The original family travel bloggers changed the way parents saw the world. They proved that having children didn’t mean giving up adventure. It simply meant discovering a new way to explore.
When I started my family travel blog back in 2012, travelling with children was still seen by many people as complicated, unrealistic, or even a little bit crazy.
The common response was: “You’re travelling with kids? Isn’t that the end of your adventures?”
Actually, it was just the beginning.
In 2012, I left Perth, Australia, with my two children and began a five-year nomadic family travel adventure around the world. During those years, we visited 68 countries, proving that long-term travel with kids wasn’t just possible. It was one of the most rewarding things we could have done as a family.
Before having children, I completed a huge round-the-world trip because I thought it would be my last big adventure. I genuinely believed that once kids came along, travel would slow down or stop.
How wrong I was.
Travelling with kids simply became a different kind of adventure. Yes, there were tantrums. Yes, there were challenging moments. But why deal with a toddler meltdown in the suburbs of Australia when you could be dealing with one on a Caribbean beach?
The memories, experiences, and lessons we gained from travelling the world together far outweighed the challenges.
Over the past decade, family travel has grown into one of the most inspiring corners of the travel industry. Today, there are thousands of incredible family travel blogs helping parents plan adventures around the world. But before family travel became mainstream, there were the original family travel bloggers who paved the way.
These OG travel bloggers showed parents that you could travel with babies, toddlers, teenagers, and everything in between. They proved that travel with kids wasn’t something to fear. It was something to embrace.
This article celebrates the OG family travel bloggers who helped build the family travel community we know today. The storytellers who shared the highs, the lows, and the unforgettable moments of travelling the world with children.
Many of these bloggers inspired me when I was starting my own journey. Many became friends. I have personally met every single person featured here, and I’m incredibly proud to see them still sharing their adventures, inspiring families, and creating some of the best family travel content online.
So whether you’re searching for inspiration for your next family holiday, dreaming about long-term family travel, or wondering if travelling the world with children is possible, these family travel blogs are proof that the answer is yes.
Welcome to the OG family travel bloggers who started it all.
The OG Family Travel Bloggers
This article is part of the OG Travel Bloggers series, celebrating the original creators who helped build the travel blogging industry.
Explore With Erin (formerly Travel with Bender)
In 2012, I launched Travel With Bender, documenting our five-year journey around the world as a family of three. What began as a personal travel diary grew into one of the early family travel blogs inspiring parents to travel differently.
Today, through Explore With Erin, I continue sharing family travel inspiration, destination guides, travel tips, and stories from around the world.
Because family travel doesn’t end when you have kids.
For many of us, that’s when the adventure truly begins.
Erin Holmes
Blog: Explore With Erin
Website: https://explorewitherin.com
Started travel blogging: Travel blogger since 2012
Are you still actively travel blogging?
Yes.
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
Passion. Calling.
I always wanted to be a writer and found my calling in travel writing and inspiring parents not to give up on adventure when they have children.
Children are not the end of travel. They are the beginning of a whole new kind of adventure.
How many countries have you visited?
80 countries across five continents (with two new countries currently being added this month!).
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
I don’t really have favourite destinations. I have favourite experiences.
Hot air ballooning over Cappadocia, Türkiye. Swimming with whale sharks in Mexico. Abseiling in Malta with my five-year-old. Meeting Santa in Finland with my toddlers.
The moments, the people, and the stories are what make a destination unforgettable.
One place still on your bucket list?
Africa. How have I not done a safari yet?
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
We’ve moved away from the traditional listicles and “things to do” content towards experiences and storytelling.
AI can provide information. People provide experience.
More than ever, the most important part of travel blogging is telling authentic stories that connect with people.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
How can I choose?
Personal
The Real Story Behind Travel With Bender
10 Lies Divorced Mums Tell Themselves
Nomadic Lifestyle: The How, What, When, and Why of My Nomad Travel
Travel
101 Things To Do In Bali With Kids
How I Don’t Get Sick in Bali: 34 Trips Without Bali Belly
Icefields Parkway With Kids: 9 Best Stops on Alberta’s Most Scenic Drive
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry-on only.
Window or aisle seat?
Aisle.
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
Yes. During Covid, I pivoted heavily into social media and content creation.
