This gay content creator’s least favorite spots to solo-travel might surprise you

Whether you’ve got tough time-off constraints, friends on budgets, or a deep-seated need for some self-exploration and solitude, solo travel can be an incredibly exciting and rewarding way to see the world.

That said, exploring foreign places by yourself as a queer person comes with some unique considerations. Understandably, safety and the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community are top-of-mind, but coming in hot at second place: Is it any fun???

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And it’s also why gay TikTok creator Chase Finn (a.k.a. yourgaybigbro) sparked some discourse when he shared three places he’d never travel to again as an LGBTQ+ solo traveler.

@yourgaybigbro

♬ original sound – Yourgaybigbro

Italy

Mamma mia, not Italia! As Finn told his more than 58,000 followers, his last trip to Positano, in particular, did not live up to expectations, and for a fairly understandable reason.

“I was expecting to have an Eat, Pray, Love solo moment, find this beautiful romance, and that did not happen in Positano,” he explained. “In fact, I was one of the few people not on my honeymoon. So, if you’re a solo traveler, this is a pass.” Fair.

That said, Italy is home to many solo traveler-friendly cities filled with history and nightlife, like Milan and Rome, where you can party with the locals at Alibi Club before taking in sights of the Colosseum at Coming Out. If you’re going stag, try there first!

Mexico

Here comes a hot take — and we’re not talking about the weather. One of Finn’s other least favorite places to explore as a solo traveler? Cabo San Lucas.

“It is a beautiful, beautiful resort town,” he explained. “But, if you’re a solo gay traveler, there just really isn’t a lot to do here. There’s not really much gay nightlife, and it’s a lot of families and a lot of straight people on vacation.”

To be fair, he gave it a glowing endorsement “for a couple’s trip or a friend’s trip” — and if you stop by, make sure to check out Chandelier’s Night Club — but to his credit, there are plenty of other, more solo-friendly cities to check out in Mexico.

Aside from Puerto Vallarta, where the scenic Playa Los Muertos provides the perfect place to make friends, there are spots like Cancun, where you can revel in all-inclusive wonder at the Playacar Palace before checking out Playa Del Carmen’s resident gay club, Playa 69.

Australia

The most surprising place on Finn’s list was Sydney, although he admitted visiting as a solo traveler during Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was a major exception. We agree!

“I know you guys are going to come for me,” he said. “But the times that I’ve visited Sydney, there was very little bar culture, very little nightlife, and I just found it very hard to connect with other people in the community.”

To be fair, the comments section was divided: A few users agreed, others were shocked, and some offered their own Aussie recs, like Melbourne, where the brightly-colored Brighton Beach and spots like The Laird and Sircuit Bar make it easy to congregate and meet new people.

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Of course, these are just one gay’s opinions.

If you ask us for our advice, we’d tell you the best way to truly understand solo travel is to book the dang flight, get out there, and see it for yourself!

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