The Best New and Not-So-New Travel Blogs for 2012

In November, I asked for submissions of new travel blogs, started in 2011. I wanted to curate a list of the best 100. Only problem was: of 168 of them, at least 100 of them were older than 2011 (ha! nice try) or no longer updated now (just two months later!) or really not focused enough to be considered a travel blog. There were a lot of blogs submitted, but I only could find 48 that met the criteria.

Oops. Okay so my Top 100 Travel Blogs of 2011 idea was ambitious, and as it turns out, impossible. I decided to change tack.

I went through the list and pulled out what I considered to be the stand outs. The surprising, the quirky, the beautiful, the just plain good.

I’ve put those first, because I think it’s important to highlight new talent. And I’m hoping that they’ll take care of me when I’m old and in my travel blogging retirement years. Feed me pureed peaches and read to me from my Twitter stream, that kind of thing.

Then, since I’ve completely screwed the pooch on the original concept, I decided to curate an equal list of what I think are the best travel blogs overall. Same thing. Blatant attempt to curry favor with people who hopefully will invite me to their movie premiere or book signing or their first moon expedition (sponsored by G Adventures, naturally) or wherever their talent may take them.

So that’s it. 8 of the best new travel blogs in 2011. 8 of the best travel blogs overall. My reading list for 2012.

Real people. Really cool sites. Best list ever. (In my humble opinion, but please tell me if you agree.)

Best New Travel Blogs in 2011:

Best Overall for 2011:

None of these blogs were started in 2011, but they are consistently good blogs that I love.  If you don’t love at least one of these blogs, then you are not human.  In fact, have you taken the psychopath test?  See #7.  Unless you’re just #4.