As Pride Month comes to an end for another year, I want to shout about some of the best LGBTQ travel bloggers and influencers out there. It’ll come as no surprise to most of us that traveling as an LGBTQ person can be tricky and sometimes downright dangerous.
Somehow in 2023, there are still plenty of places where it’s illegal to be gay and some places where it’s punishable by death. It’s insane, it’s inhuman, and it’s just ridiculous. So, having resources that are specifically talking about how safe a certain destination or country is for LGBTQ people is absolutely essential.
I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to travel as an LGBTQ+ person, so here are 20 of the best LGBTQ travel bloggers that you need to follow ASAP. Let’s dive right in and find out more about them all!
1. @onairplanemode__
Splitting their time between Los Angeles and New York City, Kirsten and Christine are super successful fashion, travel, and lifestyle bloggers. Their content is super cute and coupley, showing off the best of their glamorous surroundings and the amazing clothes that they’re wearing.
Their site has a full shop attached so you can easily find and buy all the beauty, lifestyle, and clothing that they’re sharing on their socials, which is super cool to see all in one place. They even share full outfit guides for different destinations like the Amalfi Coast and for different events like the Holidays and Pride Month!
2. Courtney the Explorer
Courtney has been traveling around on her own for years now after studying abroad in Brazil and seeing a woman on the beach living her best nomadic life. Her site is full of useful tips and tricks for traveling abroad, including planning, packing, and saving tips.
She also has a full resources section about teaching abroad and traveling as a vegan if you need help with that.
The main focus of Courtney’s site and socials – including her super popular YouTube channel – is traveling as an LGBTQ person. From the best places to visit as a gay person to the gayest things to do in each city, Courtney the Explorer well and truly have you covered for your next big adventure!
3. Hand Luggage Only
I absolutely love the guys at Hand Luggage Only! Yaya and Lloyd travel the world together from their home base in London and share all their amazing experiences with the world.
Although they’ve been to some far-flung destinations together – Antarctica was on their list this year- they still create a lot of content about the lesser-visited parts of the UK.
Yaya and Lloyd met at university which is where Hand Luggage Only started with a focus on budget travel. On their site, there are hundreds of articles about free things to do in different places, day trips to check out, and useful tips and tricks for getting around without spending a fortune.
4. 27 Travels
Based in Brooklyn, Gabi and Shanna make up the creative power couple behind 27 Travels. With Gabi being a photographer and Shanna being a video editor and videographer, it was a natural progression into the world of travel blogging and content creation. They even host their own TV show called Driven to Discover!
As you might expect all their content is super professional looking and bursting with color and love. On their site, you can find tons of amazing guides and itineraries ranging from mini-breaks to Lake Como to vegan-friendly spots in Portugal, to ultimate LGBTQ guides to Helsinki – they cover it all and look amazing while they do it!
I‘ve lived abroad for many years and love helping others find work abroad and figure out their “Move Abroad Plan.” Check out my class below to get you started ASAP!
5. The Globetrotter Guys
Sion and Ben, the masterminds behind The Globetrotter Guys, have one of the most comprehensive blogs I’ve ever seen. Specializing in creating gay-friendly destination guides, complete with safety information, things to do, and gay-owned and operated businesses in the region, you’re sure to find all the information you need about your next vacation spot.
Separate from their travel guides and destination section, Sion and Ben also have a really call lifestyle section where they shout about and promote gay-owned clothing brands, talk about the best gay scenes on TV and film, and discuss hard-hitting news items around gay education in schools. It’s an amazing blog that has something for everyone!
6. @Janineandgen
Janine and Gen are a US-German couple (sounds pretty familiar!) living in Los Angeles, traveling all around the world, and generally just living their best life. With huge followings on both Instagram and TikTok, the couple shares tips about the best lesbian bars to visit in different cities, cute LGBTA-friendly date locations in different cities, and so much more.
They also play a lot of pranks on each other which is super fun to watch. It’s also just a really cute feed that brings a lot of joy into my life! There’s a ton of content about the blend of cultures in their relationship as well, confusing each other with everything from pumping gas to using the garbage disposal and much, much more…
7. @Whatwegandidnext
Based in Windsor in the UK, Whitney and Megan are a married couple who travel the world in fabulous clothing, post super cute and brightly colored travel inspo, and generally celebrate everything that’s great about traveling!
