Newspaper circulation and advertising revenue has taken a major hit over the past few years. That drop has been partly connected to the rise of Internet media. Despite this, a number of newspapers maintain excellent travel sections that are worth reading on a daily basis. These papers have also made a strong transition into the Internet Age with comprehensive websites. Enduring Wanderlust travel blog has compiled a list of the best travel sections for English-language newspapers:
United States
The New York Times
The New York Times has the third highest daily circulation of the U.S. newspapers. It is considered the most respected newspaper in the country. The NY Times travel section is comprehensive with in-depth feature stories, tips for the selecting local eateries, and reporting on consumer issues. Its website also manages to organize their content into multimedia presentations and featured destination guides for readers who want to follow years of coverage. For wanderers on a budget, try The Gray Lady’s Frugal Traveler blog.
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal has the second highest daily circulation of the U.S. newspapers. Its coverage is focused primarily on U.S. and international business and financial news. Hence their heavy bent in favor of corporate and business interests. The WSJ also provides a wealth of information for travel-industry professionals, business travelers and consumers. The Wall Street Journal’s reporting on the airline industry is particularly comprehensive. Give The Middle Seat Terminal blog a trial run.
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times has the fourth highest daily circulation of the U.S. newspapers. Its travel section has excellent coverage of California, Hawaii, Las Vegas, and Mexico. Online readers also have access to the LA Times message boards and nearby destination guides. The former gets few responses, but the latter is perfect for locals looking for weekend trip ideas. The LA Times has recently been featuring top travel photography, which has been successful in capturing a lot of attention from social networking circles. As with the other papers, they have a blog that’s worth a trial run: Daily Travel & Deal Blog.
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune has the eighth highest daily circulation of the U.S. newspapers. It has wide-ranging coverage of international and local travel. Online readers have access to the Tribune’s well-organized Midwest destination guides. Each destination has a section covering top attractions to go along with a list of the Chicago Tribune’s feature stories for that location. The paper has also developed a Chicago tour connected to President Barack Obama’s life in the Windy City.
United Kingdom
The Guardian
The Guardian has the ninth highest daily circulation of the United Kingdom newspapers. Its travel section has outstanding coverage of international and UK travel. In addition, The Guardian website has been effective with its integration of journalistic reporting and blogs that focus on the current “hot” trends in travel such as Twitter. They also have a section dedicated to readers’ tips in their coverage.
Canada
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail has the second highest daily circulation of Canadian papers. The Globe’s travel section has a mix of coverage including destinations, ‘tripping’ narratives, and consumer news. Their reporting has a personal feel to it since articles often focus on an individual’s experience with a place or activity. The Globe’s website is comprehensive, but their multimedia presentations are limited in comparison to the other papers on the list.
Which are your favorite newspaper travel sections? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________________
Gennaro Salamone is the founder and editor of Enduring Wanderlust. Feel free to contact him with questions, comments, or inquiries with reference to contributing a travel article or photograph for publication.
Receive our free content by e-mail directly to your inbox or through an RSS reader.
Lisa
I read the NY Times and Wall Street Journal almost everyday. Travel and other sections. They have flaws, but are the best papers in my view. Smart that many have started blogging as blog are doing well and have good coverage too.
Tim
I don’t read papers as much as I use to, but a lot fo great journalism there. Times is the best overall. Like the LA Times too. The one that’s not on the list that I read online is the Houston Chronicle. Good website.
Gennaro
@Lisa
There are a lot of really good travel blogs so newspapers would be smart to invest there. They need to find balance from there typical long features and shorter blog entries to keep reader returning.
@Tim
A lot of people are shifting to Internet reading for newspapers. I use iPhone apps for the NY Times and to get other coverage in addition to reading blogs. I like the format of the Houston Chron quite a bit. Right up there with their travel section too.
Ashley
I read the Tribune and Sun-Times. Both pretty good with travel. I’d agree that the latter is slightly better, but not by much. Read the New York Times too. Good stuff.
John H
Read a few of those and I also like the Miami Herald travel section. Good coverage of the area and Latin America.
Josh
how is it the LA and Chicago papers are both the 4th highest daily circulation?
Gennaro
@Ashley
They are close, but the Tribune brings me back almost everyday. Sun-Times a couple of times a week based on their articles.
@John H
The Herald is usually ranked highly, but there seems to be less coverage of late.
Authentic Seacoast Resorts
Thanks for putting this list together. It’s interesting that we follow most of these travel sections but in different ways.
Glad to see you included a Canadian paper in your selection of the best newspaper travel sections. The Globe & Mail has always done a good job of sharing wonderful travel writing and we read always read the print edition.
