Arial Evans is a Los Angeles-based content creator and the founder of America From The Road, a travel website dedicated to exploring the U.S. through the lens of outdoor adventure and road trips. Her award-winning travel website publishes informative, experience-based content designed to help readers plan their own adventures. With a focus on off-the-beaten-path destinations, scenic drives, national parks, and hiking trails, America From The Road aims to inspire travel within the United States through practical guides and captivating photography.
1. What got you into travel writing?
I’ve always loved exploring new places and sharing those experiences with others, so getting into travel journalism just felt like a natural fit. I’m especially drawn to discovering beautiful locations and interesting places across the U.S. that are often overlooked by mainstream travel media— I want to help bring attention to places that don’t typically get the spotlight, and help others find them too.
When I first started travel blogging back in 2015, blogging was still fairly new, and most articles were more about personal stories than offering helpful information—especially in the road trip and van life space. I got the idea to create a site that answered practical questions—like where you can park overnight on a road trip—purely to help others. That’s really what got the ball rolling.
2. What’s the most challenging part of being a travel journalist for you?
One of the most challenging parts of being a travel journalist—especially in the content creator, travel blogger, digital publishing world—is how time-consuming it is to juggle everything behind the scenes. It’s not just about going on trips and writing. There’s photography, editing, website maintenance, social media, and admin work. On top of that, there’s the constant pressure to stay up to date with ever-changing trends across all the different social media platforms, and also with search engine algorithms. It can definitely get overwhelming at times.
3. What is the most rewarding aspect of travel journalism?
I think it goes without saying—being able to make a living doing something you love is pretty amazing. One of the most rewarding parts of travel journalism is knowing that my stories or photos might inspire someone to visit a place they’d never considered before. Helping others discover new destinations or see familiar ones in a different light is such a good feeling. And on a personal level, travel journalism keeps me curious—it pushes me to keep exploring, learning, and experiencing new places.
4. What is something you wish people knew about travel journalism?
Something I wish more people knew about travel journalism is that it’s so much more than just going on fun trips and taking pretty pictures. There’s a lot of hard work that goes into every article or blog post you see—planning, researching, writing, editing, marketing… the list goes on. It’s a creative job, but it’s also a grind. It’s rewarding, absolutely—but it’s definitely not just like you’re always on vacation like some people think.
The other thing is, when you work as an independent publisher, it’s really hard to switch off your “working brain” even on personal trips. Whether you’re on vacation or just visiting somewhere new for fun, part of you is always thinking, “Should I be getting content right now?” It’s hard to fully relax, because you’re constantly debating whether you should be taking photos, filming something, or checking out a spot—any new place starts to feel like an opportunity, or even an obligation, to create more content.
5. What have you enjoyed most about being a NATJA member?
What I’ve enjoyed most about being a NATJA member is the incredible support they offer to their community, especially for those of us in the digital publishing world—whether it’s sharing our work on social media and in the member newsletter, creating opportunities to network with fellow travel journalists and DMOs, or hosting the annual awards. I especially love the photography awards, as they give me a sense of purpose throughout the year to always be on the lookout for capturing the perfect travel shot!
6. How have cross-cultural experiences shaped your point of view of the world?
My cross-cultural experiences have helped me see the beauty in different ways of life. I’ve learned that it’s totally okay for people to have different customs, viewpoints, and perspectives—there’s something valuable in all of it. Even though our traditions might look different, at the core, we’re all human and that’s what connects us. Living in Indonesia for a bit, spending a year in Mexico, and now being an immigrant in the U.S., I’ve had the chance to experience life from a lot of angles. I’ve also been lucky to live in different parts of the U.S. (urban, rural, coastal) and all of it has really shaped how I see the world—it’s made me more empathetic, open-minded, and genuinely appreciative of different lifestyles and backgrounds. It’s also helped me understand how deeply our backgrounds and environments shape our views, and how important it is to approach others with curiosity rather than judgment.