But travel blogging is back, and it’s back with a vengeance.
People are craving real experiences, personal stories, and trusted voices again.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
For me, AI has actually been helpful. It has taught me things I didn’t know and helped me work smarter.
But it has also reinforced something important. Information is everywhere. Experience is priceless.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
There is a mountain of travel bloggers out there now. Don’t be one of them.
Be you.
Your story, your perspective, and your experiences are what make people choose to follow you.
Y Travel Blog
I knew about Caroline long before I met her. I followed them for years. I wanted to be them. And when I finally met Caroline at a conference, she was everything I knew she would be. Down to earth, Aussie, and a great head on her shoulders. Though they call the US home now, I’m happy to share the same birthplace with her.
Caroline Makepeace
Blog: Y Travel Blog
Website: https://ytravelblog.com
Started travel blogging: 2010
Are you still actively travel blogging?
yes
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
Travel has and always will be the core of my life. It has evolved with me through every life stage, and I love to inspire others to do the same.
I love helping people create magical memories as they explore the world, get to know it better, as well as themselves, and hopefully evolve into more compassionate, tolerant, and joyful beings that can help elevate our planet!
How many countries have you visited?
47
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Our 6-month backpacking adventure through Africa was unbeatable. I have too many favorite destinations for many different reasons. I cannot pick just one. Favorites are Ireland, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia – most of these tie into places I have lived, as that is just next level memories.
One place still on your bucket list?
Colombia
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
Posts changed from rich personal storytelling with wonderful discussions through the comments and a closer to community to becoming SEO written content intended to increase revenue. I totally understand, as money is essential to keep the blog going, but I do miss the old heart and soul. I think social media really interrupted that.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
An old post and probably our most engaged. It really speaks to how you never know what is going on in someone’s life behind the scenes and how “luck” is not a thing. It’s hard work, perseverance, and commitment. Even though it’s an old post, it’s still relevant and relatable.
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry on
Window or aisle seat?
Aisle
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
Yes! Impacted traffic and income.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
We have seen impacts but, so far not as much as we anticipated. Our search and traffic has gone up, but it’s always hard to pinpoint as to why.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
Be a multimedia platform with diverse streams of income. You cannot rely on one source for anything. Be unique and lead with your brand, story, and authority. That’s the only way to rise above algorithms and AI fakes.
Mommy Travels
Meagan and I have been friends forever. I believe it started when we were Travelocity Gnomads together. We got to do lots of trips, and she quickly became my funnest travel friend. Meagan has come to visit me in Australia several times, and I can’t wait to bump into her again.
Meagan Wristen
Blog: Mommy Travels
Website: https://www.MommyTravels.net
Started travel blogging: Oct 2008
Are you still actively travel blogging?
Yes
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
As a single mom, there’s absolutely no way I could have taken my children around the world without building my website.
The incredible opportunities we get are what keep me going.
How many countries have you visited?
40, I think…..
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Sri Lanka, Greece, Panama….I love everywhere!
One place still on your bucket list?
Cambodia
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
The rise of AI stealing the content I write and serving it to the reader without the reader ever coming to my site or knowing I am the one that wrote it. The other change is social media. I was blogging before there was Twitter, Instagram, TikTok……I have to keep learning new platforms to keep up.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
This one cause it was just so crazy:
Hike Maunawili Falls in Oahu, Hawaii with Kids
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry on
Window or aisle seat?
Window
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
Covid was horrible. I ran a media company in Dallas for two years until I could go back to my travel blog full time.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
AI has destroyed many people’s websites. I consider myself extremely lucking that AI hasn’t completely destroyed my site yet.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
Go into the medical field of something else where ai cannot take your job. But, if you are going to do this, know that you will hustle everyday year round. Behind the amazing photos and videos is hours and hours of work you do not see.
Kids Are A Trip
Kirsten and I have been in the same circles for a long time, and we’ve met on several trips and conferences. She’s been an OG for a long time and rightly so.
Kirsten Maxwell
Blog: Kids Are A Trip
Website: https://kidsareatrip.com
Started travel blogging: 2014
Are you still actively travel blogging?
Yes
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
Wanting to be an authentic voice when everything else is AI
How many countries have you visited?
45?
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Japan or Croatia. Both are amazing for different reasons.
