Gay solo traveling does not mean being alone on your vacations. That’s why we have prepared Our valuable tips for gay solo travelers to make your vacations as pleasant as possible.
So, let’s start our countdown together.
Do some researching
This is the most critical and time-consuming step in learning to travel alone for the first time, so creating a shortlist of solo travel destinations is very welcome.
We’ll start by saying that there is no such thing as a perfect travel destination. There is no magic formula, and making this essential decision is a case of weighing up the following considerations:
- Amount of time
- Affordability
- Convenience
- Safety
- Preferred activities
- Preferred climate
Ultimately, it boils down to balancing competing priorities like in many other life decisions.
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Note: If you’d like to see more tips and tricks about gay traveling, we recommend checking out our Gay Travel resources site.
Use a Gay Travel App to Make Plans in Advance
Using a gay app is one way to connect with locals in a city you’re visiting to get the best insights and updated information about the destination. You might also be able to find other tourists on these apps who might be interested in meeting up. These apps can be handy, especially if you’re traveling alone or looking to connect with other gay guys on your trip (there are lesbian and general LGBT+ apps, too!) More importantly, many apps have valuable features you can use when traveling. Of course, many apps are popular for gay hookups, but the best ones for travel tend to be Grindr, Hornet, and Scruff. All three apps offer unique features that adapt to travelers visiting a new city.
Take a Gay Group Tour
A gay group tour is an excellent option for a fantastic travel experience already pre-planned and purchased as a package. It’s instrumental if you’re a gay solo traveler because you’ll quickly make new friends in your group as you travel together. Most travelers are solitary so that you won’t feel out of place. Although most LGBT+ tour operators host a lot of gay solo travelers, the best companies to check out as gay solo travelers are Detours Travel and Out Adventures. Both offer great destinations, unique itineraries, and unforgettable experiences. Both companies also provide roommate programs that allow you to save money and avoid the single supplement often charged to solo travelers who would otherwise occupy a two-person room by themselves. Unlike gay cruises or sailing trips, the single supplement charge on a gay group tour is not twice the price but typically 35-40% more than two people traveling together. So, while single supplements are undoubtedly annoying for solo travelers, you can choose between privacy if you have the extra cash or a bit of saving while sharing. In either case, you’ll still be part of an intimate group of usually 6 to 20 people throughout the entire trip.
Book with Misterb&b and use the Connect feature
It is an online booking platform similar to Airbnb but designed for the LGBT+ community. You can rent rooms, apartments, and homes from gay hosts worldwide. So whether you rent a private room in a shared apartment or even an entire place to yourself, you’ll have a local contact who can provide you with the most up-to-date information on the gay scene. With their unique matching feature, you can connect with other misterb&b travelers during your trip. When you make your booking, you can choose whether or not you want to make your journey public and visible to other misterb&b travelers. If you do, you’ll see a list of other people renting apartments in the same city that overlap with your trip. You can connect and message other users in advance using the matching feature. You can use this tool to meet up with other tourists during your trip, perhaps for sightseeing or a drink at a local gay bar.
We’ve partnered with misterb&b, a booking platform for LGBT+-friendly homestays. They have hosts in over 200 countries with 1 million listings. Home-sharing is a great way to explore the local gay scene with the help of a local. Mister B&B is our top choice for this.
Stay at a Gay Hotel or Resort
Every year, more and more hotels explicitly catering to the LGBT+ community open. As mentioned, the most well-known app is Mister B&B, where you can find a gay host. We’d also like to inform you that the most prominent gay hotel chain is Axel Hotels. Opened in 2003 in Barcelona, they offer properties in 8 cities in Europe and North America. In addition to Axel Hotels, there are a variety of other small gay hotels worldwide.
Most importantly, staying at a gay hotel makes it easier to meet other LGBT+ travelers visiting the same city. That’s why many properties offer onsite social events to socialize and meet other guests, which is typically not as easy at a traditional hotel. Lastly, if you are too shy to introduce yourself, pop on Grindr and start a conversation with another guest staying at the same hotel to break the ice.
Plan your visit during a significant gay event.
Planning your trip around a sizeable LGBT+ event or gay pride is another option where you are more likely to meet other visitors. During these significant events, you can join various activities or parties to meet others and escape the loneliness of traveling solo. Combine visiting during an event with some of the other tips mentioned above, and you can make new friends during your trip.
Try using online meet-up platforms.
Several different platforms are designed for travelers to help connect with locals when visiting new cities. A couple of the most well-known sites are Couchsurfing and MeetUp. Both platforms even have LGBT+-specific groups and pages if you want to meet someone from the community. For more information, you can always check our related articles, Useful Mobile Apps for Every Gay Traveler, the Best Travel Apps to Meet New Friends, and The Best Apps for Solo Travelers.
Tip: As there are many scammers, you should be careful and read articles about online scams.
Insider tip: Always find a local gay guide if possible
Having a local guide is one of the best ways to familiarize yourself with a new destination. And if you find an LGBT+ tour guide, he can also share all the local secrets and tips about the local gay scene. There are a variety of LGBT+ city tours in different destinations worldwide, and many even offer group rather than private tours. So, joining a group tour is another opportunity to meet other LGBT+ tourists interested in joining you in another activity later during your visit.
Be aware of safety.
Lastly, maintaining your safety while traveling alone is perhaps the most important thing you can do. Solo travelers are more likely to be the target of crimes than those traveling in groups. Be cautious when traveling alone, particularly at night, and don’t go out alone in neighborhoods if you aren’t sure it’s safe. In particular, LGBT+ people need to pay extra attention to their safety, depending on the destination they visit. Additionally, it’s important to point out that even in the most gay-friendly destinations, you can still find homophobia.
When using dating apps to meet locals, always use your best judgment. And if you plan on meeting a local through an app, do so in a public place to limit potential issues. When in doubt, don’t take a risk that might jeopardize your safety. Lastly, download the comprehensive guide to LGBT+ safety from ManAboutWorld for more safety tips.
Our valuable tips for gay solo travelers: Final Thoughts
Although solo travel can appear daunting, it is an opportunity to tailor a trip to your travel style and wishes. You have total freedom to do what you want when you want to, and you will learn a lot about yourself in the process.
And don’t think you will spend all your time away without speaking to another soul. You won’t. Somehow, your hidden communication strengths always come out when on vacation. You’ll see!
Remember, our greatest enemy is self-doubt. So believe in yourself and, above all, have a blast!
If you have any further helpful advice, please share them with us in the comments below.
If you’d like to see more tips and tricks about gay traveling, we recommend checking out our Gay Travel resources site.
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Featured photo: ©Panuwat Dangsungnoen / EyeEm / Getty Images