Reddit can be a notorious time waster, but that’s not a bad thing if you’re wasting time in the right places. The site has a number of communities dedicated to just about all aspects of travel and they can be useful no matter what your plans are.
Are you thinking of making a big trip by yourself? Or are you considering a semi-permanent move abroad? Perhaps you’re just looking for some budgeting advice. Whatever you need, these subreddits have you covered.
Image: Stefan Kunz – Mallorca, Llubí, Spain
This is by far the most popular of the travel-related subreddits. Partly due to its size of more than 222 thousand subscribers, it’s also the broadest. Here you’ll find everything from photos, calls for advice and travel-related news. This is the first place to go if you’re looking for the latest information about traveling.
The subreddit is a little scattered due to its large scope, but there’s a feature to filter images, videos, questions and news articles so that you’ll only see what you want.
This is a great subreddit to follow no matter where you’re going. Whether you want advice for a Southeast Asian getaway or a map of U.S. road trip destinations, the active community of r/SoloTravel has probably already discussed it or linked to it. Because the focus is on solo traveling, there are lots of questions with useful answers. Everything from itinerary advice to the pros of traveling alone is discussed in detail.
The community of nearly 40 thousand people is also one of the friendlier places on Reddit. An added bonus: Self-promotional posts like blogs are strictly removed, so there’s more quality content in here than in some other subreddits.
Image: Nick Scheerbart
If you’re keen to travel on a budget (and honestly, who isn’t worried about the cost of a trip?), then r/Shoestring is for you. Here you’ll largely find first-hand accounts of what certain trips cost, in addition to advice and strategies on how to save money while still enjoying the trip of a lifetime. Do a search for a possible destination and chances are strong you’ll find out how much you’ll be spending.
The first-hand accounts are incredibly useful and provide timelier budget information than you’ll find in a guidebook. In addition to budget information, travelers share alternatives to pricey destinations and special deals. Want to know how much a trip might cost? Simply ask.
This can be a great start for planning a trip to anywhere since you’ll know exactly how much you will end up spending.
If you’re thinking of leaving home to settle in a foreign country for an extended amount of time, then this subreddit is worth checking out. It consists of posts seeking advice on where to go, how the job market is in a certain country, visa information and similar practicalities. The situations asked about are varied — Europeans looking to move to the U.S., Americans looking to move to Australia and about any other possible combination you can think of.
This isn’t the place to find information for a short trip, but it’s a great place to find potentially life-changing advice if you’re planning something bigger.
Image: Joshua Earle – Matterhorn, Zermatt, Switzerland
r/DigitalNomad
This is the home of 15 thousand people who are earning online while traveling around the world, hanging out in coffee shops, or planning to do something along those lines in the future. There’s a lot of practical advice on places to go and things to pack while working abroad. There are also some frank discussions about the pros and cons of living the lifestyle of constantly being on the move. Whether you find this subreddit useful or not, the sidebar has a number of essential links to check out whether you’re planning to be a tourist or to become a full-fledged digital nomad.
Do you have any other favorite travel subreddits that you use? Please share them.