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

The Mitten State of Mind: One Thing to See or Do in All 83 of Michigan's Counties, Pt. 3

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 Three, which covers the final 22 counties alphabetically, from Newaygo to Wexford.

MichiganLogan T. HansenNovember 7, 2022travel, travel advice, travel guide, travel guidance, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel ideas, Michigan, Great Lakes State, Mitten State, The Mitten State, mitten state, Great Lakes, Newaygo, Wisner Canoes, Betts Guide Service & Outfitter, hiking, hiking trails, bikinig, canoeing, kayaking, outdoors, outdoor recreation, Newaygo County, Oakland County, Oceana County, Detroit Zoo, Arctic Ring of Life, Nocturnal Adventures, Silver Lake, Silver Lake Sand Dunes, Pentwater, Ogemaw County, Northern Michigan, Lumber Jack Food & Spirits, ATV, ATV rental, swimming, boating, jet skiing, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Interstate 75, I-75, Ontonagon County, Porcupine Mountains, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Lake of the Clouds, Upper Peninsula, U.P., Up North, Central Michigan, J&J's River Run, Crawford Park, Hersey Canoe Landing, Muskegon River, Osceola County, M-66, Oscoda County, Coopersville USA, Roadside America, Spike Cooper, Huron National Forest, Huron-Manistee National Forest, Otsego County, Treetops, Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Ottawa County, North Beach Park, Grand Haven, Grand Haven State Park, Windsnest Park, Holland, Tunnel Park, Holland State Park, Nelis' Dutch Village, Port Sheldon, Presque Isle, Presque Isle County, Old Presque Isle Lighthouse, Old Presque Isle Light, New Presque Isle Light, Ocqueoc Falls, Besser Nature Preserve, Roscommon County, Higgins Lake, Houghton Lake, North Higgins Lake State Park, South Higgins Lake State Park, Houghton Lake State Forest Park, Nibbles Ice Cream, Nibbles Ice Cream Store, lake life, Saginaw County, Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth, Little Bavaria, St. Clair County, Fort Gratiot Light, St. Lawrence Seaway, St. Clair River, St. Joseph County, Lakeside Cemetery, Colon, Harry Blackstone, Ted Banks, Charlie Chaplin, Harry Houdini, Abbott Magic Co, Jack Gwynne, Sanilac County, Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park, Sanilac petroglyphs, Anishinaabemowin, Ezhibiigaadek Asin, Cass River, Schoolcraft County, Kitch-iti-kipi, Manistique, Indian Lake, Big Spring, Palms Book State Park, Shiawassee County, Curwood Castle, Shiawassee River, Owosso, James Oliver Curwood, Curwood Festival, Tuscola County, Vassar Theatre, Vassar, Art Deco theater, Van Buren County, beach, beach life, beach day, beach getaway, North Beach, South Beach, South Haven, Lake Arvesta Farms, Washtenaw County, Michigan Stadium, University of Michigan, Big House, Michigan football, Wayne County, Eastern Market, The Henry Ford, Holiday Nights, Greenfield Village, National Historic Landmark, farmers market, Dearborn, Wexford County, Caberfae Peaks, skiing, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, cross country skiing, the great outdoors, summer travel, winter travelComment

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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2021 Wasn't Exactly Wonderful, But At Least Some of the Wander Returned

Starting is always the hardest part, isn’t it? Taking that leap, acting on that big idea, staring at the blank page. But after you finally get the ball rolling, a new challenge materializes: keeping it rolling. It’s not enough to simply plant the seed; you’ve got to water it, make sure it has fertile soil to work with, give it a proper amount of sunlight. It can be a lot of work, but then again, nothing worth having comes easy, does it?

General TravelLogan T. HansenJanuary 6, 2022travel, travel inspiration, travelspiration, year in review, happy new year, All Things Wanderful, travel guide, travel advice, travel ideas, travel planning, travel writing, travel recommendations, travel appreciation, travel junkie, travel blog, travel blogging, Denver, Colorado, year-in-review, Cheesman Park, Logan's Run, 2020, 2021, Las Vegas, Detroit, Detroit Tigers, Six Flags, Six Flags Great America, Gurney, Illinois, Michigan, football, football season, College Park, Maryland, Ann Arbor, St. Louis, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Maryland Terrapins, University of Michigan, Michigan Wolverines, Sooner State, Cessna, Cessna 402C, Chicago, Manistee, Windy City, Cape Air, Manistee County Blacker Airport, Airbnb, vacation rentals, Sin City, New Mexico, Old West, Old American West, Keystone, Keystone Resort, skiing, snowboarding, Centennial State, travel injuriesComment

3 Spots to Grab a Drink (or Four) in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area

While paying a visit to our good friend Abe or taking in the magnificence of the World War II Memorial or reflecting quietly at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial are all perfectly good uses of your time in the nation’s capital, there is also a good selection of watering holes for those looking to wet their whistles after the sun goes down.

