art of travel jobs

10 Best Jobs That Allow You to Travel

These best travel jobs allow you to build a fulfilling career while traveling domestically or internationally.

Getty Images |

Satisfy your wanderlust with these travel jobs.

Getting a 9-to-5 job doesn't mean you have to put your dream of traveling the world on hold. Many professions nowadays not only provide financial stability but offer the exciting perk of frequent travel. Let's explore some of the best jobs that allow you to build a fulfilling career while satiating your wanderlust.

We've taken the top travel jobs from the U.S. News 100 Best Jobs rankings. These jobs are described by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as having a travel component.

10. Cartographer

Median salary: $71,890 Expected job growth by 2032: 5%

Cartographers collect data to create detailed geographic maps. They use advanced tools like geographic information systems, or GIS, for spatial analysis, ensuring accuracy in representing terrain, features and other information. Although cartographers spend much of their time in offices, specific jobs may require extensive travel to locations that are being mapped.

Learn more about cartographers .

(Caiaimage | Paul Bradbury

9. Public Relations Specialist

Median salary: $67,440 Expected job growth by 2032: 6%

Public relations specialists' main job is to generate positive publicity for their clients and help them maintain a good reputation. They can work in various industries, including corporate, government, nonprofit or agency settings. As a public relations specialist, you may travel often to engage with the media, attend events and build relationships with stakeholders.

Learn more about public relations specialists .

8. Construction Manager

Median salary: $101,480 Expected job growth by 2032: 5%

Construction managers oversee construction projects from start to finish, collaborating with architects, engineers and contractors to ensure projects adhere to budgets, timelines and quality standards. Since construction managers often manage several projects simultaneously, they may need to frequently travel among sites.

Learn more about construction managers .

7. Sports Coach

Median salary: $44,890 Expected job growth by 2032: 9%

Sports coaches help athletes develop to their full potential and reach maximum performance. The travel frequency for sports coaches, especially in major leagues like the NFL and NBA, is high. These coaches often accompany their teams to away games in different states, which means they spend lots of time on the road.

Learn more about sports coaches .

6. Flight Attendant

Median salary: $63,760 Expected job growth by 2032: 11%

Flight attendants travel wherever an aircraft goes, ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers. They also communicate with pilots regarding flight details and cabin conditions.

Flight attendants' travel frequency depends on factors such as their seniority and the airline's scheduling policies. Junior flight attendants often have less control over their schedules and may work more weekends and holidays.

Learn more about flight attendants .

(Getty Images) |

5. Sales Manager

Median salary: $130,600 Expected job growth by 2032: 4%

Sales managers are responsible for directing an organization’s sales team. Some of their duties may include setting sales goals, analyzing data, developing training programs for sales representative and addressing any changes necessary to meet customer needs. Depending on the company, sales managers may have to travel to national, regional or local offices and attend in-person customer meetings.

Learn more about sales managers .

4. Operations Research Analyst

Median salary: $85,720 Expected job growth by 2032: 23%

Operations research analysts use advanced techniques, such as data mining and mathematical modeling, to develop solutions that help organizations operate more efficiently. They help businesses solve a wide range of problems, including supply chain optimization, production planning and inventory management.

Although operations research analysts typically spend their time in offices, they may travel occasionally to meet with clients.

Learn more about operations research analysts .

3. Management Analyst

Median salary: $95,290 Expected job growth by 2032: 10%

Management analysts, also known as management consultants, are experts who specialize in helping companies improve efficiency and increase profits. How often management analysts travel depends on the company they work for and their current projects. However, those who pursue a career in management consulting can expect to travel quite frequently to meet with clients.

Learn more about management analysts .

2. Marketing Manager

Median salary: $140,040 Expected job growth by 2032: 7%

Marketing managers gauge the demand for a product and help develop a marketing strategy that fits. Depending on their company’s needs, marketing managers may travel throughout the country or worldwide to meet with clients and attend conferences.

Learn more about marketing managers .

Median salary: $113,990 Expected job growth by 2032: 23%

Actuaries assess and manage financial risks using mathematical and statistical models. They often work in industries such as insurance, finance and retirement planning, determining the likelihood of events and their financial impacts.

Travel frequency for actuaries varies depending on the employer and their specific job role, but some may travel occasionally to attend meetings or meet with clients.

Learn more about actuaries .

RECOMMENDED

You May Also Like

How to be more assertive at work.

Jamela Adam July 19, 2024

7 Benefits of Working From Home

Robin Madell July 16, 2024

How to Quit a Job You Just Started

Jamela Adam and Robin Reshwan July 15, 2024

20 Best Questions to Ask an Interviewer

Geoff Williams July 12, 2024

Write a Goodbye Email to Co-Workers

Hallie Crawford July 10, 2024

3 Ways to Use AI to Find Your Next Job

Hallie Crawford July 8, 2024

Is Finance a Good Career Path for You?

Maryalene LaPonsie July 3, 2024

7 Things Interviewers Notice First

Robin Madell and Jada A. Graves July 2, 2024

Work-Life Balance Tips From CEOs

Robin Madell June 28, 2024

How to Write a Short Professional Bio

Jamela Adam and Hallie Crawford June 26, 2024

How to Choose a Career

Jamela Adam and Janica Ingram June 21, 2024

Best Food Delivery Apps to Make Money

Maryalene LaPonsie June 20, 2024

What to Wear to Work

Hallie Crawford June 18, 2024

15 Good Reasons to Quit Your Job

Jamela Adam June 18, 2024

Best Job Search Sites

Jamela Adam June 14, 2024

How We Determined the Best Companies

June 11, 2024

What Makes a Good Employer

Jamela Adam June 11, 2024

What Makes a Company Great to Work For?

What Is Quiet Vacationing?

Robin Madell June 7, 2024

How Employers Can Attract New Employees

Madhuri Kommareddi May 30, 2024

• Sync.com for Travelers: Our Hands-on Review After 3 Years
• Hiking with Kids: Essential Gear for a Fun and Safe Adventure
• Discover Branson's Finest Hiking Trails
• 15 Offbeat Digital Nomad Destinations You Need to Visit Now
• Cancun vs. Tulum - Which Should You Visit Next?
• How to Play Video Games as You Travel the World
• Work With Us

45 Great Jobs You Can Do While Traveling The World And How To Get Them

Looking for the best travel jobs? If you think that you can’t afford to travel the world, finding a job on the road may be just the ticket. Travel’s wonderful, sure, but little things like food and a place to sleep are good too.

The Best Travel Jobs

We’ve found some of the best ideas to get paid as you travel the world , with some help on how to land each job.

Tip! While house sitting may not pay all of your travel bills, it can take a huge bite out of accommodation costs. Trusted Housesitters  is a great place to start.  Check Trusted H ousesitters job listings here.

You should know the basics of sailing for this gig, although some jobs only require a keen willingness to learn and a great attitude. Check out Find a Crew or Crew Seekers  online or ask directly at a local yacht club. Well known jumping off points include Darwin, Phuket, San Diego and Panama. We volunteered as yacht crew for evening cruises at the yacht club in Brisbane and found the club and captains to be friendly and open to our help.

Freelance Travel Writing

Traditional freelance travel writing is a tough gig. The competition is stiff, and the life of a freelance travel writer usually doesn’t pay well (or reliably). Even if you’ve got stellar contacts, don’t expect to get much pay in the first year or so. Even irritatingly talented writers struggle as travel writers.

One of the best places to start looking for freelance writing jobs, and that includes freelance travel writing, is FlexJobs .

FlexJobs screens employers for you. FlexJobs comes with a small, flat monthly fee, but they also vet all of the job opportunities, meaning that there’s a lot less spam to wade through.

FlexJobs is one of the top job boards for remote work, but there is a monthly fee (about $14.95 USD a month).

Check out FlexJobs here.

Check out Virtual Vocations job listings here for freelance writing and plenty of other online jobs. You can try it out for free, but there’s also a paid version.

Looking for help with your resume or CV? Check out a top resume review .

Cruise Ship Work

Cruise ships hire all sorts of folks, from entertainers to waiters to cooks. This type of gig is best for those without kids or a spouse. It may also not be great long term for a digital nomad who needs reliable internet access, since WiFi at sea can be spotty.

Earl from Wandering Earl has used cruise ship work to fund a large part of his 12 years on the road, and wrote a book called How to Get a Job on a Cruise Ship .

Click here check out his book on getting a job on a cruise line .

Royal Caribbean even hires horticulturalists and cupcake supervisors (now that’s a job I could handle). Check out careers at Royal Caribbean  or Carnival Cruise Lines .

Travel Blogging

If you’re the enterprising sort, you can start your own travel blog. You’ll be putting in a lot of work (trust us on this) as you build your blog. Even if your blog becomes well known, you’ll need great business sense and a way to stand out from the crowd before you start bringing in any income. We’d estimate it takes about a year of hard work blogging before you can start to make any real income here (and by real, we mean around $1,000 per month).

Tip: To really enjoy the combination of work and travel, don’t forget about your safety. Here’s when a reliable VPN service may come in handy to protect your online presence and unlock geo-restricted content.

While volunteer jobs by nature don’t pay, some will provide (often very basic) accommodation or meals, or both. Conservation Volunteers  provides basic accommodation, but not meals, in exchange for help on conservation projects. Be careful with this strategy, as many voluntourism placements charge you a significant amount of money to volunteer. This helpful article from Wisebread will point you in the right direction.

If you’ve ever been interested in volunteering on an organic farm, this might be the gig for you. WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) brings together volunteers and farmers. You’ll work a set number of hours in exchange for room and board.

No previous farming experience is required, so all you need to do is check into visa requirements first an you could find yourself on a flight to Europe to work on an organic farm!

Flight Attendant

This is one of those jobs that require travel as part of the career. Flight attendants wages vary depending on the airline, and new employees don’t have a great choice of shifts or destinations. That said, you can still score some great flights while being paid. Airline employees often get substantial discounts on airfare for themselves and their family. Some airlines even allow you to pass on discounts to specified friends.

We always get travel insurance when we travel.

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance covers nearly every country on the planet.

While this is out of the reach of most of us, those with flight experience can score great flights. To become a pilot , you’ll need over 250 hours of flight experience, decent vision, a clear criminal record and good health.

Technical Writer or Editor

If you’re technically (or scientifically) inclined, and have great writing skills, technical writing and editing can be a great gig on the road. Technical writers write everything from website text to software user manuals to detailed computer hardware specifications. I’ve worked as technical writer for the past ten years, both remotely and in cubicle nation. I’d suggest getting a certificate in technical writing and a few clients under your belt before you hit the road. Starting pay is about $25/hour for North American gigs for native English speakers, but experienced writers and editors can earn $60 an hour or more.

Academic Editor or Writer

Academic editors and writers are often in big demand. English is a second language for plenty of students, so

Academic editors and writers are often in big demand. English is a second language for plenty of students, so getting an editor to proofread academic papers is common.

Editors can work on articles all the way from high school to PhD level, depending on their experience. Writers are also in demand with paper writing and editing services, which offer work in fields as diverse as English, biology, and physics.

Busking can be great if you have a skill in some sort of performance art, from singing to drumming or juggling. Pick a busy area to maximize your tips, and be careful not to run afoul of local city ordinances for street performers. Check out the video below of talented electric violinist Ed Alleyne-Johnson doing some busking work to get you motivated. Amazingly, all the music you hear is coming from his violin!

Bartender or Waiter

Depending on the country you’re visiting, you may be able to score a job waiting tables under the table. As you’ll be working illegally, you face a few risks, including being nabbed by the tax man, or even deported. That said, if you’re looking to work in a restaurant or bar, try to find a place where tips are good, as most of your income will come in the form of tips. There’s some helpful info here on traveling and working as a bartender .

Work for Your Accommodation

Many hostels will let you stay for free in exchange for light work around the hostel. While we were in Adelaide, Australia, we exchanged a couple of hours cleaning the hostel each day for a comfy double room with shared bath. All in all, it wasn’t a bad deal, as rooms were going for about $50. You research hostels before you leave on sites like Hostelworld.com .

Peace Corps Volunteer

The Peace Corps is serious business. Only apply if you’re able to commit to a long engagement in what might be a difficult environment. The application process is stringent, and usually includes an interview. The Peace Corps doesn’t pay a lot, but does cover health insurance and deferrals of student loans (for US Citizens), plus a bonus at the end of your term.

Run an Import/Export Business

The premise is simple: Find a product in one country, and sell it for a tidy profit somewhere else. This is perfect if you have a strong entrepreneurial bent, as you’ll have to dig up the product, the market and the suppliers all on your own.

Interpreter or Translator

You’ll need to be fluent in either written (a translator) or spoken (interpreter) two languages or more, and many employers want a university degree in linguistics.

If you can herd groups of confused people, and enjoy talking about the sights, this job might be for you. Tour guides don’t just schlep people around museums; you might even score a job as a wilderness guide. Speaking multiple languages isn’t a must but would be a definite asset.

Tour Organizer

If you can build trip itineraries, plan visas and stay arrangements, group tour organizing might be for you.

Seasonal Fruit or Vegetable Picker

The work is long and hard, but demand is often high for seasonal farm labor in Australia and many other countries in the world. If you’re staying in a New Zealand or Australian city with outlying farms, you should be able to find some work picking crops or shearing sheep.

Because the jobs depend on the harvest, timing can be a bit tricky. Here’s a tip from a backpacker we met in Cairns: Don’t pick watermelons, they weigh a ton and you’ll be exhausted within the first hour.  Anywork Anywhere is a good place to start looking for jobs.

Ethnomusicologist

I have to admit to being a little skeptical when I first ran across this job . Ethnomusicologists are involved in the anthropology of music and study how music and culture relate. The Society for Ethnomusicology  is a good place to start. Grant competition is fierce, and an academic background is highly recommended.

Online Poker Player

While this requires mad poker skills (obviously), the good news is that it’s open to anyone with a good internet connection and a small bankroll to start. According to the FBI, online gambling is illegal in the United States .

Day traders buy and sell stocks and other financial securities online, usually within the space of a day. A word of warning: You really need to know what you’re doing here, as this is a risky job for those without solid experience and knowledge. The large majority of day traders actually lose money .

Scuba Instructor

You’ll need a minimum of a PADI Open Water Scuba instructor course (or a similar accreditation). The more qualifications and specialized courses you take, the more marketable you’ll become. Instructors don’t make a lot of money, but the great perk of this job is that you get to teach in some of the world’s most beautiful locations.

Massage Therapist

While you don’t technically need an accreditation to be a massage therapist in certain countries, it may help you land clients and gigs. There are probably hundreds of styles of massage, ranging from deep tissue to Thai. Pay depends on the country you’re in, but the job can extremely flexible if you work as a freelance massage therapist.

Skiing Instructor

In most parts of the world, ski instructors must take courses and become accredited. Canadian ski instructors earn about $12 an hour to start.

Freelance Photographer

With the advent of digital cameras and the Internet, freelance photography has gotten a lot more competitive. That said, if you have great photography skills and a keen business sense, you may be able to sell some of your travel photos.

Travel Agent

Years ago, being a travel agent was one of the dream jobs for would-be travelers, who dreamed of perks and discounted fares. Today, travel agents are a rarer breed, as commissions have been cut and the internet has allowed consumers to book more of their own trips. You can work as a home based travel agent through a web-based travel agency. Successful travel agents today often offer specialized services that don’t compete with discounted web fares. Commissions and wages these days are low and perks are hard to come by.

An au pair is a nanny who may also be expected to do light housework. A large proportion of au pairs are female, and tend to work in Europe, the US and Canada, and Australia and New Zealand. If you’re looking to cover a lot of ground, this arrangement may not work well, as au pair contracts range from six months and up. Check out the  International Au Pair Organization  to start.

House Sitter

While house sitting may not pay all of your travel bills, it can take a huge bite out of accommodation costs. Trusted Housesitters  is a great places to start.

Check Trusted H ousesitters job listings here.

Also check for caretaking jobs, which generally involve a longer time commitment and increased responsibilities (like taking care of someone’s motel while they’re on vacation). Caretaking jobs often pay a stipend in addition to free accommodation. You can find caretaker jobs through the Caretaker Gazette . There’s a small membership fee for most sites.

Check Caretaker jobs listings here.

If you own an apartment or house, consider swapping for a place at your destination. You can save a fortune in accommodation costs, and often live much better than you would in a hotel.

International Resort Worker

International resorts like Club Med hire a wide variety of people, from electricians to bakers to activities coordinators. Check out Club Med jobs for information.

Time Share Salesperson

The bane of resort goers everywhere, time share salespeople make a commission by convincing vacationers to purchase a partial ownership of a vacation property (or multiple properties). For a set amount of money, the vacationer gets access to a vacation property for one or two weeks per year. Timeshares have taken a beating in the press for scamming vacationers out of their money. Even timeshares on the up and up are often sold with restrictive dates for access, hidden fees and taxes. Check out RCI.com  to get an idea of what kind of time shares are available worldwide.

Work at a Campsite

If you’re the outdoorsy type, you may be able to combine camping and work in Canada and the US. Work camping involves either hooking up your own RV or on-site housing and working as a camp host, desk clerk or even a tour guide. Private campgrounds and national parks like Yellowstone offer seasonal employees RV hookups or onsite housing.

Real Estate Agent

You’ll need to pick a specific area, become knowledgeable in the local real estate market, but many expats make good money as real estate agents, especially specializing in selling to other expats.

Location Independent Businesses

You can take many businesses with you on the road. These are usually computer-based business like website development or computer programming. All you’ll need is a laptop, internet connection, and a mad set of skills and you can work anywhere in the world. Sites like Freelancer.com  let you bid on jobs from all over the globe, while Fiverr gigs are set at a $5 (though you can add on extra services for extra $$).

Check out our article on the best online jobs for travelers for some ideas.

Deckhand on a Cargo Ship

While not as glamorous as working on a luxury cruise liner, working on a container ship can be a more leisurely way to see the world. Workers often acts as lookouts and perform maintenance like painting and maintaining containers. You’ll need a high school diploma and many deckhands have training through industry or labor union schools.

Back in the day, legit international businesses would pay couriers to fly packages as carry on between select destinations. Cheaper and faster international shipping, increased security and transporting docs electronically have made these jobs almost non-existent. Use a lot of caution with courier sites, as most seem to be trying to sell a membership, a supposedly discounted airfare or an outdated e-book written 10 years ago. Courier List, once one of the biggest names in the business, suspended subscriptions because of decreased opportunities.

Transport a Car or RV

Car and RV dealerships or car rental companies sometimes hire people to drive cars to a different destination. Car rental companies sometimes find themselves with too many cars in one destination and want to move them to an area where rentals are more in demand. Car dealerships may need a specific car, with specific options or colors that they arrange to get from another dealer. While most companies work with full time, professional drivers, there may be some opportunities for one time trips. The trick with these jobs is getting a car that’s going where you want to go at the right time. You’ll need a clean driver’s license and may need a specialty license to drive RVs. Transport companies like DAS Auto Shippers and RV Transport  hire drivers. HitTheRoad.ca  is a well known Canadian company that offers mostly long distance, one way, one trip driving contracts for cars, while AutoDriveAway  has listings for the USA.

Camp Counselor

Countries as diverse as Canada, the USA, Croatia and even Russia hire camp counselors. Check out Bitten By the Travel Bug’s helpful  articles on camp counseling .

ESL Teacher

Teaching English as a second language is a well worn staple for travelers, and for good reason. Some countries, like Japan, China and Korea are well traversed by ESL teachers, though there are opportunities around the world. Japan and Korea pay reasonably well, while countries in South and Central America generally pay less. Depending on the country, accommodation may be included in your pay. Many teachers also tutor after hours for extra cash. An English as a Second Language (ESL) Certificate  helps, as does a Bachelor’s degree, though with persistence it’s possible to get a job without either if you have the right connections. If you can figure out a way to break into the field, teaching business English to adults is reputed to pay better. There’s a helpful guide to teaching English abroad here .

Online Teacher or Tutor

Many universities and colleges are moving to online learning. While this is great for students, it’s also a fantastic perk for teachers or tutors, who can work from almost anywhere to teach their online students. An advanced degree is helpful for teaching, but it is possible to teach for a trade or technology school with experience and good connections.

Check out  Teaching Traveling  for a profile of a web and mobile design instructor who worked remotely for nine months while traveling from US to Argentina. The best part of this gig? You’re paid as well as if you were working at home. To find work, browse the teaching listings at university like the University of Phoenix , community colleges, and even technology and trade schools.

Geologists often travel as a requirement of their work. They can work in fields as diverse as oil and gas exploration, climate change and mining. You’ll need a minimum of a four year undergraduate degree .

Join the Military

Joining the military simply to travel seems like a bad idea, given the chance that you could be permanently stationed in your home town, or … well… killed. That said, military service can lead to opportunities to work overseas, though there may be little time for recreation.

Personal or Virtual Assistant

A personal assistant wears a thousand hats, depending on the needs of their employer. Personal connections seem to be critical.

Virtual Assistants offer administrative services to clients from a remote location. Virtual assistant services include scheduling appointments, managing email accounts, managing social media accounts, and more.

Marine or Wildlife Biologist

For nature lovers, the great perk of working as a marine or wildlife biologist can be location. Marine biologists can be stationed in fantastic locations like Hawaii and Costa Rica, while wildlife biologists can be found anywhere on the globe. Biologists need a minimum of a four year undergraduate degree, though researchers who work with universities usually require a PhD.

Internet Affiliate Marketer

Internet affiliate marketers create websites that sell other people’s products and then take a percentage of the sales. While the industry has a smarmy reputation, it is possible to make money through affiliate programs. No formal education is required, but a strong entrepreneurial bent and tech savvy is needed.

Working Holiday and other Visas

If you’re under 35, see if your destination country offers a youth working holiday visa. Many countries have agreements that allow youth to work on a working holiday visa for up to one year. Check out Wikipedia’s list of working holiday visa programs .

When planning to work in a foreign country, check into visa requirements first. In many countries it’s possible to work illegally (under the table), but be aware that there can be consequences that include immediate deportation. Receiving lodging or a stipend for volunteering may fall within the category of working under the table, depending on the country.

We hope we’ve inspired you that there are a lot of ways to make money on your travels . Now get out there and get one of these best travel jobs!

There’s always options if you really want to travel! 🙂

My boyfriend is a programmer on the go. He wrote a post to share some inspiration with other programmers, if anyone is interested or seeking an excuse to hit the road while still working as a programmer.

Hi Zara, Some helpful tips, there! Charles is a programmer, too, coincidentally enough. We’ve found that sites like oDesk and Guru tend to pay less than if we can manage to take our work for existing clients on the road.

Same here, a programmer… who is willing to be on the go….

Great list…hope to put some to use full time one day:)

Hi D.J., These days, I really favor jobs that I can take along with me – the whole digital nomad thing. It’s not quite as glamorous as everyone thinks, but honestly, it beats working in a cubicle 9-5 every day (been there!)

Fantastic list – very inspirational! I’ll send people this way – what a great resource!

Thanks! I know that we struggled with how to find a job when we were traveling, so I hope this can help someone out… 🙂

Quite an extensive list! I’ve looked into more than a few of these in the past (and am even considering a couple of them right now) and they’re all very viable options!

I tried to make a list of jobs that were possible for most folks. I honestly wouldn’t have thought working as yacht crew was viable if Charles and I hadn’t spent time at the yacht club and met a few people. Who knew? Now that we have kids, yacht crew may be out for a few years :), but then again, maybe we’ll get our own catamaran when they’re a bit older and be our own crew. 🙂

Anyone know if it’s necessary to have an ESL teaching certificate? I do not have a degree so thought maybe TESL cert might be helpful but many friends say not so much? Would love some feedback… Great article. Thanks!

Nice to see you here! I’m going to copy my answer from our chat on our Facebook page , in case someone else reading this would like to know.

“From what I’ve read, if you have a Bachelor’s degree, the TESL certificate isn’t necessary for most overseas teaching jobs (it depends very much on what the specific school you’re approaching wants, of course). Some schools will hire a teacher who doesn’t have a bachelors or TESL, but you need to have a connection (like knowing someone in the school who’ll vouch for you), or experience. Since you have experience, I’d say that trumps an TESL certificate for most schools. I’d try contacting one of the schools you’re interested in and asking – you never know, right? Hope that helps a bit… ”

Another good place to start is Nomadic Matt article on TESL certificates .

TEFL cert not that important, but you pretty much have to have a BA/BS in anything unless you have contacts and connections.

Many great ideas and a great single source of links! I can vouch that travel blogging requires a lot more time than the writing time! I would say that my preferred would be one job not mentioned: husband to a high-flying career (business, diplomat, etc.) spouse stationed in a well-located country 😉

Wow Raul, this was Micki’s post however I have to interject my thoughts on what you just wrote. I’m 100% in favor of that and will toss the idea to Micki. If she questions it I’m going to refer her back to you, okay. 😉

Nice article!

That’s a whole lotof jobs to consider! 🙂

Thanks, Tommy. Hopefully, the tips should keep someone well funded for a while 🙂

Fantastic Tips!

I never know we can exchange a hostel stay with cleaning and home Swap!

Opened my eyes really!

Hi Lex, Nice to see you here! I was surprised how many hostels were interested trading light housekeeping for a room. I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard of people building a small website for a hostel in exchange for a short stay. I’d imagine any kind of barter might work, really, anything from cleaning to carpentry to gardening.

A terrific post jam-packed with great ideas! In short, there’s no reason to stay home.

Hi Terry, So true. I spent a lot of my 20’s working crappy jobs, and barely getting by. Honestly, I could have been traveling and working at the same time, and been just as far ahead financially.

This is a great list of ideas for people looking to travel long-term and work. Thanks very much for sharing!

Hi Emma, you’re welcome. Hope it provides some inspiration.

This is fantastic list and an inspiration for those who are considering travelling indefinitely but wondering how they can continue their journey. I know a lot of friends doing scuba dive instruction in Thailand and the Maldives.

Hi Samuel, Scuba diving in Thailand or the Maldives sounds like a great way to earn money on the road! We took our Open Water PADI course in Ko Tao. Thailand, and loved every second of it.

Great list! Very inspiring to those who may not have realized all the options out there. I’ve been going the digital nomad route myself, but I also love the idea of taking on seasonal jobs in different places. Especially things like campground host would be really fun, I think!

Great tips. But they really fall into two categories, don’t they? The jobs that you can do anywhere in the world which will fund your travels – and those which will also get you actively involved in the local community. I hope people will consider the latter and really see the world while they’re making some cash on the side!

That’s a really great way of thinking about work. Not only can it make you some cash, but working somewhere can help you connect with the local culture and people.

Great list! Some of these are really great suggestions, though some might not work out so well if the end goal is to travel. Getting a pilot’s license is extremely expensive, and it’s a very low paying job for several years when you first start. But picking up jobs along the way, teaching ESL and staring your own location independent business are solid choices. I always thought the different cruise types of jobs sounded interesting, but I don’t think I could handle the seasickness!

Yep, I won’t be taking up flying as a commercial pilot any time soon, either. I’ve had a couple of friends who put in some serious time flying in Northern Canada (mostly for oil and gas companies and flying firefighters up North). They really put in their dues for a lot of years, that’s for sure.

A lot of people are choosing the location independent work route, whether it’s working a regular job remotely, or starting their own business. The idea of sitting under a palm tree with a laptop while getting paid to work is a pretty powerful draw. Though it’s not all it’s made out to be – sand’s pretty tough on keyboards and there’s a lot of glare on the screen 🙂

Hi, What can i do for getting a job the above mentioned 45 list.I am interested to travel the worldwide.So please give the suggestion to get a job in the above mentioned list.

Don, some of these jobs require degrees or certifications. Some are as simple as showing up at the place you want to work. Others require that you apply for the position just as you would in your home country.

It really depends on the job you want, what you’re qualified to do, where in the world you happen to be and whether you want to work for cash only or after filling in the proper paperwork and getting a work visa.

The rest is up to you. Good luck!

Nice article also its nice to date airhostess so you keep getting cheap tickets…. Rest is everyone knows… 🙂

Ah, now that’s the SMART way to go about travel. Ren, I think you’ve got it all figured out 🙂

Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I’ve truly loved surfing around your blog posts. After this I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I am hoping you write more often!

Roccia, we’re so glad you stopped by! If you every have any questions, or need any help, give us a shout!

Great list! The best job Ive seen someone have that allowed them to travel with ease was as a hairdresser. They would rock up into a city – put up a sign in the hostel saying $30 a cut and would have queues of people getting a trim – just how they liked it back home. Then they would cash out and move onto the next city.

