Meet Allyssa Leaton | LGBTQ+ and Solo Female Travel Blogger

We had the good fortune of connecting with Allyssa Leaton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allyssa, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
My travel blog and account inspires and empowers other LGBTQ+, solo female, and budget travelers while demonstrating representation in travel. The world needs more travelers who dig deep and are inclined toward unique experiences, cultural exchanges, and community advocacy. So, I’m creating a virtual community to bring likeminded people who share similar values and a passion for travel together.

Even in just the first 2 months of my full launch of my blog and travel page, I’ve gotten immense positive feedback from old and new followers and comments from other solo female and LGBTQ+ travelers, which inspires me to keep going in my moments of doubt and affirms that I’m doing something impactful.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a blogger and content creator for sharing information and personal experiences related to budget, lgbtq+, and solo female travel!

Similar to some travel creators out there who already have an established community and following, I’m sharing travel tips, itineraries, guides, and personal experiences/stories. However, my focus also includes LGBTQ+ representation and sharing my experiences and recommendations around the world as a lesbian traveler (while single, dating, or in a relationship). As I continue traveling more and more, my goal is to engage more with local LGBTQ+ communities and spaces and share those stories to encourage traveling solo as an openly LGBTQ+ person, despite the battles and laws targeting our community that are still present today around the world.

My favorite part about the stories I’m sharing is how unique they are to me. Having learned Spanish as a second language, I love traveling to Spanish-speaking countries and immersing myself as much as possible in the country and culture to truly understand what different parts of the world are like.

I’m most proud of finally taking my biggest leap of courage and committing to building my travel blog and account and pursuing my passion for travel to make it a regular part of my lifestyle. For years, I battled with self limitations and doubt, despite having the knowledge and skills to do what I’m doing now. I’ve found ways to feel comfortable and confident traveling alone, being secure and proud of my sexuality, and prioritizing my spending to travel as frequently and as long as possible.

I’ve gotten to where I am today in terms of my comfort with adventure and travel largely thanks to my parents always encouraging my siblings and I to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones and experience new people, places, and things. As a kid, my parents took me on my first international trip to the UK and, growing up, I would go camping and hiking with my family and spend the weekends driving out of town for sports tournaments. As a teenager and young adult, I started traveling more, taking a trip to Nicaragua with some of my high school classmates and studying abroad in college for 2 months in Spain. There, I used my free weekends to travel to other European countries and learned the basics of traveling on a budget. Now, I’ve traveled to 15 different countries and 25 U.S. states and have made it my priority to pursue my passion for travel with hopes to build a career out of it.

I’ve gotten to where I am today professionally largely from being consistent, dedicated, and more than anything… genuinely passionate about the work I’m sharing. I’m currently taking an online course called “The Power of Instagram” offered by Club Life Design, and have read extensively and followed along with other creators to learn how to grow my account and online community. Over time, I’ve researched and taught myself strategies for how to stay safe as a solo female traveler and how to take high-quality photographs without someone on the other end of my phone or camera. Learning to be independent in a whole new light takes ambition, dedication, and belief in one’s self.

I can’t say it’s been easy at all. In fact, it’s been very challenging and many times along the way (and still today) I wonder if I’m really making the best decisions for myself. After going to college and pursuing two degrees, winning multiple academic awards, and graduating with honors, I had an entirely different life path planned out in my head than the one I’m walking now. Breaking away from the societal norm and what I’ve always seen “success” portrayed as has been a struggle, especially being in my young 20s and seeing other people my age in completely different stages of life. Some are out partying every night, others have a spouse and kids, others are working their way up the corporate ladder- you name it. So, deciding to live at home after college to save money and working at a brewery while I figure things out was quite the awakening. But now, I’ve had the opportunity to travel frequently, gain financial comfort, and really deep dive into what drives me and where I want to go next. I wouldn’t change a thing.

If there’s one message I had to leave for the world, it’s that life is too short to do anything but what brings you joy. We are not guaranteed anything, so pursuing your passions even if it’s “different” than what you originally had planned for yourself is worth it and will fulfill you in the long run. It might be hard, scary, and you might doubt yourself along the way, but if it’s meant to be, it will be. Stop comparing yourself to others, and be your biggest supporter!

There’s so much to see in this world and traveling provides never ending opportunities for knowledge, experiences, and growth. Leave your hometown, visit a new country, learn a new language.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I actually have a whole instagram post dedicated to fun, low cost activities around Charlotte, NC (my current home) that are great for doing with a friend or solo! (https://www.instagram.com/p/CfCsYbluS6L/)

Here are my favorite things to do in Charlotte and some of the best places to go! :
🎨 walk + shop around NoDa, Charlotte’s historic and arts neighborhood
🧺 grab some snacks and enjoy a picnic at a local park
🪴 sip, shop, + build at Plant House
☕️ get your caffeine fix at one of many local coffee shops ( my favorites are Giddy Goat + The Hobbyist)
🍓 support local vendors at the Charlotte Regional Farmer’s Market
🥾 hike Crowder’s Mountain for a good workout + great views
🎟 kayak, zipline, rock climb, & more at the U.S. National Whitewater Center
🍜 indulge in any + all types of cuisine at Optimist Hall

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family and friends- I can’t thank them enough for their unconditional support in more ways than one. Throughout my ‘coming out’ journey, solo travel adventures, and now travel blog and social media pages, they’ve been there every step of the way and supported and believed in me no matter what.

The Solo Female Traveler Network- for showing me that it is possible to travel alone, even as a woman. That there are no limits except the ones we place on ourselves.

My favorite book- “Tuesdays with Morrie” and the inspiring quote, “”I believe in being fully present, ” Morrie said. “That means you should be with the person you’re with.” … I am not thinking about something we said last week. I am not thinking about what’s coming up this Friday.”

Website: https://www.thelesbianpassport.com

Instagram: @thelesbianpassport

Other: TikTok – @thelesbianpassport