Say Yes to the Adventure: Chris Smith on Queer Travel, Outdoor Community, and Pride Adventure Travel
Quick question.
When's the last time you saw a queer person in an outdoor adventure ad?
Not a Pride Month Instagram post from a gear company. An actual ad. For an actual trip. With an actual queer person doing the thing.
Yeah. Chris Smith noticed that too.
So he built Pride Adventure Travel — and spent years proving something the outdoor industry apparently needed proof of: that queer people belong on mountains, on trails, in the water, and everywhere else the adventure world used to pretend we didn't exist.
In this episode, Chris gets into the outdoor industry's complicated (and honestly, pretty embarrassing) relationship with diversity…
What it actually feels like to show up at a trailhead as a visibly queer person…
And why group adventure travel does something for queer people that solo trips can't — it builds a community that holds you while you push yourself.
We also cover the practical stuff. How to find queer-friendly outdoor adventures. What to look for in a guide or operator. Red flags. Green flags.
And the thing Chris keeps coming back to: the best trips of your life will probably be the ones that scare you a little first.
If you've ever stood at the edge of something — a mountain, a decision, a new chapter — and wondered whether you were allowed to go…
Chris Smith's answer is yes.
Full stop. Always yes.
Watch the Episode here
Listen to the Podcast here
Say Yes to the Adventure: Chris Smith on Queer Travel, Outdoor Community, and Pride Adventure Travel
Meet Chris Smith, the adventure travel mastermind who went from Mormon middle child to queer outdoor revolutionary. Growing up as 1 of 7 kids in an LDS family with both a gay brother and a lesbian sister, Chris knew a thing or two about finding your own path. When he looked at mainstream outdoor experiences, he didn't say, “Hold my rainbow now, Jean,” he decided to rebuild the entire trail system.
What started out as California Gay Adventures has exploded into a full-blown movement, building an empire of queer outdoor innovation. We're talking National Geographic partnerships, pride adventure trail expeditions, and community platforms like gay travel mates that are changing how our community explores the world. He’s not just leading trips. He’s creating a whole damn ecosystem for LGBTQ+ adventurers.
With the queer traveler compass as his latest innovation, Chris is making sure our community has all the tools, connections, and confidence to conquer every corner of the globe. This is an episode with Chris Smith, where Mormon roots mean mountain things, where family complexity meets community building, and every expedition is another step towards a more inclusive wilderness.
Let's dive in. Let's talk about what all this stuff is in reality. Your backstory is fascinating. The backstory is interesting. What the heck do you do that has you excited?
Building Outdoor Community From Scratch
My husband and I moved to Los Angeles from Phoenix, Arizona, a couple of years ago. I was active in Arizona. I come from a family of outdoorsmen. My dad had a TV show outdoors. I love to go to the lake. We had a job offer, so we moved out together and said, “Let's do this thing.” It wasn't too long after going to the bars, trying to meet people, going that route, being on different apps, and things like that, that I had to go back to my roots. I had to get out in the mountains.
The nice thing about Los Angeles that a lot of people probably don't think about nationwide, but they have some fires, unfortunately, going on, is that we have a lot of mountains surrounding us with a lot of hiking trails. We have a lot of off-roading options. We have a lot of availability to go camping and stuff. I got excited once I started doing some of that here.
I noticed more people wanted to do it as well, so we started a small Facebook group, and it grew. COVID happened, and it exploded. Now, we're where we're at. We're doing hikes, socials, and camping trips. We bring people together for events. We might even go to the Hollywood Bowl. It has expanded to getaways, international trips, and things like that.
That's neat. That's exciting. I've got some Phoenix Roots as well. I used to live on 3rd and Cypress years ago, back in the day.
That's where I lived, 3rd and Cypress.
330 Cypress Street.
We lived on the corner of Central Avenue.
I was on the other side, then.
That's so crazy. The corner house of 3rd and Cypress is where we lived. It was on 3rd Avenue in Cypress.
I was in a couple of houses down. It was the cycle of Frank Lloyd Wright. They designed the building. I was in it eight years or so ago.
I was there in Cypress around ‘99 to 2002-ish.
It might've been around the same time. My time's all confused. I then moved back to Florida, in West Palm Beach, and then West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale, and then Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta. I went from Atlanta back to Miami for a little bit and then to Bangkok. I left the phase in 2009. I was done.