Peter, now that’s a fantastic idea! Love how enterprising that is – and at $30 a cut, they could make some decent money!

I wrote this article really just to get people thinking about all the options that there are to make money traveling. In my 20’s I worked a LOT of crappy jobs trying to save money to travel, when it would have been just as easy to work on the road.

What a great list! I’ve done a Work & Holiday in Australia and was able to get a couple “real” jobs in marketing that paid well enough to fund my travels (in such an expensive country), but some of these sound really tempting!

Rachael, the working holiday visas are a fantastic way to travel.

Some countries are starting to increase the holiday visas age to 35 for specific visitors (for example, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand residents up to age 35 can visit Italy on a working holiday visa).

Most folks think that the working holiday visas are only for jobs like fruit picking and waiting tables, but you can actually end up with some good jobs (like your marketing jobs) that give some great work experience and pay reasonably well.

Really great list! Thank you, Micky

What an awesome resource for people looking to travel but worried about income! This a great page to bookmark and share around. Thanks for putting this together.

Thanks so much Aloyna and JRinAsia! Glad we helped out.

I took your advice and recently became on online tutor… I started sharing this as well with kids that I tutor who are looking for a job.

Ralph, That’s so wonderful to hear! I tutored for a couple of years as well (though not online), and think it would be a great travel job. Thanks for sharing!

Great list of jobs here. I’ve done / still do many of these. Writing, photography, tour guiding, car delivery, working for accommodation. The only negative experience I’ve had was with hittheroad.ca so I can not recommend that service, but the more skills you have, the better, right?? I’ve travelled with a few geologists…and they get to go to some remote, crazy places…wish I knew that when I was in school.

Some great ideas, travel blogging is a challenge but rewarding.

Great post, great site. We’re a travelling family so always great to read about others. Looking for inspiration to find a new travelling career ideas and help us stay on the road for longer so this is great! Thanks!

Great ideas. This is the dream of all of us to finance our travel with work during our trip.

If you’re a certified teacher, you can easily travel by working in an international school! They pay your flights each year, give you a house or housing allowance, and the salary is usually good enough to travel every glorious school holiday! I’ve been doing it for 6 years now, and I will never go back to Canada to teach… No jobs! I can live in paradise, or a couple hours flight to it. You can’t go wrong! 🙂

Meg – overseas lifer

What an awesome list! It just goes to show that you can do anything if you are creative enough to figure out a niche that aligns with your destination. This is a much harder lifestyle to maintain when you have kids so I always recommend younger travellers go far while they are single:)

Some of these ideas seem really great. The list really is extensive!

I would have never thought to work while traveling, usually that’s my vacation time away from work. Though that could greatly extend your vacation and/or allow you do more if you are constricted by money and expenses. Having some cash inflow allows you to do a lot more than otherwise. Though as an Austin mover I have been lucky enough to travel and see a lot of places while working.

Myself a pilot, I would love to see the entry regarding traveling on a pilot’s wages changed. There is no need to have perfect vision innately. It simply needs to be correctable to perfect. Most contacts and glasses have no problem with this issue.

Andrew, yes it is a common misconception about perfect eyesight and pilots. Contacts and glasses are fine for most airlines if you can see 20/20 with them on. Most fighter pilots need perfect vision (whether naturally or via lasik) however I’m guessing the average traveler doesn’t fall in that category. 😉

Thanks for the comment.

Charles/Micki,

Thank God, I stumbled upon this site, this list is a terrific resource guys, I love traveling and this will help tremedously! In fact, I am in Europe right now, lol. 😉

Always like to stumble blogs I read by accident! I’ve done so many of these – most noteably, teacing English and summer camp work, with a dabbling in blogging, translating, tour guiding, etc. Definitely helps ease the blow!

Great share and post!

Tour guide is a very good way to make extra money while traveling. There are even some people who actually travel TO a country, work as a guide for a few days and vacation a few days.

Ha. Pretty good list. I have actually had a fair few of these. Timeshares was definitely an interesting experience.

I have yet to bartend. Australia maybe on my horizon.

This is great! Thanks for writing it 🙂 I plan to go work and travel Europe in 2014!

easy in theory…..1st: for how many of those jobs do you require a specific specialization? and also the percentage of employer happy to give a job, even if small or temporary,to a stranger traveller and very often from another country?…I’d say not very high,I aqm italian and have constantly travelled for the last twentyfive years (travelling is my life), and my opinion is,that,if it wasn’t for busking,probably, I would’t have never gone all the way I did,nice your ideas though,inspiring.thanks

Amazing post. So far we have been working as English teachers in China and web designers in Cambodia, but there are more job opportunities, as you say, we would like to go for in the future. Greetings from Macau!

Very nice tips. Thank for this. Travel Blogging is the best for me!

Fantastic post! Very useful info! Gave me some ideas of jobs I didnt know you could do!

Excellent list! yardandgroom.com has taken me around the world (before responsibilities & a real job!) It’s great for horsey types who don’t mind serious hard work.

Complete List..but in 2013 and so on, I think Internet Marketing will be a great job. Just traveling worldwide and sit relax in front of your laptop

Wow … A lot of different opportunities listed. Making income from Blogging is tough, but if you have the time, one day it can pay off. I also like the idea of a campground host in the near future. Thanks for sharing!

Great article, so many job apportunities , who would have thought so?? dont stop writting 🙂

Thanks for sharing this wonderful list – so many jobs here I hadn’t even thought of! Ethnomusicologist ;-D

When I was in Australia a girl came into my hostel about every other week and would cut everyones hair and within a few hours would walk out with $200-$300. She didn’t charge much (maybe 10-15 for guys and 20-25 for girls) but most people needed one. She would then head out and party till she ran out of money and start over again. I on the other hand utilized my skills as an entertainment coordinator for hostels and got free accommodation from them and would put on tournaments for money where winner takes all except for the organizing fee i took.

Great list. The working online options are better for persons like myself who don’t travel on a US/Canada/UK passport. Working holiday visas and sometimes just tourist visas can be such a nightmare.

Nice article. There are lots of jobs to do while traveling, I like to work in camp site while traveling to Australia. My main concern is the working permit.

I love walking bare foot on the grass in winter morning.. ahh.. feels so awesome..

I’d love to have more than one of the jobs on the list. This is a comprehensive post!

I was really enjoying your article and stopped at the campground picture because it looked so much like home to me. Imagine my surprise to see it WAS! Paul Lake is basically the closest campground to my hometown of Kamloops, BC, Canada. It was really cool to stumble on this. I am a relatively new single at 42. I am hoping after a few more years of work in a steady well-paying job I will have some freedom to travel extensively. I think you have listed a lot of great ideas and resources. I wonder, do you think a lot of them will apply to me at this stage in my life with no real formal education beyond high school? I am going to send this to my young adult children too. I think travel when you are young is a great idea!

Thanks for the list.

Very useful tips. I wish to use few of these some day.

Great article . Very informative

Hey what about looking after Elephants, or other animals abroad? Is the pay good enough to feed and let you have accommodation? I would be very interested in this type of work…..Let me know….Someone!!

Hi Dianne. There are a lot of places in the world where you can work for room and board however I’m not sure about looking after elephants specifically. I suppose you could get a job abroad in a zoo or perhaps work for a lodge in Africa or India.

There are lots of animal sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers around the world as well so that’s always a possibility however there’s usually a fee involved so it will actually cost you money rather than the other way around. Here are a few sites of that nature: Globalteer , Go Eco or Conservation Volunteers

Most places operate on small grants and donations so being paid to do a job where thousands of people are willing to pay their own way makes it hard to find. That’s not to say it’s impossible however you would have an easier time tracking down a privately owned animal reserve or animal rehab center if you want to actually make money looking after animals abroad.

If you’re lucky enough to have a background in animal biology or animal behavior, you might be able to join an expedition on a grant that would cover your expenses however that level of detail lies far outside the scope of this article.

Dianne, we wish you good luck finding something of this nature and if you do, please come back here and share your findings!

This all sounds pretty amazing….I always wish I had all this info in my early 20’s! Now, I’m more interested in how you guys keep up the travelling with 2 kids! I know from experience that it’s really expensive to travel on poor currency as the Commonwealth countries are 10 – 12 times more expensive!!Currently my husband’s job takes him away from us for 2 months at a time…it would be really great to be able to be a family unit again and still see the world 🙂

It’s always a bit of fun juggling work and travel with our two little ones :).

Wow, and we were trying to think of things we could do when we hit the road. Great list this will come in very useful! Great blog by the way!

Great list! Hope to use that list some day 🙂 Thanks for your post 🙂

Thank you so much for the brilliant as well as comprehensive list !

Fantastic list! I just wish that there were more options eligible for members on non-EU states as for instance House Sitting and House Swamping request you to be from a certain country. Moreover, there’s always visa issues to solve.

WOw its a great combination of two sites including traveling and job information. love your this informative blog…

thanks to share!!!!

Wow, that list is great. I never realized how many different opportunities there were for travelers. I especially like the tour guides. Always thought that would be fun.

Thanks for putting this together, some great ideas I hadn’t thought of! We’ve done a fair bit of volunteering along the way, which saves us money but certainly doesn’t make us any. I’d soooooooo love to volunteer on a sailing yacht for a long trip!

What an awesome list! Thank you so much for sharing!

Are you aware of any online opportunities which require extensive excell/analytical skills which can be done from remote locations? I am fully qualified accountant and auditor but not a huge fan of working in the profession. I really want to travel and try use the skills I have from remote locations…just not sure if those opportunities exist?

Hi Ant. The best way to work online is to try to find a local company that is willing to let you work remotely before you even start traveling. It will be steadier income and if you’re from a wealthier nation then the pay will be more than you’d make in a lot of countries with lower living costs. If you know you’ll be staying someplace that costs less, you can also offer your services for lower than the going rate to help guarantee your position. Because you’re also a local, you speak the same language, have similar views and can meet them in person. A lot of companies have no problem hiring remote workers however a lot of them have trouble outsourcing to employees in foreign companies.

In terms of your skillset, I can think of tons of industries where it would be in demand. Of course anything financial like banks, accounting firms, tax preparers, market analysis experts or any large company’s payroll and HR department need people with analytical skills. You can also browse the jobs on Monster or Workopolis to give you some ideas.

Other than that, there are numerous sites where you can bid on jobs or offer your services on a smaller scale. Odesk, Elance, Guru and Fiverr are 4 that quickly come to mind. You likely won’t be making the same money you could earn with a dedicated position however there are plenty of people that do just as well taking on numerous small contracts and they can pick and choose as they go.

Good luck on your search!

“While you don’t technically need an accreditation to be a massage therapist, it may help you land clients and gigs. There are probably hundreds of styles of massage, ranging from deep tissue to Thai. Pay depends on the country you’re in, but the job can extremely flexible if you work as a freelance massage therapist.”

Please change this horrible piece of information. It’s called a Massage License, and it is absolutely required to legally practice massage therapy in most countries. Here in the US, a MINIMUM of 500 hours from an accredited massage school is required. Upon completion of school, you are then required to pass a state licensing examination. And every state has their own licensing requirements. You cannot just simply start massaging for the hell of it anywhere you want. It is against the law and fairly strictly enforced.

Hi Robbie. Yes, a message license is required in the US and in 3 provinces in Canada it actually falls under the governmental health care service so you are right that in these countries it is illegal to practice without a license. The same holds true for a good portion of Europe and scattered first world countries around the world.

That being said, it’s not governed in a good portion of Asia, South America, Africa and many tropical islands around the world. So like we said, a license helps however we’ve seen many people offering massages in hostels we’ve stayed around the world and I’m pretty sure they weren’t licensed in that country. They all seemed to be making money doing it so obviously it’s a viable business.

In regards to your comment I’ve modified the line to clarify it more. Thanks for pointing that out.

It seems very useful for everyone. Nice info

Great list Micki! As a pilot myself, I can attest to the amazing flight benefits! The sad part is that most pilots probably travel only slightly more on their personal time than non-pilots. Many of my colleges tell me that the last thing they feel like doing after flying at work for 4 or 5 days is hopping on another airplane. It’s sad to see them lose the love for travel. After all, I think that’s why we all got into it.

Add travel nursing to the list! My husband and I started traveling in 2011 and LOVE it. Traveling abroad is a little more difficult but possible. We have stayed in the states but there is plenty to see in this great country. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for adventure and excellent pay.

Flight Attendant…..I’m glad you listed this as people rarely realize how much “perk” travel is associated with being one. I took a “gap year” between my undergrad college & next one to pursue this. It was the best choice I ever made. In the span of one year, I had opportunities to explore US (home base), Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Carribbean (over 15 islands!, often more than 3’xs each!) and this position was held almost 20 years ago. I am now fully into another career but this is always the job employers ask me about first in my interviews. They are very curious about how I became one, where did I go, how did I live out of a suitcase, etc. It was really quite easy. I answered a newspaper ad (yes, I’m that old :-)) and showed up for an open call. From that, about 450+ people were eventually narrowed down to 25 selected for training. My best asset was having a outgoing personality and decent work ethic. After waiting tables in highschool and having a Associates degree, they were happy to have me join. On my days off, I’d jumpseat to other locations and split bills w/ fellow crew members to say, spend 4 days in the Keys to go snorkeling or take 3 days and go explore New Mexico. I think it sounds so daunting and courageous to follow travel dreams by reading blogs but truthfully, once you’re out there doing it, it’s so fun you forget why you had any fears holding you back. Cheers. Here’s to just going for it. We only *know* that we’ve got this 1 life. Right now.

WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searching for travel jobs

Everyone loves what you guys are up too. This kind of clever wokrk and reporting! Keep up the terrific works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to our blogroll.

I’m a Freelance Photographer and capturing amazing sights to places where I spent my vacation. I even collect photos. Will probably sell my photos nest time. Thanks to your ideas.

That’s a very cool list. Love to explore the world. I am going to try this. Even-thought I have been traveling for the last 5 years with my wife. It helped me a lot since she is a travel nurse and willing to travel 3 months at a time.

Great article. Many choices. What this shows is that you can really put yourself in a no excuse position if travel is your main focus. I have a family of 5. We sold everything and went from a 4700 sq ft house to a 40 sq ft cargo trailer and SUV. For my revenue, I do consulting on 2 fronts: personal and professional. I do business strategy and tactics consulting for businesses and personal accountability and objective acquisition and completion consulting for individuals. Consulting is a great revenue stream as long as you actually know what you are talking about and can adequately relay advice. Anyway, great article. Thanks for sharing and have safe travels and a prosperous future!

Regarding the military option, I can tell you from experience that you would have time for recreational activities. I was stationed in Mannheim, Germany during my time in the Army and I got the chance to travel to surrounding countries during my time there. We had a lot of three or four day weekends that would come up plus all of the holidays. I had a great time during my time in Europe. Unless you’re a barracks rat or a natural homebody, you will more than likely go many places while stationed overseas. Deployment is about the only time you wouldn’t have much in recreation.

WOW! I pinned this for future reference! Very extensive and complete list and many I have never heard of or thought of!

The younger or older you are the more attractive this life style may be. As they say, where there’s a will there’s a way. Of course the more money you can make the better the travel (I’m for that). Thanks for the insight!

I love traveling and these are great ideas. We always stucked and can’t due to jobs issues but now i feel i really travel 🙂 thnx alot!!!

We no longer have any excuses…

Great list, really thorough! I know a lot of my friends think that you’ve gotta be some sort of millionaire to travel, but this serves as proof that it’s not so. There are so many ways to make money on the road. Great job.

Awesome post.

HI Micki, thank you for this extensive list. You provide great information and resources! There really are countless options when you want to finance your travels. When there’s a will, there’s a way!

Thanks to this site i got my job due to this sit i am enjoying

Great list ! And very Wise to recommend checking for the visa situation too…. been there done that and unfortunately it’s not that easy… 🙂

I want to travel the world. What kind of jobs should i take if i start. Can someone help me . I am from India and want to travel the world and get paid while i travel as travelling is my life.

Thanks for sharing such a detailed list!

Thank you so much for such a detailed article. It’s becoming easier and easier to work remotely while travelling and being able to pick up freelance work by advertising on websites like Elance and Upwork (formerly Odesk). If your dream is to travel and visit new places, you can find a way. There’s still plenty of places where it’s very cheap to live and get by, and half decent internet is available in most. It’s how I’ve been living my life for most of the last 15 years and hopefully will continue for many more 🙂

All the best

Working at a campsite, lol it reminds me of Regular Show even though they work at a park.

Well, it caught my interest and would definitely be one of the jobs that I would look for if I would travel the world. TV shows can be super inspiring :U

Thanks for sharing these jobs, these are very useful to me. When I go for travelling, I definitely try some of these.

I came across your website while searching for articles about tolls in Portugal (btw, thanks for sharing your experiences) which led me to continue reading your posts in your travel blogs and tips . I enjoyed reading them especially this one which gave me possibilities to travel without having 9-5 job.

Great stuff guys! Keep up the good work…

Web Design is a great idea too! Can do that sort of thing anywhere with a laptop and internet connection. You meet tones of people and potential clients while travelling meaning you could be doing work for people all over the world!

Hi Micki !! Great ideas, I admire your style of writing and can definitely feel the sense of adventure in each. Good reads !! 🙂

Great post – lots of jobs on there that don’t appear on most lists! You’ve given me a few great ideas!!! Thanks heaps!

Thats a great resource shared.

Wow great list, you thought of almost everything and I totally agree with you that blogging is not easy, it is a real job and you have to take it seriously!

Great list, as always…hope to put some to use full time one day:)

Thanks for sharing!

I really like your post. It’s a great resource for traveler that need extra income. May I suggest a company named VIPKid? VIPKid is a great place to work if you are looking for a job while traveling. I have been with the company for a year now and it’s so rewarding teaching English to students in China. You are able to make between $14 and $22 an hour as well as set your own work schedule. This job affords you the opportunity to earn extra income from anywhere with internet connection. All you need is a Bachelor’s degree, be a native speaker of English and have some teaching experience (formal or informal).

hi, I am currently 17 and a senior in high school, and I am confused I have no idea what I want to do with this life of mine after highschool I want to go to collage that’s for sure but I have no idea for what kind of career I want something that is a high salary and I like traveling a lot so I hope my future career would require that, but most of all I want a career that I like something I would have a passion for I want to do something I love, not just sit at a desk doing paperwork all day, no offence too anyone who does that but my point is I just need some advice here

Fantastic list! Thank you so much for the brilliant as well as comprehensive list !

Traveling with family is the best and most enjoyable

I started travelling by teaching English and that served me really for 5 years until I got into travel blogging! With the list you have though, you’re proving that there are a ton of ways to make your dreams come true these days <3 I recommend to just ask yourself what your passion is, and then work out how you can make money from it 🙂 Then you're laughing 😀

I really love the idea of work for accommodation. It offers an opportunity into the the lives of the locals. Got familiarized with the term recently on Hippohelp. Have you ever used it?

I do online marketing, with blog review, so it is very convenient to travel. I take advantage of these to make money and develop blogs stronger. The work you propose is also good, I will refer and try it!

Great list! Hope to use that list some day 🙂 Thanks for your post

If we enjoy working on cars and are looking for a new career path, consider enrolling in a career training program to become an automotive technician. There are many types of programs in the field.

Nice tips and work mention are really helpful. I definitely use some in my life.

Great tips for those who want to take advantage of their time even travel but I think he needs to have relations with the local people or know people there what do you think?

Such a beautiful blog. its really worthful. thanks for writing this.

Very helpful and motivating article. Thank you!

Great article! It really helps us think about our work opportunities on our 18 month around the world

I like your tip to work for your accommodation when you’re traveling abroad. My brother wants to travel to Canada to work while he’s taking a break from school. I wonder if there is a program that he could go through to get work.

This is such an informative article. Thanks for sharing 🙂

This is an outstanding post that’s filled with so many useful nuggets. Thank you for being so detailed on great Jobs you can do while travelling the world.

Ever since the covid 19 pandemics started, many people have lost their jobs. And just now I was thinking that what are those people doing now whose jobs have been lost. The importance of this post of yours has increased, even more, I have also read it, it is really very factual, that how we can move again along with travel.

Great list, really thorough! I know a lot of my friends think that you’ve gotta be some sort of millionaire to travel

You have post brilliant list of jobs.. I like this article.

Thank You! It’s actually a cool and useful piece of information. I’m satisfied that you simply shared this helpful information with us.

Thanks for these impressive ides. I have already chosen travel blogging to survive for a bike tour but after reading this, I am confident that I can do may other things to fulfill my worldwide bike tour dream

Working whilst travelling the world sounds like an absolute dream! I hope one day I have the guts to take a leap of faith and give it a go!

Thanks for providing these amazing suggestions about the great jobs in which we can travel the world such as pilot, travel blogging, trader, etc. as they will help a lot of people who like to travel and by reading this blog, they will get know about some fabulous opportunities.

Absolutely wonderful article!!! How I would love to travel the world while traveling, But alas I can’t. But I would definitely keep this article in mind, for future references. You never know when you might get the spark to leave all aside and live.

You posted a fantastic list of jobs. This article is good.

Amazing article! In my opinion, this is the best job in the world and everyone wants to travel and get paid for it. See the world without spending money on it and besides being free, this is something worth living for.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are a few jobs listed that don’t require a college degree, such as au pair and travel blogger. This is great news for people who might not have the financial resources to go to college but still want to travel and work at the same time.

Great post, thanks for the tips!

I can’t express how much I appreciate you for producing this list of fantastic employment for travellers! There are numerous opportunities. Have you or a loved one worked one of these occupations while on the road?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

The Art of Travel is currently NOT Hiring for any positions. Please check back again later (for new open positions).

Travel Jobs

Make your travel career an adventurous  journey. Join us and work with The Art Of Travel .   We value creativity, curiosity, originality, and passion. We’re not afraid to challenge ourselves and the status quo.

Please note, these are time-consuming and difficult jobs. We are a team of hard-working, fast, and efficient people. To survive this job and to make it financially rewarding for both of us, you have to be good at what you do. So, please only apply if you are the BEST at what you do AND you are up for this challenge.

For every open position, these are must-have requirements:

• high-speed internet access (24×7)
• a PC or laptop
• a smartphone
• excellent in communication (spoken and written English)
• a passion for travel and exploration
• interests in creative writing, social media, and storytelling
• self-motivation, independent, reliable, and proactive

Travel Career

If you’re interested in being part of our team then check out the career opportunities below. Any tools, software license or paid apps that you may need for your job will be provided to you.

Chief Lover of Labor

• Maintain relationship with press and media.
• Manage fans relationships.
• Create the vision for the brand and lead the team by example.
• Shoot video, record podcasts, build relationships with other travel industry thought leaders.
• Seek funding, sponsorships, reach out to advertisers, and negotiate business transactions.

Chief Editor

• Review, edit and manage all contents on the blog, store, and social media sites.
• Work with Project Manager(s) and individual freelancers and delegate tasks and help as needed. 
• Create travel itineraries content, featured and exclusive content, long-form content for the blog.
• Create Table of Content (ToC) for Travel Guides.
• Help in writing and producing Travel books and Travel Guides.

Project Manager / Virtual Admin

• The Project Manager (PM) will work closely with the Chief editor and the rest of the team of writers, video editors, and social media marketers.
• Create and delegate tasks to team members, ask for updates, ensure the project, its milestones, and all tasks are on schedule.
• Plan, create and manage content creation calendar and schedule.
• Coordinate YouTube video production with content writers and video editors.
• Plan, arrange, organize, and schedule (using google calendar) interviews for The Art Of Travel Podcast.
• Oversee all social media platforms and will ensure the brand reputation is maintained. 
• Offer help and expertise if any team member needs help. 
• Help in research for book projects and travel guidebooks.
• Communicate with the team over IM, Skype, WhatsApp, messenger, etc.
• Be available to pick up calls during the work hours. Attend a weekly team status call.
• Provide a concise daily update to the Chief Editors.

Director of Social Media Marketing

• The Social Media expert is responsible for all-things-social.
• Queue posts for various social platforms in advance using automation tools.
• Manage and grow social witter using various online tools. 
• Manage Instagram and Twitter accounts using social media management tools and automation tools.
• Take published blog posts and post it on the Medium, LinkedIn, Quora , and other publishing platforms.
• Share all blog content, YouTube videos, and Podcasts on various social media sites.
• Plan for milestones Giveaway on various social media platforms and organize the giveaway by writing texts, creating images, finding suitable prizes, and writing the giveaway’s terms and conditions.
• Engage with the fans and customers on various social media platforms (such as by “liking”, “commenting”, “replying to comments”, “answering questions”, etc.)
• Drive growth on Pinterest. Pin AoT Instagram posts and all of the AoT blog posts and web content on Pinterest in various travel group boards and AoT Pinterest boards.
• Drive traffic to the Art of Travel blog and store from Pinterest.

Video Editor/Film Maker

• Edit videos (download clips from the Dropbox), add watermark logo, add free music, and send for review.
• Upload finalized videos to Youtube and Facebook.
• Write SEO friendly titles and descriptions, and share on social sites.
• Upload the videos to Amazon video.
• Search and download free video clips from various free media sites.
• Come up with new ideas for short travel films, documentaries or destination videos.
• Write SEO friendly Video Titles and detailed video descriptions. Add proper tags.
• Create catchy video cover thumbnail photos for the YouTube and Amazon Videos.
• Create shorter videos for Instagram.
• Work on your own and as well as with the team on creating video scripts.
• Must have and use Apple iMovie or Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, etc.

Content Writers

• The content writers are the driving force behind The Art Of Travel’s destination and blog content strategy.
• Write, edit, and publish a blog post each day. The post must be more than 500 words long,  properly formatted, Search engine optimized (SEO), and with at least 5 photos per post. All photos should be your own or from the Public domain, or creative commons with the proper license tag.
• Search, download, resize the images to under 300KB without losing image resolution (if needed) from Creative Commons media. (Tag photos by their author and license, eg: Image 1 Credit: Mr. X, CC BY-SA 3.0)
• Create “Cornerstone contents” for The Art Of Travel blog as per the given instructions.
• Create 2 new Infographics every week. (An example: Write for Us Infographic )
• Participate and contribute to the team discussion regarding Content planning. Research and suggest new blog topics and ideas. Take initiative with coming up good posts and writing them.
• Original content check. Running each piece of content against a plagiarism checker (inbuilt in the blog) to ensure the originality and content quality.
• Make sure that the formatting of your posts are consistent and matching with the rest of the blog.
• Find blog topics on YouTube videos. Likewise, turn blog posts into scripts for YouTube filming/video production.
• Find interesting things (recent news/fictional TV shows, etc) to write about. An example: Game of Thrones.
• Find travel topics, travel-related Q&As, comments on Quora and turn these questions, answers, comments into blog posts, video scripts, and infographic.
• Be quick with email communication.

Graphic Designer

• Desing graphics for t-shirts, caps, mugs, wall posters, and pillow covers. (You should be good with photo editing and design tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.)
• Desing eBook covers and book covers for hardcovers.
• Search, download, resize the images to under 300 KB without losing image resolution (if needed) from the public domain.
• Create beautiful and engaging Infographic using Venngage, Canva, Photoshop, etc. tools.
• Create beautiful Pinterest friendly vertical images with Title texts on it (for each blog post).
• Create quotes-photos for Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook (using Venngage, Canva, Picassa, Adobe Photoshop, and various mobile apps)
• Create Video Thumbnail Covers for YouTube, Facebook Video, and Amazon Videos.
• Create beautiful and engaging photos with or without texts for blog headers.
• Create beautiful and engaging cover photos with or without texts for various social media platforms.
• Retouch photos for the marketing campaign and for press/media kit.
• Share and exchange all work using the company’s Dropbox account.
• Provide status updates and communicate via our online project management tool.

