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Different Types of Travel Columns
by Mary Emma Allen

As my "Vagabond Traveler" column appeared at www.americanroads.net, I realized one of my dreams of expanding upon my travel writing and column writing ventures. I combined them into a column that related some of my husband's and my travel adventures.

Travel columns can take many forms and may be an extension of the travel writing you're already doing or can be your first venture into this field. Publication on the Internet has expanded opportunities for the travel writer.

You'll find a variety of types of columns you can write that revolve around travel. Check out newspapers, magazines, and online publications to get ideas of the variety written. Then adapt to your qualifications. (For instance, don't write about traveling with children if you've never done this or don't have someone with experience to check over your columns.)

Types of Columns

Your travels and experiences - "Vagabond Traveler" revolves around my husband's and my travels. Generally it's written in the first person.

Budget travel - This usually would include hints about various ways you can save money in your travels It can focus on a variety of topics such as lodging, restaurants, transportation, attractions. Or you could specialize on one item within those topics, as long as you have enough information to keep a column going.

Traveling with children - You'll find many items to cover under this topic which will depend on the age of the child, whether you're traveling with one or more children, whether a child has special needs.

Traveling with seniors - After traveling with my parents and my husband's parents, both by auto and by plane, I came up with some ideas for articles on this topic several years ago.

Senior travels - Now Jim and I are in the "senior" category, qualifying for discounts, etc. So I can write on this topic from a different slant.

Focus on a specific area of the country - You might want to write about the region where you live. So many people forget about that and think they need to write about travels to distant places.

Travel quizzes and games - These can be of a variety of types, for children and/or adults. You would include travel related material in them. They might include crossword, multiple choice, rebus, mix and match, connect the dots.

History column - Stories and recaps of the history around your area fascinate many readers. I've written history columns for our local newspaper and for regional travel publications for a number of years as "New Hampshire of Yesteryear."

Traveling for the handicapped - If you have special needs when traveling or travel with someone who does, you're in an ideal situation to write about this for a publication.

Overseas travel - This type of column can be a destination one or a "how to" on making one's traveling to other countries easier and more pleasant.

Camping - This topic, too, encompasses a great deal of material whether it's camping in remote areas, at camp grounds, with or without children. If you camp when traveling abroad, this would furnish you with additional material to write about.

RV Travel - Traveling in a motor home, fifth wheel, coach, or travel trailer has become more and more popular. If you have experience with this type of travel or are familiar with destinations RVers seek, you'd have information for columns.

Column for a travel agency - Sometimes travel agencies supply columns to accompany ads in newspapers and magazines. If someone in the agency doesn't have time or the experience to write these, they may be looking for a freelance writer.

As you read through these suggestions for columns on travel related topics, you may find yourself coming up with ideas with which you can approach a print or online publication. You also may want to place some travel articles on your web site so you can refer editors to these if they express interest and want to see samples of your work.

Copyright © 2002-2003 Mary Emma Allen

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