivid stories about their experiences. Their images are incredible and the stories shared in their captions are moving.
Why we love it: The stories are personal and helpful — particularly for hard-to-reach-places like Uzbekistan or Georgia or Iran.
This Is the Place I Was Telling You About
Recommended by And North (2015, 2016)
Why they love it: From global city guides and features on great restaurants and shops, to gorgeous self-portraits in exotic settings, Texan natives Marcus and R'el send readers on virtual vacations through stunning photography and unique storytelling. Plus, in our overly saturated digital world, it's even more special that they mostly shoot film.
Why we love it: Besides the cute name, we love the refreshingly clean layout and hyper-focus on things like coffee and film.
Landcruising Adventures
Recommended by Our Open Road (2014)
Why they love it: Karin-Marijke and Coen share their overland adventures through gorgeous photography and eloquent and informative writing.
Why we love it: Aspiring road-trippers have no more excuses — the information tab is filled with practical intel like border crossings and GPS waypoints.
Culinary Backstreets
Recommended by Eat Your World (2012, 2016)
Why they love it: Short, focused articles give terrific background on the culture and people of a country. On a recent trip to Portugal, their reccommendations lead directly to a great ginjinha bar and Goan restaurant, among other local spots.
Why we love it: These guys know the best street foods around the world and the heart and history behind each bite. Dig in.
Jungles in Paris
Recommended by Funnelogy Channel (2015, 2016)
Why they love it: It's tricky to combine great photography with truly interesting stories from the road. These are stories told from the heart, by passionate travelers for passionate travelers.
Why we love it: Mini documentaries are like art pieces, telling inspiring stories of craftsmanship, character, tradition, and extreme natural environments.
Roads & Kingdoms
Recommended by Along Dusty Roads (2016)
Why they love it: The wonderfully diverse selection of travelogues, exposés, and thought-pieces reveal the quirks, secrets, and controversies of the world. Expect a different perspective on travel — and for your curiosity to be sparked.
Why we love it: Off-beat locales, under-photographed rituals, regional sports, food adventures, and political happenings all in one sleek journal.
Roam Magazine
Recommended by The Travelling Light (2015)
Why they love it: The new online travel magazine from travel photographer Annapurna Mellor and her writer sister Athena has inspired trips to a little-visited town in Egypt on the border of Libya, an open-air laundry in the slums of Mumbai, and the streets of a provincial town in Western Russia. The photography is always breathtaking, the writing is intelligent and considered, and every story is a beautiful portrayal of the destination, celebrating interesting travelers and their journeys across the world.
Why we love it: Incredible photo essays bring us above the clouds in Portugal, introduce us to the people of Ladakh, and take us on an endless summer day in Iceland.
Tiny Atlas Quarterly
Recommended by 12hrs (2014, 2016)
Why they love it: Few websites feature pictures as gorgeous as Tiny Atlas Quarterly. Their stories transport you to different places, introduce you to interesting people, and more often than not present a fresh perspective. What else to love? Their playful and inventive illustrations.
Why we love it: It's a whole different type of travel narrative. Emily Nathan and her team turn out stunning photos and fun layouts issue after issue.
Petite Passport
Recommended by Melting Butter (2015, 2016)
Why they love it: Pauline Egge of Petite Passport is all quality over quantity; every recommendation is thoughtful and considered. She has a great Northern European design aesthetic too.
Why we love it: Pauline's impeccable taste and eye for detail consistently impresses us.
Huckberry Journal
Recommended by Sidetracked (2015)
Why they love it: It's beautifully designed and well written. The mix of historic and current adventure stories make for living a better life outdoors. The in-depth interviews and recipes are on point.
Why we love it: It's a terrific compendium of all things adventure, from gear to apparel, plus lovely personal essays.
Our Wild Abandon
Recommended by Funnelogy Channel (2015, 2016)
Why they love it: The duo behind Our Wild Abandon have been on the road since 2013. The way they travel and the stories they tell paint a picture of an America you don't usually see on travel blogs.
Why we love it: Their unabashedly personal stories make us yearn for off-the-grid trips.