 Destination Guides Writers

• As a destination expert, write about your country (or a destination you have explored in a good way) and cover it from as many angles as possible.
• Think deep about tourism in your country. Some of the thoughts can be: How [Destination X] can attract more tourists? (What government initiatives would be required?) What is it that [Destination X] offers to foreign tourists that no other country offers? What social causes and awareness the world at large needs to know about [Destination X] ( Travel is a fun activity but one thing we want to do differently on The Art Of Travel is to link each destination with its social causes and therefore, bring public awareness.)
• Don’t assume just going somewhere is a reason to write an article. Even remote corners of the globe are visited by more writers than we need. (We all have seen enough articles on Iceland and Antarctica to last a lifetime.) Unless you’re going to the Moon or Mars, try to find a good story angle. That’s what we are looking for. For example: Is there some attraction right off Machu Picchu that nobody ever visits—but should? Could you spend a couple of days with people who actually live illegally (or legally) inside the Grand Canyon or in the Yosemite National Parks? Can you tell their stories? Tell those stories. Is there a stonemason doing repairs on the Taj Mahal who is descended from one of the original masons?
• Be a journalist at heart. Be a creative writer. You have to merge the two. Wherever you are going, whatever you are writing, dig for something that our readers will find refreshing.

Podcast Editor & Producer

• As a sound engineer, your main task is to edit the podcast, remove the unwanted section, silence, tangents, and long and/or repeated Ummm, Aaahs, etc, and curse words.
• Add the intro and outro, add advertisement (if applicable), add music bed. All used sound and music should be from the public domain.
• Balance the noise and make the sound as clear as possible.

Director of Sales & Marketing

• Generate revenue for The Art Of Travel.
• Design products that are in demand and can be sold (example: t-shirt, mugs, hoodies, travel maps, gears, cool, funny stickers, etc.).
• Handle orders, manufacturing, shipping, and all the other logistics.
• Post products on Amazon, Etsy, eBay, etc. Fulfill all sales/returns/refunds. 
• Research the market and find products that can be launched or added to our inventory. Research on competitive pricing, profit margins, and other similar details. 
• Help in books, eBook, and Travel Guide production and marketing.
• Find the best affiliate deals and insert them into the blog posts, pages, and other contents. Remove old, broken and expired affiliate links.
• Manage Google Adsense, direct advertisements and paid placements on the website.
• Manage products and marketing on our social platforms.

Travel News Writer

• Look for Travel incidents and travel related stories from all over the world.
• Whatever catches your eyes as the most interesting story, write a news piece.
• Be quick. This is a daily news update section, sometimes multiple times a day (as soon as the news happens).
• Consider perspectives. Make implications and share your opinion on the incidents/news. Make your news interesting and thoughtful. (Not just a factual reporting)

Web Developer

• Responsible for the website design and maintenance.
• Responsible for handling errors and bugs that are reported by our users or team.
• Suggest and/or improve UI and UX for our users.
• Increase conversion
• Growth engineering
• Improve website page speed

Resources and Links

• Write for Us
• Advertising
• Apply Tourist Visa
• Global Travel Alerts
• World Climate Guide
• Adventure Travel
• Press Bio/Media Kit
• Useful Travel Resources
• Common Travel Questions
• List of All Blogs
• Travel Bucket List
• Couple Goals

The World’s Coolest Travel Jobs—and How to Get Them

Beyond backpacking, bartending, and busking, these are some of the most popular professions for the exploration-obsessed..

• Copy Link copied

Landing a job abroad is a great way to combine work and adventure.

Photo by Yongkiet Jitwattanatam/Shutterstock

Some people love travel so much, they make it their full-time job. Pilots and hotel general managers are among the highest-profile occupations within the tourism sector, but there are countless other travel-intensive gigs that don’t fall squarely within the industry, including such dream jobs as polar scientists , wildlife photographers , and Doctors Without Borders . Other ways to merge work with travel include becoming a traveling nurse or finding a job as a tour guide, yoga teacher, or scuba instructor. Here, we look at eight common travel jobs—plus the ups, the downs, and resources for pursuing them.

1. Flight attendant

If this is the first job that springs to mind when you picture a career in travel, you’re not alone. But a life in perpetual motion is not as glamorous as it seems; junior flight attendants don’t always make great money and may find it difficult to date, start a family, or spend time with loved ones . Still, their schedules are flexible and the perks of the job—such as unlimited free or deeply discounted flights—outweigh the negatives for some people.

So how do you become a flight attendant? U.S. airlines provide on-the-job training programs that last three to six weeks. To be accepted, you must have at least a high school diploma or GED equivalent, although preference is often given to applicants with a college degree and work experience in hospitality or customer service. Applicants must also meet certain physical requirements for height, weight, vision, and overall health. Background and criminal history checks are de rigueur.

To learn more about flight attendant training programs and how they play into the travel industry, check the career sites of major U.S. carriers like Delta , United , JetBlue , and Alaska Airlines.

2. English teacher

Teaching English abroad can be a great way to live the expat life . To land a job at a reputable school or language institute, you usually need a four-year bachelor’s degree in any subject area and an English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching qualification from an accredited program. A TEFL , TESOL , or Cambridge-backed CELTA certification is commonly requested by private language schools and government recruitment agencies because they cover 100 hours of coursework and up to 20 hours of real-world practicum.

Once you earn your certificate, you can apply for placement practically anywhere in the world through a specific program or scout job listings on sites like Go Overseas , Teach Away , Transitions Abroad , ESL Base , and Dave’s ESL Cafe . There’s a high demand for native English-speaking teachers in China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Germany, and the UAE. Certain ESL and TESOL certifications can also qualify you to teach English as a second language in public schools across the United States and online.

Social media influencers make money while traveling the world.

Photo by Sergey Causelove/Shutterstock

3. Social media influencer

Ask anyone who has built up a serious Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook following and they’ll often credit their success to a dash of luck and a lot of hard work. Kiersten “Kiki” Rich, aka the Blonde Abroad, did not amass her 515,000 Instagram followers and 220,000 Facebook fans overnight. “The struggle was definitely real,” Rich says. “I hustled like crazy. I started [by] making contacts and soft-pitching a travel blog I had started. All of my trips in the first year or two were budget or volunteer endeavors.”

Nearly 13 years later, Rich runs a multi-platform business with several revenue streams, but the grind is still “every day, all day long,” and it’s not just about being a good travel photographer, understanding the elements of graphic design, or having Instagram or TikTok know-how. In an oversaturated market of aspiring digital nomads , people driven to earn money as a travel blogger or social media star need to invest in professional camera equipment, develop strategic advertising and marketing campaigns, and, first and foremost, find an untapped niche where they can create original content from their travel experiences with a unique point of view. (Learn more from Rich about what it’s really like to be a social media celebrity .)

Another great perk to online content creation is that you can often do a bit of part-time remote work alongside your adventures to all parts of the world. Think of it a side hustle: There are plenty of job opportunities, even in the travel space, open to candidates in neighboring (and far-flung) time zones. Consider looking into virtual assistant, freelance writing, or travel agent roles—the type of remote job where an internet connection will get you a long way and you never have to show up for in-person meetings.

Most deep-water captains start their career in an elite maritime academy.

Photo by Grigory Galantnyy/Shutterstock

4. Cruise ship captain

For the aquaphile who could imagine nothing more satisfying than piloting his or her own ship, consider a job on the high seas. Most deep-water captains start their career in an elite maritime academy pursuing a four-year degree (a bachelor’s or master’s degree in marine science or marine engineering is par for the course). Later, they gather real-world experience by interning on boats, shadowing officers on watch, and slowly climbing the ranks—from third mate, to second officer, to first officer, and eventually to ship captain. But this isn’t the only way to get on the water. Captains of river boats and other inland waterway vessels may learn the ropes as “deckhands” (crew members and cruise ship workers who perform the day-to-day duties that keep the vessel clean and running) and gather on-the-job training as they go.

To get a marine captain’s license, you must obtain multiple certifications, including a Transportation Worker Identification Credential and a Merchant Mariner Credential , and pass a test issued by the U.S. Coast Guard. ( Learn more about what ship life is really like from the first U.S. woman to serve as captain of a megaship.)

5. Foreign Service officer

Diplomats and other officials working in the U.S. Foreign Service don’t get nearly as much TV love as their counterparts in the FBI and CIA, but their jobs are hugely important. An applicant to the Foreign Service must pass a rigorous exam that tests his or her knowledge of a wide variety of subjects, including world history and geography, U.S. government and economics, and American culture. After the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) comes an oral assessment—a mix of interviews and role playing that tests an applicant’s diplomacy skills. (Foreign language proficiency is also a plus.) Medical exams and security clearances are also conducted. After passing the exam, the Foreign Service officer selection process can take anywhere from six months to two years.

Once accepted into the Service, officers may be placed at any of the 300 or so U.S. embassies or consulates around the world. (Some officers choose to specialize in fields like information technology, engineering, or public diplomacy, which may determine where they are placed.) The constant moving can be difficult for an officer’s spouse and children, but potential benefits of the job include overseas housing and utilities, transportation and security detail, tuition coverage for kids in grades K–12, and foreign language training.

To learn more about preparing for the FSOT and what to expect from a career in diplomacy, start with this comprehensive Foreign Service PDF issued by the State Department.

A gig as an au pair can be ideal for someone who wants to give in to some wanderlust and find a job abroad without having to commit to one specific, long-term career path. Think of an au pair as a professional babysitter, often hopping to different countries: In the typical arrangement, the hiring family covers the babysitter’s room and board (free accommodation, kind of) and provides a weekly or monthly stipend. This is in exchange for childcare, English lessons for their brood, and light housekeeping. Most au pairs fall between the ages of 18 and 30, are single, and have no kids of their own.

Au Pair World is the most established platform for connecting would-be au pairs to families in need (13,000 and counting), with placement opportunities in 21 foreign countries, including Finland, Switzerland, and Australia. New Au Pair has a broader database, listing more than 2,000 positions in 150 countries.

Ski instructors can work at mountain resorts in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Chile, France, Japan, and beyond.

Photo by Microgen/Shutterstock

7. Ski instructor

The majority of ski instructor positions are seasonal, so the outdoor enthusiasts who work them often pick up another physically demanding job (such as a mountain guide or whitewater rafting guide) during the summer months. But some diehard skiers will follow the snow, traveling around the world from lodge to lodge and mountain to mountain to pursue their passion year-round.

You can work as a ski instructor across the United States or abroad in places such as New Zealand, Chile, and France. But the minimum standards for ski instruction certification, determined by the International Ski Instructors Association (ISIA), vary by country.

In the United States, a Level I instructor (considered entry-level) is permitted to teach newbies the basics of alpine or cross-country skiing on well-groomed runs. A Level II instructor works with more experienced skiers, focusing on technique. Only the best skiers can obtain the highest level of certification (Level III), as tested through an exhaustive four-day exam.

When it comes to travel careers, ski instructors aren’t particularly well-compensated, but most don’t do it for the money—free and discounted lift tickets and reporting daily to the slopes is payment enough.

To see what kind of ski instructor positions are currently available at resorts around the world, comb through country-specific job boards like Cool Works (for the United States) and the New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance . Résumé boosters to help you stand out include first aid training and avalanche safety training .

8. Scuba diving instructor

Similar to being a ski instructor, teaching others how to scuba dive is one of the best travel jobs—if not the most fun—you can find. You can really make your own travel opportunities, as there are plenty of places around the world to scuba dive. To start, you need to be a diver for at least six months, according to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). From here, there are six courses every instructor needs to complete: Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver, Emergency First Response (EFR), Divemaster, and Instructor Development Course (IDC). In addition, those looking to complete the IDC also need to meet a few prerequisites: hold a PADI Divemaster certification (or qualifying certification), have at least 60 logged dives, hold a current CPR and First Aid certification, and have an in-date medical approval to scuba dive. To receive an instructor credential, you do need 100 dives under your belt.

After all of the classes are completed, divers will be able to take the PADI Instructor Exam. If you’re hoping to make a quick career transition, some locations offer intensive courses over the span of a few days, but there’s also an option to spread out the courses over a number of weekends. And once you’ve been at it awhile, you might even consider launching your own scuba diving school.

This article originally appeared online in February 2019; it was most recently updated on January 23, 2024, to include current information.

Travel Jobs: The 60 Best Jobs for Travelers & How To Get Them (Secrets of a 10-Year Nomad)

Do you want to be a full-time traveler? Does the “real world” leave you running for the exit? Then it’s time to take a look at these travel jobs!

You can absolutely get travel jobs with no experience in travel and with only a little work history.

I myself was a modern nomad for around 10 years. I started getting seasonal travel jobs during college, with very little work experience. Along the way, I met people older and younger than me from all sorts of backgrounds. Most of us in this nomad circle find it very easy to find new travel jobs when we’re ready to move on to the next adventure.

You DON’T need to become a flight attendant, a traveling business executive, or even have a college degree to get exciting new travel jobs year after year. There’s no need to trap yourself in a stuffy, rigid career with a single company. Travel should come with the freedom to wander, and with these jobs, it does.

Here are 60 adventurous jobs for travelers of all ages and experience levels. You’ll also find examples and links to adventurous travel jobs you can apply for right now .

Keep in mind that all travel jobs on WanderJobs come with staff housing.

Part 1: Adventure Travel Jobs

1. international travel tour guide.

Lead tour groups on multi-city, multi-country cultural or adventure tours. Required Experience: High

As a travel tour guide, you may be traveling through quaint European cities to sample local wines and chocolates, attending cultural events, and meandering through bustling marketplaces. Or you may choose to lead a group of teens on an outdoor adventure tour, hiking the Himalayas, surfing in Hawai’i, and volunteering in Peru. With this travel job, you’ll have the same accommodations as the guests, which, for the more bougie tours, can mean some of the most luxurious accommodations of any job on this list. You may be put up in some stunning hotels. For some teen tour companies, you may be camping or staying in hostels. Your food will be the same as the guests, so it’s generally very good quality. While exciting, this is a very challenging role. There is little off time, as you’re living and traveling with the group you’re leading. Many tour groups put two guides in a group to break up the enormous work load. Though many companies offer multiple tours that go to many different destinations, it’s not always possible to choose where you get placed. Usually newer guides are given easier assignments, but many companies at least take your preferences into account.

How to Get a Travel Tour Guide Job:

These companies look for well-traveled applicants with high self-confidence and a very outgoing personality. You must be friendly, responsible, and highly organized. This is a job for people who are high-energy and have a good amount of work experience. You can browse Travel Tour Guide Jobs here.

2. Conservation Crew

Work to preserve trails with a small team in this manual-labor heavy outdoor job. Required Experience: Low

Trail teams usually consist of a handful of young people who are willing to put in a hard day’s work, face the elements, and survive off of peanut butter sandwiches. The locations are enviable; you could find yourself in a ponderosa forest in Flagstaff, the lush Pacific Northwest, or even in tropical American Samoa. It’s the sort of job where the challenge brings great rewards. A hard day’s work using your muscles, being immersed in nature, and bonding with your small team makes you feel proud, calm, and connected at the end of the day. Many trail crew positions require a few weeks on, a few weeks off, in a cycle of a few months. Some positions come with housing during your off time (you’ll be camping on the job), but sometimes you’ll need to find your own. Food is up to the team, and the goal tends to be survival calories and keeping pack weight down, not creating gourmet delicacies. Trail conservation positions are often volunteer-based, though not all are. The paid positions are usually for more supervisory roles after you’ve had some experience on a volunteer team. Volunteers may be paid in small stipends and small education grants.

How to Get a Conservation Crew Job:

The two best known sources of conservation crew positions in the US are the Student Conservation Association and the American Conservation Alliance . You won’t need much experience to get a volunteer position, but you’ll need some to be a paid team leader.

3. Travel Camp Leader

Guide youth and teens on multi-country cultural and outdoor adventure trips. Required Experience: High

Travel camps boast bucket-list worthy itineraries. As far as a travel job goes, it’s hard to beat one where you’re literally traveling from beautiful place to beautiful place. These companies usually sell expensive packages to the parents of school-aged kids, which means:

• You’ll be going to exiting places, some that would be hard to get to on your own
• There are many physical adventures, since the kids have the energy for them

A real itinerary from one company includes:

• Fly in to an island city in Guatemala
• Bike through a tropical rainforest environment to explore Mayan pyramids
• Roam ancient ceremonial caverns
• Enjoy a zipline tour
• Relax by the hotel pool
• Sample local chocolate

This is an adventure you can share with the kids. If they’re doing it, you can be sure you’ll be doing it too, as a participant and role model. But that also means there’s no time off. It’s a 24/7 job.

How to Get a Travel Camp Leader Job:

These companies are looking for a bit more leadership experience under your belt. They want employees who are well-traveled and culturally aware, and appreciate foreign language skills. You’ll also need to be a good communicator. The easiest way to find travel camp companies is to search google as if you’re a kid looking to sign up to attend one. Then find the employment page when you’re on the site. “International teen travel tours” is a good search term to start with. You’ll also find some travel camp tours on WanderJobs.

Care for children and preform light household duties while living abroad with a host family for a year. Required Experience: Low

This travel job is an old classic. To get the flavor of what it means to be an au pair, think of the movie The Sound of Music. While you are technically employed by the family, the idea is that in some sense, you are joining as part of the family and helping to raise the kids. In this US, Au pairs are paid with a stipend of a minimum of around $200/week. Au pairs seek employment in countries other than their own. One of the biggest benefits of this line of work is the cultural and language exchange between family and au pair.

You’ll go on vacations with your host family, meet their friends, attend recitals and barbecues and celebrate holidays. It all comes down to the match between au pair and family, which makes or breaks the experience.

I was very fortunate to grow up with au pairs from Norway. Each year, a new young woman came to care for me and my brothers, and most of them were very good matches. (A few left quickly.) Those who stayed are still, 20 and 30 years later, a loving part of our family. They visit us when they are in the states, we have stayed with them and their families in Norway, we exchanges letters and Christmas gifts and attend each other’s weddings.

However, there are some very bad stories of women coming from other countries and feeling completely trapped with families who verbally abuse them and make them work well beyond the hours indicated in their contracts. While there is usually a possibility of being placed with a different family if this happens, be very cautious and listen to your gut if a red flag comes up.

How to Get an Au Pair Job:

You’ll need to be able to demonstrate that you’re a good, reliable, and kind person who is good with children. Since au pairs are usually in their late teens, not much previous work experience is expected. Au pairs tend to be young women. Young men have a tough time being placed, as host families aren’t always comfortable leaving their kids with a man they’ve just met.

However, this is rapidly changing with the childcare crisis brought on by the Covid pandemic. Many families are now considering hiring young men for the first time, and it’s possible the perspective shift will be long-lasting. As of summer 2020, host families in the US are desperate for childcare, and au pairs are getting interview requests from up to fifty families, according to the 7/26/20 New York Times article, Au Pairs Get the Upper Hand. It seems likely that families will be willing to consider even domestic au pairs and forgo the benefit of an international cultural exchange.

There are many au pair matching sites where you can find a host family and make sure you feel comfortable with them before making a commitment.

5. Gap Year Program Leader

Lead older students on multi-country, adventure, and volunteering trips geared toward education and personal growth. Required Experience: High

Working as a gap year leader offers a slightly different experience than working as a travel tour leader. The people you’ll be leading are usually high school or college-aged youth who are actively looking to expand themselves as people and gain an education before heading off for their next year of college.

Many of the itineraries will resemble the highly adventurous itineraries of other travel camps. In addition, there may be more formal educational lectures, time for reflection and journaling, or preparing personal mission statements.

How to Get a Gap Year Leader Job:

You’ll need plenty of travel and leadership experience and at least a college degree.

Just like finding a travel camp company, the simplest plan is to search google as if you’re looking to attend a gap year program. Then find the employment page when you’re on the site.

6. SCUBA Instructor/Guide

Help tourists have safe, fun SCUBA diving adventures in warm tropical waters. Required Experience: High

Unlike other travel jobs on this list, SCUBA is more of a career commitment. It requires certification and experience in a very specific niche, so you need to have interest in committing to SCUBA long-term to make it worthwhile.

Those who I’ve met who are SCUBA instructors make it part of their personality. They love it, and it’s easy to understand why. Dive instructors usually live on islands and in tropical locations, where relaxed and laid-back attitudes are the norm. You get to spend time in the ocean, seeing beautiful reefs and sharks and fish, and tour groups max out at just a few people to keep it manageable. You’ll have to care for a lot of equipment, do regular checks, and be comfortable guiding tourists through potentially dangerous situations. An outgoing personality is much less important than generally good communication skills.

How to Get a SCUBA Job:

The most important thing you’ll need to do is become certified as a professional divemaster through PADI and log many hours SCUBA diving.

SCUBA instructors should be extremely responsible, organized, and safety-oriented people. SCUBA jobs can be a bit more challenging to find. Often job boards for SCUBA slowly turn into advertisements for certification courses. For now, you can try DiveJobs .

7. Zip Line Guide

Lead guests through a zip line course and tell them about the area. Required Experience: Medium

Zip line guides work in pairs to take small groups of tourists through areas of natural beauty in a thrilling way. Being a zip line guide (as I know from short personal experience) is physically challenging and mentally draining. But it can be a lot of fun. The guests are usually in a good mood and excited to be doing something from their bucket list. A good zip line company will provide a lot of safety training- weeks- which makes for great team bonding among coworkers. Zip lines are generally built in beautiful places, which means you’ll be working outdoors in a nature or even wilderness setting. Leading a group of guests means you’ll need to make a safety presentation, get them in harnesses, and hook and unhook them from the zip lines. Often you’ll be giving a general informational tour while up on the course. This means you’ll be doing some public speaking, but it’s an amount that even a shy person can get used to. Tips for zip line guides can be pretty darn good.

How to Get a Zipline Guide Job:

Search zip line guide jobs on WanderJobs or on any major job board.

8. Small Vessel/River Cruise Staff

Live and work aboard a smaller and more luxurious cruise vessel catering to older and wealthier guests. Required Experience: High

Sometimes the allure of being aboard a boat and exploring different ports is too strong to ignore. Luckily, working aboard a massive cruise liner is not the only option. River cruises are smaller and more intimate, and offer guests a higher level of service. For this reason, the job competition is a bit tougher. Small cruise itineraries include off-the-beaten-path locations, such as:

• The Puget Sound
• Small, less-trafficked tropical islands
• European river tours
• Custom itineraries
• & lots more

In addition, charter cruises often have a more environmentally or culturally-friendly slant. They may be opportunities for guests to participate in hands-on education, and “excursions” off the ship are significantly more thrilling and less touristy. To get an idea, National Geographic has a few passenger ships, and offers a breathtaking Journey to Antarctica cruise with a $16,000 price tag. You’ll still be in close quarters with your coworkers pretty much constantly, but all in all, staff life on a small cruise is less of a party atmosphere than on a cruise liner.

How to Get a Small Vessel/Charter Cruise Job:

A google search is best. Again, do the search as if you’re looking to pay to be a guest on the cruise. Once you find a company you like, look for its employment page. You will need to be well traveled and have excellent customer service skills to get one of these jobs.

9. Scenic River Float Guide

Safely row guests through currents on guided river raft tours.

Required Experience: High

As a scenic river tour guide, you’ll steer a raft full of tourists down a large, slower-moving river, while giving them a guided tour along the way. It’s a highly physically and mentally demanding job. It takes an all-around strong and confident person to excel as a river guide. Unlike whitewater, the current is fairly calm. Tourists come for the scenery and a relaxing adventure rather than an extreme thrill. Imagine floating down the Snake River famously photographed by Ansel Adams, while watching for eddies and dangers and pointing out eagles and beavers along the forested shoreline. There is still a high amount of danger inherent in scenic river guiding. Rafts have been overturned by logs, rocks, and surprising currents. If a raft is overturns, things can become chaotic and unsafe, sometimes to the point of fatality. There is an art to mastering the river, and because of this, river rafting is a commitment and more of a career choice than some other jobs on this list. A good company will provide a huge amount of safety training, and will likely also require applicants to be trained and certified before even applying for a job. If you can handle the responsibility, working as a river guide can be a very rewarding experience. There may also be opportunities for crossover into whitewater rafting jobs. It’s an excellent job for outdoor enthusiasts.

How to Get a Scenic Float Guide Job:

I haven’t yet found any reliable source of leads for this type of job. Try searching google for any combination of “scenic river float guide jobs” and “river rafting jobs”.

10. Kayak Guide

Lead a caravan of kayaks through calm and beautiful waters. Required Experience: Low

Kayak guides lead tourists on lake tours or coastal ocean tours, weaving out of narrow, magical tree-lined inlets. It’s one of the simpler ways to get out on the water for work. You’ll need enough people skills to kindly introduce yourself and teach kayaking safety basics, but it’s an easy choice for introverts. Once you’re out on the water, it’s just a game of follow the leader and making sure nobody falls behind. You will need strength and stamina for paddling, but that will build over time.

You’ll usually be leading people of many different ages, and often families, on a single tour. Kayak guides are needed in many different types of environments. From small lodges on cold Alaskan waters and while migration routes, to Mediterranean environments with rocky, scrubby shorelines, you’ll be able to seek out a location that fits your preferences. There are even night kayak tours in bioluminescent bays. Each stroke of the paddle through the water causes bacteria to glow an etherial blue. It’s quite beautiful and relaxing.

How to Get a Kayak Guide Job:

Find Kayak Guide jobs on WanderJobs .

11. Ski/Snowboard Instructor 

Help vacationers (often groups of kids) improve their skiing and snowboarding skills. Required Experience: Medium

Ski instructing is one of the best known seasonal jobs for young people. There are abundant positions available every ski season across the globe, so if you want a ski job and you know how to ski (and are decent at interviewing), you will probably be hired.

The culture on mountains and among seasonal ski employees is very specific. This, in my opinion, is the most important thing to consider before accepting a ski job, even more important than your love of the sport. You’ll be around lots of young people who like to party, to “work hard, play hard,” who aren’t yet settled in life and want to “go big or go home.” Duuuuuddddeeee!

This is a job absolutely best left to extroverts, and ideally young extroverts. You’ll of course also need to be fit and comfortable with lots of public speaking.

Ski and snowboard instructor jobs come with mountain passes so you can spend as much of your free time on the slopes as you want. This, of course, is one of the main reasons people commit to a season on a mountain. If there’s fresh snow, it’s yours to shred, and there will be lots of coworkers around to join you.

There is a hierarchy of ski jobs, and if you stay in the game for a while you can move from a bunny slope youth group instructor to giving private adult lessons, or even work your way to a ski patrol position.

Not all mountains offer housing for their ski instructors, but many do. Those that don’t may at least have resources to help you find your own housing before you arrive.

How to Get a Ski Instructor Job:

While it’s possible to get certified as a ski instructor before applying for your job, I don’t recommend this. Your home mountain will train you, and if they require further certifications for teaching at higher levels, you can earn those after you start working. I wouldn’t pay to be certified before actually starting work.

Find ski and snowboard jobs on WanderJobs or any major job board.

12. High Ropes/Aerial Course Guide

Teach tourists to safely navigate ropes courses, preform safety checks, and be present to help if needed. Required Experience: Low

Aerial high ropes courses can be found near many wilderness lodges, as they’re often a draw for they same type of outdoorsy tourist. They’re also found near cruise ship ports, which brings a whole ‘nother type of guest. So while you’ll have a beautiful view and access to fun recreational activities, the job itself is genuinely pretty dull.

Aside from a thorough daily safety check of the course and all gear, there isn’t all that much to the job. You’ll spend a lot of time staring up at guests as they go through the course, walkie-talkie in hand, making sure nothing dangerous happens. Occasionally you’ll have to shout up encouraging tips from the ground, or “rescue” someone from an obstacle they can’t solve.

High ropes guides often cross over into rock wall and zip line territory.

It’s an easy, low-responsibility job for a first time seasonal worker. The title “guide” is a bit of an exaggeration; it may feel like more of a babysitter position.

It’s a good job for young people.

How to Get a High Ropes Guide Job:

Search for jobs here on WanderJobs or on any major job board.

13. Horse Wrangler

Care for and train horses and lead guided horseback tours.

Horse wrangling requires early mornings, long hours, and intense physical labor. Most available jobs are on ranches in the western US. 

If you have experience with horses, love being outside, and don’t mind getting dirty, then this could be an exciting job. In addition to herding animals, wranglers are responsible for feeding, saddling, grooming, and training the horses, leading trail rides, and cleaning the stalls. 

Horse wrangling requires working around the clock and is best for people without many commitments. Your responsibilities will depend a lot on your prior experience, training, and seniority. As a beginner, you probably won’t be doing much wrangling – you can expect to start out shoveling manure and grooming the horses. 

There are various horse wrangler jobs available on public land as well as privately owned ranches. Each ranch has its own set of rules, requirements, and exclusions that you’ll want to review carefully before deciding where to apply.

Once hired, you’ll likely attend wrangler school for four to six weeks. You will learn essential skills, including trail riding and horseshoeing, and cover topics such as horse behavior and anatomy. 

