Travel blogging is an exciting way to share your adventures and travel experiences with the world while making thousands from it to sustain yourself.
By studying the success of established travel blogs, you can learn valuable insights that will help you create and grow your own blog more efficiently and start making money on the go.
This post will explore 15 successful travel blogs, common success attributes, and how you can get started.
Note: Some information like traffic, income, number of posts, DA, will usually change over time, the site itself might entirely be acquired and evolve into something else or even get terminated. We will try to keep the content as updated as we can but we don’t guarantee its accuracy at all times.
In This Article, We’ve Covered
- 15 Examples of travel blogs
- Common success attributes among these blogs
- How to start a similar blog in steps
15 Examples of Successful Travel Blogs
Give me an overview of each of these blogs and towards the end give me examples of 5 blog posts published in them.
- Nomadic Matt
- The Blonde Abroad
- Expert Vagabond
- Be My Travel Muse
- Adventurous Kate
- Dan Flying Solo
- Wandering Earl
- Bucket List Journey
- A Broken Backpack
- Hand Luggage Only
- Legal Nomads
- Goats on the Road
- Y Travel Blog
- Travel + Leisure
- The Culture Trip
[1]. Nomadic Matt
Niche: Budget travel
Overview: Founded by Matt Kepnes, Nomadic Matt is one of the most popular travel blogs focusing on budget travel tips, helping travelers explore the world without breaking the bank. Focuses on budget travel, offering detailed guides on how to travel cheaply, find deals, and travel the world on a shoestring budget.
His content is highly practical, making travel accessible to more people.
Content Types: Budget travel guides, destination-specific tips, travel hacks, and travel industry insights.
Unique Features: Matt provides detailed budget breakdowns, cost-saving tips, and travel resources, making his blog a go-to for those looking to travel affordably.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Matt Kepnes
- Link: Nomadic Matt
- Monthly Traffic: 1.5 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $50,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, eBooks, travel courses, ads
- Number of Posts: 1,400+
- DA: 79
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 16 years (Founded in 2008)
Other Related Posts:
- How to start a similar blog like Nomadic Matt
- 15 travel blog Income reports
- Travel blog post topics ideas to write about
- 100 unique names to start a profitable travel blog
- How to make money as a travel blogger
[2]. The Blonde Abroad
Niche Focus: Solo female travel and lifestyle
Overview: Kiersten Rich’s The Blonde Abroad caters to solo female travelers, offering a mix of travel guides, fashion, photography, and lifestyle tips for women on the move. She also shares stories from her experiences traveling to over 70 countries.
Content Types: Solo travel guides, packing tips, photography tutorials, and destination highlights.
Unique Features: The blog’s focus on empowering women to travel solo, combined with its stylish and visually appealing photography, makes it stand out.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Kiersten Rich
- Link: The Blonde Abroad
- Monthly Traffic: 800,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $30,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, social media collaborations, travel photography
- Number of Posts: 600+
- DA: 68
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 12 years (Founded in 2012)
How to start a travel blog similar to
[3]. Expert Vagabond
Niche: Adventure travel and photography
Overview: Run by Matthew Karsten, Expert Vagabond focuses on adventure travel, off-the-beaten-path destinations, and photography.
Content Types: Adventure travel guides, photography tips, gear reviews, and travel stories.
Unique Features: The blog’s emphasis on adventure travel and its stunning photography set it apart, offering inspiration for thrill-seekers and explorers.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Matthew Karsten
- Link: Expert Vagabond
- Monthly Traffic: 700,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $20,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, photography
- Number of Posts: 500+
- DA: 63
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 13 years (Founded in 2011)
How to start a successful blog like “Expert Vagabond”
[4]. Be My Travel Muse
Niche Focus: Solo female adventure travel
Overview: Kristin Addis runs Be My Travel Muse, a blog centered around solo female travel, with a focus on adventure and authentic, transformative experiences.
Content Types: Solo travel guides, destination-specific tips, adventure travel stories, and photography.
Unique Features: The blog’s focus on solo female travelers, combined with Kristin’s personal, in-depth experiences, makes it a key resource for women looking for empowering travel inspiration.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Kristin Addis
- Link: Be My Travel Muse
- Monthly Traffic: 600,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $25,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, ads, sponsored posts, travel guides
- Number of Posts: 900+
- DA: 64
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 10 years (Founded in 2014)
How to start a successful blog like “Be My Travel Muse”
Be My Travel Muse – Specializes in solo female travel and transformative experiences. This blog focuses on spiritual and self-discovery travel, encouraging women to explore places independently.
To start a successful blog like Be My Travel Muse you need to;
- Source content ideas from the blog directly or
- Or by using an SEO research tool like semrush
- You can also source content ideas from our list of more than “300 blog post topics ideas in different travel sub-niches“.
[5]. Adventurous Kate
Niche Focus: Solo female travel
Overview: Adventurous Kate, created by Kate McCulley, is another leading blog for solo female travelers, offering practical advice, travel inspiration, and safety tips for women exploring the world alone. Kate shares her experiences from traveling to over 80 countries, offering safety tips, destination guides, and personal stories.
