Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelley Smith
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started Daycation DC in 2013 as a passion project and a love for exploring the city. At the time, I was a recent graduate with a limited budget in a tough job market. This blog was not only an excuse to explore the city but also to build my portfolio of creative work. I had hope it would help me land a job in marketing but I never expected it to be something people found on their own through social media and search engines.
I got started before Instagram, before travel influencers as we know them today, and before content marketing was what it is in the corporate world. But I quickly realized I wasn’t the only one looking for adventures closer to home and there was so much to see in my backyard. The recession didn’t mean we couldn’t travel.
By 2014, the recession was ending and travel was booming. I landed a marketing job at a Fortune 500 travel company and continued writing. As I started traveling outside DC, I quickly found that traveling and sharing adventures helped connect us all and understand each other a little better.
Through the pandemic, I continued writing and sharing stories about my city. Today, I’ve started expanding to weekend trips and creating more interest-based day trips on the blog.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Blogging, social media, and the way travel has changed a lot since 2013! Before quitting my corporate job to blog full-time in 2023, I worked in social media and content marketing and have seen it evolve over the years. Getting to see and influence how big companies navigate marketing changes really helped me think about how I wanted to write and share information through my blog. I am always interested in how people are finding their travel inspiration – through blogs, social media, video, and now AI. Figuring out how to meet people where they are is always a fun creative challenge.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I try to go beyond just sharing travel inspiration and make sure people feel comfortable during their whole day in the city. A lot of travel planning includes knowing where to eat, feeling comfortable on public transportation, making sure you have tickets for certain museums ahead of time – things like that. You can’t always plan for everything, but when visitors feel good about the day ahead, it’s easier to just relax and enjoy.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Find me on daycationdc.com and on Instagram @daycationdc!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://daycationdc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daycationdc
