One thing I’m learning by doing these annual reviews: my readers are consistent.
In 2021, our biggest pieces focused on unique destinations and road trips.
In 2022, the most popular articles centered on road trips and getaways.
In 2023? The same.
It makes sense, considering those are my primary topics. National Parks didn’t make the top 10, even though I write about them a lot, but there’s a ton of competition for those.
I didn’t publish a lot of new articles in 2023. Instead, I focused on writing and publishing books, releasing six, including two novels in my Alex Paige mysteries.
I also turned my attention to my existing content, making sure it was current, and I SEO-ed the heck out of them.
(SEO is Search Engine Optimization. Doing it properly means Google finds my stuff, so you can, too.)
Many of those articles hadn’t been updated since pre-pandemic. I wanted to make sure restaurants I suggested were still around and that attractions had survived.
I also wanted to make them more useful. My love is writing travel essays, but if you’re planning to visit, you want the nitty gritty, too.
That focus worked. My traffic skyrocketed, and much of it was due to not only telling great stories, but also providing useful info.
This year I plan to write a lot more articles, so I have a feeling 2024’s round-up is going to look very different.
Until then, here are the 10 most popular articles on The Local Tourist in 2023.
10. Road Trip Food: What to Eat, What to Pack, and How to Save Money
This excerpt from my book, Planning Your Perfect Road Trip, is a smorgasbord of info on eating while you’re on the road.
There are tips on saving money, plus suggestions for eating out as well as road trip snacks, easy meal ideas, and food items to pack.
You won’t go hungry with this article!
9. Delightful Things to do in Brown County, Indiana
My destination guide to Brown County has been out for a few years now, as I first visited in March of 2019. I returned last September to confirm my info was still correct and to get some better photos.
Google is great, but it’s often better to see for yourself, especially if you want to provide a resource for others.
Known for its fall colors, the leaves had yet to turn, but Brown County State Park and the town of Nashville, Indiana, were still gorgeous.
8. Best Road Trip Planning Tools
Today’s road tripper has more and more options to help them plan their next adventure. I’ve got my personal favorites, and I break down the tools and apps in this 8th most popular piece.
Some of these favorites include AllTrails for hiking, Roadtrippers for route planning, and America’s Byways for finding scenic drives.
7. Places to Stay in Door County
Door County is a beautiful Midwestern getaway. I was so struck by the Wisconsin destination, I set Peril on the Peninsula, my first novel in the area. (It’s free to download, if you want a fun escape!)
With 300 miles of shoreline, it’s no wonder this strip of land surrounded by Lake Michigan and Green Bay is popular.
One of its unique characteristics is that there are no chain hotels once you get past Sturgeon Bay. It makes sense people would be searching for places to stay in Door County.
6. Fun Things to do in Yuma, Arizona
For a completely different destination, head to Yuma. A favorite for snowbirds, it’s located on the Mexican border.
This warm weather destination is the Guinness World Records holder for the sunniest city in the world, meaning there are tons of outdoor activities.
It’s also brimming with history, including a museum inside a once-notorious prison and an old ghost town.
5. Amazing Navy Pier Chicago Attractions
Navy Pier is one of Chicago’s most popular attractions, and my round-up of things to do on the People’s Pier is one of the most popular articles on The Local Tourist.
This landmark, built in 1916 as part of Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago, has evolved multiple times over the last century.
Today, it features local dining, access to several Chicago boat tours, the amazing Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and the Centennial Wheel.
Whether you’re a Local or a Tourist, you’ll want to see everything this historic venue offers.
4. Driving the Depression-Era Daring of Beartooth Highway
This piece about “the most beautiful drive in America” is a perennial favorite. The short drive is only open a few months out of the year, and it’s worth the trip.
One look, and you can see why.
The road is the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Because it’s open seasonally, my article about this gorgeous route only gets traffic from around April to October, but that’s enough to keep it in the top ten every year.
(And yes, I do check to make sure it’s accurate each season!)
3. The Captivating Allure of Scottsdale, Arizona
Another Arizona hot spot makes the top ten most popular articles from 2023. There are tons of things to do in Scottsdale, AZ, including visiting Taliesin West and Cosanti, homes and studios of two architects with completely different styles.
It’s a captivation destination, filled with arts, history, and stunning outdoor activities.
Scottsdale is also pretty ritzy, but if you can handle the heat and visit during the summer, like I did, it’s a lot more affordable.
If you’re planning a vacation in Scottsdale, be sure to check out my recommendations.
2. Delightful Road Trips from Chicago
Chicago’s great, but sometimes you want to get out of the city. And by you, I mean several thousands of you, as this article is the penultimate in our little popularity contest.
I gathered several of my favorite road trips from Chicago, highlighting destinations like the fresh water surfing capital of the world, the home of Purdue, and Indiana Amish Country (where you can feed bison!).
If you’re in the Windy City and want a break, or are simply looking for some great Midwestern destinations, this piece is for you.
And the most popular article on The Local Tourist in 2023 was…
1. Winter in Chicago
Wait… what? Winter in Chicago?
Ask someone who hasn’t been to Chicago in the winter and they’ll mention the freezing cold and bitter winds. (Actually, if you ask someone who has been to Chicago in the winter, they’ll tell you the same thing.)
But locals know there are TONS of things to do in the Windy City when it’s cold outside.
Yes, Chicago in Spring is delightful, but there’s something magical about the city when the days get shorter and the streets are lit up.
Don’t believe me? Check out all these things to do in winter in Chicago and you might be a believer, too.
This is only the third year I’ve rounded up the most popular articles, and it’s interesting to see the similarities and differences. As I mentioned in the beginning, I have a feeling next year’s list will look a lot different.
There will still be a focus on road trips and unique destinations, because that’s what I love (and apparently, so do you!), but I’m hoping to add a lot of new places for you to discover.
I’m looking forward to providing lots of travel inspiration and tips in 2024!