Ranches cultivate a close community where employees are treated like family. Personal life and work often blend together. While permanent positions include paid time off, many of the seasonal ranch jobs require you to work straight through the season with no weekends or vacation days. 

Due to the remote location, there are few activities available off of the ranch. Workers typically spend the little downtime they have exploring the countryside or relaxing by a campfire.  

Most ranches provide employees with family-style meals and dormitory lodging. Depending on your attitude going into the job, horse wrangling could be one of the most rewarding or most miserable experiences of your life. If you’re willing to trade sleep and time off for riding horses and watching the sunrise over the mountains, then you’ll likely find a lot of personal growth and fulfillment in working on a ranch. 

How to Get a Wrangler Job:

Browse through ranches on WanderJobs and check individual company websites to see if they are currently hiring for wrangler staff. The competition is high, so it’s worth reaching out to companies to establish a relationship even if there are no positions open.

14. Backcountry Guide

Lead overnight backpacking trips into the wilderness.

If you love the mountains and are always seeking out wilderness adventures, becoming a backcountry guide could be a good employment option. In addition to guiding groups safely in remote areas, guides are responsible for coaching clients through physically and mentally demanding situations, teaching them the technical skills needed to navigate tough terrain, and managing risk. 

To land a job as a backcountry guide, you’ll need advanced certifications in wilderness safety and first aid, a backcountry food handlers permit, and proven expertise in disciplines like rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, ice climbing, mountaineering, and ski touring. The position entails a large amount of responsibility – backcountry guides must have sound decision-making in risky situations, excellent interpersonal skills, and passion for adventure. 

As a beginner, it’s best to join a local alpinist club and explore training options with a mountain guide association. Depending on your location and what field you’re hoping to work in, you may need a certification from the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA), one of the industry’s most recognized and respected organizations. 

Getting the necessary certifications can be a long process, but if you’re prepared for the rigors required, you will join a close international community of intrepid explorers. Backcountry guiding affords ample opportunity to travel to some of the world’s most amazing wilderness areas. When you’re not camping in the backcountry, you’ll likely have free housing at a mountain hut or remote resort. 

How to Get a Backcountry Guide Job:

Browse Backdoorjobs for available backcountry guiding positions.

15. Fruit Picking Abroad

Harvest, sort, & pack fruit on farms with other travelers in Australia.

Required Experience: Low

Picking fruit is a physically demanding job that requires early mornings and long hours in the sun. You’ll likely have aches and pains – particularly at the beginning – from the repetitive motions and hard labor. 

Fruit picking jobs exist in any agricultural area, but different regions have varying levels of open positions based on the availability of migrant labor. The most interesting opportunities for young people are located in Australia, where it’s possible to extend your visa by a year in exchange for three months of fruit picking, and in New Zealand.

While most jobs are seasonal, fruit-picking work is available in Australia year-round. Positions down under typically attract students and backpackers, so you’ll likely work with an eclectic group of travelers from around the world. 

There are no particular skills or previous experience required to get a job picking fruit. As long as you are willing to work hard and show up on time each day, you shouldn’t have a problem holding onto your job throughout the season. 

Many farms offer workers accommodation for free or at a reduced price. The type and quality of housing vary substantially from one farm to the next. You could be placed in a crowded caravan with six other people, or get a small bungalow all to yourself. 

How to Get a Fruit Picking Job:

On the Australian Work Travel Visa, you can work and play your way through the country and apply for many different jobs. Fruit picking seems to be one of the lower hanging fruits- pun intended. The job search and application process is a little more messy and requires more spontaneity and flexibility. Here is a handy guide .

16. Yacht Crew

Work for an individual employer or traveling family aboard a private yacht or sailing vessel.

Required Experience: Medium

While yachting is associated with luxury, working on a private yacht is rarely glamorous. The experience is highly dependent on the owners of the yacht, the captain, and the guests on each voyage. Some clients are relaxed and down to earth, while others can be demanding and even rude. 

In general, being part of a yacht crew is tiring work with long hours – on a typical day, you should plan to wake up before dawn and work well past sunset. Responsibilities include cleaning the yacht, assisting with food and beverage service, and fulfilling clients’ various requests. 

If you love the sea and are ready for the service industry’s demands, working on a yacht crew can be a great way to sail for free while also earning some income. Crew positions are available on private yachts worldwide. As long as you have exceptional customer service and at least some knowledge of boats, you have a good chance of being hired. 

Crew cabins tend to be cramped and lack the luxurious feel of the rest of the yacht. Since you’ll spend a lot of time with the other staff members in close quarters, the group’s personality can make or break your experience. 

How to Get a Yacht Crew Job:

One of the best known yacht job boards is Find a Crew . Since you’ll be talking to individuals rather than incorporated companies, the process can be a little sketchier. Use your judgement.

17. Bicycle Trip Leader

Lead guided travel tour trips through picturesque cities and adventurous locations.

Traveling by bike is an amazing way to see the world. If you enjoy cycling and love working with people, then guiding bike tours could be an exciting and enriching experience. 

Becoming a cycling trip leader requires a high level of physical fitness, positivity, and dependability. Tours range from single-day trips to month-long adventures and are available in stunning locations worldwide. 

As a guide, you’re responsible for guests’ safety and are on call 24/7. You should be prepared for long hours and ready to handle medical emergencies like illness or bike accidents. You’ll also need to know how to service bicycles since guests on the tours are likely to experience issues such as flat tires and broken chains along the way. 

In addition to ensuring everyone’s safety, guides are responsible for immersing guests in the local culture and customs. You’ll need to be very familiar with the area and have excellent navigation skills in case you need to make any unexpected detours due to weather conditions or guest preferences. 

Bike guides tend to be a fun, extroverted group with lots of opportunities to socialize and explore the local area when you’re not working. 

When you’re on a trip, you’ll receive free accommodation in the same hotels the guests are staying (although it’s usually in a lower quality room). Not all companies cover accommodation costs when you’re not with clients, so you’ll want to consider this when applying to these travel jobs. 

How to Get a Bicycle Trip Leader Job:

Search Google as if you’re looking to pay to attend an international bicycle tour. When you find a company you like, search for its employment page.

18. Whitewater Raft Guide

Safely guide guests through physically challenging white water rapids. Required Experience: High

If you are passionate about adventure, love the water, and handle risk and unpredictability with grace, then whitewater raft guiding could be a good option. Raft guides depend on one another to safely make it out of the rapids each day, which fosters a type of trust and bond that can be hard to find in other jobs. In general, you can expect to work with a fun group of people who spend their free time enjoying the outdoors and drinking around a campfire.  The travel job is best for young extroverts who love working with people and are ready for long hours and physically demanding work. Positive energy is critical – guides must keep the stoke high even when their extremities are numb, and the guests are miserable. 

Becoming a raft guide takes hard work. There is a steep learning curve, with intensive training and various certifications required or recommended.

The first step is to attend a 7-10 day guide school with a rafting company, followed by another 2-6 weeks of unpaid training once hired. The training is intense and seeks to weed out those who can’t handle the physical and mental demands of whitewater raft guiding. 

Many guides also complete courses in or become certified as:

• advanced wilderness first aid
• wilderness first responders
• swift water rescue certifications
• CPR & first aid

While not all of these are required, the more certifications and experience you have, the more you can expect to earn.  NOLS is a well-known outdoor adventure certification school. On the other side of this rigorous process, there is a close-knit international community of guides with many opportunities to travel. Keep in mind that requirements may vary across borders and from state to state within the US. 

Many rafting companies offer basic housing, often in the form of guide camps near the river. Amenities are sparse, with guides living out of tents, their cars, or old RVs. Raft guiding is not a lucrative travel job – even with the free housing, it’s unlikely that you’ll come out of your first season with more than a few hundred dollars saved. 

How to Get a White Water Guide Job:

Search for white water jobs on WanderJobs and Backdoorjobs .

19. Wilderness Therapist

Help youth overcome mental health issues with nature and counseling. Required Experience: High

Wilderness therapy combines nature and counseling to help at-risk youth cope with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, ADHD, technology addiction, and other mental health issues. 

It’s helpful to have outdoor experience and a background in social work or psychology. But if you enjoy nature and working with youth and are willing to work hard, it’s possible to overcome a lack of experience. 

Wilderness therapy is gaining popularity worldwide, but many programs remain concentrated in the US, the UK, and New Zealand and run seasonally. You’ll be with students 24-7, teaching a variety of outdoor and survival skills that can be transferred into everyday situations.

Students will need help coping with new physical and mental challenges and mentorship as they seek self-improvement. The job certainly has its difficulties, but it is also incredibly rewarding. You can have a profound impact on others’ lives and experience significant personal growth.

People who choose to work as wilderness therapists find supportive communities and build lasting friendships with their colleagues. 

The structure of wilderness therapy programs varies by company. Sometimes students spend a week in the classroom with a licensed clinician, then a week in the wilderness with a guide. Sometimes the two are combined and require guides to have more extensive clinical training.

Many programs follow a rotating schedule with one or two weeks on, and the next one or two weeks off. When you’re working, you’ll be camping in the backcountry with your group. Not all companies cover accommodation during your time off. 

How to Get a Wilderness Therapist Job:

Backdoorjobs has lots of wilderness therapy jobs to browse.

Part 2: Hospitality Travel Jobs

20. cruise ship jobs.

Work in a customer service role or behind-the-scenes aboard a mighty international cruise liner. Required Experience: Medium

Cruise ship jobs seem to hold the allure of adventure. While they do allow you to see new places, the adventures tend to be a bit more surface-level, hedonistic, and rife with difficulties than other options. There are so many jobs available on cruise ships to match different experience levels and interests. They truly are like floating cities, and will need staff to help with cooking, cleaning, entertaining, sailing, styling hair, serving, retail, maintaining the ship, childcare, and much, much more.

The benefits of working on a cruise ship are:

• visiting a handful of new countries in a short period of time
• making new friends from around the world
• saving a good amount of money you earn

But the downsides are substantial. These include:

• an extremely long workweek and little free time
• a social life heavily dependent on drinking at the staff cantina
• little time off the ship
• lack of internet/cell coverage
• tiny, shared living quarters
• apathetic management

It must be said that cruise liners and their guests very actively harm the “tourist towns” in which they dock and make life in these places significantly more depressing for locals.

Despite all this, some people LOVE working on a cruise ship. In fact, my friend Marissa shared an in-depth experience of her time working aboard the Disney Magic cruise ship on my Once Upon a Wander podcast .

Some people though, including a few I met who worked on Carnival ships, found cruise ship life stressful and unpleasant. Do some research and make sure it feels right to before applying to work on a cruise ship. Or just take my recommendation and stay away altogether. There are so many better options.

How to Get a Cruise Ship Job:

It’s important to research the companies you are interested in applying to. Not all cruise jobs are equal. Some are more… notorious than others. It’s probably best if introverts steer clear of cruise ship jobs, as you will get little alone time. However, the jobs themselves are so varied that you may still find something that suits you if you don’t want to interact directly with guests. The required experience level varies greatly by job, with the easiest jobs to get generally being in the housekeeping department. It can end up being many months after you’re hired before you’re actually placed on a ship. You can browse Cruise Ship Jobs here or on any major job site, including Indeed .

21. Lift Operator (Liftie)

Safely operate ski lifts and check guest passes during the winter season. Required Experience: Low

A liftie job is the easiest entry point to working on the ski slopes. A common choice for younger people, operating the ski lifts requires a lot more standing around and a lot less responsibility than the more coveted positions of ski/snowboard instructors or ski patrol. It is expected that ski resort employees working on the mountain will receive a free season lift pass, which is one of the biggest draws. Some, but not all, mountain resorts will provide employee housing and/or meals. The culture of a ski job is not for everyone. If skiing or snowboarding every day brings you a genuine thrill, and you enjoy bonding with others over beers and drinking, it’s probably a good fit. But if hearing “gonna go shred some sick gnar” or “get that fresh pow, man” on the regular isn’t your cup of tea, maybe look elsewhere.

How to Get a Liftie Job:

Look for lift operator positions anywhere you’d find ski instructor jobs. You can start here .

22. Housekeeping

Clean guest rooms & common areas and fold laundry. Required Experience: Low

Housekeeping is one of the easiest entry points into the travel job arena, period. Just about any company you’ll find on WanderJobs needs housekeepers. Lodges, resorts, retreat centers, ranches… they all need to be cleaned. It’s one of the largest employee departments in tourism. Because of the ease of entry, housekeepers usually make up the youngest department in seasonal travel companies. Many of them are teenagers and early 20s. The work itself is surprisingly physical and it helps to be in good shape. It’s a good choice for someone who doesn’t want to interact with the customers.

Usually you’ll be put into pairs or small teams to clean guest rooms, so you’ll be able to chat with your partner or listen to music. It’s genuinely a lot of fun.

When you’re cleaning alone it’s nice to just listen to a podcast or enjoy the peace and quiet. I consider it to be kind of relaxing and even meditative.

How to Get a Housekeeping Job:

Housekeeping is the #1 easiest travel job to be hired for. After getting your foot in the door at your preferred company, it’s easier to get a new position (or become a housekeeping supervisor) the next season.

There are many housekeeping positions on WanderJobs .

23. Wilderness Lodge Staff

Hospitality positions in wilderness locations include everything from housekeeping to kitchen crews. Required Experience: Low

Wilderness lodges come in all sorts of locations and sizes. I’ve worked for a wilderness lodge with a staff size of 160, and another with a staff size of 4.

Both experiences offered an incredibly peaceful slice of life, where you could step outside your door and be right in nature. You’ll be able experience real quiet; nothing but the rustling leaves and soothing waves on the lake. Wilderness lodges seem to attract a good type of person, and also a wide variety. I’ve met a lot of artists, thinkers, and adventurers in these places. There are SO many types of travel jobs to chose from at a lodge that it’s likely you’ll be able to find something that suits you.

Jobs often include:

• Housekeeping
• Front desk & customer service
• Activities staff
• Office staff
• & many more

Larger lodges may offer three hot meals per day in addition to housing. Lodges in National Parks, designated as official National Park concessioners, often have Employee Dining Rooms (EDRs) with fresh, tasty food for staff. Hanging out with friends is a wonderful experience when you’re so close to nature. Expect lots of stargazing, camp fires, porch parties and hiking. Listen to my Once Upon a Wander podcast interview with coworker Nita . She describes what working at a wilderness lodge in the Grand Teton National Park meant to her.

Read my review of life at a wilderness lodge in Minnesota .

How to Get a Wilderness Lodge Job:

For google searches, it’s helpful to search wilderness lodge + location + staff housing. For example, “wilderness lodge Alaska staff housing.” Many wilderness lodges are so far from the nearest town that they need to offer staff housing or they wouldn’t have staff. Find Wilderness Lodge Jobs on WanderJobs .

24. Front Desk/Reception

Check in guests, make sales, answer the phone, and preform other customer service duties. Required Experience: Medium

Front desk positions are a good choice for people who want to live and work in beautiful places but who don’t necessarily consider themselves “outdoorsy” or don’t want the adventure to come from the job itself. These positions are usually a bit cushier, and as with any office job, there’s more opportunity to sit down, have a slow cup of coffee, and be in a climate-controlled environment. Each day will have a rush and a lull, but you do have to be prepared to deal with many customers wanting attention at once. The downtime tends to balance it out, though. In one of my front desk positions, I was on the night shift in a gorgeous wilderness lodge. Most guests had already hunkered down for the night by the time I clocked in, so I liked to sit in the office, stare off at the lake, or read a nice book. In another of my front desk positions, this one at a zip line, the day was much more fast-paced. I had to stand outside in the sun and check in hundreds of guests each day. Both positions required learning a somewhat confusing point-of-sale system and knowing how to answer detailed questions about the business, but there were never any huge challenges.

How to Get a Front Desk Job:

Look for any job on WanderJobs marked as resort, hotel, hostel, lodge, or retreat center. Any place that operates as a place for guests to spend the night will need front desk staff.

25. Activities Leader

Keep guests entertained and engaged. Required Experience: Medium

This is a travel job for people who truly love meeting and engaging with new people. An activities leader should be friendly, warm, and outgoing. She should not be afraid of looking silly or acting like a goof to make others happy. Ideally, making others happy should be a driving force for her own happiness. Companies that hire activity leaders do so for many reasons. Each company will have a very different schedule of events. Some sample activities include:

• guest picnics and bonfires
• guided nature walks
• art classes
• tournaments
• & much more

You’ll need a lot of mental stamina to be successful in this position. Public speaking skills are important.

How to Get an Activities Leader Job:

Find activities lead jobs with room and board on WanderJobs by searching for companies with at any resort, retreat, ranch, or hotel. Summer camps and year-round camps (like YMCAs) are also a great place to find Activity positions if you’re interested in working with youth.

26. Retreat Center Staff

Work and live on a campus geared toward the peaceful spiritual growth of its guests and employees.

Working at a retreat center is an experience unlike any other I’ve had. When you consider what a person really, truly needs to be happy and fulfilled in life, you have to admit that living in a strong community with other people and being in nature are very near the top. Retreat centers give you these.

Both retreat centers where I’ve worked and lived were places for people of many different backgrounds, ages, and nationalities to come together and live a more natural way of life. Beautiful facilities in nature and fresh healthy meals fostered a calm, creative way of life.

Part of the draw of a retreat center is the location. They tend to be more remote: in the mountains, tucked in a forested valley, by a cliff on the sea. I’ve found nothing yet to match the feeling of peace and connection I’ve found at these places.

Retreat and conference centers require employees in many different areas: kitchen, housekeeping, front desk and customer service, spa, events, management, etc. It’s just like a resort, but specifically for people who want to rest and restore, or learn, or create.

Groups of guests come to learn yoga, martial arts, meditation, art, writing, communication, dance, etc. Many retreat centers allow employees to participate in many of the events on campus, so it’s usually a fun environment.

It’s easy to make friends at retreat center jobs. You’ll find lots of kind, open-minded liberals and people trying to better themselves or take a break from the rat race.

Some retreat centers (like those listed on WanderJobs) offer paid positions, but many more are work-exchange/volunteer only. Some will actually charge the volunteers a monthly fee for room and board, and while this may sound ridiculous, it can lead to some of the best experiences of your life. Still, no need to pay when you can just find a travel job that pays you.

How to Get a Retreat Center Job:

Search for retreat center jobs on WanderJobs.

You can also browse Find the Divine and Retreat Finder , but as these aren’t job sites, you have to click on individual retreat center web sites to see if they do have employment or volunteer positions available.

27. Lifeguard

Because you’re responsible for everyone’s safety at the pool or on the beach, being a lifeguard requires constant vigilance and an ability to handle medical emergencies. 

From rescuing children who are panicking to dealing with drunk adults, you must be prepared to handle a wide range of dangerous situations in the water. You must be a physically fit and strong swimmer, have a lifeguard certification, and complete CPR and first aid training.

Lifeguards may also teach swimming or water aerobics classes and clean and maintain the swimming area. 

Expect a party culture with a lot of socializing. After work, there are often friendly competitions between lifeguards, such as swimming, paddle boarding, and boat races. 

Lifeguarding culture remains somewhat male-dominated. Women working as lifeguards often report feeling like they need to prove themselves and say men are given more responsibility and promoted faster.

You’ll also need to be able to deal with boredom. Lifeguards can’t read or look at their phones while working and need to find alternative ways to entertain themselves when the pool or beach is deserted. 

Many classic lakeside sleep-away camps recruit lifeguards to keep the swimming campers safe.

How to Get a Lifeguard Job:

Overnight summer camps are one of the best places to find lifeguarding positions with housing. You can usually earn a lifeguarding certificate at your local YMCA or swimming pool.

28. Restaurant Host

Greet guests, take some orders, and help keep the floor running smoothly.

Restaurants worldwide are social, fast-paced environments where the atmosphere can change quickly. The culture you’ll find depends on what kind of restaurant you work in and where it’s located. 

Restaurant staff in the US tend to be on the younger side, but many countries have hosts, waiters, and chefs of differing ages. Some restaurants have strict rules and dress codes, while others are more casual and allow for greater self-expression.

It’s possible to get a travel job as a restaurant host with minimal experience, but positions with the best perks (and housing) will be awarded to those with previous training in hospitality. You also may benefit from speaking a foreign language or two.

Restaurant hosts are responsible for a guest’s first impression and must have excellent customer service skills. In addition to showing guests to their table, answering the phone, and taking reservations, you help clear tables and assist the waiters as needed. 

The restaurant industry certainly isn’t for everyone. Before taking a position as a host, you should prepare for long and unusual hours with many spent standing up. You’ll need to maintain composure in an ever-changing, high-stress environment. If that sounds exciting, working as a restaurant host could be a fun and worthwhile experience. 

How to Get a Restaurant Host Job:

Search WanderJobs for lodges, hotel jobs, restaurants, and resorts. Most places with overnight accommodations for guests have a restaurant.

29. Spa Attendant

Help youth overcome mental health issues with nature and counseling.

Spa attendants are responsible for fostering an environment that helps others relax. Working alongside massage therapists and aestheticians, attendants support clients in seeking out self-care and making healthy changes in their lives. 

There are no specific requirements to become a spa attendant. Still, it works in your favor if you have prior customer service experience, have worked in the hospitality or wellness industry, or have cosmetology certifications. As long as you are organized and professional and have excellent interpersonal skills, it’s possible to get a travel job as a spa attendant. 

If hired, your duties will include assisting customers, selling treatment packages, cleaning the facilities, and helping aestheticians and therapists prepare for clients. You’ll also be responsible for administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and managing inventory. 

Spas and wellness centers worldwide tend to have a team-oriented environment that attracts young, health-conscious employees. Working in this type of setting can be incredibly calming and enjoyable. 

Like all jobs, working in a spa is stressful at times. Customer service roles are known for being mentally and emotionally draining, and you’ll need to spend many hours a day on your feet. Depending on the spa’s operating hours, you may have long shifts and be required to work nights, holidays, and weekends. 

You’re most likely to find housing included at spas in large or remote resorts and on cruise ships. If you work at a spa in one of these settings, you can expect to meet interesting people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world. Resorts often have perks like free access to facilities and fun events. Through these activities and those you discover on your own in your free time, you’ll get to know other employees within the wellness center and throughout the entire resort or ship. 

How to Get a Spa Attendant Job:

After searching for resort, hotel, and lodge jobs with housing, find out which of those have spas. Or try a keyword search on WanderJobs for “spa”.

30. YMCA Camp Counselor/Leader

YMCA camps offer a range of counselor and leadership jobs with different requirements. You can find anything from junior counselor positions geared towards high schoolers to activity specialist roles intended for those with professional teaching experience. 

Depending on your skill set, there may be an opportunity to specialize in areas like sports, swimming, or arts and crafts. 

Working at a YMCA camp tends to be a seasonal job. While some camps offer year-round programs, most operate primarily in the summer when kids are out of school. 

A majority of YMCA camps are located in the US and Canada, so if you’re looking for a travel job overseas, this may not be the right fit. Even without traveling abroad, you’ll have the opportunity to meet people from around the world, since YMCA camps attract a diverse bunch of international campers and counselors. Camp communities offer fantastic opportunities to make lasting friendships, but they can be a bit cliquey. 

To get a job as a YMCA camp counselor, you must have excellent leadership and enjoy working with children. If hired, you’ll likely need to undergo additional training focusing on communication skills, conflict resolution, leadership, child safety, first aid, and CPR. 

Working for a summer or two as a YMCA counselor can be a very enriching experience. However, you must remain positive, energetic, and bubbly even when you’re covered in mosquito bites and haven’t had dry socks in two weeks. As a result, camp counselors often report feeling drained by the end of the summer. 

Typically staff members spend the summer living in cabins with the campers. Different camps have varying levels of sophistication in their accommodations for counselors. Depending on your level of comfort with camping, you’ll want to consider a particular camp’s facilities before applying.  

How to Get a YMCA Leader Job:

Search major job boards (like Indeed) for “YMCA camp residential”.

31. Hostel Jobs

Preform various guest service duties in a highly social traveler environment.

Hostels are abundant worldwide and are among the classic places people turn when looking for a travel job that includes housing. There is a lot of flexibility depending on your desired environment. You can find hostels in urban centers, around national parks, and next to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

With opportunities to work at reception, as a housekeeper, in the kitchen, and more, it’s easy to find work in this sector. 

Working at a hostel rarely requires any specific prior experience and is a great way to gain some additional skills, such as bartending, event planning, or waiting tables. One thing you do need is a love of meeting new people. 

Hostels are very social spaces with little privacy, so if you’re an introvert looking for peace and quiet, a hostel job is probably not for you. The culture is perfect for extroverts who thrive in new situations, as the vibe of a hostel is constantly changing with the fluctuation of guests and employees. If you take a travel job at a hostel, you’ll join an eclectic group of people who were attracted by the opportunity to live abroad for free. 

In addition to interesting coworkers, you’ll also get to know guests from far corners of the globe. At any given hostel, you’re likely to find a diverse collection of individuals, including artists, digital nomads, backpackers, and other free spirits. In general, the crowd tends to be young and will be up for partying any day of the week. 

Since hostel employees live and work in the same space, work-life and downtime can be hard to separate. Many hostels operate on a work exchange basis, but some will pay you a small wage in addition to providing free or reduced-price housing. Regardless of which option you end up with, you’ll probably share a room with at least one other staff member. 

How to Get a Hostel Job:

Search the major job boards. Not all hostel jobs come with housing- especially those in cities- but if not, it’s worth it to contact the manager to see if they would be able to work something out with you.

Many hostel workers do unpaid work-exchanges. There are many of these types of experiences on Workaway.info .

32. Retail & Gift Shop Staff

Stock and sell trinkets and snacks to tourists.

Retail jobs are your standard shop experience. You’ll spend much of your time standing in one spot (behind the register) and checking people out.

There are lulls and rushes, but the work isn’t known to be exciting. It’s extremely repetitive.

On the bright side, you’ll probably get to know a small number of coworkers well, and there can be some good people watching.

How to Get a Retail/Gift Shop Job:

Many national park concessioners (#34 travel job on this list) hire retail staff specifically for their shops. At other companies, retail is often a job integrated with positions like front desk and check-in.

33. Marina Attendant

Help customers with boats, pump gas, do basic maintenance checks.

This is one of the many travel jobs on the list that I’ve done personally- that’s me in the picture! Marina work is a cool gig. One of the best things about working at a marina is the view. Few workplaces are more beautiful than the shores around a lake or ocean, and it’s exciting to be able to watch storms rolling in from the distance.

The position requires being on your feet most of the time and interacting with many people on a daily basis. Marinas can get very busy, and when they do, it can feel a bit stressful. People who rent boats at marinas or own boats generally have a good amount of money, and sometimes the sorts of attitudes can come with that. You’ll have to be able to field customer questions while making sure you do everything in a very safe way. Some marinas are more relaxed than others. Personally I would recommend finding one that only serves as a place for people to keep their own private boats rather then renting out boats to customers. There’s a good amount of time to chat with your coworkers and appreciate the view. If your marina does rent out boats, it will be your job to teach the customers to use them. For people with their own boats, you’ll be expected to ferry them out to their buoys. There’s no question that driving boats around all day is a lot of fun. The customer rushes are mitigated by periods of downtime, especially in the early mornings, when you’ll have the whole beautiful, quiet lake to yourself as the sun comes up. I used to love playing music on my phone and drinking coffee in the marina office at twilight, looking out at the mountains and lake. At this point you’ll have to prepare for the day, maybe do some paperwork, and check on the boats and dock.

Whatever your skill level is with boats (mine was near zero when I was hired), it isn’t that challenging to learn to drive them well enough to dock them and tow them safely and skillfully.

How to Get a Marina Job:

Search WanderJobs for marina positions , or browse TripAdvisor for wilderness lodges on your lake of choice.

34. National Park Concessioner Staff

Perform customer service & hospitality duties while living with other travelers in a national park.

Many private companies help provide additional services to visitors within each national park, including lodging, tours, and retail. In the US, National Park Service concessioners employ more than 25,000 people during peak seasons at places like restaurants, hotels, concession stands, and gift shops. 

Because concessioners are hired by private companies rather than the federal government, many say the hiring process is more straightforward and flexible than getting a job as a park ranger. Since many rangers start out working concessions, this is a great way to get your foot in the door and open up additional opportunities with the National Park Service. 

While the concessioner jobs are often indoors, you’ll get to spend the season living in one of the nation’s most beautiful places. Many employees at national parks are outdoor-minded folks who love adventure. You’ll be able to spend your days off exploring the park and surrounding area with coworkers and will likely have the chance to try some fun outdoor activities like rafting, rock climbing, or snorkeling. 

