Traveling the World as an LGBTQ+ Couple With HomeExchange

At HomeExchange, we love giving the floor to those who can talk about it best: our members. This testimonial was written by Steph & Katie, members of HomeExchange sharing their travel adventures as a lesbian couple.

Traveling the World as an LGBTQ+ Couple: A Decade of Adventures

After our wedding back in 2015, we promised each other that our married life would be full of adventure rather than routine. We’ve both always loved taking a more unconventional path, so our marriage has been about taking big risks, making unforgettable memories, and having once-in-a-lifetime experiences to look back on when we’re older.

Now a decade later, we’ve spent these past ten years traveling all over the globe. There are certain considerations when traveling as an LGBTQ+ couple, but we’ve found ways to feel both safe and supported while exploring. Being queer doesn’t stop us from seeing the world, it gives us a unique perspective that leads to fulfilling experiences during every one of our adventures.

Why We Love to Travel With HomeExchange

We’ve always liked the idea of community focused travel. We were early adopters of Airbnb, back when it was just about opening extra space in your home in order to earn a little extra cash. We first discovered the concept of house swapping through an LGBTQ+ travel platform, and then we found HomeExchange, which quickly became our favourite tool for planning travel.

We love connecting with local hosts who can give us personalized recommendations for our trip, and it feels like an added layer of safety knowing someone who lives in the destination we’re visiting. It’s the best tip we can give to people who are looking to travel more, or who want to have higher quality travel experiences. It’s given us some of our favourite travel memories over the years, and it’s transformed the way we take trips.

Tips for LGBTQ+ Travelers Planning Trips on HomeExchange

Everyone is different in terms of their comfort levels while traveling as an LGBTQ+ person. We personally like to visit destinations that are more queer friendly, meaning that we feel safe to be out and open as a couple during our trip. Whatever your priorities are for your own travels, here are our top tips to keep in mind while planning:

• Do some basic research to learn the LGBTQ+ laws of a country, and the general attitudes of the local people. Keeping in mind that some places don’t have very progressive laws, but queer people are accepted socially, and other places have very progressive laws, but the public opinion hasn’t quite caught up yet. 
• Read the experiences of others through travel blogs or community forums. Often, the best way to get a clear sense of a destination and how you might feel visiting as a queer traveler, is by reading the first-hand knowledge of others who have already been there.
• Once you have selected your destination, you can look for the type of swap you want on HomeExchange, and then sort the results for LGBTQ+ friendly hosts using a search filter. For us, this adds additional peace of mind knowing that we’re exchanging with people who are also a part of the queer community, or who have made a point to indicate themselves as being queer friendly. 

Our Favorite Queer Friendly Destinations Around the World

After visiting more than 40 countries together, we definitely have our list of favorite LGBTQ+ friendly destinations. There are the obvious cities like NYC, San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Berlin, but we love sharing about the lesser known spots! Some of the best trips we’ve taken have been to places that were so much more inclusive than we anticipated, or to destinations that are well known for other things, but happen to also be queer havens. Here are some of our all-time favorites that you may not have considered yet

Iceland

Most people want to visit Iceland for the stunning landscapes and Nordic culture, but did you know that it’s also regarded as one of the most queer friendly countries in the world? With very progressive laws, a welcoming local population, and an LGBTQ+ scene in the capital city of Reykjavik, Iceland is a must-see destination for queer travelers. 

Aruba

While many Caribbean destinations are unfortunately not very LGBTQ+ friendly due to outdated laws and more conservative attitudes, Aruba as part of the “ABC” islands, is a definite exception. Because it is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it’s very welcoming to queer travelers and is our top recommendation for an amazing beach destination. 

Japan

A country that seems to be on everybody’s bucket list, Japan is an excellent choice for queer travelers. With LGBTQ+ awareness increasing steadily, Japan is considered one of the most queer friendly countries in Asia. There is a thriving queer nightlife scene in Tokyo, and general support for the community continues to grow. Having visited twice now, it’s one of our all-time favorite destinations.

Costa Rica

Known for its friendly “pura vida” attitudes, Costa Rica is one of the most welcoming countries in Central America for queer travelers. There are LGBTQ+ scenes in several of its popular tourist areas, and queer people are increasingly accepted throughout the country. We spent a month traveling around Costa Rica, and with its stunning beaches and incredible wildlife, it is absolutely worth a visit.

Uruguay

With a strict separation of church and state, Uruguay is a leader in LGBTQ+ inclusion, not just in Latin America but in the world. While not as popular as its South American neighbours Argentina and Brazil, the small country has a lot to offer in terms of its cultural experiences and beautiful coastline. If you’re looking for queer friendly destinations that are more “off the beaten path”, Uruguay should go on your list. 

The Future of LGBTQ+ Travel

As the world continues to become more welcoming to queer travelers, we will see an increased global acceptance making it safer and easier to travel as an LGBTQ+ person. Destination options will increase, as well as the quality of travel experiences, ideally allowing travel to become more accessible to all people in the queer community. We hope to see more LGBTQ+ people feel confident to get out and explore the world, and we also hope to see more people embrace the concept of community based travel through platforms like HomeExchange.