I am an award-winning travel writer and photographer. When traveling, I use my skills as a journalist and photographer to create unique, immersive stories that reveal the soul of a destination. Partnered with my wife, Therese Iknoian, I publish my stories and photos on our award-winning blog, HITravelTales.com. I regularly hear from destinations that our stories and photographs are some of the best they’ve seen. Read a few of our glowing testimonials here.

My specialty areas and primary interests include local culture and history, street art, farm to fork and local breweries / distilleries, adventure, natural wonders and wildlife. Set me loose in a destination and my stories and photography will connect readers to a place in such a way they will want to embark on their own journeys of discovery.

I am a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA), TravMedia, the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA), the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA), and the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).

Prior to focusing entirely on travel writing, I was a highly acclaimed outdoor writer and my stories and columns appeared in Outside, Backpacker, Men’s Journal, Men’s Health, Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, The Christian Science Monitor, San Jose Mercury News, Portland Oregonian, Salt Lake Tribune, Adventure West Magazine, and others. My published books (some of which are actually still in print) include No Shit There I Was, Compass & Map Navigator, Facing The Extreme, and Camping For Dummies.

My professional media portfolio can be viewed on Muck Rack here – https://muckrack.com/michael-hodgson-travel