Julia Holmes

Julia is the Features Editor at Fatherly, where she oversees long-form content across the site — assigning, editing and occasionally writing reported features, essays, and profiles that cover everything from the science of nostalgia to how extreme athletes take on fatherhood.

She manages Fatherly’s special issues — including the annual Outside Issue — and regularly contributes pieces on books, culture, adventure, and travel. Since joining Fatherly in 2020, Julia has filled a range of editorial roles, from the technical nitty-gritty of search to running monthly big-idea pitch labs.

Before joining BDG, Julia worked for 15 years in print media as an editor, contributor and manager for magazines including Rolling Stone, Men’s Journal, US Weekly and Entertainment Weekly. Her byline has appeared in the New Republic, the New York Times Magazine, and elsewhere. Her first novel, Meeks, was a New York Times Editors’ Pick and Indie Next Notable Book. She has an MFA from Columbia University in Fiction.

She lives in Brooklyn with her wife and daughter.

the big picture

Nonfiction Picture Books That Kids Will Ask For Every Night

Twelve truly great nonfiction children’s pictures books for kids who are curious about the world.

seize the season

24 Super Freaking Fun Things You Need To Do Before School Starts

Outside Issue

The 2023 Outside Issue: Fatherly Dives In

For our second annual Outside Issue, Fatherly is diving right on in — celebrating shores and waterways, swimming and fishing, and giving our kids and ourselves just a splash of serenity.

Interview

How Commercial Fisherman Corey Arnold Got Hooked On Fishing

And how he hopes to pass down that passion to his kids.

Travel

The 41 Greatest Public Shores In The U.S.

ByJulia Holmes, Tyghe Trimble and Anna Traver

Beaches, lakefronts, and shorelines that are beautiful, pristine — and open to all.

Northern Exposure

The Icelandic Art Of Swim Lessons

Iceland is the only place in the world with universal swim literacy. Here’s their secret.

Great Reads

The Greatest Picture Books Of All Time, According To Parents, Authors And Illustrators

ByJoshua David Stein, Nadia Aguiar, Ryan Britt, Tyghe Trimble, Julia Holmes, Adam Rubin, Oge Mora, Jason Chin and Ron Barrett

Bedtime reading just got better.

Priorities

How To Stay Fit With 6 Of The World’s Busiest Dads

The fitness routines and philosophies of six very busy and accomplished dads — what they do, how they make time, and why it matters.

Adventure

22 Family Adventures for the Bold

For your next family vacation, paddle to your own island, bike from inn to inn, or take a road trip through the most remote regions of Patagonia. What’s stopping you?

Essay

You Call That Fun?

Maybe dad was right all along — a little hardship builds character, makes memories, and is what life is really all about.

Gear

Dough Maestro Ken Forkish’s Advice For Making Great Pizza At Home

Affordable, delicious, and as healthy as you want to make it, Ken Forkish’s Naples-via-NYC pizza will make you a hero in your household.

Gear

This Sleek Wooden DIY Teardrop Camper Is Your Summer Escape Pod

Sail the highways in this sleek, hardwood teardrop camper from the boat designers at Chesapeake Light Craft.

Entertainment

4 Classic Adventure and Survival Books to Get You Through Anything

This spring, we're all reflecting on what we've learned from a tough, strange year: Let these stories from the edges of endurance lead the way.

Entertainment

We’re Living in a Nostalgia Boom. Here’s How to Harness Its Powers for Good

A leading nostalgia researcher explains how to make the most of the longing so many of us are feeling right now.

Gear

12 Timeless Toys That Work for Kids of All Ages

These classic toys keep kids engaged from toddlerhood to tweendom — and are built to last.

Entertainment

The Covid-19 Baby Boom Is a Lie.

Covid-19 is actually accelerating a decade-long decline in the American birth rate. And this will have long lasting effects on our country as we know it.