My call after this one is planning a Bangkok trip for another gay organization that's a matchmaking service here in Los Angeles.
I'm happy to be a resource. I lived in Bangkok for ten years.
That’s awesome.
It was a good time. They have the best food in the world.
I took 23 guys. It was amazing. We started in Vietnam. We did Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai. Now, we're going to do the ocean.
Fun. I was back a few months ago. I did my annual physical there every year. I do love my Thai time. That's awesome. Where are most of your trips?
Expanding Local Hikes into Global Journeys
With Pride Adventures Travel, the way that we've done it is we have two organizations. California Gay Adventures is our not-for-profit organization. It is mostly hiking, socials, camping, and things. We found a need where people wanted to go a little further out. We went on an Alaska cruise. We did a trip to Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. We did a few smaller trips. We went on a Costa Rica trip. We've done that twice.
Finding your community in a new city starts with stepping out on the trail. Here's how small groups turn into global movements.
I looked and said, “This is fun.” I host and plan the trips. I do it all with the help of tour providers. What we've done is that my husband is a travel agent as well. He's on a different side. He does entertainment travel. We made the decision that I'm going to travel full-time. That's our path. We have eight trips in 2025 planned. We're going to Costa Rica and South Africa. We have two groups going to South Africa. I'm taking one group. My brother leaves two days after me with another group. That's in June.
In July, we got sold. I'm going to Canada, doing the national park, Jasper, and all that stuff, which is amazing. In August, we have a sold-out group going to Iceland. We're doing a big Iceland group. That's a CGA group. September is in Italy. We have spots available for our Italy trip. That's for fourteen days through Venice, all the way around the multi-coast, and Rome. It is going to be beautiful. We're going to Ecuador in December. We have a Central Mexico trip planned for Dia de los Muertos as well.
That's great. For the most part, you're becoming a digital nomad with all the travel that you're doing.
The interesting thing is that it’s one of those things where we can figure it out. We're going to pay attention to what you're sharing because my husband can work from home. We've talked about going places for 3 or 4 months at a time.
There are pros and cons to it. We could talk about that as well. This is unleashed. There are no rules for this thing. I remember when I first moved to Bangkok in 2009, I was up in Chiang Mai at the Sunday night market. There was a vendor who had this stunning elephant head. It was gorgeous. I couldn't buy it. I had no room in the suitcase. It was wood. It was heavy. How are you going to travel around with an elephant head?
You wanted it.
I still remember it. There's that when you don't have a home base. I ultimately got an apartment. With that, I started accumulating some stuff. I also became much more sedentary. It wasn't like every week to a different place. It was like, “Do I want to go up to Tran? No. I'm happy here.” I did less because I had the place. It's nice to have a place to call home.
A good friend of mine is in Pattaya.
Choosing Immersive Travel Over Fast Tourism
To be a nomad, having a home base is nice, but it doesn't allow you to get to know areas better. I'm advocating not necessarily being a slowmad of being at some place three, four, or five at a time, but being someplace at least a week. That way, they know you at the coffee shop.
That's my thought.
I don't want people notching off locations as if it's a trick on the bed stand. I don't want that. I want people to get to know a place. I was talking to someone over here. We were talking about cruise ships stopping in Rome. You stop in Rome and take the hour or hour and a half bus ride, train ride, or whatever into the city. You’re there for 4 hours and see 3 things. That's not Rome.
That is my experience of Rome. We went on a cruise from Barcelona. Did someone say we saw Rome? Sure, but we were in a hurry. I almost got divorced because we didn't make it back to the cruise ship on time.
That was my Atlantis trip years ago. It was the same thing. I've been to Rome before, but it was a long time ago. To me, that's no way to travel. I'd rather have something immersive and be someplace for a while. If you're going to do a safari in Africa, you're there for a while. You're not there for a day or two.
For me, as the leader, I come in a day or two early. I stay 2 or 3 days longer. I make sure to check in case anybody needs anything. Also, I want to experience those main destinations for a couple of extra days.
On the one hand, it is better to do it before they get there. That way, you already get the lay of the land. You know what you're doing before people show up. I left Sydney a couple of months ago. I'm at my mom's condo in Miami. She's 90, so I'm keeping an eye on her. She's rowdy. Her next trip is to Sri Lanka.
One of our friends that we're taking to South Africa is 90.