One place still on your bucket list?
New Zealand
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
Market saturation and a switch from written content to video-focused.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
All of Our Tips for Visiting Japan from the Obvious to the Curious
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry on
Window or aisle seat?
Aisle
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
No
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
No
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
Focus on video and know it takes YEARS to see a real return on your investment.
Twist Travel Magazine (formerly Walking On Travels)
Gosh, I love Keryn. You can tell by her photos; she’s just fun. Coupled with her passion for brilliant story telling if you haven’t followed her yet, then go do so.
Keryn Means
Blog: Twist Travel Magazine (formerly Walking On Travels)
Website: https://twisttravelmag.com/
Started travel blogging: 2011
Are you still actively travel blogging?
Yes
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
Stubbornness and pride.
How many countries have you visited?
39 ( I think? I don’t really keep track)
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Greece, Colombia, Japan… this is legit the worst question to ask a travel blogger. HA!
One place still on your bucket list?
Argentina and Patagonia
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
In 2011, it was all about the love of travel and sharing your knowledge. Very few people were monetizing then. Now, it’s all about social media, buzzwords, and getting massive followings so you can get paid campaigns with destinations and brands. It’s much more hyper-focused than the travel diary style back in the day. Is this good? In a way.
We lost a lot of that personality that we are now told has to be back in our articles, and quite honestly, it’s exhausting feeding the social media beast every day, but we also all leaned more into helpful information that didn’t just inspire people, but gave them the tools to plan their own trips.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
Family Vacation Budget: 10 Trips Under $5K That Actually Work
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry on
Window or aisle seat?
Aisle
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
Yes. COVID + the HCU by Google decimated all of my websites.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
Yes, it continually suppresses and steals my content.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
Get on social media ASAP. While blog numbers may stay low, the one consistent thing for PR and Marketing has always been social media and needing content creators to work with to get noticed. While they may not want a blog post (historically, social media has been more important), they will want Instagram (first), TikTok, and sometimes YouTube. Don’t bother with X. No one cares about it anymore, despite your big numbers over there.
Daddy Blogger
Ricky has interviewed me a few times, but we have yet to meet in person! That’s travel blogging life sometimes. His passion for great storytelling and great parenting is inspiring.
Ricky Shetty
Blog: Ricky Shetty. Daddy Blogger
Website: https://www.youtube.com/@rickyshetty
Started travel blogging: Dec 1, 2012
Are you still actively travel blogging?
I have transformed from a Daily Written Blog to uploading Daily YouTube Videos (moved from Blogging to Vlogging)
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
My passion for blogging began with my passion for fatherhood when I started my Daddy Blogger website when my daughter was only 6 months old. I blogged consistently for over 5 years, then transitioned to vlogging to capture our travel more comprehensively.
I personally really love to travel. My passion for travel began in my early 20s while backpacking around Europe, then continued when I taught ESL in Japan, traveled around Southeast Asia as well as China and India, and studied for a few years at Hillsong Bible College in Australia.
When I got married and had kids, we traveled full-time for over 1 year, continuously visiting every single country in Central and South America.
Now, we are based in the Philippines since 2018, but we still travel several times/year. My kids also love to travel, and this year they are also learning how to shoot and edit their own Vlogs using Action Cams and Drones. They used to just join in our travels; however, they are now actively involved with researching what to see and do (and what to EAT!) before we leave, filming videos while we are on our trips, and editing the videos when we come back home.
How many countries have you visited?
81 countries on 6 continents
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Tibet (it is off-the-beaten path and has a very unique and rich culture)
One place still on your bucket list?
Antartica (it is the final continent I need to visit)
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
The entire industry has transitioning from written content (Blogs) to audio content (Podcasts) to video content (Vlogs). Also, short-form content has become super popular (Stories, Shorts & Reels).
I would say to do a combination of short-form content (around 60 seconds long) and long-form content (10+ minutes long edited videos using a combo of Smart Phone Videos and Action Video Cams like GoPro and DJI and Insta360 and include Drone Footage for variety).
Favourite blog post/video you’ve ever created:
Here is more info about our Travel Blogging Journey, which features my kids doing one of their first interviews about our travels: Daddy Blogger
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry on
Window or aisle seat?
