We seek out the real and rooted things, and share pathways to deep connections and wonders in the world—for travelers and locals alike.


Wildsam is an American travel brand built upon telling true stories of place.

In Wildsam Magazine, we celebrate the great American road trip through vivid photography, writing from noted authors and expert insight on vehicles and gear.

Our acclaimed Field Guides gather intel from across the map into beautiful books about towns, cities, National Parks, iconic regions and epic road trips.

Here on wildsam.com, you will find all of that and more—digital travel guides, original stories and the best of our magazines and books. Subscribe to our newsletters and follow us on Instagram for the latest.

Wildsam

A ~500-word reported dispatch about a town (or similarly tight, one-day-trip geography) that is the place to go for a cultural or consumer experience. Implicitly, this story argues that our readers should go to this place and do/acquire the signature thing at least once in their lives. 
(Examples: Steamboat Springs, CO for hot springs; Keeneland, KY for horse racing; St Helena, SC to see the shrimp fleet in action.)  zachary.dundas@wildsam.com.

PILGRIMAGE

An 800-word profile of a person of cultural note, with a focus on the role road travel and exploration plays in their life/career. We’re looking for a magic combination of a) a person of some note and recognition, even niche; b) a timely reason to cover them; c) their field of expertise is relevant to Wildsam. So far, we’ve profiled the likes of songwriter Margo Price, film director Jeff Nichols, and TV food personality Maneet Chauhan. jennifer.justus@wildsam.com


 ON THE ROAD

A smart, surprising, ~300-word micro-history of a classic road-trip ride: the Airstream Clipper, the Vanagon, the Shasta trailer, the Town & Country Woodie. The stories of these vehicles are a lens on the evolution of cross-country travel. Address pitches to editor Jennifer Justus at jennifer.justus@wildsam.com.


ROAD ICON 

A 300- to 500-word item in praise of an undersung eatery, big on character and with a menu worth a pilgrimage. The best subjects take some effort to reach. Ideally these restaurants evoke a classic and nostalgic feeling of discovery. A good pitch will surprise us with a restaurant we haven’t been to or read about elsewhere. Address pitches to editor Jennifer Justus at jennifer.justus@wildsam.com.

THE SPECIAL

A 500- to 700-word introduction to a brand making a big impact on the world of RVs and cross-country travel: the startup rethinking fiberglass trailers, the little shop getting big attention for its camper-van buildouts, the designers of the game-changing roof rack that just broke Kickstarter, the legacy manufacturer turning heads with a fresh approach. The trunk of a Shop Talk piece is a Q&A with a principal, with some emphasis on the nitty gritty of design and production. Address pitches to editorial director Zach Dundas at zachary.dundas@wildsam.com.


SHOP TALK 

A 400- to 500-word first-person tribute to specific outdoor pursuit in a classic North American location: why Minnesota’s Boundary Waters are a bucket-list paddling destination, why every angler should fish the Gallatin River after the runoff, why the San Onofre surf breaks are all-time classics. A specific seasonal hook is a plus. Address pitches to editor Jennifer Justus at jennifer.justus@wildsam.com.


 OUTDOORS

Wildsam’s FEATURE STORIES range as widely as our readers. The best way to get a sense of what we look for in a pitch is to read through recent issues. We’re open to profiles of compelling personalities who’ve shaped or been shaped by the American road.

Like the Wildsam Field Guides, Wildsam magazine publishes original essays by some of the country’s most exciting writers. We’re open to pitches for essays that capture the mystique of the road-trip ritual and an authentic sense of place. We’d love to hear about the desert highways and mountain circuits you’ve driven again and again, the instance of crossing that one incredible landscape that’s stuck with you long after, the chance encounter on the road you’ve never been able to shake. Please send a one- or two-paragraph summary of the piece you have in mind, accompanied by published clips or links to your work. We regret that we don’t have the capacity to read unsolicited manuscripts. 

FEATURE STORIES

We are always seeking photo submissions for our back page SIGN OFF item. The ideal image is an evocative photo of a sign spotted on the road: A faded billboard welcoming you to the nation’s persimmon capital. A vintage storefront marquee conjuring a town’s bygone heyday. A warm neon welcome to an out-of-the-way watering hole. The images convey a strong sense of place, and the page’s accompanying text is written by our staff. Address submissions– preferably a folder of low-res image files, with captions including location info– to photo editor Sam Shanahan at submissions@wildsam.com.

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