Hey folks, as promised in my book, here is a list of resources for LGBTQ, female and African-American travelers. I’ll be adding more, and an additional category for travelers with disabilities will be added soon. If you have any resources you would like to me to add, including for other groups, get in touch at seth@sethkugel.com. (Leave them in the comments, too, in case it takes me a while to update.) Thanks to Lucía Seda for her research assistance and Michael Luongo for helping with the LGBTQ section.
By the way, the picture above is of Nelson Tiapoe, a Surinamese Maroon. Maroons are what people in Surinam (and some other countries) call the descendants of escaped slaves, free blacks and sometimes indigenous peoples who established communities far from colonial society. He runs an eco-lodge near the Maroon village where his family is from. You’ll read about him in the book but you can also read about him in this 2014 article.
Resources for LGBTQ Travelers
Travels of Adam, a blog by travel-writer and self-describer “hipster” blogger Adam Groffman. A combination of travel and lifestyle blog, the site offers a comprehensive list of resources for LGBTQ travelers. https://travelsofadam.com IG: @travelsofadam
Two Bad Tourists, a blog by Auston and David highlighting gay-friendly destinations around the world. The Madrid-based duo has compiled insider guides on cities like Tel Aviv, Nice, Lisbon and Paris. https://www.twobadtourists.com IG: @twobadtourists
Nomadic Boys started off as a place where Sebastien and Stefan chronicled their romantic trips and culinary discoveries. Now, their site features destination guides as well as recommendations for adventure and romance abroad. http://nomadicboys.com IG: @nomadicboys
Couple of Men, a blog by Amsterdam-based couple Karl and Daan. In addition to LGBTQ+ festivals in Spain, Austria and Germany, Karl and Daan feature gay-friendly restaurants and hotels in their “Gay Travel Guides.” https://coupleofmen.com IG: @coupleofmen
Sion and Ben have been traveling together for the past 10 years. Their blog, Globetrotter Guys, documents their adventures in Latin America, as well as other parts of the world https://theglobetrotterguys.com IG: @theglobetrotterguys
Globetrotter Girls, a blog by Dani, a full-time traveler from Germany who offers recommendations on anything to travel gears to doable recipes in a hostel kitchen. https://globetrottergirls.com IG: @globetrottergirls
Lez Backpack, a lifestyle and travel blog for women and individuals who identify as women by Melissa Langley and her partner Constance Taylor. Recommendations are grouped according to travel “style”—from local to luxury to adventure travel. https://lezbackpack.com IG: @lezbackpack
Since 1983, the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association has promoted LGBTQ tourism around the globe. Today, it is the leading network of LGBTQ-friendly businesses—from accommodations to transportation—and offers visitors a handful of free travel resources, including a bi-monthly travel newsletter. https://www.iglta.org IG: @iglta
Man About World is a digital magazine written by gay men for gay men. Visitors can start a free membership that includes a monthly newsletter, travel tips and news or purchase a one-year subscription for $39.99 (10 issues in total). https://www.manaboutworld.com IG: @manoftheworld
Marketed as America’s #1 Gay Travel Magazine, Passport is one of the few print magazines that highlights destinations for gay and lesbian travelers. Users can purchase an annual subscription for $19.99 and check out the website for free resources. https://passportmagazine.com IG: @passportmag
The brainchild of British activist John D. Stamford, Spartacus International Gay Guide has been publishing annual guidebooks in Germany since 1970. Organized alphabetically by country, the guide features hotels, bars and places to visit for gay travelers. https://spartacus.gayguide.travel IG: @spartacusgayguide
A free online database for gay and lesbian travelers, Damron’s Guides gathers information ranging from the best accommodations abroad to upcoming film festivals and benefit walks in the United States. Visitors can also purchase comprehensive travel guides through its website. https://damron.com
Resources for Female Travelers
The Tourlina blog and app connects women travelers around the world and allows users to find new travel companions. The blog features many “top 10 guides” of attractions and places to visit in major cities. http://tourlina.com IG: @tourlina
Women on the Road, a blog “for women who travel smart, safe and solo,” contains guides, checklists, and even a page dedicated to planning your first solo travel. Users can subscribe to a weekly newsletter with helpful links and travel information. https://www.women-on-the-road.com/about.html
Adventurous Kate documents the solo travels of Kate, a New York-based traveler who has gone on to discover new corners of the world since 2010. Users can browse posts grouped by countries and find links to book accommodations and check out traveling gear. https://www.adventurouskate.com IG: @adventurouskate
