Looking for a career that involves traveling? Great news! There are plenty of travel jobs out there in a variety of fields and industries, so there’s likely one that matches your skills and interests. Check out these 16 job ideas for making a living while also seeing more of the country!
Travel Nurse
Photo via @trustedhealth
If you’re searching for a way to make a difference without being tied to one location, travel nursing might be a career idea to consider! When medical facilities face nursing shortages, they hire travel nurses for brief periods of time, usually between 8 and 26 weeks. Travel nurses are in demand, so you’ll have consistent work and different locations to choose from. Keep in mind that this is a travel career that requires education—you’ll need at least an associate’s degree in nursing. Get your name and resume on job boards with travel nurse recruiting companies like Triage Staffing and Trusted Health so health care providers can find you.
Professional Consultant
Photo via @intellezy
Do you have expertise in a certain industry or skill? Companies all over the country hire specialists to provide professional advice, solve problems, and incorporate more efficient practices. Business travel is an essential part of being a consultant, as you’ll need to build strong relationships with clients to maintain an effective partnership. You must also be flexible, as the amount of time you stay in one location can vary from just a few days to several months. If you’re a social person who knows how to communicate your ideas, being a consultant is one of the best traveling careers!
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Photo via @tfsullivan1
If you have sales experience or excel at making connections, a career as a pharmaceutical sales representative might be right for you! Sales reps visit hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes to educate health care providers about new products and treatments, which means reps travel frequently to meet in-person with caregivers. Pharmaceutical sales representatives must have an excellent understanding of medications and their effects on the body, so this position requires sales skills and a good deal of training, but it can be a great job if you’ve always wanted to travel for work!
Flight Attendant
Photo via @alaskaair
Working for an airline means tons of travel, which makes being a flight attendant a perfect career opportunity for anyone who wants to experience more of America! Flight attendants are always on the move, rarely staying in the same place for more than a day or two. While flight attendants have to spend lots of time on their feet, occasionally deal with unhappy passengers, and work unique hours, they can also earn free or discounted flights and get the chance to go all over the country at no expense! Check out sites like AirlineCareer and Flight Attendant Career to browse available roles!
Travel Agent
Photo via @laquintaresort
If you’ve built up a wealth of knowledge from years of traveling experience, why not get paid for it? Travel agent jobs are some of the most sought-after positions on the market because they involve studying destinations, helping people plan trips, and exploring new locales. To be successful as a travel agent, you need extensive traveling experience, as well as strong attention to detail when listening to customer desires and booking flights and hotels. If you have good people skills and know how to sell an experience, there are few better travel industry jobs out there. Hot Travel Jobs and the Oasis Travel Network are good places to get started.
Website Designer
Photo via @shauny2270
This doesn’t necessarily have to be a traveling career, but you can make it one! Freelance web designers aren’t chained to a cubicle and can work from wherever they please—and contracted designers often travel around the country to meet with clients in person. It requires a lot of effort and patience to learn the ins and outs of web design, but you can take classes or even teach yourself. If you’re willing to put in the work, you can start a career from your couch or around the country. Bark and 99Designs are helpful sites that connect freelance designers and employers.
Cruise Ship Crew Member
Photo via @carnival
Cruise ship careers have a reputation for being some of the best jobs for travel! Crew members get paid to travel, receive free room and board, and frequently interact with people from all different backgrounds. Of course, it’s not all fun and games. Cruise ship workers have long hours and are often gone for months at a time. But if you’re passionate about travel and have a particular skill set—such as bartending, entertaining, cooking, or hosting—there are few better jobs that involve travel. Sift through job boards like All Cruise Jobs to find the right role for you.
Travel Writer
Photo via @kjenisonwrites
Looking for a career that combines your passions to write and travel? Becoming a travel writer just might be your dream job! Because it’s such an attractive traveling career, travel writing is a competitive field that’s difficult to break into, even for seasoned writers. But those who do tend to find it highly rewarding, and you can experience things not found in any other profession. Travel writers visit vacation destinations, then use their experience and knowledge to create travel guides, articles, and documentaries. Check out ROVA and National Geographic Traveler to find opportunities where you get paid to write and travel.
Travel Blogger
Photo via @ohjustcarrie
If you’d rather break off on your own than write for a publication, consider becoming a travel blogger! It takes time and a lot of hard work to build enough of an audience to turn blogging into a traveling job, and you’ll need to develop several skills—such as photography, proofreading, marketing, and SEO—beyond writing. However, if you put in the effort, you can grow your brand and open opportunities to freelance, utilize affiliate marketing, monetize videos, sell ad space, and more! Consider these ideas for making money off a travel blog.
Tour Guide
Photo via @hhistayandplay
Whether you work for a company or conduct your own excursions, being a tour guide is a great career idea for those who love seeing different parts of the country. Many of these jobs are seasonal, so you typically stay in one spot for a few weeks or months before moving on to the next. It requires a lot of work to become a true expert about a place, so you must be well-organized and prepared to deal with any question a tourist may have. But being a tour guide is a fun way to not only visit new locations, but immerse yourself in them as well. Learn more about how to get freelance tour guide jobs here!
Freelance Photographer
Photo via @kitcarperphotography
Websites, magazines, and travel guides all need beautiful photos to go with their content. Rather than hire a full-time photographer, they often contract a freelancer or purchase stock images off a photographer’s website. Freelance photographers are consistently traveling for work and updating their portfolios with new destinations. If you have experience behind a camera, there’s an opportunity to turn your passion into a traveling career! Check out websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Toptal to get in touch with employers and get your freelancing career started!
Architect
Photo via @dudapaine
Though most architecture firms have a home base where day-to-day work is conducted, architects travel frequently to meet with clients and see the space they’re working on in person. Becoming an architect typically takes a minimum of five years of schooling, and the hours can be long. But if you want to travel for work and contribute beautiful buildings to the areas you visit, becoming an architect can be worth the effort!
Construction Manager
Photo via @osuit
If you’re a leader who wants to get out and see the country, a career in construction management could be a great fit. You must be well-organized, as construction managers balance budgets, costs, and timetables, then continuously report progress to clients. They typically oversee builds on-site, which can mean weeks or months at a time on the road. Construction managers working on multiple jobs may even travel between sites.
Event Planner
Photo via @alexwphotography
Whether it’s for a meeting, convention, or wedding, event planners often travel to sites before booking a venue to make sure it fits client needs and to make sure everything is set up correctly. Event planners need to be organized, willing to work on tight deadlines, and able to pivot if last-minute adjustments need to be made. If you’re up for that, you’ll get to travel frequently—sometimes even to luxurious vacation destinations!
Athletic Scout
Photo via @bigplay_va
Are you a sports nut who has an eye for talent? You might have what it takes to be an athletic scout! Scouts travel across the country to identify gifted athletes for pro and college teams. They attend games, tournaments, showcases, combines, and other events to watch, evaluate, and meet with players, then deliver detailed reports to the coaching staff. The travel schedule can be rigorous, but it’s worth it if you want get into traveling for work!
Truck Driver
Photo via @one_werner
Love being on the road? Truck driving provides endless travel possibilities! This travel job takes you all over America and allows you some time to explore different destinations. Of course, this job requires you to structure your life around work. Drivers are typically on the road for weeks at a time (with a few days off in between), and they spend several hours each day driving in isolation. You also must have a CDL (commercial driver’s license) to operate the truck. But if you’re willing to put in the work, this can be a great career that allows you to see the country!
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