5 queer tour companies for solo LGBTQ+ travelers

Are you familiar with this dilemma? Your skin is itching to leave the country, but none of your friends are willing to grab their passports. Traveling alone certainly comes with perks and freedoms, but it often results in relying a little too much on the apps for company. Locals might be unimpressed by “museums and fine dining” when they ask what you’re into.

It can also be uncomfortable, if not scary, to travel solo as a queer person if you’re not straight-passing. You feel inclined to pick from the selection of cities with the gay stamp of approval, even though there’s an entire world waiting to be explored. It’s what makes the renaissance of queer travel groups a welcomed solution to your wanderlust. 

GayCities picked some of our favorite travel companies that bring together our colorful community around the globe. 

OutBound

Cofounded by celebrity entertainment host Jaymes Vaughan and his husband, actor Jonathan Bennett, you can now expect to see them doing PDA worldwide. We recommend OutBound for queer couples looking to travel with other queer couples or singles looking for a more wholesome experience: think gelato rather than circuit party. They enlist the help of some of their entertainment friends, so you never know who might be a part of your travel group. 

Let’s Cruise Away

“You’re probably not the 20-year-old with the ripped body that you see pictured on other gay cruise sites,” reads Let’s Cruise Away‘s website. But that doesn’t mean you can judge their clientele by a number. The gay cruise company caters to daddies (we’re glad someone is showing appreciation), but they welcome all daddy enthusiasts to come aboard! This is definitely a place for singles to mingle with exotic backdrops and enjoy the rhythm of the ocean. 

Venture Out Project

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Venture Out Project is here to prove that you should never try to stereotype gays! They lead backpacking and wilderness trips for the queer and transgender community, so adventure and nature are the game here. Leave the stilettos at home, honey. We also love that they cater to families and youth because God knows entertaining children doesn’t get any easier, regardless of what side of the spectrum your family is on! The organization is also doing the necessary work of conducting transgender inclusion workshops for educators, adventure professionals, summer camps, and more. 

Olivia Lesbian Travel

The femme fatale of travel groups, Olivia Travel has been curating trips catering to queer women for over five decades. They have produced well over 300 trips for more than 350,000 LGBTQ+ women across the globe. In a world where the number of lesbian bars dwindles, creating safe spaces for women to let their rainbow flag fly is all the more prevalent. 

Two Bad Tourists

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Two Bad Tourists rose to popularity by creating queer city guides from all their travels, and now they’re welcoming gay travelers to join their adventures. They are husbands turned friends turned business partners, so they know just how multifaceted and unique queer relationships can be! Their trip locations (Barcelona, Greece, etc.) will cater to all the fun and nightlife your vacation needs.