The people love her more than me. She's great. I’m keeping half an eye on her while I do all this. Being nomadic truly is so much fun. Doing it with a husband, boyfriend, companion, or whoever you're traveling with as you watch the ether out there makes it more fulfilling because you get to share with somebody. I remember years ago, I was in Prague. It was the same thing. It was a gorgeous city. I was like, “It's gorgeous, but I can't share this with anybody,” because I was there by myself. Not that there's anything wrong with traveling by myself for years, but having that special person to share it with does make a difference. You're lucky to have that.
Why Shared Adventures Create Lifelong Bonds
One of the special pieces that we do is that we feel like sharing our experience with other people is important. That's why we do our group adventures. There are a lot of people out there who don't have anyone who's going to travel with them. They have a group of friends. They have friends that they meet up with. They have friends who go to the movies, dinner, and things.
They start talking about a trip, and it never happens, or maybe they go on one once in a while. These are people who want to travel. We've developed a community of people. We probably get 60% repeats that come on trips. They meet their friends and develop these friendships. They're traveling with their friends, which is pretty neat. I get that with the nomad piece as well.
In doing the Gay Ski Week at Whistler, I'd done a twenty-year hiatus. There were a lot of business conflicts or other things that were going on at the same time. I started years ago when it was Altitude before it became what it is now. It was a great time then. We went skiing every year together. It’s the same thing. I went back for the first time in twenty years. A few people came up to me and said, “Ken?”
I've got people in 2026 that I skied with in 2025. We're already in a WhatsApp group for 2027. It’s cool to have that level of community and share stuff. It’s only the people that you want to be with. There are some cons to that as well, in that we all skied together, so I didn't meet as many people as I did. It's like you want to say, “I know you. Go away.”
Stop rushing through famous cities in four hours. Real travel happens when you slow down and get to know the locals.
You've got to have those moments.
It's an important piece. You've been doing a lot of stuff around the world. What's your favorite place to take people to?
The place where you lived. Southeast Asia, I love it. It’s not difficult, but it takes a lot of time to get there. It's sixteen hours. We go through Taiwan. I'd love to explore so much more of Southeast Asia. We go to South America a lot. We had a trip to Peru not too long ago. We took almost 40 people to Machu Picchu. We had a group that was hiking. We did the four-day hike. There was a group that did the train, and that was epic.
I want to explore more of Europe. I have not done a lot of Europe. In 2026, we're doing Japan. It’s interesting you said Boom Fest. We're doing Mont Blanc. We're not going to do the big hikes where it's the 100-mile hike. We're going to be doing what's like an explorer trip. You're up in Chamonix, and then you go up to the villages. You stay in the lodges and the inns.
Every day, you can go on hikes. If you don't want to hike one day, you can say no. After that, we go to Amsterdam WorldPride. After that, we went to Eastern Europe right after each other. These are going to be different people who join, but I'm going to do the whole thing. After that, we're in Berlin. Prague, then Vienna, and then Budapest. I'm looking forward to that. I might have a new favorite.
I'm salivating over it. I’ve been to some of the cities. Some of them, I haven't. I have still never been to Budapest in all these years. I’ve been to Prague a few times. South America, I haven't done very much of. I used to live in Costa Rica briefly, for a few years. I'm spoiled by all that, but South America, not so much. Colombia is so much on my list. I've got to go to the Galapagos. I haven't been there yet.
Our Galapagos trip is soon. That's going to be great. We're going to Ecuador. We're going with Cotopaxi. We're doing the Galapagos Islands. We're doing a land tour. We're not going on a cruise. It makes it more affordable. It's about half the price of one of the high-end cruises. The nice thing about having land tours is what you explained about Rome.
You still get to experience a lot. Don't get me wrong. They’re great, but you are eating at the same restaurants, and you are getting that cruise food, which is good. It's excellent, but I like eating the local food. I like trying new restaurants. I like trying new things. That’s the true side of me. My husband would probably rather be on the cruise ship, but that's me.
I'm probably with you. I stayed at a pod hotel because I didn't want to spend money on a room when I'm only going to sleep. I'm not there to hook up. I'm not there to do late nights. I'm a skier. I need to rest. It's a long day.
We’re leaving for my birthday ski trip in Tahoe.
I miss that. Where are you going in Tahoe?
We're going to Palisades. We're staying in Tahoe City. We rented a cabin right there in Dollar Point.
