Below are the tips and experiences that have informed our recommended locations for U.S. digital nomads.
“You’re going where? Why?”
This is the question we get asked the most when we tell people where we plan to be digital nomads next. We suppose it is natural since a lot of the places we have chosen to visit are not the most obvious (shout out to Mackay, Idaho!).
The easy answer to this question: “Why not?”
We believe that there are unique and wonderful adventures just about everywhere. You may have to do a little digging to find them, but they are waiting to be discovered and explored.
Below is our list of recommended locations for U.S. digital nomads. If you have got your own recommendations, we would love to hear them!
Work and travel recommendations in the USA
The U.S. is a big country with a lot to see and explore. When it comes to working and traveling as a digital nomad in America, we have barely scratched the service. But we are happy to share whatever information we can about the places we have lived, laughed, and loved.
- Arizona: Mesa
- Arizona: Tucson
- Arkansas: Little Rock
- Idaho: Mackay
- Louisiana: New Orleans
- Mississippi: Pass Christian
- Mississippi River
- Nebraska: Omaha
- New Mexico: Albuquerque
- New Mexico: Santa Fe
- Oregon: Bend
- Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
- South Carolina: Myrtle Beach
- Tennessee: Nashville
- Texas: San Antonio
- Utah: Logan
- Washington: Port Angeles
- Wyoming: Casper
Housing will probably dictate where you go as a digital nomad in the U.S.
The not-so-easy answer to the question above is: “It is really hard to find accommodations when you are a digital nomad. If the budget is okay, the location is not. If the location is okay, the amenities are not. So we chose X location because it fit our search criteria.”
Your own requirements may dictate where you decide to work and travel. Will you have a car? If not, you will need to find a place that is walkable or has good public transportation. Do you have a budget? Most of us do and that can really determine what type of accommodations is available to you. How far in advance are you planning? The further out you plan, the more options will be available to you. How long are you planning on staying? It is easier to find accommodations for one week than it is to find accommodations for three months.
You may have to think outside the box to find a place that meets your criteria. (Unless you have an unlimited budget. Then you can ignore this section and go wherever you want. #blessed) We often pick random places to be a digital nomad. This may sound like we are settling. But this approach has led us to some unique locations full of unexpected and delightful adventures.
Below are some thoughts to keep in mind when deciding where to work and travel in the U.S.
We recommend locations that follow the good weather
For our very first long-term digital nomad stint, we did not follow this advice. We are not sure why we decided to head to the Washington coast in January, but we did. The drive from Boise, Idaho, to Port Angeles, Washington, was awful. Absolutely awful. But our time in PA was pleasant. We actually lucked out with the weather because it was one of the driest Januarys on record and we had sunshine almost every weekend. However, we learned an important lesson about being a little more choosy with where we go, when.
If is is summer in the U.S., be a digital nomad somewhere cool(er)
In the middle of the summer, cool locations will be hard to come by. But you can definitely head somewhere cooler. We have spent the hotter months in higher elevations and although we still needed AC, we were cooler than most of the U.S.
Try being a digital nomad in:
- Casper, Wyoming
- Mackay, Idaho
- Seattle, Washington
- UP of Michigan
If it is winter in the U.S., head south for your nomad adventures
The South is a wonderful place to be…when it is not the middle of summer. Between the hurricanes and the humidity, it’s a hard pass. But winter is a different story: a lovely story. When it is cold and snowy up north, the southern states are nice and mild. We enjoyed six weeks on the coast of South Carolina in January and February. While our friends and family were dealing with snow and freezing temperatures, we took a walk on the beach every day. Sometimes twice a day.
Try being a digital nomad in:
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- San Antonio, Texas
- Tuscon, Arizona
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Florida
One piece of advice when choosing a location: don’t get too creative
When Travelzoo included a Mississippi River Cruise in one of their Top 20 deals, we jumped on it. For one, it was a great deal. For two, we had been wanting to try out a River Cruise and see what all the fuss is about. Plus, we figured we could work from the boat since wifi was included.
As a trip, it was one of the most unique and random things we have done to date. As a work remote experience, it was a dismal failure. The wifi was terrible and cell phone reception on the Mississippi River was spotty at best. Working in those conditions was a lesson in frustration and not something we would recommend.
When you are choosing a location to work and travel, you need to give equal consideration to both the work and travel side of being a digital nomad. Work to travel another day!
Conclusion
There is no wrong place to be a digital nomad in the U.S. There are a lot of obvious places to work and travel. When you take into account the not-so-obvious places, there is no end to the fun you could have exploring this country. Try out one of our recommended locations for U.S. digital nomads and let us know what you think.
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