Erin Evans

Erin (Shields) Evans is the managing editor of Travel at U.S. News & World Report, where she oversees a team of several editors and dozens of freelancers. With 18 years of journalism experience, she manages the editorial content and strategy for features, tours, travel guides, best things to do, and travel insurance, as well as the Best Hotels, Best Vacations, Best Cruises and Best Travel Rewards Programs ranking products.

Evans has traveled to 100-plus destinations around the world, including cities, beaches, mountains and towns in the U.S., the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Her favorite travel tool is the spreadsheet, which she uses to organize her research and map out her own vacation plans for fun things to do, tours to take, bars to check out, nearby wineries and breweries, and must-visit (and under-the-radar) restaurants. Her friends and family members always come to her for vacation recommendations and ideas if she's already been to a destination because they know she'll have a spreadsheet for it.

Evans has also become an expert in travel insurance since the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the industry. If you need an easy explainer on understanding how it works and why it's beneficial (including cancel for any reason coverage), she's your gal.

While at U.S. News, Evans has been interviewed by various publications, TV and radio shows, including the TODAY Show, NBC, the Boston Globe, WTOP and The Frommer's Travel Show, for her expertise and commentary on travel trends, hotels, rewards programs and more. Evans joined the U.S. News Travel team in 2013 and was previously a senior editor and copy editor. Before joining U.S. News, she worked as a copy editor for the Centre Daily Times newspaper in State College, Pennsylvania. Evans was also a member of her college newspaper, the Daily Collegian. She has written and edited content for The Washington Times, the Centre Daily Times and the Capital Gazette (previously The Capital).

Erin (Shields) Evans graduated with bachelor's degrees in journalism and international studies from Penn State University.