LGBT

Vanlife is for everyone, and the freedom that van travel offers – to move at your own pace, stay where you choose and spend time in places that suit you – works as well for LGBT travellers as anyone. The UK has a wide range of welcoming destinations, and the vanlife community as a whole tends to be open and inclusive in a way that reflects the independent spirit of life on the road.

Cities like Brighton, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol have well-established LGBT communities and offer a full range of accommodation and social options. Brighton in particular has a long history as a welcoming destination, and the vanlife community in the area is well-established. The Pride events in these cities draw van travellers from across the country and are worth building a trip around if they fall in the right part of your journey.

Beyond the cities, rural and coastal destinations across the UK are generally welcoming. Certified campsites through the Caravan and Motorhome Club and the Camping and Caravanning Club operate inclusive policies and are a reliable choice. The practical advice for LGBT van travellers is similar to that for any van traveller: trust your instincts about a spot, do your research, and know that the vast majority of overnight stops in the UK are straightforwardly welcoming.

For those building a specifically LGBT-focused van trip, the Rainbow Routes network and community social media groups can be useful for recommendations and meet-ups. The vanlife community broadly is a good source of up-to-date knowledge about welcoming locations and any spots that are less so.