As a perpetual globe wanderer, travel magazines are my go-to source of educational entertainment for long days of sitting in airports, on airplanes, on trains, or even when finally laying out and relaxing by the pool. They are chalk full of travel tips and inspiration that keep me excited and ready for my next big adventure.
After spending 5$ here and 7$ there for some of the same travel and lifestyle magazines, I realized it would be more beneficial to just subscribe, save money, and have them delivered directly to my door or iPad. It also happens to be a heck of a lot cheaper for a yearly subscription than it is to buy a magazine on a whim.
There are so many amazing publications out there that revolve around the travel enthusiast to choose from. Having read a large bulk of them at one time or another, I decided to narrow down the search for the best ones. Check out my personally curated list below for a summary of my top ten favorite travel magazines that will be sure to have you packing your bags and heading out the door for your next exciting venture.
Travel & Leisure
T & L is perhaps one of the most obvious picks of the bunch being one of the most popular travel magazines in the world. It is extremely well-rounded and well-written. You can find just about ANYTHING that has to do with travel in this magazine. Whether you like luxury travel, adventure travel, foodie travel, travel news, travel statistics, product reviews, general travel tips, or you travel for business, there are articles just for you. Their website is even more diverse with options to book a trip from editor-curated itineraries or hand selected travel agents as well as an online app chalk full of travel guides.
Subscription Cost – 1$ an issue for a one, two, or three year subscription. Includes instant digital access for the on-the-go traveler and print copies.
Pro Tip – If you subscribe online they give you a pop-up deal to get six free issues when you linger on the subscription page.
Backpacker
This is my absolute go-to read when I just want to hit the trails and get down and dirty with nature. This magazine is the best for incredibly detailed hike descriptions, gear testing information and comparisons, backpacking tips, and absolutely stunning photos of the great outdoors. If you want some inspirational ideas for the best places to camp, hike, or backpack, check this one out. I have a subscription to this and I read just about every inch of it monthly to constantly instill fresh ideas and stay up to date on National Park and trail information.
Subscription Cost – One year (9 issues) for $12, two years (18 issues) for $20, three years (27 issues) for $27. Purchase includes three free downloadable booklets. You can also do a free trial for their online website for up to 30 days.
Pro Tip – You can cancel the subscription at any time and will be refunded for any future issues you have not yet received. If you cancel you still get to keep all of the free gifts regardless.
Conde Nast Traveler
If you love luxury travel or just like looking at pretty pictures of the most aesthetically pleasing resorts and restaurants in the world, this magazine is for you. I do have to honestly admit that I have a total love/hate relationship with this one. Luxury travel looks and sounds beautiful, but I personally love being in the thick of wherever I am to get a more first-hand perspective on what life is like.
Where this magazine lacks in “roughing it” style adventure, it makes up for in its detailed descriptions on the best of the best in every location. Sometimes it really is nice to just be pampered and treated like royalty. Either way, this magazine will definitely inspire you to travel and contains some incredible insights on places worth checking out.
Subscription Cost – One year for 10$ or two years for 15$. Includes both digital and print copies. You can check out with apple pay to make the purchase seamless as well!
Afar
I absolutely love this magazine and online website for the plethora of detailed travel guides they provide for so many cities around the world. Their ambassadors are writers and photographers from across the globe that provide expertise from their dedicated regions. I like the local approach they provide and appreciate the inspirational insights for each destination. This is definitely a magazine or at least website to reference for future vacation planning!
Subscription Cost – Two years on special for $24 and one year for $14. You can cancel at any time with a full refund for any future issues not mailed out.
Pro Tip – Their online website is free and great for researching tips for future vacations!
National Geographic (Traveler Edition)
Everyone knows National Geographic for its incredible imagery and great educational articles on geography, the environment, innovative sciences, history, and culture. It’s one of the most read publications in the world and is printed in over 40 different languages worldwide. If you aren’t as into history or the sciences, National Geographic Traveler is the perfect option for cutting straight to the point. This magazine is chalk full of travel inspiration and information with gorgeous photographs to match. The online website has travel guides for just about every country in the world and blog-style posts that make for great reads!
Subscription Cost – One year of digital access (6 issues) for $8. One year of print access (6 issues) for 10$. One year of both digital and print copies (6 issues) for 15$ (Note: prices listed are for first-time subscribers).
