8 authentic travel bloggers with full time jobs (non-remote!) to follow
You don't have to quit your job to travel frequently. Follow these travelers who share how they balance their full-time jobs and travel all over the world!
Traveling has been around for as long as...well, methods of transportation has, from early Polynesian seafarers to merchants on the Silk Road. As traveling in modern times has become more accessible to the larger general public, so to has casual consumption of travel content. No longer is the topic of travel only covered by travel journalists and official government entities and large organizations...but also that guy from your high school algebra class.
The "birth-boom" in travel bloggers happened back in the mid 2010s, and ever since then travel blogging has evolved in its entirely own industry of frequent travelers sharing their personal experiences in new destinations. Even with the early introduction of social media, travel bloggers and content creators still largely focused on genuine recaps of the places they visited. But, if you are reading this article, you may have noticed that influencers seem...out of reach, for lack of better words.
With full time travel influencers touching down in 10, 20, even over 30 countries a year, and ALL of the destinations being "MUST VISIT" spots, keeping up with them and the travel pace they hope to inspire just seems—
Unrealistic.
Most of the world's population works some iteration of an onsite 9-5 job, with limited time off and other personal obligations like family and friends and career goals that make traveling every month simply not possible. Heck, 46% of Americans do not or cannot travel more than once a year, if at all.
Authentic Travel Bloggers with Full Time Jobs
Thankfully, not all travel bloggers have turned their work into a business, and many still manage to squeeze in a trip or two a year on their weekends and holiday breaks. Plus, these travel bloggers go the extra mile of documenting their travel learnings, likely on their lunch breaks, so everyone else can see more of the world when they can. If you've been looking for authentic travel bloggers that you can more easily relate to, check out these travel bloggers with full time jobs.
Their travel recommendations come from the heart AND their own wallets, so that you can make a trustworthy and informed decision on your next getaway!
Millette from The Next Somewhere
Millette is the colorful genius behind the bright The Next Somewhere, a blog that focuses on the convergence of travel, food, and lifestyle through the detailed eyes of a Filipina-American creative. Though Millette is now based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she has lived all over the world including Thailand, Vietnam, and South Korea, where she met her now-husband.
Food is Millette's love language, and exploring a new destination through its menu is how she connects even the most unfamiliar countries and cultures. On her blog, you'll find easily digestible city guides with itineraries suitable for short weekend getaways that don't require a lot of time off.
Between juggling her office job and recounting travel adventures on her blog, Millette is also navigating a new terrain: motherhood. Those with children of any ages will relate to packing an entire pharmacy into a diaper bag, distracting a kid on a ten hour flight, and instilling the crucial values of love, acceptance, understanding, and compassion into out little global citizens.
Aneesa from Expat Panda
The travel blogging space is overwhelmingly catered to North American and European audiences. Aneesa from Expat Panda loudly and proudly fills the content gap that both traditional and popular media are lacking. Originally from South Africa, Aneesa has used her graduate level teaching degree to live and work abroad as a specialized teacher.
Aneesa has lived and taught at schools in South Korea, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and is now teaching in Serbia. Along with documenting the unique struggles international teachers have to navigate, Aneesa also shares on her blog the discrimination, both subtle and blatant, that citizens from the Global South will face while traveling. Her blog does not shy away from very real topics such as the hardships that come with living abroad and the unfortunate truth behind passport privilege, or lack thereof.
Whether you are looking to live abroad as a teacher, travel more despite having a "weak" passport, or just yearn for thoughtfully written travel itineraries, Aneesa has something for you!
Francesca from Homeroom Travel
Francesca is no stranger to balancing a busy schedule as she finishes her PhD while simultaneously working as a junior high teacher and adjunct professor in her homebase of California. And somehow, Francesca manages to squeeze in another passion of hers - documenting her trips on her blog Homeroom Travel.
With 7 continents, 50 US states, and 64 countries under her experience belt, Francesca covers a massive range of destinations through city guides, travel tips, and destination inspiration. She can even help you pick out the best Antarctica cruise so you can save up for your own bucket list trip!
For anyone that might be restricted to traveling during the busiest times of the year (school breaks and holidays), Francesca has plenty of travel tips to help make your experience with crowds less frustrating, or potentially how to avoid them all together with destinations that might not have crossed your mind!
