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15 Must-Read Gay Travel Books and Guides
Add these inspiring gay travel books to your reading list. 📚
Anthony Cifone
March 23, 2025
For LGBTQ+ travelers, exploring the world means finding welcoming places where diversity and inclusivity are front and center. To aid in this journey, certain travel books offer invaluable insights and advice. Here are 15 essential reads for every LGBTQ traveler, guiding you to experiences that celebrate us, anywhere in the world.
Quick note: This entire list was made independently by our (super-gay) editorial team, and if you buy something from a GoQueer link, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
LonelyPlanet’s Brand-Spanking-New LGBTQ+ Travel Guide: Interviews, Itineraries, & Inspiration—from Insiders
Packed with must-know travel tips, safety advice, and vibrant recommendations for queer-owned businesses—from locals. This guide is perfect for planning your next adventure—beyond just Pride parades. Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or a first-time explorer, this book will introduce you to lesser-known attractions and off-the-beaten-path destinations that are inclusive and welcoming to LGBTQ+ travelers.
The Pride Atlas: 500 Iconic Destinations for Queer Travelers
This is like the Bible of Gay travel books. This beautiful book combines immersive photography with expertly researched travel writing. This is the ultimate guidebook for LGBTQ+ travelers—whether you're planning your next getaway, daydreaming from the comfort of your armchair, or seeking to learn about queer culture in other parts of the world. It’s a beautiful addition to any Gay coffee table.
Out in the World: The Gay Guide to Traveling with Pride
Out in the World, the first-ever book from The Nomadic Boys, promises to be your ultimate LGBTQ+ travel companion, offering invaluable tips, advice, and resources for safe and fabulous adventures, from vibrant Pride celebrations to hidden gems. Whether you're snorkeling in the Philippines or partying in Mexico, this guide ensures you travel with pride—across six continents—uncovering the best in food, drink, and unforgettable experiences.
Eat, Gay, Love: a Gay Travel Memoir
This Gay travel memoir is a must for any romantic. Heartbroken, unhappy and unsure of what to do with his life, Calum leaves his hometown where he’d lived all his life to embark on a journey that took him all around the world. “You've never read a travel memoir like this before.”
Worldwide Wanderlust: Exploring the Top 20 LGBTQ+ Worldwide Destinations
Dive into the most fabulous corners of the globe, from the gay meccas of San Francisco and New York City to the sun-soaked shores of Mykonos and the historic streets of Brighton, this guide is your golden ticket to 20 of the world's most vibrant, inclusive cities.
Damron Men's Travel Guide: The Little Black Book of Gay Travel
The 52nd edition of this essential gay travel guide features 10,000+ listings covering North America, South America, Europe & SE Asia. It’s been around (and regularly updated) since 1964. This is legit. Includes: Quick facts, hotels, B&Bs, bars, nightclubs, bookstores, cafes, restaurants, gyms, men's clubs, saunas and much more. Every listing is verified annually, many within weeks of publication!
Get it here
Queer Spaces: An Atlas of LGBTQ+ Places and Stories
In this lavishly illustrated volume, Adam Nathaniel Furman and Joshua Mardell have gathered together a community of contributors to share stories of spaces that range from the educational to the institutional to the re-appropriated, and many more besides.
The Guide for Worldly Women: Confidently Plan the Perfect Trip & Travel Independently
Don’t let fear or doubt stop you from going on adventures on your own. Unleash an independent and confident version of yourself with this guide to traveling solo! Though not Lesbian-specific, this woman-specific guide will help you conquer the fear and take all the steps necessary to become an independent solo traveler.
Mr. Hudson Explores: The Gay Man's Travel Companion
Mr. Hudson Explores is not just a travel guide; it's an invitation to experience the world with style, offering unique and special insights for every traveler, regardless of gender or travel companions. Covering 20 cities in the Northern Hemisphere, it delves into culture, art, food, shopping, music, and nightlife, enriched with stories, history, and luxury accommodations, making every part of the trip an incredible experience.
The Rough Guide to the Top LGBTQ+ Friendly Places in Europe
The Rough Guide to the Top LGBTQ+ Friendly Places in Europe—the latest picture-packed addition to Rough Guides' Inspiration range—reveals 20 destinations that will enthuse and reward LGBTQ+ travelers in a brand-new, inspirational coffee-table book. From vibrant, edgy cities, to stunning, lesser-visited gems, this book showcases 20 exceptional destinations that are renowned for being LGBTQ+ friendly, and for having notable LGBTQ+ connections.
The Rough Guide to the Top LGBTQ+ Friendly Places in the USA & Canada
The Rough Guide to the Top LGBTQ+ Friendly Places in the USA & Canada - the North American edition of Rough Guides' Inspiration range - reveals 24 destinations that will enthuse and reward LGBTQ+ travelers in an inspirational coffee-table book.
The Top U.S. Cities for LGBTQIA+ Travelers
Dive into "The Top US Cities for LGBTQIA+ Travelers to Visit," the ultimate guide by Ms. Holly Day, to explore the best LGBTQIA+ friendly hotels, restaurants, clubs, and events across the USA. Packed with tips on LGBTQIA+ culture, safety, and travel planning, this book invites you to travel in style, broaden your horizons, and celebrate your identity with every adventure.
How to Say “Fabulous!” in 8 Different Languages: A Travel Phrase Book for Gay Men
This hilarious handbook translates hundreds of outrageous phrases from English into Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian. There are sections on night life, opening lines, dining out, shopping, and even parting glances 👀
Out in the World: An LGBTQIA+ (and Friends!) Travel Guide to More Than 100 Destinations Around the World
This first-of-its-kind travel guide explores inclusive destinations around the world where LGBTQIA travelers and their allies can have an uncensored and memorable vacation experience. Full of fun and practical travel information with an eye toward memorable and meaningful experiences, each destination highlights what to see, where to eat, and where to stay—without focusing solely on gay bars and pride parades.
The "3-B's": Bears, Beaches, and Belonging - A Gay Man's Personal Story of His First Time at P-town's Infamous Bear Week
A hilarious and heartwarming memoir about stepping out of your comfort zone and diving—often awkwardly—into the deep end of self-discovery. The story follows Jake, a self-described introvert, as he takes on his first Bear Week, a wild and joyous celebration in Provincetown for gay men of all shapes and sizes. Equal parts coming-of-age tale and comedy of errors, Jake’s journey is as much about learning to laugh at himself as it is about finding community.