Travelfish
Recommended by Eating Asia (2015)
Why they love it: For travel in Southeast Asia, Travelfish is intelligent, frequently updated, and comprehensive, with everything from street food to luxury hotel reviews. They cover popular spots (Chiang Mai) as well as places travelers might not think to go (Sumba, Indonesia).
Why we love it: The fantastic Info, Weather, and Visas tabs in each destination make Travelfish all the more useful as a practical resource.
Melting Butter
Recommended by Tiny Atlas Quarterly (2014)
Why they love it: While TAQ is more focused on personal experiences and visual perspectives, Melting Butter is a great resource for people who are looking specifically for the the new, the delicious, and the design-y in a fast, easy, and stylish way.
Why we love it: A Pinterest-esque layout highlights the coolest, prettiest spots recommended by curators with excellent taste.
Legal Nomads
Recommended by Beers and Beans (2014), Behind the Food Carts (2015)
Why they love it: Jodi Ettenberg's personal narratives and photography provide the perfect escape. Engaging and informative, Jodi's blog posts and in-depth guides keep readers coming back for more of her adventures and advice. Check out her typographic food map series.
Why we love it: Representing solo female (and gluten-free!) travelers everywhere, and not just through picture-perfect moments, but also personal stories like managing chronic pain/sicknesses overseas.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Recommended by The New Potato (2015)
Why they love it: When it comes to booking great hotels, it can't be beat. They have the best collection of unique and boutique lodging around the globe, and never fail to make an experience incredibly special and customized.
Why we love it: The booking site has in-depth content on hotels across all budgets, with fun (and very helpful) packing intel and family travel tips.
Camels and Chocolate
Recommended by Lost in Cheeseland (2014)
Why they love it: Kristin Luna isn't just a talented writer and photographer, she's a free spirit with an infectious curiosity for other cultures and traditions. And that comes across instantly on her blog. She updates frequently and has traveled extensively around the world, but her best discoveries are found in the American South and Latin America.
Why we love it: This girl (and her dog) has gone everywhere, but Kristin is a proud Tennesseean — hence her comprehensive and up-to-date info on the American South.
A Cup of Jo
Recommended by Eat This Poem (2015, 2016)
Why they love it: Her mix of content makes travel feel relaxed and effortless. City guides are written by locals and feel like intimate neighborhood portraits, filled with can't-miss shops, restaurants, and activities. Other travel-related posts provide practical tips for everything from flying with a baby to how to choose a honeymoon destination. In the mix are Joanna's personal reflections, like pictures from family vacations to Palm Springs and England, and her two sons even have their very own guide to NYC on the blog.
Why we love it: Joanna is one of few the OG mom-bloggers who manages to stay fresh, funny, and really smart.
Cereal City Guides
Recommended by On the Grid (2016)
Why they love it: Here is a beautiful and intelligent way of approaching and appreciating travel. Cereal promotes the kind of travel that makes you slow down, explore a place with intimacy, and attempt to understand from a local's point of view.
Why we love it: The subdued design and thoughtful photos make us appreciate the little places: a glove shop in Antwerp, or a letterpress studio in Bath.
Postcards from Yonder
Recommended by Team Fathom.
Why we love it: The really sweet, funny, and creative couple are Fathom contributors who have been recording traveling since 2015. Kevin takes the photographs and Katie has a great eye for detail. They both have a great sense of humor (read this hilarious and helpful Thai language guide). They keep no travel secret a secret — for example, they wrote a step-by-step guide (with links and phone numbers) to scoring stunning hand-block print textiles in Jaipur.
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About Fathom Lists
Fathom has three missions: To help you indulge your love of travel, whether you're on the road or staying home. To narrow down endless options (hotels, sites, destinations) to those that are special. And to find the best travel stories.
These sites help us deliver all of the above, through their hotel intelligence, off-road adventures, great writing, and serious travel porn. We'll be collecting stories and dispatches from these amazing travelers regularly throughout the year. We're thrilled to get to know them better, and we hope you are, too.
Why 24?
And not 10 or 25 or 100? You'll see 24 a lot around Fathom. (See all our 24 Bests on one page.) For a few reasons: We want to deliver a balanced but concise mix of options, and twenty sometimes isn't enough. Also, 24 is our lucky number.