Before travel bloggers became influencers, before Instagram became the place we went to discover our next destination, and long before AI could create a perfectly polished travel itinerary, there were the OG travel bloggers.
They were the original storytellers who packed their bags, boarded planes, explored new destinations and then sat down to tell us what they found. These early travel bloggers didn’t just list the best things to do. They shared their personal experiences, the places they loved, the things that went wrong, the hidden gems they discovered and the stories that made us want to see the world for ourselves.
This group of OG travel bloggers holds a particularly special place in my travel blogging history. These were the people I was reading, following, chatting with and bumping into during those early years when we were all figuring this crazy industry out together.
There was something wonderfully personal about travel blogging back then. We weren’t just competing for clicks or trying to beat an algorithm. We were sharing stories, commenting on each other’s posts, swapping tips, cheering each other on, and building genuine friendships along the way.
These are the kinds of travel bloggers I still turn to when I want something beyond a generic list of things to do. Because sometimes you don’t just want to know where to go. You want to know what it actually felt like to be there.
Travel Yourself & Nova Scotia Explorer
Cailin O’Neil
Website: TravelYourself.ca & NovaScotiaExplorer.com
Started travel blogging: 2009
Are you still actively travel blogging?
Yes.
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
The love of travel and sharing the world with the world.
How many countries have you visited?
51
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
This is such a hard question, and there are so many places I haven’t been yet! How about a top three? Safari in South Africa, everywhere in Italy and Australia.
One place still on your bucket list?
Peru!
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
Content creation becoming so accessible and becoming full-time jobs for so many people around the world.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
Traveling Solo Can Be A Scary Adventure
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry-on
Window or aisle seat?
Aisle
Did COVID make a difference to the blog?
Yes, big time. During COVID, I pivoted to my local niche blog that I had coincidentally started just before the pandemic and put most of my focus on this website and less on my original website.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
I don’t use AI to create content. However, AI companies have scraped my site without permission and stolen my content. This has strongly affected my views and those of many other fellow travel bloggers.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
It would be very hard to start a travel blog in 2026.
My best tips would be to really concentrate on social media, build an email list and look into using websites like Substack.
Traveling With MJ
Mary Jo Manzanares
Website: TravelingWithMJ.com
Started travel blogging: 2005
Are you still actively travel blogging?
Yes.
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
I’ve powered through the ups and downs of blogging because of my continued love of travel, and surrounding myself with supportive colleagues who generously give of their time and knowledge to help one another.
How many countries have you visited?
68
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Italy
One place still on your bucket list?
Australia
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
The ongoing need to relentlessly pivot. Just when you figure out something that works for you, it’s time to change again. From changes in search to AI, success means we constantly have to change.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
Things to Do in the Marquesas Islands
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Carry-on
Window or aisle seat?
Aisle
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
Of course. I did have a good backlog of stories to write, so that helped. My readers weren’t traveling, but they were still reading.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
I’ve found lots of ways to use it to streamline some processes, but my content is written by me.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
Don’t quit your day job! Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.
Blogger at Large
Megan Singleton
Website: BloggeratLarge.com
Started travel blogging: 2006
Are you still actively travel blogging?
Yes.
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
I absolutely love it! I love working for myself. I love creating content that people find helpful. I love taking photos of amazing places.
How many countries have you visited?
43
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Italy, but I’ve never been able to answer that. How can you compare Italy and Cuba, for example?
One place still on your bucket list?
African safari, maybe Botswana.
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
The ability to monetise and make a full-time living.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
Worst Ever Massage From Belching Masseuse
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Checked
Window or aisle seat?
Window
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
Yes. Pretty much killed it. Fortunately, in New Zealand we had government assistance to live.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
It’s an interesting development for sure. I’m still finding traffic is high, higher than last year, but the posts need to be a lot more personal and anecdotal.
That said, my list posts are still my most popular. Things AI could probably pull together for a reader. But not like a blogger can!
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
Choose a niche that is not too crowded and work like heck to own it. You can still make a six-figure income blogging today.
We Said Go Travel
Lisa Niver
Website: WeSaidGoTravel.com
Started travel blogging: 2010
Are you still actively travel blogging?
Yes.
What keeps you blogging after all these years?
What keeps me blogging is the belief that every journey has a story worth sharing. Travel has challenged me, changed me, and opened my eyes to the world in countless ways. I still feel the same excitement I did when I started. The curiosity to discover what’s around the next corner and share those moments with others.
How many countries have you visited?
103
Favourite destination you’ve ever visited?
Antarctica and Mongolia, and so many more…
One place still on your bucket list?
Bhutan and Tibet
Biggest change you’ve seen in travel blogging since you started?
The biggest change has been the shift from simply writing blog posts to creating content across every platform: video, podcasts, social media, newsletters and more. I had my blog before social platforms existed.
One thing hasn’t changed. People want authentic stories. Technology and AI are transforming travel media, but nothing replaces firsthand experiences, genuine connections and sharing what it’s really like to explore the world.
Favourite blog post you’ve ever written:
One of the most exciting things was being able to sign my memoir at SXSW in Austin this year! I also loved hula hooping on my final continent of Antarctica!
Carry-on only or checked luggage?
Checked
Window or aisle seat?
Window
Did Covid make a difference to the blog?
Absolutely. I went from constantly exploring the world to staying home. It was a challenging time, but it also gave me the opportunity to focus on writing my memoir, BRAVE-ish, and sharing stories from past adventures.
Looking back, that chapter reminded me that while travel paused, storytelling never did.
Does AI make a difference to the blog?
AI can be a useful tool, and I use it like an intern to help brainstorm ideas and organize research. The real value of my blog comes from being on the road, meeting people and sharing experiences from more than 100 countries that no AI could experience firsthand.
One piece of advice for someone starting today?
Start by finding your unique voice and sharing the stories only you can tell. The travel space is crowded, but authenticity stands out.
Create consistently, build genuine connections with your audience and other creators, and remember that your perspective and experiences are your greatest asset.
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: The Original Family Travel Bloggers Who Changed Travel With Kids
- OG Couple Travel Bloggers: The Original Travel Couples Who Built a Life Around Travel
- OG Solo Travel Bloggers: The Original Solo Travel Bloggers Who Inspired a Generation
Explore With Erin Wrap Up: Celebrating The OG Travel Storytellers
What I love about these OG travel bloggers is that each of them has a completely different way of telling a travel story.
Blogger at Large, Travel Yourself & Nova Scotia Explorer, We Said Go Travel and Traveling With MJ have each spent years exploring the world, sharing their experiences and building trusted travel communities long before being a travel influencer was a recognised career. They remind us that great travel blogging has never just been about ticking destinations off a list.
It is about personality, perspective, experience and the stories you bring home with you. And after all these years, these original travel storytellers are still doing what they have always done best. Showing us the world through their eyes.
In an age of AI-generated itineraries and endless generic travel content, that personal connection is more valuable than ever. These are the OG travel bloggers who were there before the algorithms, and thankfully, they are still here to tell us where to go next.
