10 Things I've Learned From Being a Travel Blogger for (Nearly) 10 Years

Writing and travel are two of my greatest passions in life, so you’d think combining them would send me into a state of euphoric delirium. The truth is that being a travel blogger means I am constantly thinking of ways to make content out of my travels, which can be draining at times. When you’re in a new place experiencing new things, it’s generally best to simply be in the moment and enjoy it, but there is always a little voice in the back of my mind reminding me that these posts don’t write themselves.

General TravelLogan T. HansenMarch 31, 2026travel, travel advice, travel guide, travel blogging, travel blog, travel writing, travel diary, travelogue, travel lists, travel recommendations, travel reviews, travel tips, travel ideas, travel industry, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel planning, travel appreciation, travel hacks, travel junkie, travel logistics, travel bucket list, travel mishaps, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Jordan, Cobh, content creation, 10-year anniversary, Greenland, Michigan, Great Lakes State, Great Lakes, Mitten State, The Mitten State of Mind, AI, ChatGPT, Sint Maarten, Simpson Bay, David Pumpkins, David S. Pumpkins, headline writing, writing tips, Canada, Minnesota, Northwest Angle, Europe, Eurotrip, Euro trip, cheap flights, Grand Rapids, Indiana, Ohio, road trip, road tripping, road trips, movies, movies about travel, SEO, search engine optimization, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, travel mistakes, burnout, Logan's Run, All Things Wanderful, Seattle, Pike Place Market, social media, Medium, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, sorry not sorry, the 'gram, traveler versus tourist, tourist trap, Guinness, Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, Guinness beer, Atlanta, Georgia, Final Four, car crash, hit-and-run, University of Michigan, Michigan Wolverines, NCAA, 2013 NCAA Tournament, NCAA Men's Basketball, college basketball, Louisville Cardinals, hitchhiking, Colorado, Keystone Resort, skiing, music festival, Firefly Music Festival, Delaware, rental car, Florida, Orlando, spring break, spring break travel, World Nate, Intrepid Introvert, Nomadic Matt, Pitcairn Islands, remote travel, remote island, Google Flights, GQ, Gentlemen's Quarterly, The New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, National Geographic, Diomedes, Diomede Islands, Big Diomede, Little Diomede, International Date Line, Russia, Alaska, United States, Maine, ghost trains, dealspotr, Beaver Island, Lake Michigan, Beaver Island Music Festival, U.S. Ghost Adventures, haunted, haunted tourComment

Au Revoir, Beauvoir; or, The Odd Experience of Visiting Jefferson Davis' Mississippi Mansion

While I do not in any way, shape, or form agree with the Confederate cause (because, you know, let’s just make that crystal clear), this was still a chance to see history in person, and I would be loathe to turn such an opportunity down. So, with a few hours to kill, I headed over to Beauvoir, where Davis lived from 1876 until his death in December 1889, to get a glimpse of the way in which the South commemorates the man whom many would consider one of America's greatest villains.

North AmericaLogan T. HansenMay 31, 2025travel, travel guide, travel advice, travelspiration, travel inspiration, travel ideas, travel blog, travel reviews, travel recommendations, Biloxi, Mississippi, Jefferson Davis, history, U.S. history, U.S. Civil War, Gulf of Mexico, Confederacy, Confederated States of America, Old French, Deep South, Beauvoir, James Brown, plantation, plantations, Orange Grove, Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Museum, Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier, Lost Cause, Civil War, Sarah Knox Taylor, Zachary Taylor, cotton plantation, Davis Bend, The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, David Blight, Yale University, The New York Times, American history, Hurricane Katrina, Confederate artifacts, Hayes Cottage, Library Cottage, Confederate Memorial Cemetery, Samuel Emory Davis, United Daughters of the Confederacy, slavery Comment

The Mitten State of Mind: One Thing to See or Do in All 83 of Michigan's Counties, Pt. 2

Michigan is full of majesty, mystery, and might, each of which comes in many forms. This three-part series highlights just some of what the Mitten State has to offer, county by county. Welcome to Part Two, which covers 32 counties alphabetically, from Hillsdale to Muskegon.

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Trip Planning Perfectionist? Over-Packer? Useful Tips & Tricks for Every Type of Traveler

As with almost everything in the history of ever, travel tips and tricks come in all shapes and sizes. Some bits of advice prove useful; others you might swat away like a mildly-pesky fly. Right here, right now, we’re trying to steer clear of the fly swatters and break down some of the best travel hacks out there, depending on the type of traveler you are.

General TravelLogan T. HansenSeptember 8, 2021travel, travel guide, travel advice, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel guidance, travel tips, travel hacks, romantic getaway, romantic weekend, romantic retreat, trip planning, travel planning, logistics, travel logistics, Anthony Bourdain, Money Magazine, Travel + Leisure, The New York Times, Paris, The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, nightmare vacation, nightmare trip, travel mistakes, Instagram, budget travel, budgeting, travel budget, Patrice J. Williams, Kate Young, style, travel style, airport style, Shivani Vora, luggage, packing tips, overpacking, Margot Robbie, Michelle Williams, TripAdvisor, TripAdvisor.com, tripadvisor.com, Bourdain, Eat Your World, travel blog, travel blogging, Making Obama, Pod Save America, The Daily, NPR One, NPR, This American Life, Business Wars, podcastsComment

The New York Times' 52 Places to Love in 2021: Unusual Times Call for Unusual Bucket Lists

The year from hell that was 2020 may be over, but 2021 doesn’t really feel all that different just yet. The world is still attempting to come back from the brink and fight off this accursed virus, businesses and families are still out here struggling financially due to restrictions designed to keep people safe, and many industries are still flailing about with all the uncertainty that remains.

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Drive-In Movie Theaters Around Michigan That Would Love to See Your Face Right Now

While regular movie theaters and cinemas are going through the financial ringer during the coronavirus pandemic, drive-ins are seeing a good old-fashioned renaissance. When you consider that drive-in theaters come with social distancing essentially baked in to the movie-going experience, this makes perfect sense.

Let's All Just Escape to These Beautiful, Off-the-Radar African Islands

Just picturing the crystal clear waters of Fiji, the white sandy beaches of Aruba, or the colorful coral reefs of the Bahamas is enough to have you daydreaming all afternoon. However, while all of those island nations offer the whole package, we’re not here to talk about any of them.

The NY Times' 52 Places to Go in 2020: Reactions, Highlights & Other Tidbits

That’s right, folks, it’s one of my favorite times of the year: the release of The New York Times’ annual “52 Places to Go” list, which is packed with so much travel inspiration that an extra baggage fee is surely unavoidable.

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Love Traveling and Writing? Here's How You Could Win a 14-Day Trip to Portugal

Continuing its yearly tradition of offering travel writing scholarships to fledgling writers, World Nomads, an international travel insurance and safety services provider, is looking to send three aspiring travel writers to Portugal this summer.

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