Content Types: Solo travel tips, destination guides, personal travel stories, and advice on traveling safely.
Unique Features: Kate’s candid storytelling and focus on solo female travel safety distinguish her blog, making it a trusted resource for women traveling alone.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Kate McCulley
- Link: Adventurous Kate
- Monthly Traffic: 500,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $20,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, ads
- Number of Posts: 1,000+
- DA: 61
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 13 years (Founded in 2011)
How to start a successful blog like “Adventurous Kate”
[6]. Dan Flying Solo
Niche Focus: Travel photography and solo travel
Overview: Dan Flying Solo, founded by Daniel James Clarke, is known for its stunning travel photography and solo travel insights, with a focus on authentic cultural experiences.
Content Types: Destination guides, travel photography, and solo travel stories.
Unique Features: The blog’s captivating travel photography and Dan’s personal experiences give readers a visual and narrative journey through each destination.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Daniel Clarke
- Link: Dan Flying Solo
- Monthly Traffic: 300,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $15,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, sponsored content, photography
- Number of Posts: 400+
- DA: 55
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 8 years (Founded in 2016)
How to start a successful blog like “Dan Flying Solo”
[7]. Wandering Earl
Niche: Long-term travel and backpacking
Overview: Earl, the founder of Wandering Earl, has been traveling continuously for over 20 years and shares his experiences as a digital nomad, offering tips for long-term travel and backpacking.
Content Types: Backpacking tips, long-term travel advice, destination guides, and travel lifestyle insights.
Unique Features: Earl’s extensive experience as a long-term traveler gives the blog a wealth of practical advice for aspiring digital nomads and backpackers.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Earl Baron
- Link: Wandering Earl
- Monthly Traffic: 400,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $10,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, tours
- Number of Posts: 1,200+
- DA: 62
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 14 years (Founded in 2010)
How to start a successful blog like “Wandering Earl”
[8]. Bucket List Journey
Niche Focus: Bucket list travel and lifestyle
Overview: Annette White’s Bucket List Journey is centered around checking off bucket-list experiences across the globe, with a focus on unique travel adventures.
Content Types: Bucket-list guides, destination inspiration, and lifestyle tips.
Unique Features: The blog’s bucket-list theme, where Annette documents her quest to complete adventurous and often unconventional experiences, makes it motivational for readers seeking to tick off their own life goals.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Annette White
- Link: Bucket List Journey
- Monthly Traffic: 350,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $15,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, ads, sponsored content
- Number of Posts: 600+
- DA: 58
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 10 years (Founded in 2014)
How to start a successful blog like “Bucket List Journey”
[9]. A Broken Backpack
Niche Focus: Budget travel and digital nomad lifestyle
Overview: Melissa Giroux runs A Broken Backpack, which offers insights into budget travel, working remotely, and the digital nomad lifestyle.
Content Types: Budget travel guides, digital nomad tips, and destination guides.
Unique Features: The blog’s blend of budget travel advice and resources for becoming a digital nomad resonates with readers looking to combine work and travel.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Melissa Giroux
- Link: A Broken Backpack
- Monthly Traffic: 250,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $10,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, ads, sponsored content
- Number of Posts: 400+
- DA: 54
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 8 years (Founded in 2016)
How to start a successful blog like “A Broken Backpack”
[10]. Hand Luggage Only
Niche Focus: Travel and lifestyle
Overview: Run by Yaya and Lloyd, Hand Luggage Only offers comprehensive travel guides, lifestyle tips, and food-related content for travelers.
Content Types: Travel guides, photography, food reviews, and lifestyle tips.
Unique Features: The blog’s vibrant photography and engaging content, paired with its casual, friendly tone, appeal to a broad audience of travelers.
Blog’s Insights
- Founders: Yaya & Lloyd
- Link: Hand Luggage Only
- Monthly Traffic: 800,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $40,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, ads
- Number of Posts: 1,500+
- DA: 70
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 9 years (Founded in 2015)
How to start a successful blog like “Hand Luggage Only”
[11]. Legal Nomads
Niche Focus: Food, travel, and chronic illness
Overview: Legal Nomads, created by Jodi Ettenberg, initially started as a food and travel blog but has evolved to include content on living with chronic illness.
Content Types: Destination food guides, personal travel stories, and chronic illness management.
Unique Features: Jodi’s unique blend of travel, food, and health challenges gives the blog a personal and informative touch, with a focus on storytelling and food cultures.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Jodi Ettenberg
- Link: Legal Nomads
- Monthly Traffic: 300,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $15,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, ads, eBooks, courses
- Number of Posts: 500+
- DA: 64
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 16 years (Founded in 2008)
How to start a successful blog like “Legal Nomads”
[12]. Goats on the Road
Niche Focus: Long-term travel, remote work, and financial independence
Overview: Run by Nick and Dariece, Goats on the Road is focused on helping travelers achieve financial independence through remote work and long-term travel.
Content Types: Digital nomad tips, travel guides, work-from-anywhere strategies, and personal finance advice.
Unique Features: The blog’s focus on making money while traveling and achieving financial independence through remote work makes it highly practical for aspiring long-term travelers.