We get the New York Times weekend Travel Dispatch by email. This is a great way to keep up with this great travel section even if you can’t find a copy of the Times at your local news stand.
We’re following the Guardian and Los Angeles Times travel sections on Twitter.
Four newspapers, three sources for content! We’ll have to look at adding the Tribune and Journal to our travel reading list.
@AuthenticCoast
Gennaro
@Josh
The Tribune is the eighth highest. Typo.
@Authentic Seacoast
Good point about e-mail and Twitter. A lot of the major papers send their travel stories that way. I read articles for the Globe and Mail regularly (online). Lots of interesting articles.
Arn
I still read the actual paper everyday. The Boston Globe is my local paper and they do a nice job with travel.
Sire
Tell you the truth Gennaro I much prefer the print media when it comes to newspapers, but I reckon when referring to the travel section the Internet may have a trump card up their sleeve as they can use color photos and even video to promote certain areas.
Julie
I’ve got to disagree with the NY Times. Compared to what it once was, the travel section has gone downhill. A half page is wasted on the back with a photo (often not particularly well-shot) of someone traveling. The destinations are repeated frequently, and the quality of the writing has really declined.
jen laceda
I agree with Sire above. Also, with the internet / blogosphere, you’re an actively engaged reader vs. passive reader with the print media. You can comment, ask questions, reply to other people’s queries, or get answers in an INSTANT! As well, you build a community of follwers / readers / friends. It gives the PR phrase “word of mouth” a whole new meaning! One example of a successful blog is the BILL SIMMONS / ESPN partnership!
Gennaro
@Arn
I read the Globe for New England news or travel tidbits. Solid.
@Sire
I went with the print editions until the a couple of years ago. I think your point is part of the reason: photos and video. Plus it’s easier to get multiple papers with iPhone or similar, but part of me misses the actual paper.
Gennaro
@Julie
The NY Times has been taking a lot of hits lately in all areas. The one thing I like is that they still update the travel sections daily. Most papers have cut back. When it comes to travel, papers are having a lot of trouble competing with blog which pump out a lot of interest content in a quick manner. Which papers do you prefer, if any?
@jen laceda
That’s an interesting addition in terms of the ability to comment online and become part of a community. ESPN definitely benefitted from having Simmons aboard. It might make sense for them to hire a few experienced travel bloggers for their sites.
Sheena
The San Fran Chronicles’ coverage is good. I check out the LA Times to for local spots to visit. The California papers have a lot of good stories for Asia too.
Alik Levin | PracticeThis.com
Very resourceful!
I do not read newspapers – there is always a chance to start reading about politics and scandals – what a drainer…..
I choose a better way to catch up on traveling – my best resource so far for distant traveling is Enduring Wanderlust 😉
Gennaro
@Sheena
True. Lots of Asia coverage on the left coast.
@Alik Levin
News does thrive on the negative, for sure. Glad we’re keeping you interested.
Heather Dugan
Good list. I follow most that you’ve listed but will have to check out “The Guardian” as it’s included with some of my daily reads.
Gennaro
@Heather Dugan
I think you’ll enjoy it.
Sire
@Gennaro – ‘Part of me missed the actual paper’, at the risk of being crude, is that the part of you that the paper gets used on when you run out of toilet paper? 😉
Gennaro
@Sire
Nostalgia mostly. Been reading the paper for years and years. It’s especially weird to get on the subway which was filled with people reading the newspapers. There are still some, but lots more using iPhone or Kindle.
Giovanna
Very insightful, I enjoyed reading.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Gennaro
@Giovanna
Thanks. Lots of great papers out there. Though most will slowly go digital.
lara dunston
Coming to this late – been on the road and so just catching up on you now – great piece. I’m a fan of the old-fashioned newspaper – nostalgia mainly – lots of memories from when I was younger, when (during less hectic times) we’d take the weekend newspapers to the park and spend hours with them over pastries and coffee. These days I mostly read online – and I subscribe to most of the travel sections above. I’ve definitely noticed a drop in quality in all of them sadly – mainly due to cuts to freelance budgets and more writers working from desks I expect. I’d love to see standards rise again, and I’d be happy to pay for subscriptions if that’s what it took to restore budgets and quality of journalism. It will be interesting to see what happens in years to come…
Richard
NYT’s Frugal Traveler blog is a great resource, but I have to admit that my former Sunday morning habit of perusing the travel section over coffee is a thing of the past! These days I tend to get most of my travel info from blogs and googling!
Travel Package Deals
I used to read the LA Times travel section (when I had a subscription). I recently looked at the section and they’ve changed their format and it seems much smaller. I think newspapers will soon fade out to be completely online… especially with the iPad and Kindle out.
Gennaro
@Richard – Think that’s true for most.
@Travel – The trasformation is happening.