I Ran Out of Things to Blog About
• Originally broadcast April 14 2025 via email •
After graduating from college in 2013, I landed my first “real job” in an office with no windows.
(By the way… what is it with windowless offices being the unofficial initiation into “adult life”? 😂)
Anyway, it didn’t take long for me to realize that spending 9 hours a day under fluorescent lights wasn’t the dream.
About eight months in, I cashed in all 12 of my vacation days and booked a trip to Europe with a friend.
I’d never traveled internationally before. In college, most of my friends studied abroad… but I missed that boat completely. So I made up for it by stretching my trip to 3 weeks and taking a full week unpaid.
When I got home, I did what any slightly travel-obsessed 20-something would do: I started writing about my travels in a makeshift blog.
(And I’m using the word blog very loosely here haha)
I wrote about five posts (one for each place we visited) and then…
…I ran out of things to say. Because in my head, travel blogging only worked if you were traveling all the time.
Turns out, that’s not true at all.
➡️ In fact, some of the most successful travel bloggers I know barely travel at all.
| Blogging Tip of the Week: How To Make Money Travel Blogging Without Traveling Full-Time |
Here’s the truth: if you think you need to be on a plane every month to make money from your blog, you’ve been sold a myth.
Because the real secret to successful travel blogging isn’t constant travel, it’s strategy.
Today, I’m breaking down what it actually takes to build a profitable travel blog
(even if you only travel once a year… or not at all)
1) Each trip should fuel dozens of posts, not just one
When Mike and I went to Kauai for our honeymoon in 2018, we spent one week exploring the island.
Now, many bloggers (especially when they’re just starting out) would turn that into one blog post: “Our Kauai Honeymoon Recap.”
But that same week-long trip could easily fuel 10+ blog posts, like:
- Where to Stay in Kauai
- Best Hikes on Kauai
- Kauai Packing List
- Best Things to Do in Princeville
- Best Restaurants on Kauai for Couples
- 5 Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Kauai Trip
…you get the idea.
Yes, you’ll likely need to do extra research to round things out and include things you didn’t do yourself. But that’s part of our job as travel bloggers.
Most readers aren’t taking your exact trip, they’re looking for the best info, and your personal experience just adds value on top.
Don’t waste a great destination on a single post. Maximize the stories, guides, and helpful content you can create from every trip you take.
2) Write about where you live
Yep, I’m talking about your own city, state, or region.
Some of the most successful travel bloggers I know aren’t hopping on international flights every month,
they’re exploring their own backyard and turning it into a profitable niche.
Here’s why this works:
People are constantly searching for things to do near home whether they’re planning a quick weekend getaway, a birthday trip, or just trying to find something new for their Saturday.
Think about the types of blog posts someone might search for in your area:
- Best Day Trips from [Your City]
- Hidden Gems in [Your State]
- Kid-Friendly Hikes Near [Your Town]
- Romantic Getaways in [Your Region]
- What to Pack for a Trip to [Local Destination]
But here’s something to keep in mind… not all destinations are created equal.
If you’re thinking of focusing your blog on a city or town, here’s the rule of thumb I recommend:
- The city should have a population over 100,000
or - It should be a clear tourist destination
Think places like Breckenridge, Colorado. It doesn’t have a huge population, but it draws visitors year-round thanks to skiing, hiking, and mountain-town charm.
If your town doesn’t meet the threshold of my above recommendations, consider zooming out to cover your entire state or region. It gives you more flexibility and opens up a lot more traffic potential.
And don’t forget: you already have the insider advantage.
You know the seasons, the best times to visit, where to park, what the locals actually do; that’s the kind of value travelers can’t get from big media sites.
Don’t underestimate your own backyard. It might be the most underrated asset in your entire blogging strategy.
3) Don’t forget about past trips
Just because your trip didn’t happen last month doesn’t mean it’s off-limits.
Some of my best-performing posts are based on trips I took years ago. I’ve written full destination guides, packing lists, itineraries, and “what I wish I knew before…” posts about places I haven’t been to in 5+ years.
Why does this still work?
Because you already have the experience. You know what was worth it, what to skip, and what you’d do differently next time. That kind of insight is so helpful for readers, and something you can’t get from Googling alone.
That said, it’s always smart to cross-check your info. Double-check hours, closures, and links to make sure your tips are still accurate and helpful today.
Pro-tip: Use Google Maps, official tourism websites, or recent reviews on TripAdvisor to update old memory-based content.
Bottom line: Past trips are an asset, not a limitation. Don’t let them go to waste.
4) Blog about your travel research
You don’t need to wait until after your trip to write about it.
Most people assume you have to go somewhere before you can create content about it, but that’s just not true.
Some of the biggest travel sites out there are hiring writers to research and write about places they’ve never stepped foot in.
And here’s the truth: if you’re someone who actually knows how to plan a trip, you’re already more qualified than most.
For example, my uncle recently asked me for advice on renting a car in a place I hadn’t even been to.
But I still knew how to help him because I know how to plan trips.
I know what to look for, how to compare options, and how to spot the stuff that’s just fluff. He doesn’t travel often, so to him, having someone point him in the right direction was a big deal.
So even if you haven’t been somewhere yet, your skills are valuable. Use them.
Turn your research into a post.
These types of posts can rank before your trip even starts, and then you can always update them later with firsthand experience.
If you’re doing the work anyway, don’t let it go to waste. Hit publish.
Talk to you soon,
Laura
P.S. Here are my top recommended blogging resources.
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