It's been a long time since I've been back there. The last time I was there was the Fourth of July. The last time, I skied naked. I remember those things. It was fun. Having those adventures is great. The smart thing is keeping it affordable. Certainly, more people would attend. Whistler, being very expensive, is a hard place for people to go. Making that affordable makes so much sense. Having that ability to get to know the locals is priceless.
It's something I enjoy. I liked what you said earlier about slow-growing. We're comparing two things. The nomad world, and then people leaving their jobs and only having a week or two for vacation. In a week or two for vacation, you want to see as much as you can. We do try to give a couple of days here and a couple of days there so you can get a little piece of that, but it's not quite the nomad life where you can go somewhere for a couple of weeks, dive in, and then go to the next spot.
This challenge is with all of it. One of the things that we're advocating is setting up your business relationship, whether it's as an employee situation or your own business, where you can be location independent on your own terms. For me, more as an entrepreneur, as you guys are, I don't want to work for someone else. You work for your customer, ultimately, or for the people that you serve, because if you don't serve them, then they will not serve you.
I want to get people as empowered as we can on how to run their own location-independent business, whether it's an online business or a physical business. Someone else runs back wherever home is, where your mail gets collected, so you can run around the world and make it your playground. That's where it gets exciting. You got a whole European adventure set up. Wouldn't it be cool for me to say, “I can go. When are we leaving?”
That's the way I want people to run their lives. It is doing it right where you have some of the days set for, “I'm going to work a couple of hours in the morning. I'm going to go out and do this in the middle of the day. I’m going to come back for an hour, catch up on a couple of things, go to dinner, and then maybe check the email before we go to bed.” I learned that when I first moved to Thailand. I was in Pattaya. It was the same thing. I worked in the morning and went to the beach. They have nasty beaches there.
We were there. We went out to one of the small islands. We did a day tour. It was fun.
The island's nice. You're right. The beaches there, no. I used to live in the Caribbean. I'm very spoiled. I lived on St. Croix. I had a house on St. John. It is among the best beaches in the world. One of the islands I used to go to, Mosquito Island, was bought by some guy named Branson a few years ago. I'm very spoiled that way, which is good and bad.
That lifestyle of being able to do it when you want and how you want to do it is so much fun. To be able to say, “We're going to do this trip. In the morning, it's morning playtime, and then we're going to go right into whatever.” It’s the same thing with the ski trip. I worked an hour in the morning, got to the mountain, and did a bunch of runs. I left the mountain a little bit early so I wouldn't hurt myself and worked for a couple of hours. Whistler has a phenomenal library. They have a fire pit. It's gorgeous. I didn't work that much because it's Whistler. You can still run your life that way if you have a business.
Your expenses come down, too, especially with somebody who has a house in Los Angeles near the beach.
My apartment in Sydney was $4,000 a month, which is $1,300 AUD. That's a lot of money. I thought, “This is stupid.” I did that twice in Bangkok. I gave up my apartment twice. I put everything in storage and then traveled. Backpack and roller board. That was it. It was stupid to have a place. Why am I throwing money away? For storage? No. I'm on the Pride Nomad world tour, wherever that takes me. It's like, “Who wants me? I'm coming. Who wants me to write about your place? I'm there.” It's a cool lifestyle. That's fun. We talked about our favorite places. I want to hear about a trip that you've done that blew your mind. It was an experience that you were like, “I never expected this.”
I know I already said Machu Picchu, but it is there. It's as amazing as the picture that you see people take where Machu Picchu is in the background. The first time I went, I went on an actual travel agent retreat where they paid for everything. This is where it didn't just blow my mind in terms of the location, people, and culture. It blew my mind in the world of like, “I could do this for a living the rest of my life.”
I went to where they had 300 travel agents from all over the world who had come in. They paid for everybody's flights. They had vendors. They had digital nomads. They probably hired influencers and different people. We took the train up. We didn't do the hike. We saw so much. We also went to the speakers and listened to what they do for ecotourism.
This is for a company called G Adventures that we use as one of our tour companies. It was excellent. It made me realize, “I could do this. I've done several trips now, a couple a year. I could do this full-time.” That's where I made my decision. That was September 2023 when I made the decision, “I'm going to go full-time with this.” We had to do some planning, but 2025 is the first year.