Michael and Matt from Michael and Matt
What came first, their names or the blog? Two husbands hailing from Portland, Oregon, Michael and Matt are avid travel enthusiasts in-between their busy schedules as a dentist and nurse respectively. Somehow between their demanding industry jobs, they also manage to carve out time for creative pursuits, such as their travel blog Michael and Matt.
Seeing an obvious gap in content that speaks to LGBTQ+ travelers, the dynamic duo's blog focuses LGBTQ+ friendly travel guides as well as the specifics of what it means to travel as a gay man in various countries around the world. Their travel style ranges from food focused itineraries to lively nightlife excursions to romantic relaxing getaways, so there's a highly good chance you'll be able to relate to at least one aspect of their travel adventures.
Michael and Matt are a sense of hope and inspiration for people who may be hesitant to travel because the world is not always kind to those of varying sexualities or gender identity. Travel is for everyone - and they make sure to remind their readers.
Jess from Road 2 Culturedom
As a doctor in London, Jess is all too familiar with long hours, but as an equally passionate traveler, those long hours extend to plane rides as well. Regardless of the hour or time of day, whether you're on your lunch break or checking into your vacation hotel, you can find all of Jess' travels on her blog Road 2 Culturedom.
With a strong eye for both art, Jess' blog focuses on the beauty of travel through its visual cultures and peoples. When Jess isn't exploring a museum, she's immersing herself in culture on the ground with excursions and experiences. Jess priorities impact when she travels, appreciating local artists who tell the histories of the destination from their perspective.
Whether she's solo traveling or joining a group, like her most recent ski trip, Jess recognizes that the cultural heart of a place lies within its peoples. Readers interested in approaching travel through an artistic lens will love following Jess and her culture-focused travel itineraries.
Nicole from A Beach Creature
Based in Maui, Hawai'i - though never too far from the beach regardless of the destination - Nicole has been a pediatric Registered Nurse for over thirteen years, and a blogger at A Beach Creature for almost just as long. Nicole decompresses and realigns herself through travel in her downtime.
True to her blog name, Nicole has visited over 80 islands across the world, each one unique in its sands, waters, and creatures. Travel has been a sense of balance for Nicole in both her personal and professional life, and now her blog shares helpful guides and itineraries to the most beautiful tropical destinations all over the world.
Nicole is a very intentional and mindful person, and that trait translate over to her blog as well. Travelers who crave relaxation in both mind and body will enjoy Nicole's advice on mental detangling - and the best beach to do it from!
Cher from Wandering Redhead
Cher is no stranger to the phrase "work hard, play hard," because when she's not working long hours at a hospital as a travel nurse anesthetist, Cher is catching a flight somewhere. Thankfully for all of us, she documents her travels on her blog Wandering Redhead.
After seeing over 100 countries and all 7 continents over her forty-odd years of life, Cher still approaches every trip with an open mind, regardless of whether she had visited before or not. While her travel style varies depending on where she visits, Cher places an importance on ethical travel and its impact on both human and animal residents of a destination.
As someone who started traveling later in life compared to many travel influencers, Cher's blog is a source of reassurance for folks that may be apprehensive to travel because of their age. Cher's goal is to inspire "older" travelers, and especially older female travelers, and show them that it is never to late to see something new.
Kay from The Awkward Traveller
And last but not least, Kay is a woman in STEM by day, fiction author by night, and travel blogger at The Awkward Traveller on her 30-minute lunch breaks. Dividing her time between her childhood-home of Southern California and current-home of Portland, Oregon, Kay is just as passionate about traveling domestically in the USA as the more "exciting" destinations farther away.
On her blog, you'll find travel guides and tips, but you'll also find insightful expositions with travelers from all different backgrounds that will encapsule the multifaceted reality of travel. Kay uses humor to break the ice on tougher travel topics such as how race works differently in other countries and interviews to dissect myths and misconceptions about destinations that she visits.
Kay is a storyteller to her core, so readers interested in digging deeper than the surface of travel will enjoy her musings of travel experiences. She also throws in a pretty good dad joke every once in a while.
Kay Kingsman is a fiction author and travel writer who prides herself on being a full-time silly goose. Along with being the first person to crip walk in Antarctica, Kay's writing has been featured in Forbes, Insider, Fodor’s, Viator, and more.