Not all concessioner staff positions include housing, but it’s not uncommon to receive subsidized room and board. Don’t expect anything luxurious – most park employees live in basic dormitory-style lodging or RVs. But it’s a wonderful way to live in a community of people with similar interests, and employees in these places often feel like families.

How to Get a National Park Concessioner Job:

The two major National Park concessioners are Xanterra and Delware North, and searching the sites of those two companies will provide most of the travel job opportunities. However …

Those are huge companies and are infamous, like Vail Resorts, for treating their employees like numbers and not like people. In traveler circles, it’s called Xanterrible.

It’s harder to find the smaller companies because most websites are in disguise, and it’s not till you reach the employment page that you’re redirected to the automated Xanterra or DN database. But smaller companies exist!

The official National Park list of Authorized Concessioners can be found on their website .

35. Overnight Summer Camp Counselor

Lead groups of kids through traditional summer camp activities.

Working as an overnight camp counselor is a great summer travel job for young extroverts who love working with kids. You can choose from a wide selection of camps throughout the US and Canada, as well as some international ones. 

Options range from classic YMCA-style summer camps to specialty programs focusing on music, theater, or sports. General overnight camps expect employees to enjoy working with youth and have a positive attitude, while specialty camps require additional expertise in that particular field. 

Each camp has a different vibe and traditions, so you’ll want to do some research and select one that is a good fit. No matter which location you choose, you’ll find a unique environment with countless learning experiences. Camp culture fosters life-long friendships among both campers and counselors. Kids carry summer camp memories well into adulthood, so it can be very fulfilling to be a part of campers’ life-changing experiences. 

Although working as a camp counselor is fun and rewarding, it doesn’t come without challenges. The job rarely includes any alone time, which can be tough even for the most extroverted individuals. Counselors stay in the same cabins as campers, and supervising a group of children 24 hours a day is exhausting by the end of the summer. 

How to Get a Camp Counselor Job:

There are many sites dedicated to camp listings, including Camp Resource and Camp Channel . But since there are so many hundreds of camps not listed on these sites, it’s easier just to pick the area you want to go and do a google search for overnight camps in that location.

Drive guests, haul gear, act as a tour guide.

There are possibilities to work as a tour group driver on trips ranging from classic sightseeing tours to multisport adventures worldwide. Some tour companies employ drivers for the entire season, while others hire them as external contractors for a week or two at a time. 

To get one of these jobs, you’ll need a valid commercial driver’s license in the countries visited, excellent customer service skills, and a proven commitment to passenger safety. The vehicle’s size may vary from group to group, but you should be comfortable maneuvering large vehicles with a trailer full of equipment in tow. 

While most of the job is spent sitting, you will also get some exercise through the frequent loading and unloading of luggage and gear, such as bikes and kayaks. The position includes a lot of downtime when the guests are out sightseeing or staying in the same spot for a few days. You’ll therefore have the chance to explore many different places along the route. However, if you’re hired as an external contractor, the job could be a bit lonely. 

In addition to wages, drivers typically receive free lodging in a hotel for the tour duration. Sometimes they’ll stay in the same location as guests, while others they’ll be placed in a different hotel nearby. 

How to Get a Driver Job:

Whitewater rafting and other gear-based outdoor companies sometimes have dedicated drivers to haul the gear from one place to another, and to meet the guests once they go down river.

For coach-bus tour driver jobs, the best way to find a company is to search google as if you’re trying to pay to join a tour as a guest. “Coach bus tours national parks” or “europe coach bus tours” would be good searches, for example.

Contiki is an example of a coach bus tour company in Europe, though they only hire people with European passports.

37. Hotel & Resort Jobs

Work in guest services, desk jobs, or support positions at hotels & resorts.

Hotels and resorts offer tons of different employment opportunities all over the globe. There are openings for bartenders, chefs, waiters, restaurant hosts, housekeepers, concierges, event coordinators, entertainers, fitness instructors, massage therapists, lifeguards, and more. 

In addition to living in a desirable destination, you’ll receive perks like free or discounted access to the resort’s facilities. One of the other benefits is meeting interesting guests and working with people from around the world. Since many hotel and resort employees are far from “home,” coworkers can become like family.  

Most upscale hotels and resorts include housing for employees, especially those located in remote areas. The accommodation itself is rarely luxurious – no matter how fancy the resort, you’ll probably live in shared housing with 4-5 other people. 

Working at a hotel or resort offers flexible hours; however, shifts can be long with few breaks and little downtime, and the pay is not always sufficient for the hours required. Like other hospitality industry jobs, employees at hotels and resorts regularly report feeling drained by the end of the tourist season. 

But for many, the ability to wake up with a swim at a world-renowned beach or hit the slopes after your shift at a famous ski resort makes the long hours worth it. 

How to Get a Hotel/Resort Job:

WanderJobs lists lodge & resort jobs and hostel & inn jobs . If you’re searching in google, choose more remote or even island destinations, as they are more likely to offer staff housing.

38. Workamping Campground Host

Register campers, keep campgrounds safe and clean.

Workamping is an option for couples or individuals who love to camp and are looking for ways to do so cheaply. It’s a position often filled by seniors and people.

You’ll need your own RV to live in.

Campground host positions are available at privately owned parks as well as state and national parks in the US and Canada. While uncommon, it is possible to find workamping openings in other parts of the world, especially in Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean. 

Working as a host involves various duties around the campground, such as cleaning, maintenance, landscaping, registering campers, answering visitors’ questions, reporting any rule violations to management, and working in the campground shop. In exchange for your work, you’ll receive a free RV campsite complete with water and electricity hookups. 

Hosting contracts usually extend for 3-6 months. The requirements, hours, and expected time commitment will depend on the campground. Regardless of your schedule, you should plan to work throughout the peak season and on weekends and holidays. 

Workamping has numerous benefits, including spending time in beautiful natural areas for free and meeting folks who also love the outdoors. But there are downsides as well. You’ll likely have to deal with unruly campers and take care of less desirable tasks like picking up trash.  

It’s also my belief- from research, and from talking to people when I attended the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous in 2020 as a speaker- that workamping can get pretty exploitive. It seems that many employers treat their employees badly, overwork them, underpay them, and do not honor contracts in ways that seem illegal. I’m not sure why this particular travel job was so popular with the retired population, but it was. I personally would avoid it at all costs.

Many, but not all, workamping jobs include a salary. Volunteer positions typically require about 20 hours of work a week, while those that come with additional wages involve around 40 hours a week. So they say; in practice, overworking seems to be common.

How to Get a Campground Host Job:

Most Workampers I spoke to at RTR found their jobs through Workamper News .

Part 3: Career Travel Jobs

39. english teacher abroad.

Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) to students at a high school abroad. Required Experience: Medium

A native English speaker with a good command of the language can become an English teacher abroad far more easily than becoming a teacher within the US. The certification process for a TEFL certificate is relatively quick, cheap, and easy. I myself earned the 100-hour online certificate and a 50-hour younger learner certificate in about half the suggested time.

That said, for some reason actually finding a travel job as an English teacher (as of 2020) requires sifting through an absolutely baffling quagmire of scams and misinformation. Does this school want to hire me or is this a company trying to sell me a course? Why won’t the man who I just paid to get my results after taking my certification test respond to any of my emails? Why do I have to go to the country and look for a job after I get there? Theses questions and more plagued me and my ex, and I’m sure many others. Eventually, after moving to Japan to get a travel job teaching English, failing to do so, moving back to the US, and getting scammed, my ex managed to find a job teaching in a good school in Japan and is going on his second year-long contract. I’ve known many people who have taught English abroad (I volunteered with some permanent teachers in Thailand), but as far as “how to get a job teaching english abroad” goes, you’re rather on your own.

How to Get a TEFL Job:

First, become TEFL certified. Most companies require a minimum 120-hour certification and a bachelors degree, though there are companies that do not require a degree.

There are many companies that offer certification, with a median price of about $300 for 120 hours. The cheapest I’ve found is Global TEFL , which was $90/120 hours at the time I wrote this article. Then, do tons and tons of research to find current job openings for English teachers. You may find jobs in China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and other locations.

There are also TONS of online opportunities if you’re looking to continue to travel while you teach. Here’s a quick guide by Goats on the Road.

40. Maintenance 

Repair, build, and haul things as needed. Required Experience: Medium

Most any company, especially those that include guest lodging, requires skilled maintenance staff. In the on season, you’ll be doing general repairs and will often have access to a truck or golf cart, and a workshop or shed. You may find yourself painting, chopping wood, and responding to guests’ request for lightbulb changes in addition to more skilled labor. The maintenance team tends to be one of the smaller operations of a seasonal company and the teams are given more power and freedom to make their own decisions and schedules. It’s often a good gig for introverted types. Sometimes in the off-season, a more remote wilderness lodge will shut down but will still require a skeleton crew consisting of a maintenance worker or two. It’s an unusual way to experience a quiet winter of solitude.

How to Get a Maintenance Job:

Even when maintenance is not listed as an open position on the employment section of a company’s website, it may be worth it to email the company and ask them if they could use some more help.

Maintenance is one of the travel job categories in which it pays to become an expert in your field. An experienced, highly skilled maintenance worker will always be valuable. Find live-in maintenance travel jobs at any resort, retreat, ranch, or hotel listed on WanderJobs.

41. Chefs & Cooks

Prepare and cook meals for guests and staff.

Every kitchen requires a team of cooks of different experience levels and with different amounts of responsibility in order to run properly. A chef at a seasonal company (I’ve worked with many) absolutely doesn’t require a culinary degree, but does require a high level of confidence and skill.

However, head chefs and sous chefs often handle a stressful level of responsibility. Even if your skill is high, you may prefer to be a line cook or even a prep cook (my favorite), where it’s easier to zone out into your task or chat with the other cooks through the workday.

The jobs, from least to most responsibility are:

• Prep Cook (chopping, grating, juicing, repetitive tasks)
• Line Cook (cooking a few specific things, preparing salads)
• Sous Chef (cooking, menu prep, covering in the chef’s absence)
• Chef (ordering ingredients, cooking, menu prep, managing the kitchen)

There are two massively different types of kitchens: made to order, and buffets.

Made-to-order kitchens (which are by far the most common) are almost always more fast paced. This brings an extra level of stress, and sometimes the notoriously angry and narcissistic head chef who thinks he’s god’s gift to man. (I met one of these types at a restaurant in a seasonal travel job I left very quickly). Most places with seasonal jobs will only have this type of kitchen.

Buffet-style kitchens are usually found in two environments: retreat centers and staff dining rooms. Retreat centers usually have constantly changing menus of fresh, healthy, delicious foods.

Staff dining rooms (known as Employee Dining Rooms or EDRs at national park concessioners) vary by location. The food is generally good but not great, and it feels nice to help feed your coworkers.

Working in mess hall or a retreat center environment is much lower-pressure, and in my opinion, much more enjoyable than cooking in a ritzy made-to-order restaurant.

How to Get a Cook Job:

Most any resort, lodge, hotel, retreat center, summer camp, or hostel on WanderJobs will require cooks.

While it isn’t especially hard to start off as a prep cook, there are plenty of places to volunteer as a cook to get more experience before applying for a job. Retreat centers often need volunteer cooks, as do many families on the Workaway site.

42. Antarctica Research Station Staff

Help keep the remote research station running to support scientific discovery.

Getting a travel job in Antarctica is very competitive and requires a particular skill set. Apart from the scientists, research stations have various support staff such as:

• electricians
• firefighters
• boat handlers
• and more… 

Many employment contracts are limited to the summer (around November to February). Others extend through the winter (around March to October). There is a high cost associated with transporting staff to and from the bases, so preference is given to those willing to commit to longer contracts. Even in the summer, be prepared to cope with extreme and unpredictable weather. 

The culture differs from one research station to the next. Most communities have a small-town feel to them. There are movie theaters, bars, and coffee shops that host various events, such as pub quizzes, open mic nights, and karaoke. 

While each research station is stocked with medical supplies and has at least one on-site physician, advanced medical care for life-threatening conditions is often days away. Before heading to Antarctica, research station staff must pass a comprehensive medical exam, including blood tests, chest x-rays, and an EKG. Those hoping to stay throughout the winter must undergo additional medical and psychological tests to ensure they are fit to withstand the physical and mental challenges associated with isolation, frigid temperatures, and 24 hours of darkness for months on end. 

If alone time and privacy are important to you, this travel job is probably not the right fit. Despite being isolated, research station employees rarely get any time to themselves. The stations vary in size, but on average, you can expect around 40-50 staff during the summer and 10-20 in the winter. 

Accommodation, while free, is rustic and crowded – most workers reside in cramped tents or bunks on a ship, and getting off the base for some privacy is not an option. Except for those employed in transportation, support staff seldom travel away from their research stations. 

Before applying for a this travel job, I highly recommend reading the book South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby. Though fictional, it gives an incredibly realistic view into seasonal life in Antarctica.

How to Get an Antarctica Job:

The best place to start looking for a job is with your country’s Antarctica Program . There are around 70 different research stations run by programs from about 30 countries.

43. National Park Ranger (entry level seasonal)

Help educate guests and keep the park safe and clean.

One of the perks of working as a national park ranger is spending time in some of the world’s most stunning natural areas. This travel job is best for those who love nature, are passionate about conservation, and enjoy working with others. You must be willing to work outdoors in any kind of conditions, including extreme temperatures and stormy weather. 

Since park rangers are employees of the federal government, they tend to work a maximum of 40 hours a week. However, rangers must be prepared to work holidays and weekends when parks experience an influx of visitors. 

The culture among national park rangers depends on the geographic location of that particular park. In remote areas, there is a significant overlap in work life and social life, while parks located near towns or cities offer a better work-life balance and more non-park-related activities. Park communities typically resemble isolated small towns where everyone knows each other. 

The path to becoming a park ranger is a competitive one, with many people finding their way in the door through volunteer positions or internships. You’re more likely to be hired if you have a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, natural resources, geology, forestry, history, law enforcement, or a similar field. 

In most parks, seasonal workers are hired only for the summer. These contracts last from 4-6 months and do not include benefits afforded to permanent employees, such as health insurance and retirement contributions. 

Entry-level rangers typically start out collecting fees from visitors at park entrances or maintaining hiking trails. Over time, it’s possible to work your way up to a more desirable position, such as leading tours, researching wildlife, or working in the backcountry. 

Some parks provide free housing, while others deduct rent from your paycheck based on the cost of living in the surrounding area. Accommodation in the parks varies significantly and can range from newer apartments to run-down trailers. Seasonal employees are provided fully furnished rooms and can expect to have at least one roommate or housemate. 

How to Get a National Park Ranger Job:

Find park jobs with the National Park Service or the US Forest Service . If it seems like those official sites don’t have many listings, there may be more posted on a major job board like indeed.

44. Massage Therapist

Relax and help heal clients through bodywork.

Massage therapy is a job that requires a lot of endurance. It isn’t easy to use your muscles in that way for long periods of time.

Part of the fun is that there are so many different types of massage to choose from. When you take the first step to become certified, spend time to figure out what type of massage is most interesting to you and works best with your own body.

You need to be very good at first impressions and making someone feel comfortable as soon as they meet you. You need to look tidy and clean.

Massage therapy is an incredibly personal job. You’ll usually be in a room alone with another person for an hour or more, and in many forms of massage, the other person won’t be wearing clothes. Some clients won’t talk at all, and others will reveal all their traumas. You’re genuinely a therapist and should treat the role and the client with respect. When you have repeat customers, you’ll come to care about them and their well being.

A massage therapist will walk a way with a lot of money, and that is usually one of the biggest draws. It’s one of the few certifications left that doesn’t require a college degree but that can still provide a great payoff. Most clients will tip you as well.

How to Get a Massage Therapist Job:

First, of course, you’ll need to become a licensed massage therapist. The requirements for this vary by state so it can be a little tricky and will require some research and planning.

Massage travel jobs with housing are harder to find than most other travel jobs on this list. Most massage therapists are local, but companies with housing are sometimes hiring.

A roundabout technique to find massage travel jobs with housing is to look for spa jobs with housing (at resorts, lodges, retreat centers, etc), and then apply for any other job at the place. Once you are there and management knows you, it can be easier to suggest offering your services to the spa on the side. (This is how the massage therapist in the photo got much of his work at a retreat center).

Another workaround that many massage therapists I know personally have used is to do off-the-books massages for the staff while they work a different day job. When they are licensed in one state but not another (bureaucratic insurance nonsense!) it’s easier to just have friends pay you in cash. My friends have earned an impressive amount of extra income this way.

45. Accountant

Keep the books.

Nearly every organization requires some accounting work. Many companies hire full-time, in-house accountants, while others outsource the work to freelancers, consultancies, or accounting firms. 

The job requires excellent attention to detail and superior analytical, math, and computer skills. As an accountant, you’ll take care of various finance-related tasks, such as recording transactions, advising on financial decisions, and ensuring compliance with local laws. Those entering the field should expect some stressful situations and prepare to work overtime during tax season. 

The universal business need for bookkeeping services allows accountants a lot of flexibility in choosing where they want to work. Accountant positions are most likely to include housing at places mentioned in this post, including retreat centers, hotels and resorts, and national parks.

Minimum requirements to become an accountant in the US vary by state. If you want to do accounting or bookkeeping work abroad, you may need to obtain additional certifications and become familiar with the local tax laws and financial policies. 

This kind of work can be tedious and repetitive, but also very fulfilling for the right person. Accountants can contribute immense value to businesses and play a crucial role in an organization’s success. If you are financially savvy and like working with numbers, you will likely find the work rewarding. 

How to Get an Accountant Job:

These jobs aren’t always listed, so you may have to go through the companies on sites like WanderJobs one by one and contact them to ask if they are looking for an accountant.

These travel jobs are harder to get and there may be a lot of internal promotion, so a better bet might be to work your way up in a company after you prove yourself in a different position.

46. Lighthouse Keeper

Maintain the light and the property.

Lighthouse keepers historically played a crucial role in helping ships navigate safely to shore, but their place in modern society has dwindled. Today, lighthouses in many parts of the world are fully automated.

Those that still have keepers are usually managed by national parks or non-profits seeking to preserve these historic structures and their associated traditions. 

Current lighthouse keeper jobs are perfect for history buffs who love the sea or for those seeking solitude and an uncommon career opportunity. While available positions are scarce, they are possible to find in coastal areas worldwide. 

Keepers are responsible for tasks like cleaning and maintaining the lighthouse grounds, managing the gift shop, and providing information to visitors. Since many lighthouses are historical landmarks, they are popular field trip destinations for schoolchildren and unique venues for small weddings, reunions, or birthday parties. Prospective keepers should expect to assist with these types of events when necessary. 

Some lighthouses offer keepers free RV camping sites, a sleeping area inside the lighthouse, or private cottages on the grounds. Most lighthouse attendant roles are for volunteers only, but some do pay. One historic lighthouse in San Francisco, for example, offered a couple $130,000 a year, provided they continued running it as a bed and breakfast. 

I recommend the memoir Light Years by Caroline Woodward as a beautiful way to learn what it really means to live as a lighthouse keeper.

How to Get a Lightkeeper Job:

There very few manned lighthouses left; most are automated. Finding a job will take a lot of research into the light stations of various countries. Google search is the way to go.

From a modern day lighthouse keeper (in British Columbia) on Reddit : “the application is super hard to find actually so it does not get a lot of applicants. Also the process is insane as it is a government job. My application took over 4 months…”

47. Farmer/ Gardener

Plant, harvest, weed, build structures, and care for plants.

There are a variety of farming and gardening travel jobs available around the world at places like organic farms and retreat and conference centers. These settings usually offer a fun environment with young coworkers and an ability to connect with nature. 

Many eco-retreat centers have gardens that provide the ingredients for healthy meals. By working as a gardener, you’ll contribute to the center’s ability to provide sustainable, locally sourced food and experience the feeling of accomplishment that comes with eating food you grew yourself. 

Any farming or gardening role requires manual labor outdoors, so you should be ready to work hard and spend your days tending to the fields, orchards, or gardens. You’ll learn how to grow different fruits and vegetables and enjoy the perk of freshly picked, in-season produce. It’s an incredibly satisfying travel job, working with your hands and tending to the land. You’ll be tired and fulfilled at the end of a day.

Many of these positions are available for volunteers only, but finding a paid farming or gardening job is possible. The housing included tends to be dormitory-style and will likely involve one or more roommates. If you’re lucky, you may get a cabin or bungalow to yourself. To get a better paid position you may have to stick with one company long enough to take over when manager leaves.

How to Get a Farm/Garden Job:

Find farm and garden travel jobs on BackdoorJobs , or as unpaid positions through WWOOF . Also read #15 on this list to learn about fruit picking in Australia.

48. Human Resources

Hire staff, coordinate housing, activities and payroll, and deal with staff issues.

From mountain lodges to adventure tour operators, nearly every type of workplace on this list requires Human Resources staff. As a result, there are plenty of HR opportunities at interesting locales around the world. 

The type and quality of housing included with HR travel jobs (if any) and your responsibilities will depend on your workplace. Smaller businesses most often employ HR generalists who do a little bit of everything. Larger companies, on the other hand, may require employees to specialize in particular areas, such as onboarding and training, payroll and benefits, or employee relations. 

HR positions are focused on helping others and create many opportunities to build lasting relationships with coworkers. Since HR workers organize staff events and activities and oversee recruitment and hiring processes, they have a lot of power to shape the company culture. This ability to foster a positive work environment is one of the things many HR employees say they like most about their jobs.

Working in HR is a fun and fulfilling job, but it involves juggling many different responsibilities at once and can be stressful. If you want to work in HR, you’ll need excellent conflict resolution and problem-solving skills, as well as lots of patience. HR people continually have to address things that aren’t running smoothly within the company and may have to resolve disputes that arise between coworkers.

How to Get an Human Resources Job:

HR is a career-ladder decision, so you’ll need to prove experience before moving into the role. Often you’ll eyeball the role from inside a company before applying internally for the position when it eventually opens up.

Search one of the major job boards and get very specific with your keywords. Obviously include “human resources”, but also cycle through the types of places that would have housing included, like wilderness lodges and wilderness resorts, tour companies, cruises, and national park concessioners.

49. Managers & Supervisors 

Lead a department, create schedules, coordinate inventory, communicate with other departments.

Many of the travel jobs on this list have at least one related managerial or supervisor role. From managing a restaurant or housekeeping staff in a resort to supervising a group of rangers in a national park, there are numerous manager and supervisor positions available worldwide that include free housing. 

Becoming a manager requires extensive experience in your chosen industry and a proven track record of success. You’ll also need superior communication, excellent interpersonal skills, sound leadership, and an ability to resolve conflict effectively. Depending on your workplace, you may also need good customer service skills and patience for dealing with disgruntled clients who are always asking to speak with the manager. 

While you’ll still have the chance to meet and work with interesting people, it’s hard to become friends with coworkers when you’re the boss. Being a manager holds significant responsibility and can be more stressful than other travel jobs. You’ll need to make difficult decisions that are in the organization’s best interest even if they are unpopular among employees. 

The job also has its advantages – managers and supervisors often receive nicer accommodation than regular staff and are more likely to get private rooms or entire apartments. As a result, these roles are better than others for people with families or partners traveling or working alongside them. 

How to Get a Manager/Supervisor Job:

Becoming a supervisor or manager can range from extremely easy (such as moving up from a housekeeper to a housekeeping supervisor position within a single season) to very difficult (becoming a kitchen manager at bustling tropical resort).

Basically, if you want a supervisor job, stick with any company for a little bit longer than the other seasonal staff and you can pretty easily get one.

Many companies on WanderJobs will advertise manager and supervisor positions, but it’s also worth finding companies you like and emailing directly to ask if they have open positions. Some are only posted internally to current staff, but if you’re qualified, go for it.

50. Youth Educator

Teach youth about the outdoors, ecology, and natural sciences.

If you’re passionate about the outdoors, teaching others about the natural world can be a gratifying travel job. Outdoor education centers across the US and Canada hire educators to teach youth about wilderness survival, ecology, conservation, geology, and more. Educators may also be involved in activities like local conservation efforts or trail maintenance. 

Each center will have different requirements for employment. Generally, it’s preferable if you have a bachelor’s degree, a background in environmental science or a related field, knowledge of the outdoors, and some experience with teaching. Because outdoor education centers are popular field trip destinations for schoolchildren, you must enjoy working with kids. Some youth educator travel jobs are open to applicants of all ages, while others give priority to recent college graduates. 

Outdoor education centers typically attract adventurous, eco-conscious individuals. If that sounds like you, then you can expect to work with a fun group of like-minded people. Educators often get the weekends off, allowing them to explore local trails or relax in nature with coworkers. 

Many of these travel jobs are full-time, residential positions and include dormitory-style housing onsite. Contracts are mostly seasonal, but it is possible to find year-round roles, especially in warmer climates. 

How to Get a Youth Educator Job:

There are some youth education positions on WanderJobs , and more on BackdoorJobs .

51. Travel Nurse

Work in clinical settings in smaller towns around the US.

Travel nurses are registered nurses (RNs) who fill vacancies at various US healthcare facilities, including clinics and hospitals. Becoming a travel nurse offers a unique opportunity to work in any US state or even the Virgin Islands while also fulfilling an essential need in the healthcare industry.

Typically, travel nurses work for independent staffing agencies that assign them to open positions for a short-term contract. You’ll be able to tell the agency what kind of environment you’re looking for, and they will find you an assignment that matches your skills and preferences.

Contracts usually last around 13 weeks but can be longer or shorter depending on the facility. RNs who are enjoying their existing assignments may be able to renew the contract and stay longer in that role. 

Responsibilities of a travel nursing job are essentially the same as a typical RN position. To become a travel nurse, you’ll need a nursing degree from either a two or four-year university, successful completion of the NCLEX-RN exam, and at least one year of experience working as a nurse. 

Getting a job as a travel nurse offers many perks, including free housing, competitive compensation, and the ability to work in diverse clinical settings. Traveling positions tend to pay entry-level nurses a higher salary than permanent roles, making these jobs particularly appealing for younger people.

How to Get a Travel Nurse Job:

In the Covid age, there is now more than ever a need for travel nurses. There are many good job placement companies that will come up in a simple google search, like Nomad .

Of course, you’ll already need to be a registered nurse. This is a genuine career choice with high pay, long hours, and benefits.

Part 4: Travel Jobs for Digital Nomads

52. online freelancer.

Seek out clients and meet their needs remotely through individual contract jobs.

Online freelance opportunities are abundant for a wide range of professionals with varying levels of expertise. Some of the jobs are short-term projects, like designing a logo or writing a blog post, while others become long-term partnerships. 

Freelancers are much in need in the areas of:

• graphic design
• content writing
• ui/ux design
• virtual assistance
• translation

Working as an online freelancer requires a great deal of independence, self-motivation, and organization. If you like working with others and are looking for a fun group of coworkers, then freelancing is probably not the best fit. 

Many freelancers find that the benefits outweigh the lack of social life at work. Online freelancing has many advantages, including flexible hours, location independence, and control over your own schedule.

Jobs are available at every level – whether you’re a beginner in your field or an expert, you’re sure to find something that interests you. However, competition for freelance jobs is intense .

With more and more people ditching their nine-to-fives in favor of a flexible and nomadic lifestyle, the pool of freelancers looking for online work continues to grow. This competition can be especially frustrating for new freelancers trying to break into the industry.

Because of the location freedom that freelance work offers, it’s possible to find very affordable housing if you’re flexible about where you live. It’s a solid career option for digital nomads.

How to Get a Freelance Job:

The easiest way for most people to begin freelancing is to start with Upwork , where you can bid on the thousands of jobs posted. In order to get your first job (and therefore your first positive review), you’ll need to underbid everybody else and write a personalized cover letter. Even then, you’ll get a lot of rejections. If you have a friend on the site, it’s easier to get them to hire you for a quick gig and review.

Once you start gaining reviews, you can charge more money and get repeat clients. When those clients trust you (which they should if you consistently do a good job) you can start talking and getting paid outside of Upwork so they don’t take a cut of the profit.

Freelancing is essentially creating a small business for yourself. Ultimately the best thing to do is tell everybody you know what your skill is and that you are looking for clients, and build yourself up through word of mouth within your actual, real-life circle of friends, family, and community.

53. Teach English Online

Teach English as a second language to children or adults in other countries.

