Explore a new place and find your community on these LGBTQ+ group trips.
Traveling makes me nervous. There, I said it. Every traveler is concerned about safety, but as a Black gay guy from Texas, the idea of traveling scared the hell out of me.
I didn’t travel growing up. My parents are working class, a secretary and a limo driver, and they had neither the time nor the money for vacations. My father hadn’t even flown on an airplane until he was 61 years old, and that was only because I bought tickets for them to visit me in LA. This past summer, I told my mom I was going to Europe, and she audibly gasped over the phone, more terrified than excited.
Her concern is valid. I face the potential discrimination double whammy of both racism and homophobia. Those are mental hurdles on their own, barriers that dissuade many queer and POC folks from even bothering with travel, and the fear isn’t unfounded. But I resolved to no longer allow fear to control me. This summer, I booked my first international adventure and—I know it’s cliché to say—it’s changed my life.
Finding Community in Group Travel
In July, I embarked on Australian-based travel company Contiki’s first-ever Pride-themed trip. I had no idea what to expect. I’d never been on a group travel trip before, let alone an LGBTQ+ one. It was a ten-day excursion through Europe: three days in Berlin, one day each in Frankfurt, Germany, one in Reims, France, and one in Bruges, Belgium, then another three days in Amsterdam.
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I prepared to meet up with the group at the quirky Moxy Berlin hotel. About 20 people sat on the patio sipping Aperol spritzes and other various drinks while sizing each other up. I quickly realized I’d seen at least two of the guys on Grindr earlier that day. Half of us were traveling solo and began to nervously start conversations, while the rest were well-acquainted pairs. Most folks came from Australia and New Zealand, but we had some from all over the world, including the States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore.
Surprisingly, we all bonded quickly. We ate together, drank together, explored together, took a company bus between cities, and celebrated at Amsterdam Pride, where everything was gay and merry and bright. Our tour guide, Scott, would shock all of us out of our bus slumber by singing “Iconic!” by Madison Rose. It seems that no matter where you’re from, queerness provides common ground, similar interests, and a tremendous ability to empathize and relate to each other.
One of my new friends pointed out that her last travel group did not have the same camaraderie. She actually felt unsafe with the plethora of uninhibited straight men and found herself wandering off quite a bit. Although my tripmates and I didn’t know each other, we understood each other. When you come out, you have a community. They might not understand every intersectionality of your identity, race, and gender, but we can empathize with something inherently intimate. With a gay group, you always have a drinking buddy. If the girls or theys were ever catcalled or harassed, the guys would step in and pretend to be their boyfriends. We had each other’s backs. Almost instantly, solo travel felt much less daunting.
Of course, with our similarities came the differences. We were walking around Schöneberg, Berlin’s gay district where Progress Pride flags line the streets, and same-gender couples hold hands unabashedly. Our award-winning tour guide Finn Ballard walked us through the district with tremendous knowledge and respect. One traveler from Singapore asked him a question: “Aren’t you afraid homophobes will target this area?”
The question shocked me. I’d honestly never considered it. I live in West Hollywood with the intention of enjoying these very freedoms. Sure, we get the occasional homophobe yelling a slur from his car, but never a targeted attack. But homosexuality is still illegal in Singapore, and that person’s experience was vastly different from mine. It put everything into perspective.
Traveling usually opens one’s eyes to different ways of life. With an LGBTQ+ tour group, I wasn’t just broadening my horizons but learning more about my own community and how we survive and thrive around the world. Suddenly, with my community, travel is much less scary. Instead, it became life-changing. If you’re looking for an LGBTQ+ travel of your own, here are some options.
Where To Find LGBTQ+ Group Tours
Contiki
World Pride in Sydney might be over, but Contiki has already arranged Pride trips this summer for 18-35 year-olds that are all set to explore Spain, London, and Amsterdam just in time for the gayest celebrations of the year, including Madrid and Barcelona’s Pride festivities.
Out Adventures
Dubbed “the world’s premier provider of small-group LGBTQ+ holidays, cultural tours, and gay cruises,” Out Adventures offers jaw-dropping adventures through Argentina and Brazil, Cuba, New Zealand, Thailand, India, and more. Choose between 3 to 4 days and longer stays in stunning locations around the world.
Detours
If you’re looking for a “laid-back, no-strings-attached approach to gay group travel that feels more like exploring the world with old friends than anything else,” Detour boasts “less-restricting itineraries mean spontaneous, fun-filled opportunities to capture the best of what every spot along the way has to offer. Detour offers boat trips to Peru, Spain, Portugal, New Zeland, Israel, Egypt, Greece, and more.
Out Of Office
Find trips to Machu Picchu, Italy, Greece, Thailand, Peru, and more from Out of Office. Outside of luxury cruises, Out Of Office is ready to help LGBTQ+ travelers explore the world.
Diva Destinations
Specifically for queer women, lesbians, and nonbinary folk, Diva Destinations has been around for nearly ten years, providing safe, inclusive, and LGBTQ+-friendly adventures. Experiencing the Northern Lights in Ireland and Atlantic beaches in Portugal is just a taste of what is on offer.
He Travel
Dubbed the king of gay travel, He Travel hopes to let you “enjoy a small LGBT group tour without the confines of a typical resort vacation.”
Zoom Vacations
If you’re looking for luxury travel, Zoom Vacations is the way to go. Whether that’s to traverse through Rwanda, learn how to cook in Vietnam, charter a private yacht on the Nile, or even join India’s Holi festival of colors.
Oliva
The leading travel company for lesbians and LGBTQ+ women, Olivia has five decades of experience to handle your upcoming vacation. Olivia has trips lined up through 2024, including African Safaris or an adventure through the Galapagos. You can even celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary with them in Cabo!
R Family
If you’re looking for more family-friendly attractions, look no further than R Family, which is the first travel company to create vacations for LGBTQ+ families and their friends. Trips to Israel and Thailand are available this year.