Seriously, their level of outfit coordination is insane, I love it. If you love pastels and Barbie-core, you’re going to be in absolute heaven – and you can easily shop all their looks on their website!
They’re also taking us on their fertility journey as they try and have a baby. Both Whitney and Megan are super honest throughout their journey about the inequality and giant hurdles in their way in the UK. It’s so interesting and here’s hoping for a baby for Whitney and Megan soon!
8. Nomadic Boys
If you’re looking for amazing LGBTQ destination guides, tips for traveling as a gay person, want to read gay travel stories, or are looking for events near you, you need to check out Nomadic Boys. Run by Stefan and Sebastien who met back in London and now travel the world together, it’s a really useful resource for anyone planning their next getaway.
With Stefan being Greek-Cypriot and Sebastien being from Lyon in France and them now calling London home, the site provides some unique insights into traveling, especially around Europe. They also both quit high-powered jobs to travel full time (as a lawyer and finance business analyst respectively), which shows just how much they love the traveling lifestyle!
9. Two Grls One World
Run by recently married couple Briyanna and Chantell, Two Grls One World follows what it’s like to travel and explore as Black lesbians. Traveling all around the world and looking super cute doing it, you can find amazing tips and tricks predominantly for exploring the US including national parks, outdoor adventures, and much, much more.
Along the way, Briyanna and Chantell also highlight and share Black-owned and operated businesses wherever they travel which is really cool to see! They also sell some awesome t-shirts and downloadables on their site. So make sure you check out this section and treat yourself to some new clothes!
10. Ravi Round the World
Ravi Roth is probably one of the most famous LGBTQ travel bloggers and content creators on the scene. He’s got three different adventure shows, including ‘Ravi Round The World,’ ‘Ravi’s Road to Pride,’ and ‘The Gaycation Travel Show.’ His YouTube channel is full of amazing and entertaining guides to different cities, showing off the best gay-friendly spots in each place.
Ravi’s Instagram and TikTok are just full of joy and color. From his trademark fan to the hundreds of memes that he creates to just living his best life in tons of glamorous locations, it’s impossible not to smile while watching Ravi’s content. Pure, unadulterated joy!
11. Life with Ja
The “Ja” behind Life with Ja are Jennifer and Alexandra who love getting out in the great outdoors with their two adorable dogs. From the wilds of Alaska to chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland to relaxing and recharging in Hawaii, they’ve been all over the place and they’re not slowing down any time soon!
Alongside their gorgeous travel content, Jennifer and Alexandra also share words of wisdom about looking after your mental well-being, tips on making your relationship last, and more amazing insights. Honestly, it’s just a really beautiful, authentic account that gives me all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings inside!
12. Out with Ryan
Canadian-based Ryan Thomas Woods takes you all around the world, showing you the best travel spots and giving you amazing tips on traveling as an LGBTQ person. He mostly splits his time between Canada and Europe and said that his whole reason for starting “Out with Ryan” was to create a safe space for LGBTQ people and minorities to share their travel stories.
You can check out the many different gay-friendly destination guides on his website, check out his favorite spots and excursions in all these places, and even read all about how he had to hide his sexuality while he was traveling through North Africa – it’s a very scary but really interesting read!
13. Once Upon a Journey
Once Upon a Journey is an amazing website and set of accounts run by Dutch photographer and creator, Maartje Hensen. In addition to running a successful LBGTQ-specific photography business in their hometown of Amsterdam, Maartje is also traveling all around the world, cataloging their journey through a camera lens.
More recently, Maartje become a published author of “The Pride Atlas”, which is a complete guide to traveling as an LGBTQ person. Filled with photos and insights from all around the world, this book and Maartje’s site are essential reading for any traveler, no matter your sexual orientation or gender identity!
14. Couple of Men
Run by German-Dutch couple Karl and Daan, Couple of Men takes you all around the world, but if you’re looking for deep-dive LGBTQ travel content about Europe, there’s probably no better site to check out. There’s a city-by-city breakdown on their site, so you can plan your European knowledge in a safe and fun way.
Another thing that I really love about the Couple of Men site is the reviews section. Although every business is an ally during Pride Month, it’s not always the case.
