The 18 Best Online Travel Communities
Any well-seasoned traveller will know just how useful online travel communities can be! Whether you’re travelling with your partner, a friend, a group of people or by yourself, it’s one of the best places to get a wide range of information on a specific destination.
So let’s get into the benefits of each community, what type of content they share and how you can join!
Why Travel Facebook Communities?
We all know that Facebook is just about dead these days, so why join a Facebook community?
These Facebook communities are practically the only reason I still keep Facebook. People who post in these communities are full of helpful advice and you can even meet new friends through them.
They’re all fairly easy to join. You simply have to answer a few questions and wait until the admin or moderator lets you in!
Online Travel Communities in the USA
Based in the USA?
Luckily, there are SO many online travel communities for people from the United States.
Below are some of the best I’ve found that host online events and in-person meetups!
1. The Nomadic Network
Created by the well-known travel blogger, Nomadic Matt, this online community is perfect for you if you want to join free live events every month or two.
Check out their various events here.
2. US National Parks Travelers
If you’re planning an epic trip around the US national parks or maybe looking for someone to join you, this Facebook community is the place to be!
You’ll get lots of advice from nearly 280,000 members who are active in the group.
3. Vanlife USA
Vanlife USA is a smaller Facebook group with over 55,000 members who are living in vans around the US.
This online travel community is for you if you’re looking to do a road trip or live in your van while exploring the USA!
4. Black Travel Alliance
This group is specifically for black travellers who want to connect with each other while travelling around the US and beyond!
They have a free membership option and a few other tiers that go up to $140/year.
Join Black Travel Alliance here.
Online Travel Communities Worldwide
If you’re based in another part of the world, don’t worry!
There are plenty of other online travel communities you can work with.
1. Solo Female Travelers Network
With nearly 450,000 members in this Facebook group, it’s one of the best online travel communities for solo female travellers!
2. r/travel (Reddit)
Don’t underestimate Reddit as an incredible travel community!
It’s a great place to ask questions and get advice before a trip.
3. Hostelworld Chat
I started my travels with Hostelworld and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
When you book a hostel through Hostelworld, you’re connected to a chat where you can talk to other people who will be staying at the hostel before you arrive!
Travel Community Apps
Travel apps have become a popular way to find a community while travelling and I’ve seen a couple good ones pop up!
1. Trip BFF
This is a place for like-minded people to find travel buddies and share life-changing travel experiences with!
This of it as a dating app or ‘Tinder’ for finding adventurous friends around the world.
Download the app for FREE with the code ‘SPELLBOUND’ and gain access to their ‘Pro’ account for free.
It includes the ability to:
- ? Â See all nearby travellers Â
- ? Change your location anytime Â
- ? Generate AI itineraries in seconds Â
- ? Hide your active status Â
- ? Add a link to your plan Â
- ? Unique badge on profile Â
- ? Unlock all globe styles Â
I know there’s BumbleBFF but I gave that a shot and it was TERRIBLE so TripBFF seems like a much better option, especially since you can meet people as you’re moving from place to place!
2. Worldpackers
I’ve worked with Worldpackers a couple of times and can say it’s one of the best travel apps!
It’s a work-trade app that provides you with volunteer opportunities around the world, also connecting you ahead of time with other volunteers.
I’ll be volunteering with them for my 5th time in Zambia next month and living there for free.
Yes, you have to pay a small annual fee (it’s typically $49 USD but you can get $10 off below) but it’s totally worth it! You end up saying hundreds, if not THOUSANDS a year on rent when you do work-trades.
I also met some incredible people through Worldpackers and there are opportunities all around the world.
Join Worldpackers today and get 20% OFF your membership!
3. The Outbound Collective
This community focuses on hiking, outdoor adventures and nature experiences. It’s an app that highlights local adventures and places to camp!
4. Couchsurfing
Another way to save money when you’re travelling is by using Couchsurfing.
You essentially stay on someone’s couch or in their spare bedroom when you’re travelling. They also have community events you can join through the app.
As a solo female traveller, I don’t feel 100% safe using this app but I’ve met couples and men who have and had great experiences connecting with locals.
It used to be a free app but is now around $20/year.
5. Nomads
Are you a digital nomad?
Then this app is perfect for you!
It’s a place for digital nomads to connect and find places to live around the world while working remotely.
Join the nomad community here.
Free Online Facebook Travel Communities
Facebook groups are the OG way of connecting with other travellers online and they’re still a great way to do so!
1. Girls LOVE Travel
When thinking of the many online travel communities, Girls LOVE Travel is probably the first one that comes to mind. It was created by Haley Woods in 2015 and has over 1.2M members! The content that’s shared is heavily monitored to ensure that only helpful and uplifting messages are left. When posting on GLT, you must adhere to a set of rules and it generally takes a few days for an admin to approve a post.
I’ve posted a few questions in regard to specific trips coming up and received over 30 responses within a few days.
2. We Are Travel Girls
We Are Travel Girls was founded in 2016 by Becky van Dijk and Vanessa Rivers. They’re a smaller community of about 25K women and they host meetups and getaways around the world each year.
People generally ask questions about solo travel, advice for travelling to a specific place and share travel itineraries.
3. Host a Sister
When I stumbled upon Host a Sister, I was wondering why it took me so long to find this type of community! It’s all about connecting with other women who travel in a unique way.
Women from around the world post to find free accommodation in a new place, to meet up with a travelling sister, share their home with a sister who’s visiting that location or organize meetup events in a specific city or town. Everyone is very supportive in this group and I think it’s an awesome way to get to know a new place through the eyes of a local sister.
4. The Travel Squad
I came across the Travel Squad while I was scrolling through TikTok one day. It was started by Alex Merritt and the goal of the group is to connect like-minded people who want to explore new places and make friends from around the world.
There are many subgroups that are location-specific, making it easier to connect with people from your city/country or places you’re planning on visiting.
5. Outdoorsy Gals
Outdoorsy Gals is the best group for women who love all things outdoors. If you’re interested in finding friends to camp or hike with around the globe, this is the place to be! The group was founded by Lindsay Stevens who saw a need for a group like this after posting about making new friends to go on adventures with on TikTok.
The group hosts meetups, and people share travel playlists and ask for advice on anything travel or outdoors-related.
6. Digital Nomads Around the World
More and more people are working as digital nomads now which is awesome! This group was created for digital nomads around the world to connect, ask each other questions and share their knowledge. They discuss things such as VPNs, the best places to work, useful apps, the most affordable cities to live in and more.
If you’re thinking about getting started as a digital nomad, my ‘Becoming a Digital Nomad’ ebook is packed with helpful resources and tips!
Other Posts You Might Find Helpful
- The digital nomad health insurance I’ve been using for years
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- The best way to travel with a skateboard
- Planning a trip to Europe? You might want to consider Montenegro!
Do You Have Travel Insurance?
If you’re thinking about travelling this year, it’s SO important to make sure you’re insured. I’ve been using SafetyWing’s Travel Medical Insurance for over a year now and would definitely recommend using them! It’s perfect for budget travellers, solo travellers and everything in between.
What Online Travel Communities Do You Love?
Have you found any other online travel communities that you love?
Send them my way or leave a comment!
I’ll be back next week with another blog but in the meantime, head over to my Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for daily travel tips and inspo.
Cheers,
Amy xx
Here is a great facebook group for people who travel and work remote. Its pretty new and the community is growing. Check it out @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/771870450939294 or https://www.remotissimo.com