That's awesome. It does take planning to be able to do that. There's a lot of stuff you need to do in the background. We're running an online summit in a little bit. We're already saying March 2025. It's called the World Playground Summit. The idea is to give people the tools and strategies to be able to ditch the 9:00 to 5:00 and structure their life in a way that they can run around the world as their playground. The idea is to also give tools and strategies for people to deal with how we manage health issues, how we deal with loneliness, how we get our mail, and how we cover insurance, taxes, and all the other stuff that are all the perceived objections to why you can't do this, which is all crap.
That's a great resource. There are people who live somewhere else, where they stay somewhere all the time. This is a great option to do as well. I can admit that I have looked into it as well.
It’s so smart. Traveling makes so much sense. You can meet all these great people. I've got a couple of friends who are housesitting. They’re living their lives for free, housesitting all over the globe. It’s pretty brilliant. I'm on the chairlift with a guy. Maybe it was LA. I forgot where he was from, but it doesn't matter. He was like, “Have you heard of Trusted House Sitters?” I'm like, “Yeah.” He goes, “I have people sit in my house so I can travel.”
He's not a house sitter. He was bringing them in. He loves it. It was cool to see the other side of that whole thing. It was fascinating. I've got a buddy of mine who's been hanging out in Sydney for quite some time. He goes from house to house. He lives in Sydney for free. He only takes houses of people who have cars. He has a place and is not running around.
He has a house. He has a car. He has everything set up.
He lives for free.
That’s awesome.
It’s pretty amazing. There are ways to skin the cat.
They have reviews, and they know they're good people. They've got the references. That's great.
I've got a buddy of mine from Canada. He's been doing this for fifteen years or longer. It’s crazy. He's an older gentleman. When I say older, he's older than 30. He loves it. He's living his life. We did a story about him in the newsletter a few months ago.
That's cool.
It’s fun. I was on his podcast. We built some courses together, which we put on Udemy. You can run this business and run this life that way. It's easier than people think. The opportunities are there once you make the commitment to do it, which is nice. Let me ask you the corollary question. You've done a bunch of tours. What has been the biggest surprise nightmare, like, “The world's going to be over,” and how did you get through it?
Handling Unexpected Travel Challenges with Humor
In Yucatan, Mexico. There were about 23 of us. It was a great trip. We had a lot of fun. We went from hotel to hotel. We went to Holbox, which is in North Yucatan. It's a little beach area, and it's very well-known for spring break. A lot of the hotels there are not the kind of hotels you probably want to stay in. We went up to this hotel, and we were a little worried because we were driving through dirt roads and stuff. We got there, and it's beautiful. It's brand-new. It looks like this modern, amazing place.
We start checking in. The guys go up. They have the penthouse units, which are huge. They have these huge showers. It's pretty awesome. The pool is beautiful. We all get ready to go to dinner, and then the transformer on the road explodes while we're at dinner. Power goes out. They say it's going to be done, and they'll have it fixed. They were like, “No problem. We're going to have it fixed.” It was not fixed by the time we got back.
They use water pumps there for your toilets. Everybody had to get a bucket and use the pool water to use the bathroom. It also was warm at the time, but not too bad. We were there at a pretty decent time of the year, but it was warm. There was no air conditioning. When that first day was over, we said, “We need to get another hotel. Our company is working on it.” They keep extending it because they keep saying, “It's going to be fixed soon.” Finally, we took matters into our own hands and moved across the street to a lower budget place where at least we had a bed and rainwater.
There's always going to be something.
I have a story about Costa Rica as well, but that's a little too gross to talk about.
Every great travel story starts with something going completely off plan. Embrace the unexpected moments on the road.
We probably all do. I used to live there. I'll leave it that way. I have a love-hate relationship with Costa Rica. It involves millions of dollars.
We were in the Amazon. I don't want to scare people going to these events, but one of our members was in his room that was completely mosquito-netted and everything. Somehow, a tarantula got into his shoe. When he went to put on his shoe the next morning, there was a tarantula in it. He took it very well, but some people wouldn't.
If you didn't have a tarantula in your shoe, there'd be no story.
That's right.
We have to look at it that way because there's always going to be something. We were driving one night in Costa Rica, and there was a massive rainstorm. In Costa Rica, when you have massive rains, it's heavy-duty, and a lot of the trees don't have deep roots. Nothing in common for you to go down the road, and there's a tree across the road. You may be thinking, “It's going to be after ten hours.” It was minutes. There were twenty cars, and someone came out of their car with a chainsaw.