Karl and Daan review everything from theme parks to hotels to airlines to excursions to make sure that they’re gay-friendly and inclusive. It’s something that I hadn’t seen before, but it makes so much sense and is a really useful resource to know about.
15. Two Bad Tourists
Want to join a gay-friendly group tour and travel the world? You’ll want to subscribe and follow Two Bad Tourists. Run by David and Auston, this amazing travel blog is jam-packed full of amazing destination guides, insights, and resources to help you plan your next trip.
They also run the popular podcast, @QueerTravelChat, so you can be inspired while you’re on your daily commute, out walking the dog, or cooking your meals.
What sets this site apart from a lot of other LGBTQ travel blogs are the group tours that the Two Bad Tourists actually run themselves. At the moment, the four tours on offer are all in Europe, but all sound amazing.
From Christmas river cruises to Madrid gay nightlife tours to a gay-friendly sailing trip around the Croatian island, if you’re nervous about traveling, why not sign up for one of these supportive vacations?
16. 2 Travel Dads
As the first LGBTQ family travel blog, 2 Travel Dads has been around for a long time, offering much-needed insight into how to travel as an LGBTQ family. Chris and Rob travel around the country and beyond with their two kids, using travel for educational purposes and helping to broaden their horizons, which is a message that I think we can all get behind!
With numerous books, a ton of family-oriented destination guides around the world, and tips for traveling with young children, if you’ve got little ones and want to travel more, this site is going to be a lifesaver for you. If you’re short on time, check out their podcast and listen to their adventures while you’re on the go.
17. Our Taste for Life
Charlotte and Natalie, the couple behind Our Taste for Life have been traveling full-time since about 2017. In that time, they’ve traveled all over the world from Bangkok to Brighton to Nice to Sydney and beyond. Their website is stacked with destination guides, lifestyle tips, and more.
Recently, the pair have converted and moved into a van in the UK, so there are so many pieces of content about that process, how they renovated it, things you should know before you get started, storage tips and tricks, and best places to park your van to stay safe! If you’re interested in van life, definitely check out Our Taste for Life!
18. Asian Maple Leaf
Barry Hoy, better known as Asian Maple Leaf is an Asian Canadian living in New York City, documenting his travels all around the world. Honestly, it seems like he’s been just about everywhere from Helsinki to Thailand to St Lucia to Alaska and many, many more over the years.
The blog itself is split up into three sections: travel, lifestyle, and food. Each section is amazing, filled with so many great recommendations and inspiring stories about the people he’s met along the way.
From suggested itineraries to highlight specific events or restaurants to advice and travel tips, this blog has it all!
19. Lez See the World
Based in Vancouver, BC, Katie and Steph are a super cute married couple whose feed, Lez See the World focuses on travel and romanticism. Traveling across the globe and sharing content one romantic couple photo at a time, Katie and Steph spend a lot of time exploring the great outdoors and staying in cozy cabins and lodges along the way. Honestly, it’s like a Hallmark movie.
Their blog content is full of lesbian-specific destination guides, highlighting local lesbian bars, places for dates, and romantic getaway locations. They’ve also had a running series called “How lesbian-friendly is X?”. Here they deep-dive into different countries and how LGBTQ-friendly it is, as well as the best spots to check out while you’re there.
It’s a really awesome series, and I definitely recommend giving it a read!
Follow Your Favorite LGBTQ Travel Bloggers ASAP!
So, there you have it, 20 of the best LGBTQ travel bloggers and content creators that you need to follow ASAP!
Whatever your sexuality or gender identity is, we can all learn a lot more about the world, different cultures, and societies by reading stories that we either aren’t familiar with or that we could never understand or really experience. Following these 20 bloggers and creators is a great place to start.
Read More About Travel Blogs:
- Follow These 20 Latina Travel Bloggers
- The Best Equipment & Accessories for Digital Nomads
- Best European Cities for Digital Nomads
- Blogs for Digital Nomads to Inspire You
- Best Expat Blogs You Must Read
Vanessa Wachtmeister is a travel tech professional and the creator of the wealth & wanderlust platform, Wander Onwards. Vanessa is originally from Los Angeles, California, she is a proud Chicana, and she has been living abroad for the last 9 years. Today, she helps people pursue financial and location independence through her ‘Move Abroad’ Master Class, financial literacy digital products, and career workshops.