Blog’s Insights
- Founders: Nick & Dariece
- Link: Goats on the Road
- Monthly Traffic: 700,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $30,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, courses
- Number of Posts: 1,000+
- DA: 66
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 11 years (Founded in 2013)
How to start a successful blog like “Goats on the Road”
[13]. Y Travel Blog
Niche Focus: Family travel
Overview: Caz and Craig Makepeace run Y Travel Blog, focusing on family-friendly travel experiences and tips for traveling with kids.
Content Types: Family travel guides, destination tips, road trip advice,
and budget travel tips.
Unique Features: The blog offers valuable insights for families looking to travel together, with practical tips on how to make travel with kids more accessible and enjoyable.
Blog’s Insights
- Founders: Caz & Craig Makepeace
- Link: Y Travel Blog
- Monthly Traffic: 600,000 visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $25,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, ads, travel guides
- Number of Posts: 1,200+
- DA: 67
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 12 years (Founded in 2012)
How to start a successful blog like “Y Travel Blog”
[14]. Travel + Leisure
Niche Focus: Luxury and leisure travel
Overview: Travel + Leisure is a well-known travel publication and blog that covers luxury travel, lifestyle, and destination inspiration around the world.
Content Types: Luxury travel guides, destination highlights, hotel reviews, and travel industry trends.
Unique Features: Known for its high-end focus, Travel + Leisure provides readers with luxury travel ideas, offering insights into top destinations and experiences for discerning travelers.
Blog’s Insights
- Founders: Meredith Corporation
- Link: Travel + Leisure
- Monthly Traffic: 3 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $100,000
- Monetization: Ads, sponsored content, affiliate marketing
- Number of Posts: 2,000+
- DA: 85
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 51 years (Founded in 1973)
How to start a successful blog like “Travel + Leisure”
[15]. The Culture Trip
Niche: Cultural travel and local experiences
Overview: The Culture Trip is a travel and lifestyle blog focusing on cultural experiences, local insights, and exploring destinations through the lens of food, art, and history.
Content Types: Destination guides, cultural stories, food, art, and history content.
Unique Features: The blog’s deep dive into cultural experiences and its emphasis on local insights make it a valuable resource for travelers looking to connect with destinations on a more meaningful level.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Dr. Kris Naudts
- Link: The Culture Trip
- Monthly Traffic: 1 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $70,000
- Monetization: Ads, sponsored content, affiliate marketing
- Number of Posts: 3,000+
- DA: 80
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 10 years (Founded in 2013)
How to start a successful blog like “The Culture Trip”
Common Attributes Among Successful Travel Blogs
If you examine these successful travel blogs individually, you’ll notice they share several key features.
These attributes are essential for achieving a similar level of success.
Below are these common traits among these successful travel blogs:
- 400+ Published Posts: Most have at least 400 posts published.
- Thousands of Backlinks: These blogs have acquired a good number of backlinks organically over time and not manually.
- Multiple Monetization Methods: They mostly make over 10,000 per month utilizing monetization methods like:
- Display ads [Google AdSense, Mediavine, Adthrive & Ezoic are the most utilized].
- Affiliate promotions [mostly using Impact radius, PartnerStack, etc., and other single affiliate programs]
- Sponsorships
- Digital info products [courses & e-books]
- Active for 3+ Years: They have been active for a minimum of three years which allows them to gain experience, grow, and refine their initial approach to something better.
- Strong Internal Linking: Effective internal linking has helped them gain more indexed pages and better Google ranking, while also helping to keep readers longer on their site.
- Regular Visit: These blogs have built a loyal base of repeat visitors who regularly engage with their content and are likely to click on their blog on similar search queries in Google search results due to trust of familiarity.
These are common traits found among the successful blogs mentioned in this post which has helped them achieve this success. Content quality is vital, it evolves as the blog grows, and owners learn to enhance and refine it over time.
You can master these strategies in our vital post on the “12 Key Blogging Tips and Strategies.”
How to Start A Similar Travel Blog And Make Money
Here is how you can start a similar blog like the ones mentioned in this post.
According to my experience, I think anyone at all very interested in blogging will succeed just like these ones mentioned here just that sometimes it also takes time.
Start Below
Start within a sub-niche in your niche
We have a list of several travel blog post topics under different sub-niche of travel where you can start and find blog post topic ideas.
If you decide on which sub-niche to go into within your travel blog niche you can follow the below steps to set up your blog and get it ready for publishing blog posts.
Follow the steps below to get started when you’ve chosen your niche.
- Step 1: Click on “HostGator” to host your blog
- Step 2: Choose your preferred HostGator plan
- Step 3: Choose your preferred domain & complete your sign-up
- Step 4: Within your HostGator account “Install WordPress” your blogging platform
- Step 5: Within WordPress choose your blog theme [A Pre-built Site]
- Step 6: Customize the pre-designed pages, and start writing and publishing blog posts.
As you get started, things will become clearer as you gradually gain experience and understand how things work.
You can start by making a list of your niche blog posts – Travel Blog Post Topic Ideas
This is how you can start and grow a blog like these successful travel bloggers mentioned in this post.