He carries it with him.
Honest to God.
That's a great experience.
I got my mom in the car. We were heading back. No big deal. It doesn't happen in America at all. What you deliver to people is something that is an experience that will change their lives and is bigger than everybody combined. It's pretty awesome.
Thank you.
What should people know about what you guys are doing? We're going to have to wrap this baby up, as much as I'm loving this.
Saying Yes to New Experience Beyond Fear
The big thing is finding a place where you belong. It's camaraderie. It's togetherness. It's going and doing things with like-minded people. There are a lot of people out there who are like, “It's not for me,” or they have a lot of reasons or excuses why they don't do certain things. Whether that's going out on a Friday night, or it's going on a trip, or it's going to Costa Rica, for example, say yes. Do it. The whole group that we have, and the ones that I've seen as well, are very friendly. Everybody is in there for the exact same reason. They want to get to know you. They want to have an experience with you. Go into things like this with an open mind and have fun.
Agreed 100%. It was years ago when I made my first overseas trip. It was Paris. I went to the airport, got out, walked on the jetway, got on an airplane, sat down, waited a few hours, walked off the airplane, and I was in Paris. It was like, “Okay.” I think nothing of it anymore. It was a seventeen-hour flight, one of the world's longest flights. from Houston to Sydney. American has one from Dallas to Sydney. Same idea. It was Qantas. On the airplane, you travel. It's not a big deal.
Watch a couple of movies. Take your bed. I agree with you. I'm 6’7” tall, and I still travel on airplanes to a spot.
I did it not long ago because I needed to get my status back on United. I did three back-to-back flights from Miami to Seoul in the back of the airplane. It was a crazy time. It was nuts. I was out within 24 hours and back. I never left the airport, at least here in Miami. I got my status back. I've got all the international upgrades on United. My mom is going to go to Sri Lanka in business class, as she deserves. It's worth it. We do what we have to do. So what?
People who are like, “I couldn't get on an airplane that long,” that’s crap. Some of the seats are uncomfortable. United has not done very well with their seats on their new aircraft for the long-term. Bring a foam thing. Bring a gel thing. I have a little gel pillow that I snap. It's all good. You get over it. Some people take a sleeping pill and knock themselves out.
People who are saying no are small-minded. They need to open up. That's why I think so many of the problems in the US are because people don't even have passports. This is not the center of the world. In fact, we may be developed in many ways, but we’re so undeveloped in other ways. What you do with getting people on an international basis and having them experience different areas, such as Africa, going down to the Galapagos, going to Machu Picchu, and going into other countries, is so important.
You're experiencing culture. You're seeing things outside of your own world. That's very important.
Are we doing anything special for Pride Nomad subscribers?
I don't have anything specific that we have.
No problem. I should have asked you before we started.
I could, but it's the way you put on codes and stuff on our system. There's no affiliate link system on there. We use WeTravel, which works nicely.
Smart tools and non-profit resources can amplify your mission and bring more people into your community.
We'll figure something out. That way, Chris is not on the spot, even though I put him on the spot. If you get a free satchel, Chris will make it worth your while. Mention Pride Nomad, and he'll take great care of you. I want to make sure everyone gets a great opportunity to play with you guys because I want to be on some of your trips.
We can give a code for $100 off one of the 2025 trips that we have available. I'll put a code on the system for PrideNomad100.
That's great. Thanks. I didn't want you to necessarily put out the specifics of that, only because if you needed to make some changes or whatever, I didn't want you to be on the spot.
I know this is going to be edited, so you guys can edit it however you want.
I don't want to edit anything, frankly, but if I need to, I will. The point I'm trying to say to everyone tuning in is that the best thing to do is to take action because everything is bound to change. Even if Chris said you're to get $4 million off, that can go away tomorrow. The market changes. I'm suggesting that if you love what you're reading, and I certainly do, go ahead. Find the link. Get some information on where Chris's tours are. If you end up on a waiting list because he's sold out on everything, get on a waiting list. Get the rest of you on the waiting list as well.
Our waiting lists are a great place to be. There’s always a cancellation or two getting close to the trip. There's always something that happens with work or something like that. That does happen.
I live for cancellations, or when they’re late. Don't do that. Book early and reserve that. Anything else we should know?
