I’m Jen, the photographer behind The Roadside Tourist!

Born and raised in Michigan, I'm a Detroit OG who still calls soda “pop.” After grabbing a BA in Photojournalism, I packed up my car, hit Route 66, and followed that all the way to San Diego. I've been here for the last 16 years and counting! (Sorry California, you're stuck with me now.)

Like many, my love affair with photography began in my early years, fueled by an insatiable desire to document every moment. I became that person who took their camera everywhere, a somewhat obnoxious habit that still holds true today.

The Roadside Tourist is my love letter to roadside America. Think neon signs, motels, diners, and all the weird little stops along the way. I want every image to feel like a memory from a road trip you somehow recognize, even if you haven’t taken it…yet.