The best kind of travel research. Photo courtesy of Along Dusty Roads.
When we compiled our original 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.
Four years later, the web has evolved and new talent has emerged. Our 2016 list includes the best new travel voices along with selected favorites from previous editions of this list — we want to applaud those who consistently knock it out of the park. After considering hundreds of sites (the internet: it likes to travel), we're proud to announce the 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites of 2016.
What we love: Founders Nico Petit and Gabi Zanzanaini lend their fun-seeking personalities to stories about foreign experiences, cultural customs, and global flavors on their food-centric travelogue. The duo met in Brussels, have lived in Addis Ababa, brainstormed their blog in Reykjavík, ate their way through Hội An, and most recently made a major move to Hong Kong.
What we love: Fashion-forward co-founders Anna Peuckert and Søren Jepsen guide us to out-of-the-box boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants with condensed twelve-hour itineraries that squeeze a week's worth of discovery into a one-day, see-it-all extravaganza.
What we love: New York State trail recommendations, upstate artisan profiles, Airbnb home histories, and intimate looks at lesser-known eateries help us rediscover our own backyard of Greater New York (and beyond).
What we love: Nicole Gulotta works with local writers to highlight the best bookstores, reading nooks, and restaurants for the traveling bookworm who has an appetite for both food and fiction.
What we love: Jenny Nguyen-Barron and her team build itineraries with art galleries, plant boutiques, jazz bars, and new restaurants recommended by curators with excellent taste.
What we love: This boutique travel journal, run by brothers Oliver and Darrell Hartman, uses beautiful photography and short film to tell inspiring stories of craftsmanship, tradition, and extreme natural environments.
What we love: Founder Pauline Egge has impeccable taste and always keeps her eye on the details, posting little looks at the best moments in design and culture around the world.
Last seen: Feasting on pumpkin lasagna and stewed pear in Milan.
What we love: The sleek travel journal taps into off-beat locales, under-photographed rituals, regional sports, food adventures, and political happenings.
Last seen: Taking a polar bear plunge with retirees in Beijing.
What we love: David De Vleeschauwer and Debbie Pappyn seek out hard-to-reach places like Antarctica and North Korea. David takes amazing photos; Debbie's one-a-day photo blog captures beautiful snippets of life on the go.
What we love: A welcome departure from straight travel reporting, founder Porter Fox and his team focus on the art of literary travel writing, featuring long-form narratives of places and moments in history.
What we love: Founder and editor-in-chief Ben Pundole is an industry insider (Schrager Hotels, Groucho Club) who debriefs travel junkies (designers and jetsetters) on the coolest hotels around the world.
Last seen: Sipping mojitos by a pool in Old San Juan.
What we love: It's a thrill-seeker's ultimate field guide — everything from a list of the most intense ski trails to a photo journal of a 233-mile run through the American Southwest — plus the gear you need to do it all.
What we love: The site's fresh, minimalist design is the perfect canvas for Pauline Chardin's large-format photos of olive groves in Apulia, jungles in Sri Lanka, and lime juice in Egypt.
Last seen: Exploring the outer islands of Hong Kong.
What we Love: Hungry people the world over can nerd out over the dining details that make meals memorable. Founders Scott Rosen and Laura Siciliano-Rosen are earnest without being indulgent. Their international selections feel like real foodie finds.
What we love: They've been consistently uncovering the best and newest under-the-radar spots around the world since 2003, but we love the site's fresh, new look, which includes new city guide navigation.
What we love: Their no-fuss neighborhood guides are curated by native creatives and offer super accessible, design-centric, personal insights on local food, shopping, and culture. Consider this both a starting point and back-pocket resource for planning your next trip.
What we love: Personal stories, destination guides, and the occasional listicle capture the nuances of Afro-centric travel, while their chat community on Slack, #TNDistrict, helps jet-setters connect on dream destinations, airfare deals, and travel finds.
What we love: The site and newsletter curates a stream of well-photographed features on little-known and design-focused hotels and restaurants. It’s inspirational reading material for the stylish set (and anyone looking to up their Instagram game).
What we love: The Dubai-based digital and print resource focuses on urban life in the Middle East and Northern Africa, and the insider’s perspective on contemporary cultural issues, city-centric itineraries, and interviews with local artisans. It's a good entry point for understanding the region.
What we love: More practical than anything, the website resource makes sense of group travel by curating and organizing venues by type, setting, celebration, and price. Unfortunately, figuring out seating arrangements, speeches, and matching bridesmaid dresses are still up to you.
What we love: A varied directory of niche boutiques in cities around the world: old-world cheese stores, fashion-forward collectives, and tried-and-true artisan workshops. Because the best souvenirs always have good backstories.
What we love: Lee Litumbe’s blog is an ode to overlooked beauty and travel for the free spirit, complementing local profiles and inspirational accounts from countries around the world with beautiful full-color photography that tells stories words cannot.
What we love: We appreciate backpacking, but we can't deny the cliches that surround it. This Central and South America-focused blog avoids them all with solid writing, beautiful images, and tried-and-tested tips for planning budget trips that don't look flimsy or cheap.
We make every effort to ensure the information in our articles is accurate at the time of publication. But the world moves fast, and even we double-check important details before hitting the road.