Teaching English online is a popular job among young travelers. As long as you have a reliable internet connection, you can essentially work from anywhere. 

There are loads of companies hiring online English teachers, each of which has its own requirements, preferred teaching style, and expected time commitment. Some companies are looking for previous teaching experience, while others only require employees to be native English speakers. 

Like most online jobs, teaching English remotely is best for self-starters who prefer working independently. To get a teaching job, you’ll probably need a certification such as Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Both of these are relatively easy and inexpensive to obtain online. 

Most beginners start with part-time teaching jobs until they gain enough experience to compete for a full-time role. Many teachers say the job is best as a supplement to other work, so it could be combined with another job on this list that does include lodging. 

One of the most interesting aspects of this job is talking with people from diverse places and learning about other cultures. However, if you and your students live in different time zones, you may have to work strange hours. 

While teaching English can be a gratifying job, doing so online can get lonely after a while – especially if you’re a solo traveler. 

How to Get a Teach English Online Job:

Teaching English online requires the same preparation as finding a TEFL job aboard (#39 on this list). Most, but not all, companies will ask applicants to have a bachelor’s degree.

Begin by becoming TEFL certified with a minimum 120-hour course. Online courses run for about $300/120 hours. At the time of writing, Global TEFL is $90/120.

There are many companies hiring online TEFL teachers. Again, here’s a quick guide by Goats on the Road.

54. Telecommuter

Work a regular desk job from home.

COVID-19 has drastically reshaped the work landscape, and more companies are allowing telecommuting than ever before.

Unless your profession necessitates in-person work, you’ll likely be able to find a remote job posting in your industry. Whether you’re looking for a full-time role or a part-time position, there are all sorts of opportunities available now for telecommuters.

Since remote jobs are long-term contracts with a single company, they typically offer more stability than freelance work while providing some of the same flexibility.

In addition to saving money and time on commuting, remote work allows employees to have more freedom over their schedule and location. Telecommuting means you can live anywhere you’d like (as long as the time zone is compatible with your hours) and find a place that suits your budget. 

Like all jobs, remote work also has its downsides. Off-site employees miss out on the benefits of working at the office, such as free breakfast and socializing with coworkers. For some, working from home makes it difficult to unplug and can also be isolating.

Telecommuting jobs are therefore best for those who enjoy being alone or who already have a supportive community outside of work. 

How to Get a Telecommuter Job:

There are tons of job boards for people who want traditional careers but who also want to work from home. Flexjobs is just one of many. You can also search traditional large job boards.

55. Online Tutor

Help students with coursework in specific subject areas.

The need for online tutoring is on the rise – demand increased significantly this year since the pandemic has shuttered many schools’ doors around the world. 

Online tutoring offers a lot of flexibility and customization based on your preferences. It can be a full-time job or a side gig, and you can work for yourself or for a company that hires online tutors. 

As a tutor, you’ll provide one-on-one support for students in your chosen areas of expertise. You can select a particular subject, such as math or English, or focus on helping students prepare for standardized tests like the SAT. 

There are no specific requirements to become an online tutor, but you’ll need demonstrated excellence in your chosen field and good communication skills. If you’re hoping to get a job with a tutoring company, it helps if you have previous tutoring or teaching experience. 

Similar to other online jobs, working as a tutor can be lonely if you don’t have a supportive in-person community. But you’ll have the freedom to live and work from anywhere you choose. 

How to Get an Online Tutor Job:

The Balance Careers has a quick introductory guide to online tutoring.

Part 5: Work-Exchange & Volunteering Travel Jobs

56. housesitting.

Act as caretaker for people’s homes, pets, and plants while they are away.

With a vast selection of homes and environments to choose from, housesitting offers something for every taste. Whether you’re looking for a small cabin in the woods or a luxury villa on the coast, you’ll probably be able to find it on various housesitting sites. 

In addition to taking care of the house, you may also care for homeowners’ pets. You’ll often encounter dogs and cats, but there are also options to housesit on a small farm or at homes with animals like horses, chickens, or even llamas.  

There are many online resources for anyone looking to get started housesitting, as well as a supportive global community. While taking care of someone’s home, you will feel more like a local than a tourist. The homeowners may introduce you to the neighbors and share their favorite restaurants and hangouts, which will quickly immerse you in the local culture and community. 

Housesitting is best for those with other sources of income. While it is possible to find positions that pay, most housesitting jobs offer free accommodation instead of a wage. As a result, it’s a good option for digital nomads, remote workers, slow travelers, retirees, and professionals on sabbatical. Housesitting is also an excellent choice for individuals who are considering moving abroad and want to see if a particular place is a good fit. 

How to Get a Housesitting gig:

There are so many housesitting websites. A google search will bring up those that are most current. Try Trusted House Sitters to start.

Work-trade on organic farms around the world.

WWOOFing, short for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, is one of the most popular ways to volunteer abroad. In exchange for room and board, WWOOFers typically work 4-6 hours a day on different farms, including vineyards, dairy farms, and apiaries. Duties include assisting with daily tasks such as caring for animals, weeding, picking vegetables, or making cheese. 

The workload, requirements, and overall experience vary significantly from one host to the next. All of the positions require manual labor, so you should be prepared to work hard outdoors regardless of where you end up. While no specific experience is needed, it helps if you have some background in agriculture or farming. Most countries require WWOOFers to be 18 years or older, but there are some exceptions.

The amount of time you work on each farm is up to you and your host. Generally, volunteers work for about 2-3 weeks, but in some cases will stay as long as 6 months. Positions are available in more than 50 countries and attract a diverse group of people. As a WWOOFer, you’ll meet volunteers from around the world, gain practical farming skills, and learn about sustainable agriculture in varied environments.

As a whole, WWOOFing is a unique way to travel cheaply, enjoy nature, live sustainably, and experience the local rural culture. 

How to Get a WWOOF gig:

Sign up for WWOOF (link is to the USA site), which costs around $40/year for a single account or $65 for a double.

Then create a profile and search and contact hosts.

58. Workaway

Work-exchange ~20 hrs/week with locals around the world in exchange for room & board.

I’m not being hyperbolic when I say Workaway may be the ultimate way to see the world.

These unpaid work-exchanges go like this: you give about 20 hours of your week to help your host with some job you’ve agreed on, and in exchange you receive free room and board for the duration of your stay.

That’s the basic principle. The real benefit beyond not paying for a hostel or eating out is the cultural exchange and the absolutely incredible opportunities for adventure. I’m not quite sure how to capture the allure of what Workaway has to offer without just giving you a sample of the available experiences:

• Join a family on a sailboat in an around-the-world trip and cook the meals
• Help build a treehouse on a honeybee farm in Japan
• Teach computer skills and build a playground for a forest school in Vietnam
• Rehabilitate puppies at an animal rescue shelter in St Lucia
• Guide guests at an ecolodge in Madagascar

There are opportunities for any sort of work you can think of, from child care, guest service, and language exchange to art, carpentry, gardening, and computer skills.

It’s so much better than a vacation because you’re living right with the locals and can learn about a new culture, and make a new “family” in each place you go. Nothing else can match that, and the feeling of having a way to contribute to your new community right from the get go. You could set up an entire round-the-world trip through workaway and only ever pay for transportation logistics.

How to Get a Workaway Gig:

Sign up for an account on Workaway .info . It costs about $45 per year but the quantity of amazing opportunities is almost unbelievable. You can browse the hosts without paying but won’t be able to contact them.

You’ll need to set up your profile, choose hosts, and reach out to them to set up each individual work exchange. Make sure your hosts have very positive reviews so that you stay safe in a new place. You can also link accounts with a buddy if you’ll be traveling with a friend or partner. Each of you will be required to have your own account.

59. Yoga, Meditation, & Spirituality

Lead classes and workshops in mind, body, and spiritual arts.

Yoga, meditation, and spirituality centers worldwide hire volunteers to teach classes and guide guests on their spiritual journeys. Although many positions are unpaid, they offer the chance to spend time in a very tranquil setting and help others on their paths to self-realization. 

These studios and retreat centers are usually located in scenic and peaceful locations, making this an excellent choice for anyone looking to relax in nature. The time commitment will depend on your contract. You’ll rarely work more than 30 hours a week, leaving plenty of time to explore the area. You could even combine this kind of position with an online job that pays. 

Getting a job as a teacher generally requires a background or certification in yoga instruction, meditation, or spiritual teachings. Some studios and centers also hire general volunteers who help with cooking and serving food, cleaning, grocery shopping, and gardening. 

Volunteering is a great way to connect with and learn from other yoga and meditation practitioners and offers enormous potential for personal growth. Most people will share a room with at least one other volunteer, but some positions offer teachers private rooms in exchange for their services. 

How to Get a Yoga, Meditation, or Spirituality Gig:

The Workaway website is a good way to find work-exchanges in the spiritual and movement arts. Paid positions with housing are much rarer and require clever online searching, though some can occasionally be found on Yoga Trade .

60. Fire Lookout

Watch for smoke and wildfires from a lookout station.

If you love the wilderness, are physically fit, and don’t mind being isolated, then working as a fire lookout could be a unique and rewarding travel job that also has a positive environmental impact.

A fire lookout is just what the name suggests: keeping a close eye on the forest for signs of smoke and fire, from a lookout perch in the wilderness. Catching a fire early is important in preventing wildfires before they become dangerous.

The US used to have more than 10,000 people working as fire lookouts, but that number has declined due to advancements in technology. There are only around 300 fire towers in the US today that are still manned, so getting one of these travel jobs is likely to be challenging. However, as wildfires become more frequent and widespread in the US and many other parts of the world, demand for fire lookouts is expected to grow in the coming years. 

The job requires excellent communication, attention to detail, and critical thinking skills. Many employers prefer at least an associate’s degree, with some requiring more advanced education. Prospective lookouts are more likely to be hired if they have experience in forestry or have worked as field technicians. 

Fire lookouts typically work for government organizations, such as the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service. Many of the positions are reserved for volunteers only and include lodging and a small stipend. 

How to Get a Fire Lookout Job:

Many of the few remaining fire lookout jobs are volunteer based. Most are in the US, Canada, and Australia. You’ll need to apply well in advance of fire season. The jobs are challenging to find.

Here are some tips from a professional fire lookout on Reddit .

My Top Travel Job Search Tips :

• Search for travel jobs by location on a map
• Use a location keyword in your own google searches, plus jobs with employee housing, ie “alaska resort jobs with employee housing”
• Use these sites to find hundreds of travel jobs, volunteer positions, and free ways to stay
• When in doubt, search google as if you’re a traveling tourist and not a travel job seeker. Find a company you like and then look for its employment page.
• If none of the jobs you are finding include housing, look in more remote locations. Search for wilderness lodges, islands (not only tropical!), retreat centers, jungles, mountains, and the like.

About the author

30 Travel Jobs that You Should Know About

06/14/2022 by Emily Becker Leave a Comment

Now that the world is currently experiencing what experts are calling “the Great Resignation,” more and more people are contemplating quitting their 9-to-5 jobs to go explore the world. With so many incredible places on this planet to visit, can you blame them? Even before the pandemic, remote jobs were becoming increasingly common, only to be propelled forward once global lockdowns began. More people than ever are able to have completely remote careers doing exactly what they were doing before, or even switching their profession entirely.

In case you find yourself looking for a way to travel the world and work while you do it, here are 30 travel jobs that will give your wandering heart a bit of inspiration:

Table of Contents

Travel Jobs that Require Little to No Prior Experience

Whether you want to blog about your travel experiences while on the road or find a specific online niche, blogging is a great way to fund your travels, if you play your cards right. It might not be very lucrative at the beginning, while you’re still building your audience, but as time goes on, you can find more and more opportunities for making an income with your blog.

This, of course, requires some writing talent and insight into the kind of blogger you want to be and how you plan to make money doing it. If you’re sure about blogging about your travels, find out how to do it here.

2. Freelance writer

If you have a knack for it, you don’t necessarily need a full portfolio of perfectly polished articles to start freelance writing. You will need samples of your work, but you may be surprised at how little you need to get started.

If you’re serious about freelance writing, I recommend hopping on the Upwork train as soon as possible. When I was first starting out, I found the platform to be helpful for finding new clients. You may feel like you’re shouting into a void when you first start submitting proposals, but eventually you’ll get your groove and hopefully start landing some gigs.

3. Virtual assistant

As the labor market becomes more and more digitized, virtual assistants are valued more. Because of this shift, virtual assistants can make a great living while working from anywhere in the world. All you need to get started is a computer, an internet connection, and decent computer and communication skills, depending on the demands of the job.

If you have any extra skills, like coding, accounting, or social media expertise, you are even more qualified to be a virtual assistant. You can find positions on Upwork , Dynamite Jobs , and a variety of other platforms. Find out more about becoming a virtual assistant here .

4. Freelance travel photographer

If you have photography skills, a professional camera, and a willingness to learn more along the way, perhaps freelance travel photography is be for you. Whether you decide to work for travel photography companies or try your hand at selling stock photos online , you may be surprised at how lucrative it can actually be.

Curious about taking your own travel photos? Consider taking our Photomuse course to hone your skills.

5. Freelance graphic designer

You don’t have to study the profession at a university to get a remote job as a graphic designer. There are tons of courses on Skillshare , Udemy , Domestika , and other platforms on how to create digital art that sells. Once you learn how, you can easily open a profile on Fiverr or Upwork and start looking for clients. It takes time to build your business, but this is one that can become a full-time income after you’ve gained momentum and established yourself in the online space.

6. Travel YouTuber

These days it’s easier than ever to start a YouTube channel and get to pumping out content, another great option for creative travelers who love to document their trips. In order to make money on YouTube, though, you’ll have to build an audience and have plenty of patience. Sometimes creators are at it for years before they begin earning any substantial income from the platform. Once you create a name for yourself on YouTube, however, brand deals and other well-paying opportunities may come your way.

7. Volunteer

While volunteer programs don’t pay, they can still be a great way to travel on a budget . Some programs offer room and board in exchange for volunteer work, which means you can drastically cut your travel expenses. Plus, you can learn new skills, meet other travelers, and have fun doing it!

A fantastic option for volunteering abroad is signing up for Worldpackers , a platform that connects hosts with volunteers, offering a free place to stay and an immersive travel experience. I was a Worldpacker in the Mayan jungle for a week and had an incredible experience that was way better than I could have imagined.

If you’re considering a more professional, long-term volunteer experience, consider joining the Peace Corps . There’s a 27-month commitment and it’s certainly a huge life decision, but can present a whole host of opportunities for travel jobs abroad in the long run, like joining the foreign service or working for an international NGO once you finish your service. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mozambique for two years, and the experience was both beautiful and challenging. It’s not for everybody, but if you’re down to completely immerse yourself in a new culture and get paid (modestly) to do it, the Peace Corps could be a great option.

8. Hostel worker (receptionist, bartender, etc.)

You would be surprised at how easy it is to convince a hostel owner to give you a job. It seems like hostels are always looking for help, both paid and unpaid. Some offer room and board in exchange for reception help, bartending, and other tasks. Worldpackers is a good platform to find these jobs, but you can also wait until you arrive at your destination and ask around. If you do this during peak tourist season, it may be harder to find these positions, because of the number of other travelers also keen for this opportunity.

You can also write to hostels on Instagram or via email before you arrive to see if they are looking for help. Try getting creative, as some places might even let you exchange something like a mural (see the photo above) for a free few nights.

9. Party promoter

If you’re an uber-social traveler and down to help a hostel, bar, or club promote their events, you might be able to make decent money as a party promoter. Sometimes places will require that you have a substantial social media following to consider you influential enough to help them attract more patrons, but it’s not always required.

Some marketing experience may be necessary to get a job as a party promoter , and some skills in the language at your chosen destination will most likely be required. A good place to start looking for such jobs is Stoked Travel , which hires country-specific party promoters and other professionals. Choose your destination wisely, and give it a shot!

10. Festival worker (event staff, food & beverage)

So you’ve already been to dozens of festivals and are in love with the atmosphere. Why not work at one and enjoy the huge perk of being paid to be there, plus getting in for free? Since festivals pop up all around the world, working at them can be a cool way to travel. From audiovisual technicians to graphic designers and everything in between, festival jobs are plentiful and varied. For some, you might need prior experience and/or an appropriate degree, but you may also be able to find less-skilled jobs in food and beverage service as well.

11. Cruise ship worker (tour manager, bartender, etc.)

Fancy the idea of getting paid to hop from one place to another on a cruise ship? Depending on your expertise, you can land a job on one in a variety of different roles. From housekeepers to photographers to IT help, cruise companies hire thousands of workers each year to staff their ships. There’s even a specific job board for these roles, which typically provide room and board on top of hourly pay.

12. Online English teacher

If you’ve got teaching experience and a willingness to work extremely early mornings, consider teaching English online with VIPKid, a very popular platform for online English teachers. The clientele are spread across Asia, hence the unconventional schedule (if you’re in the Americas). I worked for VIPKid for a short time pre-pandemic and found the hours challenging, but the students were great. A huge bonus for me was that there’s little to no lesson planning involved, as the company provides all lesson plans for you.

There are other companies out there, like LatinHire , looking for online English teachers, all with varying requirements. Some ask for a TEFL certification, while others don’t. Some require a minimum of 1-2 years of teaching experience instead, but there are others that are more flexible and just happy to have native English speakers.

13. In-person English teacher

Requirements to teach English in person at a school or organization will likely be much more demanding, although this depends on where you want to go. Most schools require a TEFL certificate, which is quite easy to get if you’re serious about becoming a certified teacher. Organizations, especially religious ones, tend to be more flexible about requirements, but either pay very little or not at all.

As a Peace Corps volunteer, I taught English (among other projects) and found it to be fun and challenging at the same time. Not everyone is cut out for teaching, but if you love interacting with students and don’t mind long hours and potentially rowdy classrooms, being an English teacher can be incredibly rewarding. Plus, with a TEFL certification, you can have your pick of countries, as the demand for English teachers is quite high worldwide, especially in Latin America and Asia.

14. Yoga teacher

To be a yoga teacher while you travel, you’ll first need to complete a teacher training and maybe have at least a little experience under your belt. If you’re charismatic and good at marketing yourself, you can really teach anywhere you’d like, as long as there are people who want to take yoga classes.

Some traveling yoga teachers look for studios in their chosen destination and ask for a time slot, while others simply find a private space and teach classes. You could even arrange to teach on the beach, if that’s your style.

15. Housesitter

You don’t need any experience to become a traveling housesitter. Websites like Trusted Housesitters allow members to connect with people who need a trustworthy person to stay in their house while they’re away. Sounds pretty simple, right? Some clients also have pets who need looking after, which they will indicate on the platform. These jobs don’t typically pay, but they are a great way to get free accommodation for very little actual work on your end. Clients may ask you to water their plants, collect their mail, or do some light housekeeping while they’re gone, but your main job is simply being there.

The coolest part about this is that people are looking for housesitters all around the world, meaning you can do it almost anywhere, saving a ton of money on accommodation as you move from place to place.

16. Affiliate marketer

Affiliate marketing is essentially when companies use third parties to promote their products and pay a commission to marketers for products purchased using their specific link. This form of passive income requires no experience at all, but you’ll need a bit of insight and possibly a sizable audience to be able to make money from it.

There are a lot of online courses out there that you can take if you’re a complete newbie to affiliate marketing. This one from Udemy covers how to become an affiliate marketer without having your own website.

17. Yacht sailing

Can you believe that you can actually get paid to sail on a yacht or boat? Fortunately for travelers looking for an adventurous way to earn a buck, you don’t need much experience to get hired as a shiphand. It’s physical labor, but can certainly pay off, as you’ll be drastically cutting your living expenses and possibly earning a decent salary as you sail.

If you’re willing to invest in a course to learn all about how to get hired to work on a yacht, consider this one from Super Yacht School , which breaks down how to do it and what the benefits are.

Travel Jobs that Require More Experience

If you’re a chef and want to take your skills on the road, there are ample opportunities to earn money while you travel. From becoming a personal chef for local families to making connections with restaurants, professional chefs are able to bring their lucrative skills with them wherever they go.

19. Artisan

If you make jewelry, art, or anything that you can sell on the road, you can live almost anywhere you please as long as people are willing to purchase your goods. This one is in the “more experience” category because you’ll definitely need some experience with the goods you’re making, but if you’re a quick learner and have a creative outlook, anybody can make and sell handmade goods.

Being an artisan on the road isn’t always lucrative, so consider selling your goods on Etsy in addition to in person. This may limit you to places where you have access to trustworthy shipping options, but these days it’s easier and easier to ship things around the world.

20. Online translator

This one, of course, requires that you know at least two languages. On freelancing websites like Upwork and Fiverr, it’s possible to find online translating jobs that allow you to work from anywhere. Most of them require some experience, and often you’ll have to take tests in both your native language and the target language.

Translation companies like Gengo are entirely online, which means you don’t have to sacrifice your travel dreams to be a professional translator.

21. Au pair

While being an au pair doesn’t require a lot of experience, getting a job as one is certainly much easier if you have at least five years of nannying experience. Nowadays the market for au pairs, especially in popular places in Europe like France and England , is much more competitive than it was a decade ago.

Families that are hiring typically look for women aged 18-30 with at least a year of experience taking care of children. Most will provide room and board in addition to modest pay. You can find au pair jobs on AuPair.com or the job board on GoOverseas .

22. Travel nurse

If you are thinking about becoming a nurse or are already working as one, there are travel opportunities for you, too. Traveling nurses work in different locations around the country and even abroad for 13- to 26-week stints. You can usually choose where you want to go, and most of the time the travel and living expenses are taken care of by the employer.

One of the coolest things about being a traveling nurse as opposed to a stationary nurse is that you’re typically paid more. Yep, paid more AND get to travel — sounds like living the dream to me!

23. Travel agent

This might be an obvious one, but travel agents are on top of their game as far as finding ways to make travel a priority. You’d typically need to have a few years of experience working for a travel company before setting out on your own and making your journeys into a full-time job. But because travel agents are experts on everything from finding flights to using credit card points for travel, you will earn experience by helping others travel.

24. Tour guide

There are many different types of tour guides out there, from walking tour guides to adventure guides, segway guides, etc. Each of these roles requires a different skill set, with varying degrees of experience necessary. To get a job as an international tour guide, for example, you will likely need a certification. There are many courses available to help you achieve this; Trip School has online courses to help you get started.

Whether you’re into trading cryptocurrency or day trading, you can make some serious money as a trader while working from anywhere in the world with a good internet connection. This can be a difficult role to dive into without any prior experience or knowledge of the stock market, but there are courses out there, like this day trading course from Bear Bull Traders .

26. Scuba diving instructor

To become a scuba diving instructor, there is certainly a rigorous process involved, plus you need to have a lot of experience as a diver. If you already have the experience, however, getting certified as an instructor might be an incredible way to take your skills and travel the world.

There are a few different options for how to get certified as a scuba instructor, so make sure to check them out on PADI’s website to get started.

27. Flight attendant

Also requiring a significant amount of training, flight attendants are masters of traveling from place to place, as it’s their principal job duty. Different countries have different requirements and training methods for flight attendants, but the general consensus is that you must have at least a bachelor’s degree and pass a series of exams to become certified.

When flight attendants first start out, their schedules and destinations are usually at the mercy of their airline, but as they gain experience, they will have more freedom to choose where they go and when. In any case, they usually are able to spend a day or two seeing the sites in a given destination, but it all depends on the airline.

28. Performer

If you have a gift for music, theater, or another type of performance, why not take your talents on the road? Depending on what you specialize in, you might be able to make a living as you travel from place to place, seeking out where you might perform. Living in Mexico, I see people from all over the world pass through, stopping to do shows at local venues before moving on to the next place. This might not make you a whole lot of money, but it may fund your travels at least.

29. Online therapist

If you are a certified therapist and dreaming of traveling the world, there is certainly a way to do it. Recently, thanks to the popularity of platforms like Better Help, online therapy has become more and more common for those seeking help from a registered psychotherapist.

Whether you keep the same clients and continue supporting them virtually or start working for an online platform, you can easily take your profession remote. As long as you have a strong internet connection for video calls, you can support your clients from virtually anywhere.

30. Remote technician (IT, UX design, etc.)

Have some IT or UX design skills already? Tech is booming right now, and more and more jobs are becoming available by the minute. This means working remotely is more possible than ever, and you can do it from any place you wish (with a good internet connection). Now that Google has opened courses for those interested in learning these skills, virtually anybody can quickly gain the expertise and experience needed to make a generous living in tech, working entirely remotely.

Check out Google’s certification programs to see if you can transform your skills into a lucrative remote career.

Pin me for later:

Ready to take your career on the road? I hope this list provides a bit of hope for anybody stuck in a rut and wanting to travel. Whether you’re fresh out of university or looking for a career change that allows you to travel the world, there’s something for almost anybody on this list.

Which travel job sounds the most enticing to you?

About Emily Becker

Emily Becker is a digital nomad based in Costa Rica. She's been traveling on and off since 2014 and has visited 15 countries—planning to tick many more off her bucket list. In addition to writing for BMTM, she works as a copywriter and project manager.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

 subscribe to our newsletter

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

The 38 Best Travel Jobs to Work and Travel the World

Whether you’re a backpacker, digital nomad or expat, you can earn a decent income with one of the best travel jobs that’ll allow you to work and travel!

You’re spending your day gazing longingly out of your office window, wishing you could work and travel. The only breeze you’ve got is coming from the fan collecting dust on your desk. But you’re imagining yourself somewhere like Turkey’s pebbled coastline. Perhaps the ancient city of Olympos, where the Mediterranean washes up Roman ruins on either side of the river valley that’s, with a breeze, swept back into the sea.

You snap out of it and find yourself back in your cubicle in some high rise in corporate America. But you start wondering about all the T-shirt-clad pedestrians strolling the streets outside your window. It’s not lunch hour, but some are jogging, some are reading on benches and others are loading their luggage into the back of taxis. Don’t they have jobs?

Envy consumes you.

You imagine kicking back the computer chair that kills your back anyway. After all, others seem to have figured out how to ditch the cubicle life. But how could you ever afford to travel as a lifestyle?

Before you digress and carry on to tackling your flooded email inbox, consider this: You could make money while traversing the globe with different travel jobs.

Depending on the type of traveler you are (and there are several!), there are indeed job opportunities that’ll either allow you to travel or actually pay you to travel. Though some are better suited than others for your traveling modus operandi.

The Different Types of Travelers

Despite the all-encompassing term, “world traveler,” there are different types of travelers. If we were all the same, I’d have spent a lot more pesos at bougie resorts in Mexico.

But we’re not all the same traveler. The most “all-inclusive” that entices a backpacker is a comped hostel breakfast. And a digital nomad might splurge a little more for that free WiFi, too. The expat? They’re whipping up their own Eggs Florentine.

Backpackers Are Budget Travelers

You can usually spot a backpacker walking down the street to the nearest hostel, waiting at the bus stop or relaxing in a city square dressed in, let’s say, well-loved clothes. Your trusty travel backpack is either slung over your shoulders or you’re using it as an impromptu bench.

If you’re a backpacker, you probably boast the “go anywhere, try anything” mindset and are tied neither to your computer nor to stable internet. You can (and often do) travel off the grid for days, weeks or even months on end, and you don’t mind taking odd travel jobs just to scrape together the cash to keep traveling.

Digital Nomads Can Work From Anywhere

If you’re a digital nomad, you are the folk who can travel just about anywhere—so long as you have a decent WiFi connection. It doesn’t matter what you do online: create video, write code or create logos, the main thing is that you have the freedom to travel the world. You are consistently on the hunt for new experiences and adventures, but you count your laptop as an essential piece of travel gear .

If you have an internet connection, then you’re online earning an income one way or another. Your jobs will be on the internet, meaning you have the pleasure of being entirely location independent , calling any coffee bar and WiFi-enabled beach or city park their office.

Expats Live Abroad

Short for expatriate , you’re an expat if you live long-term in a country different than that of your citizenship—sometimes months, other times years. You may not bounce from country to country as often as backpackers or digital nomads but, as long as you’re living outside your native land, you are still traveling.

Due to your moderately stationary lifestyle, the work available to you is equally long-term in most cases. The travel jobs most appealing to you are going to be long-term positions, much like you might find back home. The only difference is that you’re living in a completely different country!

The best part is that there are plenty of ways to work abroad without experience !

