13 Best Jobs for People Who Love to Travel

One plus that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic was many companies moving toward hybrid schedules or even allowing their employees to work remotely full-time.

This has opened the door for many workers with wanderlust to pursue their traveling passions while still making a living. Some jobs also include travel without necessarily being remote.

If spending time in different parts of the world is important to you, consider these 13 careers that support a traveling lifestyle.

Travel nurses bounce around to different parts of the country based on needs. They perform the same duties as other registered nurses but are contracted to different healthcare facilities throughout the country instead of just working for one.

What’s more, these nurses tend to be offered higher wages due to the high demand for qualified nurses in certain parts of the country.

That means travel nurses can pick and choose which areas they’re interested in traveling to and accept and reject contracts based on their preferences.

A flight attendant is an obvious choice for travel lovers as part of the job is traveling to different places around the world.

There are certainly some cons to working for an airline. Most flight attendants don’t have large salaries, the hours can be very erratic, and all that time in the air can do a number on your health.

However, there are also many pros for travel lovers. Part of the job is traveling the world, most major airlines don’t require a specialized degree (just training), and flight attendants often get discounted flights for themselves and family members.

Recruiters work for recruiting companies or within human resources departments at other organizations to help find new talent and bring them on board. 

This is another gig that tends to be very flexible as much of the work — searching for potential candidates, researching their backgrounds, conducting interviews, and connecting hiring managers — can be done online and from just about anywhere.

Freelance writers may have an area of expertise or cover a variety of topics, and typically they’ll pick up jobs and be paid an hourly or daily rate, or per word or project.

Much (if not all) of this work will be done outside of typical offices since these writers tend to pick up work for a variety of different companies or publications.

Freelancers who have many connections can piece together full work schedules but carry out their duties pretty much anywhere as long as they have a laptop, an internet connection, and can meet deadlines.

Working for a cruise line is a great way to see different parts of the world — and the options for employment run the gamut.

Cruise lines need servers, customer service representatives, entertainers of various sorts, bartenders, cleaning staff, and even IT departments.

If living on board for long periods sounds appealing (cruises can range from two days to several months), looking into getting a job on a cruise could be a great option to satisfy your wanderlust.

If you’re fluent in English and another language and interested in traveling to or even living in a country where that second language is spoken, you may want to consider translation work.

Translators work in a variety of different environments like schools, hospitals, courtrooms, and conference centers, and may be able to find regular work in a remote setting as well.

Teaching English abroad is a great way to immerse yourself in another culture while doing rewarding work.

There are many programs in the U.S. that hook people interested in teaching in other countries up with schools overseas — and the requirements to teach vary.

In general, teachers typically need to have at least a bachelor’s degree and a special certification to teach English as a foreign language.

If you enjoy working with children and know a second language, you may be able to find work as an au pair.

Au pairs travel to another country to live with a host family and are given room and board in exchange for childcare. They are also often provided a small salary.

Working as an au pair gives those with wanderlust a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a new country. If you have a good relationship with your host family, you may even be able to continue work long-term.

With so many tech-focused industries moving toward remote (or at least hybrid) work, those with engineering or computer science degrees should have lots of options for jobs that can be done from home or on the go.

With a remote or hybrid schedule, traveling becomes much easier. Employees can even try living in a few different areas for extended stays.

Local event planners may be involved in coordinating large parties and weddings, but those with great organizational skills can also find work coordinating large-scale events like trade shows and festivals.

This is another gig that can largely be done remotely. Planners may also have to travel to different festival grounds and meet with vendors, making it a great option for those who love visiting and getting to know new areas.

Those with a passion for photography may be able to make lives for themselves on the road as well.

While news organizations often have staff photographers — including some who may be sent out to jobs in different areas — photographers can also make a living freelancing.

If you have an incredible portfolio, you may be able to get freelance work for high-end resorts, major tourist attractions, local events, and so much more.

The challenge of getting into this business would be building up a reputation that gets you regular gigs.

If touring sounds like the good life to you but you’re not much of an entertainer, getting a job as a stagehand or roadie may be a perfect way to see the world.

Theater groups and musicians regularly go on tour, and many take groups of roadies and stagehands with them to set up and break down at every stop.

The accommodations may not always be glamorous (depending on exactly who you're touring with), but it's certainly an interesting way to see the world.

You may assume travel agents aren’t used much in the age of the internet, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects 20% job growth for travel agents between 2021 and 2031, significantly higher than the average across all other occupations.

Travel agents can make planning trips — both for business and for pleasure — so much easier. Reducing headaches when it comes to booking flights may be worth an agent’s cut on its own.

Agents also often visit popular destinations so they can offer candid advice to clients.

Whether you’re looking for a job where travel is part of the description or trying to land a remote gig that can be done from anywhere in the world, there are many jobs perfect for travelers.

If you’re truly committed to seeing the world, it’s also possible to turn that passion into a paycheck, or at least a great way to boost your bank account.