Originally a Facebook group for Latinas to share their travels and offer advice, Latinas Who Travel has grown to encompass a bilingual network of Latinas who encourage women to travel and build connections with each other. Travelers can book an all-female group trip with the founder or meet Latina travel ambassadors in major US cities. https://latinaswhotravel.com
A travel resource that has been around for more than twenty years, Journeywoman can count more than 55,000 women in its network. Visitors can subscribe to a travel tip newsletter and browse the site for recommendations on how to plan a solo trip. http://www.journeywoman.com
A women-owned and women-run company, AdventureWomen has been offering adventure vacations to women since 1982. Travelers can book packages to explore the Serengeti on a safari, discover Machu Picchu and the Amazon, or visit Buddhist temples in Bhutan, among other offerings. http://www.adventurewomen.com IG: @advwomen
Founded by two friends in Melbourne in 1988, Intrepid Travel now has over 800 itineraries in all seven continents and claims to send more that 100,000 travelers across the world. In March 2018, Intrepid Travel launched a series of women-only expeditions to Morocco, Jordan and Iran. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/women-only-expeditions/ IG: @intrepidtravel
For the past 27 years, Wild Women Expeditions has been offering outdoor adventures ranging from canoe and kayaking to hiking trips and yoga retreats. Women can plan their trips according to activities (safari, sailing), destinations (Belize, New Zealand) and time of the year for travel (January-December). https://wildwomenexpeditions.com IG: @wildwomenexpeditions
A travel company led by women for women, WHOA Travel has quickly grown its network of female travelers since Allison and Danielle launched it in 2013. Travelers can choose between all-inclusive adventure packages—to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or visit Bavaria during Oktoberfest—or expeditions to Japan and Mount Elbrus in Russia. https://www.whoatravel.com IG: @whoatravel
“Extraordinary journeys for women who want to experience the world”—that’s the promise of REI Women’s Adventures. REI members are eligible for discounted prices on travel packages, all of which include tours led by local guides and follow a “leave no trace” travel policy. https://www.rei.com/adventures/resources/womens-landing.html
Resources for Black Travelers
In 1997, Soul of America began to highlight destinations for African-American travelers. Now, it offers many international travel guides to the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe all written from the point of view of fellow African-American travelers. https://www.soulofamerica.com
Travel Noire, a digital publishing platform, selects the work of African diaspora writers based on the locations they profile. Travelers can download city guides for $25 or even book travel package through Travel Noire Experiences. https://travelnoire.com IG: @travelnoire
Nomadness is another online community that vows to “represent the underrepresented demographic in mainstream travel.” Catering primarily to African-American travelers, the self-described travel “tribe” organizes international trips and has launched the “Nomadness Project” a web series where travelers share their experiences abroad. https://www.nomadnesstv.com IG: @nomadnesstribe
After spending a decade teaching at international schools, Oneika Raymond was ready for a change. She went on to travel the world and document her adventures on Oneika the Traveller, a “travel blog dedicated to inspiring, encouraging, and empowering women and people of color to see the world.” The host of two Travel Channel Web series who has visited more than 100 countries in 6 continents, Oneika writes opinion posts and offers advice for “travelling while black.” http://www.oneikathetraveller.com IG: @oneikatraveller
Resources for Travelers with Disabilities
Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality is a nonprofit membership organization whose goal is to “raise awareness of the needs of all travelers with disabilities, remove physical and attitudinal barriers to free access and expand travel opportunities in the United States and abroad.” Their “Need to Know Facts” page contains a variety of resources, including a top 10 list for autistic travel and a link to a hotline for travelers with disabilities. http://sath.org
Sanna Kalmari, a travel blogger from Finland, has been documenting her adventures on an electric wheelchair on Wheels on the Beach and in her blog, Palmuasema. Kalmari also works as a travel consultant and offers tips for accessible travel to travel professionals, including Royal Caribbean and Finnair. http://www.palmuasema.fi/in-english/ IG: @wheelsonthebeach
A disability writer and consultant, Emma has been blogging on Simply Emma since 2014. She also writes for Euan’s Guide, which features disabled access reviews of accommodations and cultural attractions written by people with disabilities. https://www.simplyemma.co.uk IG: @simplyemmablog https://www.euansguide.com IG: @euansguide