No, that's good. If you're out there and want to come on a trip, we are Pride Adventures Travel. If you're in California, you want to get involved in social organization. It's California Gay Adventures.
Speaking of which, you guys are a nonprofit. Are you taking advantage of Google's ad grant?
We are not.
I need to have a little lesson with you. Google gives nonprofits like 501(c)(3)s in the United States.
We're a 501(c)(7). I don't know if that changes things.
That should be fine. You get $10,000 a month of free search advertising on Google.
A month?
Yes. $120,000 a year forever. It's Google search ads.
My full-time gig up until going into travel is marketing for deaf companies.
We want to talk about this. I run a company called 123NonProfit. We help people get the ad grants for their for-profit company. We set up nonprofits for them, particularly dentists, lawyers, and people who are spending $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 a month on Google ads. They understand what all that is.
Utilizing Strategic Tools to Fuel Community Growth
The Google Ad Grant is amazing. It's different from traditional pay-per-click because there are some different rules and regs. PrideNomad Foundation is a nonprofit. We're a Canadian nonprofit. We use the ad grant to build our subscriber base. Our mission is to help you guys and help everyone live location-independent lives. We're not a moneymaker. We're trying to help people get to that place where we can have a fun community around glow. I want people to play with. I want the world playground.
I love it. I pulled it up online and saw it all right there. That's great.
If you need help with that, let me know. We'll hook you up.
Thank you again.
Most people don't know about it. Google has done $10 billion in grants. They're nice people because they're getting tax breaks for that. Surrender $29 every day. Use it or lose it. It is an important piece that will make a big difference. On a dentist, for example, if they're selling a root canal, and they're making a grant, whatever they're doing, and you know what their numbers are, you paid for it.
We might have to work together and figure it out because it does say that 501(c)(7)s are not eligible because they're not considered charitable organizations. We're considered a social recreational club.
We'll get you into (c)(3).
That's something interesting to talk about. We have our director retreat soon.
Think about it. I didn't realize about the (c)(7) because I have not dealt with it. I'm glad you clarified that.
For (c)(7)s, you don't have to come through when you're taxing and stuff. I think we still did. We can discuss it.
I don't want to say a non-operating nonprofit, but Google came up with three main purposes. They’re creating donations, raising money, and getting volunteers or information and education. We do education and information nonprofits. Pride Nomad is an education nonprofit. We're not selling stuff. We do a 990 in 10 minutes. It's easy that way. We can talk about that offline. It's an obvious way to be able to generate revenue and bring people in the door that effectively costs you nothing.
That's awesome. I have an ad budget I spend, so I get it.
That's why we're only talking to people who do get it, people are spending that kind of money. Working with people who don't understand advertising is a nightmare. It would be another lesson about how you build a business, pick clients you want to work with, and not have people who make your hair color change.
You don't want to be going uphill. You want to be going with them, leading them the way.
You talk about your tours and trips and people who are coming back. You say it with a smile on your face because you love them. That's what we should be working with our clients, as opposed to being like, “Not this again.”
It shouldn't be a battle. We should be working together. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it.
Likewise.
I'm looking forward to seeing the end result eventually when it comes out.
I'll let you know. I’ll let you share that with all your folks so that the world can know more about it. Our objective is to build an audience so that we have a bigger audience for you and everybody else.
We'll share it with everybody. Thanks.
Thanks so much.
Bye.
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About Chris Smith
I am the Founder and Chief Adventure Officer of Pride Adventures, an LGBTQ plus travel company dedicated to building connection, community, and belonging through thoughtfully curated group travel experiences around the world. Pride Adventures was created to offer more than just trips.
We design inclusive journeys that bring LGBTQ plus travelers together through cultural immersion, adventure travel, wellness retreats, and global Pride experiences. Our work centers on safety, representation, and shared experience, while maintaining the operational rigor required to deliver high quality international travel.
Since launching, Pride Adventures has guided more than 200 travelers across 17 countries, partnering with leading tour operators, queer led organizations, and local communities. Many 2026 departures are already sold out, with continued expansion underway for 2027 and beyond. As Founder, I lead the vision, strategy, and operations of the business, including trip design, partnerships, brand development, community building, marketing, and financial planning.
I am deeply involved in shaping each experience to ensure our travelers feel supported, connected, and proud of the journeys they share together. At its core, Pride Adventures exists to help LGBTQ plus travelers explore the world together with intention, care, and purpose.