The Best Travel Jobs for Backpackers to Work and Travel

Contrary to popular belief, you can both work and travel. And there are tons of different ways to do it! If you’re a backpacker looking for job opportunities, try one of these travel jobs for backpackers or check out these work abroad programs around the world.

Hostels, hotels, resorts, cruise ships, restaurants—they’re always looking for bartenders. That’s where you come in. If you have a little bit of experience, or even if you are just willing to learn, there’s a good chance you can find a bar somewhere that’s looking for a hand.

These jobs generally pay fairly nicely and you often get tips to boot. In some cases, a bed at the hostel where you’re bartending can also be part of the deal. Just ask around at local bars and hostels for a gig.

Bartending is also a great gig for you expats. For more information, check out this article on becoming a traveling bartender and how to find a bartending job anywhere in the world.

Typical Pay: $10-$50 per hour, depending on tips

Scuba Instructor or Dive Master

Scuba diving is a much-loved and growing activity all over the world. And it’s easier than you think to be a part of it if you want to call the ocean your office.

Most dive centers in the world offer courses to bring your diving certification up to Divemaster, which is considered an “instructor in training.” Once you’re there, you can potentially land a diving gig at any number of beautiful tropical beaches or islands. Be warned, however. This is not a cheap endeavor, but skilled diving instructors are in demand and can earn thousands a month.

Again, scuba diving is also a fun job for you expats.

Typical Pay: $1,000-$4,000 per month

Yacht Worker

Want to sail the high seas and get paid at the same time? Then consider working on a yacht for a season or two. These travel jobs are generally entry-level and require a simple short course before departure.

That said, they can pay very well, and because yacht traffic tends to follow the seasons around the globe, you’re likely to find a ship looking for help any time of year. If you have a meticulous eye for detail and a fair amount of patience, check out job postings on sites like Crew Network .

Typical Pay: $2,000-$4,000 per month

Cruise Ship Worker

Similar to working on a private yacht to see the world, consider jumping on board as a cruise ship worker. These vessels generally have jobs for just about anyone, from housekeeping and reception to engineering and more.

Therefore, you’re more than likely to find a spot to suit your talents. While these jobs generally consume a lot of hours aboard the ship, your lodging, food and travel costs to new countries are all covered for your efforts.

Try visiting individual cruise lines’ websites in order to look for job availability, look at staffing agencies that focus on the cruise line industry or check out job board sites like All Cruise Jobs .

Typical Pay: $2,000-$5,500 per month

Party Promoter

Hostels and party-focused tour companies around the world are always looking for fun-loving individuals to help promote their events and festivals. And landing a job as a party promoter is a fantastic way to dive into a new city.

These jobs often focus on social media campaigns or other ways of hyping up the event. You’re usually required to go along to the party or event to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves!

Typical Pay: Food and lodging only up to around $1,000/month

Flight Attendant

Now nobody is saying that it’s easy, but the long hours and tough training that a flight attendant endures pays off with travel to a swatch of different locations. Plus, you’ll get killer discounts on hotels and airline tickets.

The travel is usually company specific, along with a universal CPR certification, but once it’s all over, you’ve got one of the hallmark travel jobs all lined up. Honestly, a job as a flight attendant is one of the best jobs there is! If I had to pick my dream job, a flight attendant would be it. Not to mention, health insurance is included!

Typical Pay: $3,000-$4,000 per month

Busker or Street Performer

If you can’t imagine traveling without your instrument, as long as it’s not a tuba, then you should try your hand at street performing. Granted the income may just be a trickle from time to time, but it can pay for the occasional bus or train ticket to keep you on the move.

Be patient as you break into this job, develop your schtick, and learn the tricks of the trade to really start earning a profit.

Typical Pay: $10-$200 per hour

Yoga Teacher

Yoga has been growing in popularity around the world for years, and the need for teachers has increased right along with it. Everywhere from hostels to campgrounds to yachts have started adding yoga classes to their schedules.

Simply pick a location you’d like to visit and travel around, then start tracking down locations that offer yoga retreats which might benefit from having a yoga instructor on hand. It’ll help if you’re certified, of course.

Like bartending and scuba diving, many other expats like you have become yoga teachers, too.

Typical Pay: Volunteer-$100 per hour

Festival Worker

Summer music festivals hire for just about every job imaginable to keep the show running. They need everything from side performers to food stall attendants to cleaning staff members.

A festival worker is one of those excellent short-term travel jobs that allows you to work hard for a few days, collect some cash, and get back on the road! As an added benefit, the difference between summer seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres allows you to move from festival to festival across world for almost the entire year.

Just scope out openings on sites like Hot Box Events .

Typical Pay: $10-$20 per hour

Ski Resort Staffer

Snowboard and ski lodges on every mountain in the world are looking for seasonal staff to get them through the busy months. You could work in hospitality, as a housekeeper, as part of the kitchen staff, as a snow groomer, as a ski or snowboard instructor or behind the desk at the rental counter.

And the icing on the cake? You can ski to your heart’s content in your off time. This is the perfect way to spend a season doing what you love and earning some cash for your spring travels at the same time.

Typical Pay: $10-$30 per hour

Hostel Staffer

Hostels are generally looking for an extra hand with their day to day operations, especially during their high season. It’s not difficult to work out a deal for joining their team for a short time.

These travel jobs typically focus on cleaning or food prep, but your lodging at the hostel is included, as well as one or two meals a day in most cases. The work can be tough, but hostels are naturally close to some of the best sights a country has to offer, making them the perfect bases for you to go out and explore.

Find hostel jobs on sites like Hostel Jobs .

Typical Pay: Volunteer – $15 per hour for more skilled worked

While WWOOFing jobs won’t add to your bank account, they do provide free food and lodging, which can be absolute gold when you’re on the road for an extended period of time.

As a volunteer, you’ll connect with different families and organizations that are looking for help. WWOOF focuses solely on organic farming, which means you’ll get to work on your green thumb and get some solid traveling under your belt at the same time.

Look for these gigs on WWOOF .

Typical Pay: Volunteer

Housesitter

Another little-known possibility that’s been growing in popularity amongst travel jobs is the coveted house-sitting gig. All you have to do is look after a person’s house and (oftentimes) pets while they’re away. In exchange, you get to live at the house for that entire time on your own, which means that you have the perfect place from which to explore the surrounding area in your free time.

These jobs can be a little tricky to land when you first start looking, but once you have a few on your resume, it’ll become a much easier to earn new homeowners’ trust.

While these jobs seldom pay, having your own house in a new country for a short time is often payment enough. Just look for jobs on sites like Trusted Housesitters .

Construction Worker

There are construction projects around every corner—home renovations or expansions, hotel and hostel construction or renovations, office expansions, etc. Often, these projects are in desperate need of people with some construction, plumbing or electrical experience, and they are often willing to set up a short-term job for you while you’re in the area.

One of the best methods of breaking into this type of job as you travel the world is to simply volunteer for a few projects via sites like Workaway or HelpX to build up your experience and knowledge base. Once you have a decent resume, you can start finding paid travel jobs.

Many other expats like you also work in construction, too.

Typical Pay: Varies widely depending on skill, entry-level is volunteer

Backpacking Guide

For you diehard hikers, this one is right up your alley. Companies in every national park and beautiful wilderness in the world need guides to lead day-trips and multi-day trips during the peak seasons every year.

The basic qualifications are generally a Wilderness First Responder certification and a little bit of experience. If you don’t have experience, however, it’s generally no problem. Look for NGOs, camps and startups that need  volunteers to assist guides or educators, and break into the industry from there.

The working seasons for this industry are generally very intense with back-to-back-to-back trips, but in the offseason, you can travel at will.

Typical Pay: $15-$25 per hour

The Best Travel Jobs for Digital Nomads to Work and Travel

If you want to travel and work from your laptop, one of these options is going to be your best bet. For more info, click here to find out more on how to become a digital nomad .

Online English Teacher

If you have a stable internet connection, you can almost certainly find a job teaching English online. These most often take the form of teaching through some web-based video conferencing and generally require a college degree or TEFL certification.

Sometimes the lessons will be one on one; other times you’ll be working with an entire class. Naturally, patience and organization go hand-in-hand with this opportunity, but if you’re up to it and have the time to commit to regular lessons, then you can earn a regular paycheck.

Typical Pay: $10-$25 hourly

Travel from country to country and adventure to adventure, blogging about your passion—and earn an income! But like all worthwhile endeavors, it’s hardly a simple affair. Starting a successful blog and formidable following can often take years.

But if you have something you are absolutely passionate about (it doesn’t even have to be traveling) then you can make a blog about it. Think: car blogs, hiking blogs, home crafts blogs, cooking blogs, career advice blogs—the list is endless!

Typical Pay: $100-$10,000 per month

Freelance Photographer

One of the perks of the wandering lifestyle is that we see sights and wonders that the vast majority of the population will never visit. But they still love to see pictures.

That’s where the freelance traveling photography niche comes in. If you’re an absolute killer behind a camera, look at creating an online presence to start selling your photographs for magazines and websites.

Or you could focus on social media and develop a strong following, which could also lead to an income in the future.

Typical Pay: $500+ per month

Freelance Travel Writer or Editor

Now, this is one of those dream jobs that most folks out there dream of snagging. The freelance writer has the freedom to work on any number of projects, from book writing and blog content, to proofreading websites. And all they need is a laptop.

There are several online platforms out there to connect writers with potential clients, such as Upwork, and these jobs can pay either hourly or by the project. If you have a knack for writing, this could be your ticket to travel.

Typical Pay: $30-$400 per article

Website or Graphic Designer

Just as potential clients are always looking for writers, they are also always on the lookout for people to develop websites or brochures for their businesses.

Some online courses may be all you need to get started on the road to web development; after that, all you need to do is hunt down some work! Websites such as Upwork also work very well for connecting with potential clients online, and as long as you have internet, you have a job.

Typical Pay: $1,000+ per month

Computer Programmer

If you have some skill in cooking up lines of code, that could be all you need to get traveling. New app developers, inventors and website developers all occasionally need some code written or tweaked to smooth out their product.

If your skill needs a little dusting off or you’re still learning, there are dozens of online courses out there on sites like Udemy or CodeAcademy .

Typical Pay: $3,000-$10,000 per month

Stock Day Trader

If you have a banker’s mind and the stock market holds few secrets for you, then day trading may be all you need to earn some income for your travels.

A little past experience and a starting amount to invest are both prerequisites for this option, but if you have the patience and time (sometimes years) to develop your portfolio, it can certainly pay off. Just remember that this option sometimes involves losing a bit of money as you learn the ropes or pay for some beginner’s classes.

Typical Pay: $1,000-$3,000 per month, though sometimes more depending on skill

Online Translator

With two or more languages under your belt, you have a very easy avenue to earn a little extra income for your travels. Looking into translating. Websites, business materials and instruction manuals need to be translated on a regular basis, and companies tend to offer fairly decent payments.

Freelancing websites such as Upwork offer these types of job opportunities.

Typical Pay: $20-$50 per hour

Dropshipper

Dropshipping is a shortcut method to break into the world of online retail without having to worry about maintaining a storefront or warehouses full of stock. Essentially, you find a product in a foreign country for which to act as a third-party salesman.

You can market the product through different online retail websites, such as Amazon, and simply arrange to ship the product to the customer directly after they’ve made a purchase. This means that you, as the retailer, never actually handle the product. With a fair amount of research and work, you can make some serious money by running a competitive and attractive dropshipping business.

Online Poker Player

It may sound like a huge risk, but for those of you with an acumen for numbers and cards, becoming a professional poker player could be a reality. It’s certainly not uncommon for backpackers to make enough from the online poker world to finance their travels, and maybe even turn a profit in the long run.

However, you have to be extremely patient and have a plan for how much money you are willing to risk along with how much money you need to win in order to maintain your traveling lifestyle.

Typical Pay: How good are you?

Virtual Assistant

Many folks in a business setting—from the bigwigs at the top to the busy entrepreneurs—are learning to reap the benefits of a virtual assistant. The job is essentially managing your employer’s schedule, from meetings to business travel, along with some correspondence, making calls when necessary, setting up meetings, managing social media… you get the idea.

As a virtual assistant, you’ll have the freedom to work remotely from just about anywhere in the world, making this one of the most ideal jobs on this list! Though it certainly helps if you’re in at least a similar time zone as your client for easier communication.

Typical Pay: $500-$2,000 per month

Social Media Manager

Businesses around the world spread the word about their product or services through social media. The market for social media managers is, therefore, absolutely on fire.

You will essentially coordinate the company’s presence on a whole range of social media platforms, from Facebook and Twitter to Instagram. And, as you can bet, you’ll likely be a busy bee. These jobs are generally full-time, but the pay for experienced candidates can be very attractive and you can work from absolutely anywhere.

Typical Pay: $500-$4,000 per month

Survey Taker

This is an incredibly easy way to put a few dollars in your pocket while on the road. All you have to do is sign into one of many websites on the internet where companies offer you a small cash incentive to take their surveys.

Now, these surveys generally only pay a couple of cents per question, so you won’t get rich off this method, but if you buckle down for an hour here and an hour there you can definitely see some profit! Please remember that there are plenty of scam websites out there promising free money, so take the time to research what website you use.

Find legit surveys on sites like Swag Bucks or Survey Downline .

Typical Pay: $100-$1,000 per month

The Best Travel Jobs for Expats to Work and Travel

Looking for a long-term move and want to find a job that’s going to let you work and travel in a slightly more stable environment? Consider one of these!

English Teacher

English is an intensely valuable asset in most corners of the world. It is the international language of science and therefore needed for any people who are hoping to pursue technical or science-based careers in the international field.

More practically speaking, English is the primary language for a huge chunk of the tourist industry and is, therefore, a highly sought-after skill in many countries. You can generally find a short or long-term gig teaching English abroad in an informal setting (such as to a family) or in a more professional “English as a Second Language” program.

Be aware that most professional teaching opportunities require at least a college degree or a TEFL certification, but English teacher salaries can be really good and accommodation is sometimes provided.

• Teach English in China
• Teach English in Japan
• Teach English in Korea

You can find a lot of jobs on Teach Away or My TEFL .

Typical Pay: $1,000-$5,000 per month

Wherever there are people, they’ll be food. And the hospitality industry is, therefore, always looking for chefs to feed the people.

These jobs, of course, generally require a bit of prior experience and a little know-how. Make no mistakes, the hours can be grueling! But you’ll be rewarded with the chance to explore a new country in your spare time while adding to your repertoire of gastronomic delights. This makes for one of the most perfect travel jobs, where you can be almost unstoppable as you travel from gig to gig the world over.

Typical Pay: $10-$60 per hour

Freelance Massage Therapist

If you have a massage therapist certification sitting on the back burner, now is the time to use it. Travelers all over the world, from skiers to hikers to divers and everything in-between, are always looking for a good massage to end their day.

Jumping from one gig to another in the most sought-after destinations in the world isn’t a bad way to work and travel.

Typical Pay: $30-$60 per hour

Travel Nurse

Once you’ve achieved your degree as a registered nurse (RN), the whole world can open up to you as a travel nurse. Staffing agencies around the world hire adventurous nurses to take on short-term assignments in different parts of the globe.

You could potentially work anywhere, from clinics in developing countries to as part of a medical team aboard a cruise ship. What’s more, these travel nurse jobs occasionally have paid housing included as part of the deal, especially if you’re a cruise ship worker.

Typical Pay: $30-$45 per hour

Traveling Street Vendor

While this job requires a bit more time and supplies than most gigs on the list, it is an excellent way to spend the season making a little extra money and enjoying the area.

You can sell just about anything, although jewelry tends to be the most popular. Art, henna tattoos, leather goods, soaps and clothes are all good options, too. Be sure to check if you need a local permit before setting up shop though.

Typical Pay: $0-$300 per day

Airbnb Host

Have a property that is just collecting dust during your travels? Try making it collect some money instead.

If your property is in, or even vaguely near, a popular tourist spot, then all the better. You can easily make a fair amount of cash by listing your home on one of these Airbnb alternatives .

And we think it’s a much better option than spending all your money on just one long trip. We need to make these experiences last a lifetime, right?

Typical Pay: $400-$8,000 per month depending on your property and customer flow

Certainly an acquired taste as far as travel jobs go. But if you absolutely love kids and have an outgoing and responsible nature, then consider becoming an au pair abroad.

These jobs almost always include lodging and food. And the pay can vary from just a little pocket change all the way up to a very comfortable sum. Living with a family may also help you pick up a new language.

Just look for gigs on Aupair .

Typical Pay: Volunteer – $1,500 per month

Foreign Service Travel Jobs

Running the United States’ embassies abroad takes a lot of work and personnel! You can almost think of every single US embassy as its own little business in a foreign country. As such, it needs its IT folks, engineers, medical staff, HR managers and so on.

If a life of travel and public service tickles your fancy, then perhaps apply to be a Foreign Service Officer. Entry into these positions is very competitive. The entry tests (yes that was plural!) are no pushover. But with hard work and dedication to the job’s mission, you can do it.

Once you land the job, you could potentially experience assignments in almost any country where there’s a US embassy.

Typical Pay: $70,000-$100,000 per year

Peace Corps Volunteer

This job is a serious commitment. You’ll spend years helping others during very long hours and few days off. But you will undoubtedly gain lifelong experiences and help communities in need around the world.

Remember that you often have little choice in the countries or regions to which you are posted. And remember that this job is no vacation. You’re there to help underprivileged communities.

You must, therefore, be prepared for a lower standard of living than in the US. If you’re ready for the two-year commitment, however, dive in. See some of the world while helping make it a better place at the same time!

Learn more on the Peace Corps site.

Typical Pay: $0-$300 per month

The best travel jobs will make your dream of work and travel a reality. Contrary to popular belief, you can earn an income while seeing the world.

Don’t watch everyone else take control of their lives from your office window. Instead, relish in the control you have over your own — from that pebbled beach on the Mediterranean coast.

Travel Jobs FAQs

What is the highest paid traveling job.

Working as a remote software engineer is one of the highest-paying jobs that allows you freedom to travel.

Which job is best for Traveling?

Some of the best travel jobs include bartending, teaching English online, freelancing, or working on a cruise ship or yacht.

How can I make money while traveling?

Ways to make money while traveling include picking up short-term jobs, teaching English online, starting a blog, or becoming a freelancer.

Do travel influencers get paid?

It depends, some very successful influencers get paid well through corporate sponsorships or affiliate programs.

Can you work and travel?

Absolutely. There are many different career options that allow you to work and travel at the same time.

Jeremy Scott Foster

Very Informative post Jeremy,

Teaching yoga while travelling is the best job to earn good money while being traveling the world.

Wow. Your post is so inspiring! You can’t even imagine it!! Uh, really, it’s so nice to know about the variety of opportunities!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search our latest articles, reviews and gear guides

• TravelFreak on Instagram
• TravelFreak on Facebook
• TravelFreak on Twitter
• TravelFreak on Pinterest

Sign up now and get the best gear, travel tips, deals and destinations, straight to your inbox.

Thank you for signing up!

Work Hard. Play Hard. See the World. Start a Career.

As a brand ambassador for park west gallery—the world’s largest art dealer—you'll travel the world by cruise ship while developing entrepreneurial and management skills that will last a lifetime., art auctions abroad.

The Park West Gallery Story

Since its establishment, Park West Gallery has connected over 3 million clients to the wonders of art collecting.

Cruise Ship Jobs with Park West

Pursue a long-lasting and fulfilling career in the fine art and auction world with Park West Gallery while fostering your passion for travel.

Professional Training

Take part in Park West Gallery’s comprehensive training program that prepares you to take on the exciting challenge of hosting live art auctions aboard cruise ships.

Cruise Ship Lifestyle

While working on a cruise ship with Park West Gallery, no two days are alike. From visiting exotic ports of call to hosting art seminars for guests, the rewards of an onboard career are endless.

Travel the world on board some of the largest cruise ships in the world from cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival

Work on a team of experienced fine art salespeople who will help you build your sales acumen and reach your career goals

Work for both salary- and commission-based compensation selling fine art from artists ranging from Pablo Picasso to Peter Max

Graduate from our exclusive training program administered by the most successful auctioneers in the company

Save for tomorrow—food and cabin is free on board all our partner cruise lines

SEE ALL AVAILABLE JOB POSTINGS

Represent some of the world’s most talented contemporary and historic artists.

While working on board, you represent prestigious artists from around the world. From artistic masters like Pablo Picasso, Albrecht Durer, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Marc Chagall to contemporary icons like Peter Max, Michael Godard, Mark Kostabi, Romero Britto, Kre8, Daniel Wall, and David “Lebo” Le Batard—Park West Gallery’s collection of artists have changed the face of art history.

• Cruise Ship Jobs
• Job Training
• Life at Sea
• Testimonials

Best Jobs for ENTPs Who Like to Travel

• Finding Your Career Path

Are you an adventurous ENTP itching to explore the world while building an exciting career? You're in the right place! Forget the mundane 9-to-5 grind—your ideal job should be as dynamic and thrilling as you are.

We've rounded up the best career options that will let you immerse yourself in different cultures, meet new people, and maybe even pick up a few languages along the way!

1. Travel Blogger

Transforming your passion for travel into a storytelling platform, a travel blogger shares their experiences, tips and insights with a worldwide audience. This career calls for a knack for writing , photography and video creation, allowing you to combine your creative talents into captivating content. Travel opportunities—unlimited!

• Why this career works for ENTPs: ENTPs thrive in ever-changing environments where they can express their creativity, and they also have the gift of gab. Writing and sharing their unique perspectives on travel satisfies their need for mental stimulation.
• Things to watch out for: The freelance nature of blogging can result in inconsistent income and the need for strong self-discipline to manage deadlines and content quality without a structured schedule.

2. International Consultant

As an international consultant, you’ll travel across the globe working on projects in various industries, providing expert advice and solutions to different businesses. This role demands strong analytical skills, adaptability and clear communication to tackle diverse challenges.

• Why this career works for ENTPs: ENTPs excel at problem-solving and thrive on intellectual stimulation. Working with different teams and in new environments ensures no two days are the same, satisfying their need for variety.
• Things to watch out for: The high demands and frequent travel may lead to burnout . Balancing work and personal life can become challenging, and maintaining deep connections may be difficult.

3. Flight Attendant

A career as a flight attendant not only provides the opportunity to travel but also involves ensuring passenger safety and comfort during flights. This role requires excellent interpersonal skills, adaptability, and the ability to stay calm under pressure.

• Why this career works for ENTPs: ENTPs are natural communicators and problem-solvers, making them well-suited for handling in-flight situations and making passengers feel at ease. The job offers constant travel, keeping the adventurous ENTP engaged.
• Things to watch out for: The irregular and often long hours can be taxing. ENTPs may also struggle with the customer service aspect of the job, especially if they are not in the right mindset or having a bad day.

4. Digital Nomad Entrepreneur

Starting your own online business allows you the freedom to work from anywhere in the world. Whether it's e-commerce, a digital marketing agency or software development , this career offers flexibility and immense potential.

• Why this career works for ENTPs: ENTPs are innovative and enterprising, thriving in environments where they can leverage their creativity and strategic thinking. The freedom to travel and set their own schedule is a significant advantage.
• Things to watch out for: The lack of structure can be a double-edged sword, leading to potential procrastination . Additionally, managing business logistics and maintaining productivity on the road can be challenging.

5. Travel Nurse

Travel nursing involves taking temporary positions in various locations, providing medical care where it's needed most. This role not only requires strong clinical skills but also adaptability and quick thinking.

• Why this career works for ENTPs: ENTPs enjoy solving complex problems and interacting with new people. The ever-changing work environment and the chance to travel to different places align perfectly with their love for variety.
• Things to watch out for: The demanding nature of healthcare work can be exhausting and ENTPs may not enjoy the many processes, rules and protocols involved in the field.

6. Tour Guide

Leading tourists through various destinations, sharing knowledge about the area's history, culture and attractions, is at the heart of being a tour guide. This job combines storytelling, customer service and extensive travel.

• Why this career works for ENTPs: ENTPs are excellent communicators and love learning about new topics. Interacting with diverse groups of people and constantly exploring new locales keeps their job exciting and fulfilling.
• Things to watch out for: The role may require long working hours, sometimes in less-than-ideal conditions. The seasonal nature of tourism can also lead to periods of instability.

7. International Sales Representative

Selling products or services to clients around the world, an international sales representative travels to various markets to build relationships and close deals. This career requires strong persuasion skills, cultural awareness and adaptability.

• Why this career works for ENTPs: ENTPs are naturally persuasive and enjoy the challenge of negotiation. The need to understand different markets and cultures keeps their role intellectually stimulating.
• Things to watch out for: Meeting sales targets can be stressful. It’s essential to stay organized and maintain work-life balance despite the high demands of the job.

Choosing the right career can be a thrilling journey, especially for ENTPs who thrive on diversity, challenge and intellectual stimulation. Each of the careers highlighted above offers unique opportunities to satisfy your curiosity and adventurous spirit. Remember, finding a role that matches your personality is vital for long-term satisfaction and success.

If you're still exploring possibilities, consider taking Truity's career aptitude test for more personalized recommendations and ideas that fit your dynamic and innovative nature. The world literally is your oyster, so go out there and find the perfect career for you! 

Truity Truity was founded in 2012 to bring you helpful information and assessments to help you understand yourself and use your strengths. We are based in San Francisco, CA.

• Personality in the Workplace

• Myers Briggs

• Self-Development and Wellbeing

• Load more related articles

Mastering the Art of Travel Writing: Tips for Students

D o you love writing and traveling? Do you dream about seeing the world and discovering hidden gems in every country you go to? Then you might have considered becoming a travel writer. Even though this is one of the dream jobs many students have, it comes with challenges too. Mastering the art of travel writing is not hard, but you have to put in a lot of dedication, effort, and time. This is a captivating genre that allows you to share your experiences, observations, and adventures from your journey. Writing about travel is what you, as a student, might aspire to.

So, you are probably looking for some tips and tricks on how to get started. What is travel writing? Are there more types of travel writing? Learn more about some travel writing tips that can enhance your craft and help you create engaging stories. While some spots can inspire you to write fascinating posts, you can take matters into your own hands and improve your skill.

Immerse Yourself in Traveling

Well, you cannot be a travel writer if you are not traveling. This is why it is essential to travel extensively. Explore distinct places , cultures, and landscapes. Get to know the locals, talk with them and find out more about the local traditions and social norms. Every country is different from another one. And even though some beliefs or lifestyles might be similar, there are so many things that tell them apart. And you can learn more about this by traveling and talking with locals too.

However, as a student, you have academic responsibilities too. Getting an education in school is not only about attending classes or what notes you take during teaching but about writing essays and assignments too. And traveling around the world is time-consuming, which might make you fall behind your deadlines. Thankfully, there are essay writers for hire, essay writers that are skilled and professional and can help you complete your assignments. Getting some much-needed help will help you follow your passion and travel around the world. This way, you will gather experiences you can write about.

Maintain a Travel Journal

To write a travel short story or an article for your blog, you need to travel. But you also need to observe the peculiarities of every place you go to. You may not have time every day to write an article, but there is a solution. You could maintain a travel journal. Have it with you everywhere you go.

Write down your thoughts, impressions, and experiences while they are still fresh in your mind. This way, you make sure you do not forget anything worth mentioning. When you will sit down and write your articles later, this journal will be an invaluable resource.

Take Photos

If you want to become a travel writer, you have to write, of course. But photos can add more value to your travel stories or articles. So, whenever you can, aim to capture high-quality photos . Learn more about the art of photography to complement your words with images.

Read Widely

Besides practicing the art of writing more and traveling around the world, you could hone these skills by reading too. It is known that reading helps you expand your vocabulary as you learn new words that will help you convey the message effectively.

But, reading what other travel writers have published will help you learn more about writing techniques. How do they tell a story? How do they hook you and capture your attention? Reading widely does not mean that you will end up copying others. It just serves as a source of inspiration that will help you develop your unique voice.

Honesty and Authenticity

Many students who are aspiring to become travel writers think that they only have to share positive experiences from their travels. Indeed, when you discover new places and cultures, everything you see might be through some pink lens.

However, readers appreciate honesty and authenticity. So, help them see your experience through your eyes. Do not be afraid to share the parts of the trip that were not as pleasant. This will help them have a clear idea of what to expect from specific places. They are looking for genuine insights.

What to Keep in Mind?

Writing about traveling and trips around the world is an art. To excel in this craft, not only do you need to improve your writing skills, but also gain as much traveling experience as you can. For those who might not have the time or expertise, there are paper writers for hire who specialize in travel content. However, do not forget that travel writing is a journey in itself. Embrace the process, keep practicing, and let your passion for exploration and storytelling shine through your words.

