The 12 Best Outdoor Magazines to Inspire Adventure

We all love an incredible story, especially when it’s accompanied by stunning visuals, exceptional depth, and a viscerally appealing design orientation. While a number of our favorite magazines certainly deliver on those desirable traits, there comes a time when we branch out from our selection of mainstream publications in search of something more — something that’s both impactful and present.

If you’re like us, you’ve likely fostered an appreciation for the creative side of things — whether it’s the design, caliber, or personability of an editorial (or its contributors). That being said, reading the industry’s most prolific magazines might leave you feeling a bit transitional. So, we’ve decided to create a listing of our favorite outdoor adventure magazines — the ones that live to illustrate, portray, and enamor. You’re not going to find “acceptable” photography, wordplay, or story choice here; instead, you’ll be treated to a journey of genre-defining stimulation. Each of these publications will take you on a journey that you’ll never forget — so, take the time to sit back, relax, and submit to a deep dive into our recommended experiences.

What Makes a Good Outdoor Magazine

Expertise: Like with any magazine, you want to feel like the writers know what they’re talking about. That’s why you’re reading, after all.

Niche: Within the broad category of the outdoors, there are many umbrellas, from sport to adventure to travel. Below, we have magazines that focus on boating and surfing, while others are more open-ended and let the current issue’s topic dictate its content.

Photography: More than anything these days, what separates print media from online media are the images. You can often get the same text on the internet, but viewing excellent photography in person is a different experience entirely. Not to mention, your living room will look much better with a coffee table full of pretty pictures.

Frequency: For any magazine, the frequency of its release is important. If you’re an avid reader, you may want something that comes to your doorstep every few weeks, while those slower to get through their monthly magazines may want something that comes less frequently so that they don’t wind up with a pile of unread issues stacked up. Whether you’re looking for a monthly publication or a yearly one, we’ve got you covered.

Ink & Card Stock: Another benefit of print media is the tactile experience of feeling the pages in your hand. As such, heavy card stock featuring super-high-quality printing can level up a magazine to the quality of a coffee table book. This is more common for quarterly and semi-annual publications who might charge more per issue.

Life & Thyme

Best Food-Focused: Life & Thyme might be one of the most aesthetically pleasing publications on the list, but with a staunch focus on gastronomy, recipes, and the individuals behind the knife, it’s become much more than a collection of handsome subject matter. From California to Taiwan, Life and Thyme taxis readers behind the counter for a look into the lives, stories, and customs of local chefs, while shedding light on their influential upbringing, and spotlighting the cities that gave them life.

Outside Magazine

Best for Gear Lovers: Outside Magazine is the quintessential magazine to everything “adventure” oriented, offering a wide variety of content revolving around skiing, running, snowboarding, cycling, hiking, and camping. When it comes to editorial work, the volume of Outside Magazine’s projects (and the scope of their coverage) is top-tier — however, if you’re looking for a boutique, indie-oriented publication, you’ll be hardpressed to find one here. As one of the biggest outdoor publications the world over, this magazine is a one-stop source for everything outdoor-related, and as such, it places a staunch focus on a wealth of subject matter.

Boat International

Best for Boating: While the main angle of Boat International is yachting and boating, the writers and editors over at the magazine do so with a focus on travel and discovery. Perhaps in its own league compared to the others in this guide, this publication allows you to experience the luxurious side of boating, whether or not you can afford it. Around since 1983, the magazine provides you with in-depth guides for visiting various exotic locales around the world –– oh yeah, and lots of fantastic boat pictures.

Surfers Journal

Best for Surfing: Surfers Journal is a reader’s magazine, paying close attention to its faithful community. It features some of the most awe-inspiring surf photography from around the world, articles from the industry’s most trusted surfers, and a purist mentality that isn’t swayed by the sport’s subtle trends. Instead, you’ll find a publication that melds art, photography, and wordplay with a passionate love for the sport — something that’s always welcome within the brotherhood of the sea.

Powder

Best for Snow Sports: Powder is a magazine that has found great success within the winter-oriented space, bringing its readers a vast collection of writeups, editorials, and visual materials relating to sports like skiing. The key to its success, however, lies in its immaculate art direction — which places a heightened focus on photography, design, and artistic illustration. If you’re looking for a magazine that brings a unique approach to winter’s frigid white wonderland, Powder has everything you’re looking for — a great design principle, a solid team of writers, and an aesthetic that sets it apart from its competitors.

The Explorer’s Journal

Best Heritage Mag: Originally founded in 1904, The Explorer’s Club has included Teddy Roosevelt, Neil Armstrong, and James Cameron as members. However, it wasn’t until 1921 that the outdoor-focused society launched its quarterly publication, The Explorer’s Journal, which has been published ever since. Free for members of The Explorer’s Club, the magazine covers exploration, oceanography, mountaineering, archaeology, and more –– all with a slight lean towards science and some stunning photography.

Sidetracked

Best Photography: Sidetracked has garnered a wildly committed following due to its sensational stories, out-of-this-world visuals, and structurally-sound publication workflow. Not only is this magazine one of the most beautiful we’ve seen, but the content that’s being produced (on a regular basis) also stands up to the test of time. If you’re looking for value-oriented stories that will leave you feeling connected to the subject matter — whether emotionally, mentally, or physically — Sidetracked is the perfect medium to inspire your next trip outdoors.

Lodestars Anthology

Best for Exploring Culture: Lodestars Anthology is a magazine created for the inquisitive traveler. With a variety of hard-hitting articles revolving around the inspirational stories, visuals, and determinations of adventurers around the world, this cumulative journal brings readers a personal look into the unique quirks, flavors, and intricacies of the planet’s most beautiful locations. With an unmatched attention-to-detail, each issue of this stylistic collection will leave you in a sense of awe.

Afar

Best for Travel: Encouraging readers to visit unique locations across the globe since 2009, AFAR takes the immersion approach to jetsetting. Based in San Francisco, the publication goes well below the surface of each locale and tackles a wide range of interests. Also informative are their how-tos and guides on hotels, transportation, food, traveling with families, road-tripping, and more. Aside from the magazine itself, AFAR is really involved in the community, especially through its non-profit foundation and scholarship program.

Les Others

Best Bilingual: Although it’s one of France’s leading independent magazines, Les Others is a bilingual publication. Only in existence for about a decade, the publication was launched by a small group of friends who sought to bring a like-minded blog to the paper with a focus on their own passions: hiking, climbing, camping, and cycling. Printed on high-quality stock, each issue surrounds a given theme and the content is just as thoughtful, with personal trip stories, city guides, and more.

Holiday

Best Writing: Holiday was once a touted literary travel magazine in the 1950s, but, after a slow decline in readership, it was relegated to become a bi-annual publication overseen by Parisian art director Franck Durand. As an homage to the magazine’s original roots, you’ll find a menagerie of retro stylings, colorful layouts, sensationalized spreads, and a focused approach toward the beauty of the subjects portrayed. Although Holiday is written and produced in the English language, it’s chock-full of undeniable spirit; thanks, in large part, to Durand’s French influence.

Modern Huntsman

Best Storytelling: Like most of the publications on our list, Modern Huntsman is a bi-annual collection of the outdoor industry’s most telling stories, bringing readers in line with their favorite creators, brands, and figureheads. That being said, Modern Huntsman takes an artistic approach to the outdoor space that isn’t often found in other magazines, giving them a leg up for avid outdoorsmen who are more interested in the deep, hard-hitting stories associated with their favorite pastime.

The Best Car Magazines

If you’re into printed publications and want to explore more of what’s out there, you should read our guide to the best car magazines available.