North AmericaLogan T. HansenDecember 2, 2021travel, travel guide, travel advice, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel guidance, travel recommendations, travel reviews, travel tips, travel ideas, travel itinerary, travel planning, nightlife, Washington D.C., District of Columbia, Washington, Lincoln Memorial, Abraham Lincoln, eating out, Looney's Pub, The Midlands, The Midlands Beer Garden, National World War II Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Howard University, Park View, draft beer, pub grub, bar food, sports, football, soccer, Detroit Lions, Washington Football Team, University of Maryland, Maryland Stadium, Maryland, Michigan Wolverines, University of Michigan, Elephant & Castle, Pennsylvania Avenue, White House, get your Brit on, fish and chips, Smithwick's, Crabbie's Ginger Beer, cocktails, specialty coffee, Edinburgh, wine, game day, College Park, Terrapins, Looney Bin Painkiller, Captain Morgan, Malibu rum, Scooby Snack, Girl Scout Cookie, Baileys, Rumple Minze, British pub, capital city, National Mall, Crabbie'sComment

The Michigan Day Trip Tour, No. 7: At Home in Ann Arbor

Most everything you’ll want to see or do is within walking distance (given that you consider 30 minutes or less to be walking distance), and if you can swing it, it truly is best to leave the car parked for most of the day. It’s a well-known fact that parking in Ann Arbor comes with a high degree of difficulty, regardless of the season. Perhaps that’s why the blue buses are free not just for students but for everyone? Could be.

MichiganLogan T. HansenAugust 31, 2019travel, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel guide, travel advice, Michigan, The Michigan Day Trip Tour, Michigan Day Trip Tour, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Washtenaw Dairy, Main Street, State Street, South U., South Union, A2, Great Lakes State, University of Michigan, The Big House, Big House, Michigan Stadium, Burton Memorial Tower, Ingalls Mall, The Diag, Angelo's, Angelo's on the Side, The Broken Egg, Mighty Good Coffee, Mighty Good Coffee Roasting Co., Comet Coffee, Nickels Arcade, Law Library, Law Quad, South U, Rackham Auditorium, Hill Auditorium, Modern Language Building, Michigan League, Diag, Harry Potter, University of Michigan Museum of Art, UMMA, Marvin H. and Mary M. Davidson Gallery, Japanese Gallery, Modern Art Foyer, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, University of Michigan Museum of Natural History, Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Literati, Underground Sounds, Arcadian Antiques, Maison Edwards Tobacconist, State Theatre, Michigan Theater, Power Center, Power Center for the Performing Arts, Nichols Arboretum, School of Music Theatre & Dance, Zingerman's, President Obama, Barack Obama, The Lunch Room, Kerrytown, The Lunch Room Bakery & Cafe, Detroit Street Filling Station, Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger, Blimpy Burger, The Fleetwood DINER, Fleetwood Diner, Frita Batidos, Tomukun Noodle Bar, Dominick's, Mash, Nightcap, LIVE, Bling Pig, The Bling Pig, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, Circus Bar, The Circ Bar, karaoke, Scorekeepers, Skeeps, Ashley's, bar, club, nightlife, city life, college town, Necto, Necto Nightclub, Good Time Charley's, Cantina, Cantina Taqueria + Bar, Study Hall Lounge, The Blue Leprechaun, Rick's, Rick's American Cafe, Pizza House Comments

The Incredibly Intrepid Icelandic Expedition: Day 2

I don’t think it was our intention initially, but Day 2 in Iceland wound up being the longest day of the trip by far. The plan was to explore the country’s southern coast, traveling at least as far as Vík, a seafront village which exists in the shadow of a glacier called Mýrdalsjökull. The village is approximately two and a half hours east of Reykjavík, about the midway point between the capital city and Vatnajökull National Park.

This Independent Ann Arbor Bookstore is the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

Situated on the corner of East Washington Street and South 4th Avenue, smack dab in downtown Ann Arbor, or A2, as we insiders like to call it (I really hope you rolled your eyes just now), Literati opened on March 31, 2013, and its owners, Hilary and Michael Gustafson, are firm believers in the "whimsy that an independent bookstore provides."

Meandering Around Music City; or, Three Days in Nashville: Day 2

I awoke Saturday morning and was pleasantly surprised to discover that I hadn't died during the previous evening's shenanigans. Looking around, however, I did notice the yellow mustard stain on my pants, which had been hastily discarded on the floor some eight hours earlier.

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