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked

More From Forbes

Stendhal syndrome: how art can affect your body and mind.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

The statue of Dante Alighieri, the great poet, father of the Italian language and author of the ... [+] Divine Comedy, placed in front of the facade of the Basilica of Santa Croce, in the heart of Florence.

Viewing artwork can stir up all kinds of emotions —from the joy and awe that might come with witnessing a museum’s extensive collection to even some negative emotions like anger or despair evoked by particular pieces.

But, in rare instances, viewing art may cause travelers in art-dense cities to feel unwell and experience extreme overwhelm, a psychosomatic condition that’s known as Stendhal Syndrome and that could involve rapid heartbeat, dizzy spells, fainting, anxiety, and hallucinations.

“For art lovers, the thrill of arriving somewhere like Florence that gathers so much famous art is like meeting all your heroes at once,” according to research from 2021 published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association. “This strange aesthetic sickness is surely evidence of the special power of Renaissance art.”

Ahead, learn more about Stendhal Syndrome including the history of the psychosomatic condition, how common it is, and the type of symptoms that present for those who experience it.

What Is Stendhal Syndrome?

A rear shot of the Replica Of Statue of David in Piazza della Signoria with tourists in the ... [+] foreground in Florence, Italy.

Exactly When Apple Will Launch iPhone 16 And iPhone 16 Pro

Apple warns millions of iphone users—stop using google chrome, will there be a season 5 of ‘the boys’ the disappointing news about the series’ future.

Stendhal Syndrome is a psychosomatic condition that is believed to cause rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion, and even hallucinations when an individual is exposed to an overwhelming amount of art, beauty, or cultural experiences, says Dr. Chi Quita Mack , MSW, a social worker and author.

Stendhal Syndrome isn’t currently in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which healthcare professionals in the United States and other countries use as an authoritative guide on mental disorder diagnoses. However, psychiatrists have documented Stendhal Syndrome in medical journals, and cautioned that travelers coming to some of the world’s greatest art museums pace themselves when looking at masterpieces, according to the European Psychiatric Association’s research.

What Is The History Of Stendhal Syndrome?

French author Grenoble Marie-Henri Beyle, whose pen name was Stendhal, was an art lover who, in 1817, embarked on a “Grand Tour” of Europe to bolster his personal, political, and artistic knowledge, according to Destination Florence .

He described his experience with art in his travel diary, writing: “I had reached that level of emotion where the celestial sensations given by the arts and passionate feelings meet. Leaving Santa Croce , my heart was racing, life had dried up for me, I was walking in fear of falling."

These feelings of overwhelm were later documented by Dr. Graziella Magherini, chief of psychiatry at the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence, Italy, who, in 1979 wrote “Stendhal syndrome: The malaise of the traveler in front of the greatness of art.” Magherini had observed more than 100 tourists over the course of 20 years who, upon exiting the Uffizi Gallery and marveling at artwork by Caravaggio and Michelangelo, experienced a sudden onset of dizziness, heart palpitations, crying, panic, sweating, and, in some cases, hallucinations.

How Common Is Stendhal Syndrome?

Tourists outside the glass Pyamid at the entrance of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France

Stendhal Syndrome is rare and is not widely recognized in the medical community, Mack says.

The condition is commonly reported among tourists and visitors to cities with a high concentration of art and cultural heritage, such as Florence, Paris, Athens, Tokyo, and Rome, according to research.

Exact prevalence rates are not well-documented, but the condition is generally considered uncommon, Mack explains.

What Causes Stendhal Syndrome?

While there’s not a large body of research on Stendhal Syndrome, researchers believe that it can come about when travelers are overwhelmed by intense beauty.

Some travelers may be more prone to experience Stendhal Syndrome, including those who traveling solo or reaching the end of a journey, or come from a religious upbringing, according to the Brazilian Academy of Neurology . Stress, dehydration, and not getting enough sleep may also make people more prone to the Stendhal Syndrome, according to the academy.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

• Art, History and Gardens in Japan
• Art in France
• Slide Shows
• Silk Road of China: Art, History & Archaeology
• Art in Paris
• Art in Italy

Moscow and St. Petersburg Art Adventure

• Art in London
• Art in New York
• Boston Art History Architecture
• Private Trips
• Newsletter Sign-up
• Uncategorized
• Comments from Trip Participants
• Winterthur & Brandywine Valley
• Reading Lists
• Travel Tips
• Mountain Hiking Holidays

Recent Posts

• I Keep Bumping into this Guy
• Art of Textiles
• Isamu Noguchi: New York and Japan
• Japan: New Reading for Art Tour to Japan and mountain hiking too
• Camino and the Kumano, Dual Pilgrimages

Recent Comments

• The Silk Road with Art Tours with Amy Osaki | Willamette International Travel on Silk Road of China: Art, History & Archaeology

• Reserve Your Trip
• Trip Application
• Arrival-Departure Form
• Insurance Waiver
• Trip Evaluation
• Passport Information – U.S. State Department
• Willamette International Travel

THIS TRIP IS NOT CURRENTLY SCHEDULED Over the years, Amy has developed and operated trips to a variety of destinations including this one, but not all trips are offered every year. If you are interested in joining a scheduled departure of this trip in the future, please send us an email and let us know. Click to send us an email or use the form at the bottom of this page.

We can organize and operate this trip as a private group departure with a minimum group size of 8 persons. Start organizing your private Russia art adventure here .

Best time to travel: June for the “White Nights” Best gateway city: Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia Moscow and St. Petersburg Slide Show

Experience the art treasures of Moscow and St. Petersburg with guide, Amy Osaki. Begin in Moscow, continental Europe’s largest city, the seat of the government of Russia, and now home to over twenty billionaires! View iconic sites such as the Kremlin (which began as a fortress in the eleventh century), Red Square, and the sixteenth century St. Basil’s Cathedral. Then explore the art masterpieces at the Tretyakov Gallery, the National Museum of Russian Fine Art encompassing works from the eleventh to the twentieth century. Visit the Armory at the Kremlin filled with Imperial treasures including Faberge eggs once exchanged by the tsar and tsarina at Easter. Conclude your Moscow experience at the quiet seventeenth century Novodevichy Convent, one of many World Heritage sites included in the trip.

After a short flight, continue the trip with five days in St. Petersburg where you’ll be immersed in the opulence of Imperial Russia. Established by Tsar Peter I in 1703, St. Petersburg (known as Petrograd and Leningrad for most of the twentieth century) was the capital of the Russian empire for over two hundred years until the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Hermitage—said to be the largest art museum in the world with a collection of over three million objects housed in four main buildings—rivals the Louvre in Paris for both the quantity and quality of its treasures. Founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great, and open to the pubic for over two hundred years the museum is so vast that we’ll spread our visit out over several days and organize it by different themes. Also on the schedule is a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress—the original citadel above the river founded in 1703—as well as some of the Imperial palaces in and around St. Petersburg such as Peterhof, a World Heritage Site. Peter I hired French architects to work on his many palaces, including Jean Baptiste Le Blond who worked with Andre Le Notre at Versailles. Consider enhancing your Russian experience by purchasing tickets to a performance—perhaps a ballet at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre (also known as the Kirov).

Day 1 Overnight in Moscow Arrive in Moscow and transfer to your centrally-located hotel, your base for the next two nights. Enjoy an afternoon and early evening walk through Red Square (Krasnaya Ploshchad) past St. Basil’s Cathedral, and GUM department store all of which are back-dropped by the walls of the Kremlin fortress. Remember that we are here during the fabled “White Nights” when the summer days linger with light-filled evenings.

Day 2 Overnight in Moscow Within the walls of the Kremlin fortress, visit the Armoury Museum, one of Moscow’s oldest museums established at the start of the nineteenth century. The Kremlin Armoury was the royal arsenal; it produced and stored the weapons, jewelry and other regalia of the tsars. The museum’s collection encompasses four thousand items of applied art from Russia and elsewhere dating from the early fourth century to the twentieth century. Later in the day, visit the collection of masterpieces of the renowned Tretyakov Gallery. The Tretyakov collections were begun by the philanthropist Tretyakov brothers in the early nineteenth century. The gallery is recognized by many as a key repository of Russian art spanning the nation’s artistic tradition from early Orthodox icons to art nouveau, impressionist, and avant-garde works.

Day 3 Overnight in St Petersburg Enjoy a morning visit to the sixteenth century Novodevichy Convent named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004. The convent’s name is sometimes translated as “New Maidens’ Monastery” to differentiate is from the convent within the walls of the Moscow Kremlin. Surrounded by white crenellated walls, this complex of churches has remained essentially intact since the seventeenth century. Here you’ll find the five-domed Cathedral of Our Lady of Smolensk with its spectacular iconostasis and the tall, red and white Gate Church of the Transfiguration which is often cited as a fine example of “Moscow Baroque” architecture. The neighboring Novodevichy Cemetery is the final resting place of the likes of Anton Chekhov, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Boris Yeltsin. This afternoon fly to St. Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city situated on the banks of the Neva River where it empties into the Gulf of Finland.

Day 4 Overnight in St Petersburg Start of your exploration of St. Petersburg with a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress, the original citadel of St. Petersburg. The fortress was built to the designs of the Swiss Italian architect Domenico Trezzini in the early eighteenth century. Trezzini’s Peter and Paul Cathedral dominates the fortress grounds and its iconic golden spire punctuates into the Baltic sky. Later visit the Yusupov Palace on the Moika, acclaimed as an “encyclopedia of St. Petersburg aristocratic interior design.” The palace was the home of the Yusupov family from 1830 and 1917 and was the place where Grigori Rasputin, a spiritual mentor to Tsar Nicholas II and the Royal Family in the early 20th century, was assassinated. A visit to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood built between 1883 and 1907 rounds out the day. The church was built in “Russian Revivalist” architectural style by Tsar Alexander III in commemoration of his father, Alexander II. The church occupies a conspicuous location on St. Petersburg’s Griboedov Canal and contains 7,500 square meters of mosaics; the interior walls and ceilings are completely covered by mosaics.

Day 5 Overnight in St Petersburg Seeing St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum in a day would be like trying to see the Smithsonian in a day! Rather than a forced march through the galleries at a rapid pace, we will slow down and savor the masterpieces. Remember, there are nearly seven miles worth of exhibitions! Today we focus on “Imperial Russia,” touring the rooms decorated for members of the Russian Imperial Family and viewing the art they commissioned and collected. This is the art that influenced the style of the grand palaces of the era. View the Grand Suite of rooms, Peter I’s collection of gold, and the jewelers art owned by the Russian Imperial Family (including Fabergé eggs, gold and diamonds). Here, too, are the rooms of Catherine II and her son Paul I with their fifteenth to eighteenth century French paintings and sculpture (Poussin, Watteau, Fragonard, Chardin, and Houdon).

Day 6 Overnight in St Petersburg Return for a second dose of the Hermitage! Today is dedicated to the famous European masterpieces exhibited at the Hermitage. Feast your eyes on memorable works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Tintoretto, Tiepolo, Velazquez, and El Greco. At the Hermitage, you can revel in Rembrandt; there are twenty of his works in the museum’s collection. After lunch, enjoy the eighteenth to twentieth century masterpieces of Monet, van Gogh, Gauguin, Rodin, Picasso, Matisse and Kandinsky. Digest the art and reflect on this unique collection of human creations. Consider an evening performance, possibly at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Day 7 Overnight in St Petersburg Journey by hydrofoil across the Gulf of Finland to experience Peter I’s palace at Peterhof, a series of palaces and gardens that evoke comparisons with Versailles which Peter visited in 1715. Begun in 1714 with the construction of the Monplaisir palace and expanded by later Imperial generations who added Rococo and Neo-classical elements, Peterhof is now a World Heritage Site. The creative mastery of architects, engineers, artists and craftsmen from throughout Europe is on display here and all is choreographed to celebrate water in homage to Peter, the maritime emperor.

Day 8 Overnight in St Petersburg Go behind the scenes with an excursion to the Hermitage Museum’s Staraya Derevnya Restoration and Storage Center on the right back of the Neva River north of Kamenny Island. This vast treasure house is only accessible by private tour. Later, travel to Vasilvesky Island across the river from the Hermitage to visit Menishkov Palace completed in 1721 and now the oldest stone building in St. Petersburg. Enjoy a farewell dinner this evening.

About your guide : Amy Osaki holds a master’s degree from the Winterthur Museum. She studied art at the Louvre Museum in Paris and worked as a museum curator for over a decade including six years at the Portland Art Museum. She is an award-winning art educator who has led art trips around the world for the last fifteen years with Walking Softly Adventures. Many of these trips were offered for graduate credit from Portland State University where she is an Adjunct Professor.

Resources for Further Learning

• Preview part of the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery at its website.
• Learn more about the Moscow Kremlin .
• Prepare yourself to experience the Hermitage . You can even shop on-line at the museum’s on-line museum store!

We're looking forward to hearing from you! You may contact us by telephone at 503-788-9017, by e-mail ([email protected]) or by completing and submitting the form below. Please enter any questions or comments in the "Message" box. PLEASE BE SURE TO MENTION THE TRIP IN WHICH YOU'RE INTERESTED. You must enter a valid email address in order to submit this form successfully. When you're finished entering information, enter the CAPTCHA code where indicated and click the "Submit" button at the bottom of this page. Art Tours by Amy does not release any of the information you provide us to any third party without your express permission.

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

20 most interesting places in Moscow Region (PHOTOS)

We recently wrote about the major sights of Moscow and its suburbs, which are easily accessible via the 'Moscow Central Diameters' lines. But, if you travel a little further, you'll discover no less excitement! There is a great deal to see and do in Moscow Region. 

1. Znamenskaya Church in Dubrovitsy

One of the most unusual Orthodox churches in the world is located in Podolsk near the estate of the same name. The entire estate once belonged to Prince Boris Golitsyn, an associate and tutor of Peter the Great.

The Church of Our Lady of the Sign (1690-1704) was built in the Baroque style and, according to historians, Italian architects had a hand in it. Their names still remain a mystery, however. The base of the church is shaped like an equal-pointed cross, with staircases running up on all the four sides, while the foundation and walls are decorated with carvings in the form of vines, shells and angels. Inside, the church is even more luxuriously decorated. 

2. Gorki Leninskie

The last owner of the Gorki Estate was Zinaida Grigorievna, the widow of Savva Morozov , the largest manufacturer in the Russian Empire. She bought it already after his death and set up a modern farm there. In 1909, the estate already had steam heating, water supply, electricity and even exotic plants were grown in its greenhouses. 

But, the estate only became of significance after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and ensuing nationalization. It was within these walls that Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin spent his last years of his life. His study, car and some personal belongings were preserved in Gorki.  

A range of TV shows and feature movies were also filmed in these places. The remaining movie set scenery turned into a genuine movie town, in which you can walk around and explore. 

It is a real postcard merchant town! In its center there is a 16th century Kremlin with narrow cobbled streets, numerous stores with cute souvenirs and a kiosk with that kalach bread! As it is stated on the menu, there are kalach with and without goose meat. For those who want to master the art of baking, there are a number of workshops in the 'Kalachnaya' museum.

Kolomna is no less famous for its pastila (fruit marshmallow) made from local apples. There is no other place where you can find such a perfect variety of candy! 

Kremlins were built in many regions of Russia, but most of them are located in Moscow Region. Nine such fortresses have survived to date, but the best preserved ones are in Kolomna and Zaraysk (there are also kremlins in Vereya, Volokolamsk, Mozhaisk, Zvenigorod, Dmitrov, Serpukhov and Ruza). 

The Zaraysk Kremlin was built in 1528-1531 on the order of Vasily III to protect the southern borders of Moscow. During the ‘Time of Troubles’ (‘Smuta’), the governor of Zaraysk was Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, thanks to whose actions (among others) the city survived against the supporters of False Dmitry II.

5. Bison in the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve 

Not far from Serpukhov, you can get acquainted with these unique animals that once even roamed with mammoths. The Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve has been restoring the bison ("zubr") population since the 1940s, returning them to their natural habitat. 

6. New Jerusalem

In the 17th century, Patriarch Nikon decided to build his own “Jerusalem”, not far from the town of Istra. The size of the New Jerusalem Monastery was to show the full power of the Orthodox Church.

It has its own Church of the Holy Sepulchre, as well as its own Golgotha and even the nearby Istra River was renamed ‘Jordan’ in that area. 

Nearby, you can find one of the largest art museums in Russia – 'New Jerusalem', which boasts well over 180,000 exhibits! 

7. Arkhangelskoye Estate

One can't help comparing this grand estate to Versailles. In terms of its decadence and pomp, it was not inferior to the royal French palaces. Over time, Arkhangelskoye changed quite a few owners. Throughout history, the estate was owned by the Sheremetev, Golitsyn, and Yusupov families. Today, it is a museum and reserve with a large park and a theater .

8. Zvenigorod

One of the oldest cities of Moscow Region (known since the middle of the 12th century), Zvenigorod is dubbed "Moscow Region's Switzerland". The surroundings there are really very picturesque: the spruce forests scattered along the valleys of the Storozhka River beckon you to have a stroll around.

The name of the town (derived from the word ‘zvonit’, ‘to ring’) is often associated with its defensive significance: it is believed that soldiers on the fortress towers would warn the inhabitants of approaching enemies. 

You can also visit the preserved white-stone Savva-Storozhevsky Monastery, founded in 1398 by monk Savva, a follower of Sergius of Radonezh. 

9. Malevich Park

If you can't decide between walking in the woods or modern art, this is the right place to go. The new park is located near Razdory (Odintsovo) train station, where you will find art objects waiting for you in the most unobvious places. Inscriptions on trees, moonlight on a lawn, nets in the forest. Walking through the park, you will, every now and then, bump into other people just as surprised to see yet another work of art along their way.

10. Star City

To learn how astronauts prepare for flights to the ISS and what discoveries they make in space, you can visit the Cosmonaut Training Center in Zvyozdny Gorodok aka Star City (Shchelkovsky District). Simulators, centrifuges, spacesuits, as well as models of spaceships are on display there. It is a closed city, however, which means you can't just go there. You have to sign up for an official excursion 21 working days in advance. If you are a foreigner  – 45 working days prior to the date.

11. Aviation Museum in Monino

The Central Museum of the Russian Air Force showcases rare military and civilian airplanes from different epochs. Among the most interesting exhibits are the Soviet Tu-144 supersonic passenger airplane, the super-heavy B-12 transport helicopter and a BOR-5 aircraft that returned from space. But, of course, there are many others! 

12. Road to Lavra

The walking trail from Moscow to The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius in Sergiev Posad is one of the most unusual tourist routes in Russia. It is the successor of the historical road to St. Sergius of Radonezh. The length of the trail is 120 kilometers, if counted from the Moscow Kremlin. It passes through the Abramtsevo and Muranovo museums, as well as the Radonezh and Khotkovo villages. You don’t have to walk the whole trail and can traverse small sections of several kilometers instead. 

Of course, you can also get to Sergiev Posad, where the Lavra is located, by train and bus. In addition to the monastery, there is a famous toy museum in the town. It is believed that it was there that the first Russian matryoshka doll was made.

13. Gzhel Porcelain Factory

Moscow Region is the birthplace of quite a few Russian art crafts that have since gained popularity around the world. One of them is the blue-and-white-painted Gzhel ceramics (Ramensky district). It turns out that there was exceptionally good quality clay surrounding the village of Gzhel, which was used to make bricks, pipes, tiles and even toys. But, most importantly, beautifully painted dishes with birds and flowers. You can also try your hand at pottery while on an excursion around the Gzhel Porcelain Factory!

14. Zhostovo Factory

The famous Zhostovo trays originate from the 19th century in the village of Zhostovo (Mytishchi urban district). The trays, on which bright flowers blossom, cannot be mistaken for anything else! At the factory, you will see the whole manufacturing process, while in the museum – the most unusual items produced there!  

15. Moose Biostation

The Moose Island (Losiny Ostrov) National Park occupies a huge territory in the north-east of Moscow and Moscow Region. It is there, at the biostation in the Mytishchi urban district, that you can get closer acquainted with the moose, the master of the forest. Wild red deer and spotted deer also live there. You can walk around the territory on your own or go on an excursion group.

16. Melikhovo Museum & Reserve

The estate still cherishes the memory of famous Russian writer Anton Chekhov, who lived there in 1892-1899. The literary museum near the city of Chekhov appeared in 1941 and his relatives helped collect exhibits for it, including the writer's personal belongings. 

Melikhovo, meanwhile, also hosts theatrical and literary events, exhibitions and concerts. 

17. Bykovo Estate

Lost somewhere in the Ramenskiy urban district is the beautiful Bykovo Estate, built in the Neo-Gothic style in the late 18th century. Near it, there is Vladimirskaya Church , reminiscent of a fairy-tale palace. The project is attributed to Vasily Bazhenov, who was also the architect of the palace in Moscow's Tsaritsyno park.

18. Mozhaisk

The best views of the city are from the hilltop of the Mozhaisk Kremlin. The center of Mozhaisk has preserved its historic layout dating to the 18th century and will be of interest to those who want to get a closer look at the historical settlements of Moscow Region. Not far from the city is the Borodino Field Museum and Reserve, as well as the historic Borodino railway station. 

19. Peter Tchaikovsky Museum & Reserve in Klin

The composer rented the house in Klin in the last two years of his life and, in 1894, a year after his death, a memorial museum was opened there. It houses Tchaikovsky's personal belongings, his books, as well as his cabinet piano – and everything is fully preserved. 

20. Senezh Lake

This is a water reservoir that was constructed in Solnechnogorsky District two centuries ago to feed the channel between the rivers Istra and Sestra. The places are very picturesque and it was this lake that Isaac Levitan dedicated his painting to in 1898. 

The lake. Rus. 1900, Isaac Levitan.

In summer, you can swim and sunbathe on the beach and, in cold weather, you can visit the 'Putevoy Palace' museum center and learn more about what Moscow province life of the 18th century was like.

Bonus (in winter): Yakhroma

In the winter season, there is a ski slope in Yakhroma (Dmitrovsky district). Naturally, the mountains in the vicinity of Moscow are not the highest, however, the journey to the ski base will appeal even to those who aren’t sports enthusiasts. There is a themed 1980s retro train, complete with wooden benches, running between Savelovsky Station and Yakhroma . Also, ‘Ikarus’ retro buses operate between Yakhroma station and 'Sorochany', 'Volen' and 'Yakhroma' resorts.

Dear readers,

Our website and social media accounts are under threat of being restricted or banned, due to the current circumstances. So, to keep up with our latest content, simply do the following:

• Subscribe to our  Telegram  channel
• Subscribe to our  weekly email newsletter
• Enable push notifications on our  website
• Install a VPN service on your computer and/or phone to have access to our website, even if it is blocked in your country

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

• Enjoy scenic Russian routes on these RETRO trains!
• 5 MUST-DO experiences in Moscow
• 20 interesting places in Moscow & Moscow Region you can reach with the capital's newest train system

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Copenhagen Tries Rewards for Good Tourist Behavior

The Danish capital is offering free museum tours, art workshops and more to visitors who take part in climate-friendly initiatives.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

A new fee for Venice day trippers. A looming ban on vacation rentals in Barcelona. Restrictions on the sale of alcohol in Majorca. At a time when overwhelmed European destinations are slapping tourists with restrictions and fees, Copenhagen is trying a different approach: rewarding visitors who act responsibly.

Beginning July 15, tourists who demonstrate climate-friendly travel behavior by participating in the city’s green initiatives — including cycling, train travel and clean-up efforts — will be granted access to museum tours, kayak rentals, free meals and more.

“We must turn tourism from being an environmental burden into a force for positive change,” said Mikkel Aarø-Hansen, the chief executive of Wonderful Copenhagen , the tourism organization for the Capital Region of Denmark. An important step in this transformation, he said, “is to change how we move around on the destination, what we consume, and how we interact with the locals.”

On average, 81 percent of consumers say they want to act more sustainably, but only 22 percent have changed their behavior, according to a 2023 sustainable report by Kanter, a London-based market research group. Copenhagen’s new initiative, CopenPay, aims to bridge the gap between the desire to act sustainably and actual behavior by making climate-friendly action a currency for cultural experiences.

For instance, those who arrive by bike or train at CopenHill, an artificial ski slope built on top of a new waste-management center, will be able to go down the rooftop hill for free. Other sites will allow visitors to volunteer in cleanup efforts. The National Gallery of Denmark will hold workshops to turn plastic waste into pieces of art, while the Copenhagen Surf School will offer a free lunch to surfers who take part in 30 minutes of beach cleaning after their surf course. More than 20 attractions will be participating in the pilot program over the summer.

“Our vision with CopenPay is to create a ripple effect,” Mr. Hansen said. “We hope that by showcasing the success of this and other initiatives, other cities around the globe will be inspired to find their way to incentivize more sustainable tourism behavior, ultimately leading to a more sustainable future for everyone.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ceylan Yeginsu is a travel reporter for The Times who frequently writes about the cruise industry and Europe, where she is based. More about Ceylan Yeğinsu

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Boston:  A destination steeped in history, as ever, has reinvented itself with outdoor spaces for drinking, dining and recreating, and more change in the air .

Spain:  By welcoming visitors with glorious scents and a natural beauty that rivals Provence in France, the annual lavender harvest has revitalized the medieval town of Brihuega .

Santa Fe:  Every spring, hundreds of bicyclists gather in the New Mexico city to ride through a high-desert landscape  rich in art, history and Indigenous culture.

Lausanne:  A new arts district, stylish restaurants and a museum that pays homage to the Olympics greet visitors to this Swiss city , home to the International Olympic Committee.

Orient Express:  The luxury version of this classic train journey costs $50,000. But for $1,000 or less, you can book the trip from Paris to Istanbul yourself .

• TripAdvisor

• Testimonials
• Travel Tips

3 | 12 | 24 | All --> Arts & Culture Tours

The State Tretyakov Gallery

The State Tretyakov Gallery (usually being called Tretyakovka) is an art gallery in Moscow, specialized in Russian visual arts and it’s one of the world’s biggest collections. The Gallery is named after Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov, Moscow merchant and patron of arts, and it’s been bearing his name with proud and gratitude for over a hundred years. In 1856 Tretyakov started his collection by acquiring two works by Russian artists, "Skirmish with Finnish Smugglers" by V.G. Khudyakov and "The Temptation" by N. G. Schilder.

Gallery of European and American Art of the 19th-20th Centuries

Moscow City Center - Tour Duration: 1 hour

The Art Gallery is a section of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. It's rooms  contain the artworks by masters  of the 19th and 20th centuries:  Art of Romanticism, Realism, Academic and Salon Art, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, Avant-garde and artistic trends of the 19th century as well as the paintings of Ingres, Delacroix, Corot, Daumier, Courbet, Millet, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall, Rodin, Maillol, Bourdelle and other masters of the 19th and 20th centuries.

About Me in Short

My name's Arthur Lookyanov, I'm a private tour guide, personal driver and photographer in Moscow, Russia. I work in my business and run my website Moscow-Driver.com from 2002. Read more about me and my services , check out testimonials of my former business and travel clients from all over the World, hit me up on Twitter or other social websites. I hope that you will like my photos as well.

See you in Moscow!

• Russian Visa Invitation Letter Support
• Moscow Airports: A Virtual Guide (Written by a Real-life Guide)
• Exploring Moscow for the First Time? A Personal Guide is What You Need!
• Don’t miss a great chance of seeing fairy-tale town of Suzdal

Recently Posted:

Innovation Center Skolkovo – Territory of the Future

Develompment of the Skolkovo Innovation Center, the modern scientific and technological innovative complex located in the Mozhaysky district of the Western Administrative District of Moscow of an area of approximately 400 hectares.

Featured Photo Albums

• Picture of a Day
• Moscow Must-See Sights & Attractions
• Tour Guide and Driver Portfolio
• Photographs of Dear Clients & Friends

Last Published Photo:

Lights of Nikolskaya Street in Winter Twilight

People walking up and down Nikolskaya street in winter twilight decorated with LED creating a festive atmosphere in any season. The picture is taken near GUM building (at the right) and Red Square.

Take One of Exciting Tours:

• Moscow Highlights
• Discovering the Golden Ring of Russia
• Arts & Culture Tours
• Night Tour of Moscow

Related Information:

• Terms and Conditions
• Recommended Tour Guides
• Useful Links