Window
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
I actually got stuck on a little island called ROMBLON in the Philippines during COVID, so I was still actively creating content during the lockdown. People were really interested in seeing what I was doing since a lot of people were stuck at home, and I was still having fun adventures since the little island was COVID-free, so I was able to live a relatively normal life in spite of the Global Pandemic.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
YouTube Thumbnails are super easy to make using ChatGPT and AI compared to traditional editing software.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
First Step: START
It is really easy to put it off and wait until it’s “perfect”; however I recommend to just start no matter what. You will get better the more you post on social media, the more you write blogs, the more you do podcasts, and the more you create videos for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Next Step: SHARE
It is important to create good content however you need to SHARE that content otherwise no one will see it (except maybe your mom and family & friends). I recommend sharing your content through doing Media Interviews, being a Podcast Guest, and posting in different Facebook Groups. Also, while you are traveling let people know about your Blog / Vlog / Social Media as most people are super happy to connect and follow and support you.
Final Step: CONSISTENCY
The more frequent you post, the better. The more consistently you post, the better. I have seen countless people get super excited and post so much when they start, but get frustrated and burnt out and quit entirely. Focus on your WHY (documenting your journey, unleashing your inner creatively, creating family memories, inspiring others to travel, etc) to keep you going during those times of discouragement.
Please reach out to me on Social Media as I am happy to help you out in your Content Creation Journey!!
Tampa Mama
Marisa Langford
Blog: Tampa Mama
Website: https://www.TampaMama.com
Started travel blogging: 2004
Are you still actively travel blogging?
YES
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
My blog started so organically. It evolved into so much more just because of the time and place we were in as “social media” started to evolve.
Writing became my outlet. Travel became something to do with the kids.
As years went by, I realized travel was the most reminisced-about topic at the dinner table. I’m looking forward to more adventures with my family!
How many countries have you visited?
10- 1 new one coming soon!
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Puerto Rico – snorkeling in crystal blue waters off an island with my daughter (who graduates from college soon!) and 14 National Parks! The time I spent with my family has been incredible and the places the kids have gone… amazing!!!
One place still on your bucket list?
Alaska– I’ve visited 47 states…. this would be the next state I’d like to see.
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
I’m still here to provide content to families who know that I’ve “been there done that” and now with adults as partners! I still have teens, and they are ready to get on planes and explore the world with me too!
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry on
Window or aisle seat?
Aisle
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
Yes- I pivoted into corporate partnership marketing & social media agency management. I love knowing all sides of the business.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
I learned about this space when it was new. We were all new.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
Don’t just watch- create. Post it. Why not. Write the story. Tell us what happened. Those are the best stories.
OG Travel Bloggers
Love discovering the stories behind the original travel bloggers? Continue exploring the OG Travel Bloggers series:
- OG Travel Bloggers Still Going: The Original Travel Bloggers Who Built An Industry
- OG Family Travel Bloggers Still Inspiring Parents
- OG Couple Travel Bloggers: The Original Travel Couples Who Built a Life Around Travel
More OG Travel Bloggers Series Coming Soon
From destination experts and travel photographers to solo travellers and adventure bloggers, we’re celebrating the creators who helped shape the travel industry.
Explore With Erin Wrap Up: Celebrating The OG Family Travel Bloggers
Family travel today looks very different from how it did when these OG family travel bloggers first started sharing their adventures online.
Back then, travelling with kids was often questioned. Long-term family travel seemed impossible. And starting a family travel blog was far from the established industry it is today.
These original family travel bloggers helped change that.
They showed parents around the world that children weren’t a reason to stop exploring. They proved that travel with kids could be meaningful, educational, messy, hilarious, and completely unforgettable.
From personal stories and destination guides to videos, social media, and everything in between, these creators helped build the family travel community we have today.
The platforms may have changed. The algorithms may have changed. AI may have changed the way we create and consume content.
But one thing remains the same.
People connect with people.
The stories, experiences, and memories behind these family travel blogs are what continue to inspire parents to pack their bags, book the trip, and show their children the world.
I’m incredibly proud to call many of these bloggers friends, and even prouder that after more than a decade, they are still sharing their adventures and inspiring the next generation of family travellers.
Because family travel isn’t just about where you go.
It’s about the memories you create along the way.