Pro Tip – This version is available to the US, Canada, UK, and Australia only. If you want to get your hands on the print copies and are from another country, make a friend or coerce a current friend to subscribe for you!
Scuba Diver
Properly titled, this magazine covers everything you need to know and tons of useful tips for scuba diving. If you don’t have a certification yet and have interest, this magazine may be just what you need to kick your motivation into gear. There are stunning photographs in the print copy and the website has a plethora of amazing diving videos to check out. They have tons of great reviews for equipment and all the latest news on innovations and dive sites.
My favorite thing about their online website is the search bar just for travel and scuba diving deals with their partners. This is great if you are planning a trip to a destination and want to get in some diving while you are there! If scuba just isn’t your thing, check out this publication for inspiration on tropical destinations full of marine life that can be great for snorkeling.
Subscription Cost – $14.97 for a one-year subscription including the digital copy.
Food & Travel
This is the perfect publication for those who love food and travel and especially love them mixed together. Prepare yourself to go on a culinary venture through countries all over the world. You will find reviews of some of the world’s best restaurants here and can easily craft your next vacation around some of the great suggestions for food and drinks that they provide. There are also tons of great diverse recipes that can be made right at home if travel isn’t in your near future.
The online website has a section devoted to travel with categories like active travel, inspiration, and hotels to worth checking out. They have a great search bar feature that allows you to type in your zip code and view loads of recommended restaurants near you.
Subscription Cost – Pretty dang pricey at 48$ for a 12 month subscription and digital access. If you live outside of the UK you will also have to pay for delivery fees on top of that.
Pro Tip – If you prefer digital only and or live outside of the UK and want to skip out on all the excess fees, you can subscribe for $35 for a 12-month package. Their website also has a lot to offer without subscribing so if you are on a budget you can easily find a lot of great inspiration here!
Outdoor Photographer
Perhaps one of my favorites, this one is chalk full of some of the most beautiful nature and wildlife photos from around the world. If you want inspiration to get out there and see the beauty of the Earth for yourself, this is it.
Photographers get excited! This magazine hosts a plethora of contests that offer a chance at getting your best work featured in one of their issues. It has tons of great tips for photographing wildlife, action, and nature shots as well as loads of reviews on the latest camera gear. This is a total must-have for the avid travel photographer.
Subscription Cost – This one has quite a few options for subscription prices and can be shipped worldwide. Check out their subscription page here for more information.
Pro Tip – Check out their website for weekly photo assignments, photo editing tips, and photo contests. These are usually accessible without a subscription!
Outpost
The Outpost is a great one-stop-shop if you are looking for a global travel magazine. You can find oodles of relevant travel news articles, travel deals, and travel stories from all over the world that encourage you to reach out and explore new places. In addition, the website has a lot of cool features like the Outpost TV series where you can view online video clips from exciting destinations. My personal pick is their ‘trip of the week’ category where they feature a unique destination weekly that might even enthuse you to pack your bags for your next trip!
Subscription Cost – One year for 30$ or Two years for 50$. Digital copies are also available on Kindle, the Apple store, and Google play. It costs an additional 4$ per year for a combination of print and digital copies.
Pro Tip – They currently have an online special to subscribe for two 1-year subscriptions for 30$ – a great gift idea for a friend who shares in your love for adventure!
Verge
This is an AWESOME magazine if you like to learn or give back while traveling or need to travel on a tight budget. Each new issue has loads of study abroad, work abroad, teach abroad, and volunteer abroad programs available to choose from.
If you are looking to travel with a purpose, this is the perfect publication and website to check out. There are loads of blog articles with beautiful personal stories on life-changing experiences that have come from many of these programs. You can find whatever information you need and a great starting point for some epic adventures.
Subscription Cost – Currently available only in digital form for 12$ per year.
Pro Tip – Don’t confuse this with the Lifestyle and Urban Culture print magazine! These are two totally different things. The travel-style Verge magazine is currently in digital availability only and the website can be found here.
So there you have it! My top favorite magazine picks for the travel obsessed. Do you have any favorite magazines that help drive your love for world exploration? Let us know in the comment section below!
*All images sourced from Google