Zero To Travel Podcast

What does queer travel in the US look like beyond the big cities? And what can all travelers learn from the LGBTQ+ travel experience? 

Chase Vondran is a full-time travel creator and writer based in Chicago who helps transgender and gender-diverse travelers explore safely while advocating for greater inclusion in the travel industry. After an eight-year nomadic journey spanning 20+ countries, they now focus their work on queer travel, small queer towns, and inclusive travel guides. 

In this episode, co-host Dianni Hall sits down with Chase to talk about queer travel in the U.S., exploring small queer towns and gayberhoods, and understanding the realities and joys of traveling as a trans person. 

This episode offers a rare glimpse into queer communities thriving outside of major cities and highlights unexpected destinations where queer people not only exist but also flourish. Chase shares personal stories from their travels as a trans person, the differences in how the world treats them before and after transition, and what travelers should consider when seeking inclusive spaces. You’ll discover resources, tips for finding queer communities, and the emotional power of feeling seen. Whether you’re a queer traveler, an ally, or curious about inclusive travel, this conversation expands how we think about travel, identity, and belonging. 

How has travel helped you better understand experiences different from your own? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. 

Zero To Travel co-host Dianni Hall is a queer, second-generation Latina, solo budget backpacker, and host of the While She’s Away podcast. Learn more about her work here. 

Tune In To Learn: 

How travel gave Chase space to explore queerness and identity away from home 

What it feels like to find queer community for the first time while traveling 

Why places like Puerto Vallarta have become historic hubs for queer travelers 

How the absence of visible queer community can change a travel experience 

How queer history, artist communities, and other factors have helped shape small inclusive towns across the U.S. 

Why destinations like Saugatuck, Michigan and Eureka Springs, Arkansas defy expectations 

How Chase’s travel experiences shifted after coming out as trans and  

What safety, visibility, and respect look like when traveling as a trans person and how it differs from traveling as a woman 

Why small, community-driven queer spaces matter just as much as big cities 

How to find queer community anywhere using apps, events, and local businesses 

And so much more 

Resources: 


Sign up for our FREE newsletter 


Dianni on Instagram 


Chase on Instagram 


Everywhere Is Queer 


Quouch 

Want More? 


Choosing a One-Way Ticket Over a Master’s Degree + Lessons From 6 Years of Evolving Travel with Dianni Hall 


Top 7 Cities for LGBTQ+ Travelers and Finding Your People Around the World with LGBTQ+ Travel Expert Alicia Valenski 


LGBTQ+ Travel and Making A Difference with Ravi Roth 

Thanks To Our Sponsors 


Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify 

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Want to hear bold ideas and big solutions for our planet? We have been listening to Alex Honnold as he hosts Planet Visionaries, in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each week, Alex spotlights innovators who are not just imagining a better future but actively creating it. Go check it out and hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

What does it look like when travel becomes more than just a trip, but a lifelong evolution of identity, choices, and community?

Dianni Hall is a queer, second-generation Latina, solo budget backpacker, podcaster, and podcast producer. She’s the host of While She’s Away, a podcast highlighting stories and advice from women travelers around the world. After choosing a one-way flight to India instead of enrolling in graduate school, Dianni spent six years traveling full-time across 30+ countries while building a freelance career and exploring what it means to find home.

In this episode, we explore how Dianni’s travel lifestyle has changed over time, from solo backpacking and volunteering abroad to building a freelance career and eventually settling into a home base in Brooklyn.

Dianni shares specific lessons from various phases of travel, including navigating her first solo trip, volunteering in an ashram, adjusting to slow travel, and balancing travel with long-term stability. She offers honest reflections on managing anxiety while traveling, the importance of community, and what it means to reimagine one's identity when traveling full-time comes to an end.

What’s one travel experience, big or small, that changed the way you see the world, and how did it shape who you are today? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.
Tune In To Learn:

How religious/spiritual curiosity shaped her decision to go to India

What she learned from living and volunteering at an ashram

What it felt like to “accidentally” become a full-time nomad and how teaching English in Spain opened doors to long-term travel and career growth

Advice for navigating anxiety before and during travel, and how reframing your inner dialogue can make all the difference

What solo travel taught her about confidence, community, and intuition

The difference between feeling “at home” somewhere and choosing to build a life there

Why returning to familiar places revealed a deeper need for belonging and community

What drew her to Brooklyn, and how queer community became a central part of her rooted life

And so much more

Resources:

Sign up for our FREE newsletter

While She’s Away Podcast

Dianni on Instagram

Bar Lunatico

Boyfriend Co-Op

Want More?

Solo Traveling Europe and “The Stans” in a Campervan with Maria Glaser

Joys of Solo Travel with Manjinder Kang

Seizing Your Opportunity to Travel, Saving Money as a Solo Traveler, Lessons from a Career Break, and How to Figure Out What You Want (In 60 Seconds) with Leslie McKellar

Thanks To Our Sponsors

Planet Visionaries - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to hear bold ideas and big solutions for our planet? We have been listening to Alex Honnold as he hosts Planet Visionaries, in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Each week, Alex spotlights innovators who are not just imagining a better future but actively creating it. Go check it out and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

What are the top travel destinations for 2026 that need to be on your radar?

Lyn Hughes is the founding editor of Wanderlust Magazine and a leading voice in adventure and cultural travel journalism. She’s spent decades curating destination guides, championing responsible travel, and sharing stories that inspire deeper exploration.

I catch up with Lyn to explore her curated list of the best places to travel in 2026 and why you should prioritize these destinations for the new year or near future.

Lyn shares standout destinations including remote wilderness routes, under‑the‑radar cultural hubs, and wildlife-rich regions. She shares personal stories, explains why there is urgency around some of these locations, and gives insight into how we can engage more meaningfully and responsibly when we visit. If you're thinking ahead to your next big trip, this episode offers thoughtful guidance and some surprising ideas.

Which types of destinations spark your imagination right now? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

Why Wanderlust creates future‑looking destination lists and how they’re curated

How to balance adventure, accessibility, and sustainability in trip planning

Advice for travelers seeking lesser‑known but rewarding places

What Lyn looks for in a truly special travel experience

How one rugged road trip remains one of her all‑time favorites

Why wildlife travel can reshape how we see the world

How curated content and AI might impact your next travel search

What role community‑based tourism is playing in new travel trends

Personal travel picks from a legendary travel editor

And so much more

Resources:

Sign up for our FREE newsletter

Wanderlust Magazine

Wanderlust: Off the Page podcast on Apple, Spotify

Want More?

Top 7 Travel Trends for 2025 with Lyn Hughes

Top 10 Places We’re Dying To Visit That We’ve Never Been

14 Best of “The Best Places to Travel in 2025” (Jason’s Picks)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices