Travel is supposed to be a form of freedom. The open road, the chance to see new cities, and the opportunity to stand in places you have only seen in movies or on postcards; these are the experiences that define the American dream of exploration. But in 2025, for many transgender people, that dream is shaped as much by fear and legal caution as by excitement.
With the Texas Legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 8, a sweeping bathroom restriction law that Governor Abbott is expected to sign, it is clear that the map for transgender travelers is no longer only geographical. It has become legal and political. As a trans woman preparing to travel across the country, I cannot help but wonder which destinations are still safe to enjoy and which may need to be crossed off entirely.
The Shifting Legal Landscape
Bathroom bills are no longer a relic of the mid-2010s culture wars. In 2025, they are back in force. Texas’s Senate Bill 8 requires transgender people to use restrooms in state-controlled facilities based on sex assigned at birth. Schools, universities, prisons, domestic violence shelters, and even airports fall under its scope. Institutions that fail to comply face fines starting at $25,000 and escalating to $125,000 per day.
Texas is not alone. Florida passed its own sweeping bathroom ban in 2023 that criminalizes trans people who use restrooms aligning with their gender identity in government buildings. Wyoming followed in 2025 with legislation restricting restroom access at state institutions. Mississippi’s “SAFER Act” restricts bathroom use in schools. South Carolina is currently asking the Supreme Court to reinstate its school bathroom ban, while Ohio lawmakers are advancing similar bills. These measures are often written with vague or broad enforcement mechanisms, which means institutions, from schools to airports, feel pressure to over-enforce, even when the law does not explicitly require it.
For a transgender traveler, this creates a moving patchwork of risk. The difference between feeling safe and feeling targeted can change in a matter of miles.
Tourism Hotspots That Now Feel Dangerous
When you imagine traveling the United States, certain iconic destinations come to mind immediately. A road trip through the South with stops in Austin, New Orleans, and Miami. A family vacation to Disney World. A photography trip through Yellowstone or the Smoky Mountains. Yet, each of these itineraries now carries new complications for trans women like me.
Take Florida. Once home to vibrant LGBTQ+ tourism in Miami and Orlando, the state now carries some of the strictest bathroom restrictions in the country. The law turns a simple trip to a government-owned restroom into a potential misdemeanor offense. That means even airports or state-run venues can become fraught with risk. For a traveler making a layover in Miami International or spending a week in Key West, the thought of being criminalized for using the restroom that matches your identity is chilling.
Texas has long promoted itself as a land of diverse travel experiences. Austin’s music scene, San Antonio’s historic missions, and the cosmopolitan skylines of Dallas and Houston attract millions every year. But once SB 8 takes effect, every public building from museums to airports will be forced into compliance. Even if the fines target institutions rather than individuals, the practical result will be an atmosphere of strict enforcement. For someone like me, walking into a women’s restroom at Dallas–Fort Worth International could mean confrontation, embarrassment, or worse.
The American West offers extraordinary landscapes, but Wyoming’s new restrictions cast a shadow over destinations like Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. National parks themselves are federally managed, but hotels, visitor centers, and public institutions within the state may still enforce the law. The thought of being policed in a place meant to celebrate natural freedom feels tragically ironic.
The Gulf Coast and Deep South present similar obstacles. Mississippi’s new school-based restrictions create ripple effects across public spaces. South Carolina is pressing the Supreme Court for authority to bar trans youth from school restrooms, a move that could embolden other states to expand bans. Even Ohio, with its bustling cities and cultural centers, is joining the trend. For a transgender traveler, these laws turn entire regions into red zones where comfort and safety cannot be assumed.
Safety Beyond the Law
It is important to understand that laws are only part of the equation. Culture matters just as much. Even in states without active bathroom bans, the presence of anti-trans rhetoric in local politics can embolden individuals who feel justified in harassing or policing trans people in public spaces.
That means a stop in a small town off the interstate can sometimes feel riskier than navigating New York City, regardless of state law. When deciding where to travel, trans people must weigh not only the written statutes but also the prevailing atmosphere. A Pride-friendly city in a restrictive state might offer moments of safety, but stepping outside its limits can feel like entering hostile territory.
This reality reshapes how I think about my travel map. It is not just about what destinations I want to see, but whether I can reasonably expect to move through them without fear.
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Where the Map Opens Up
It would be easy to focus only on the states to avoid, but there are still many places across the United States where transgender travelers can feel both safe and celebrated.
Rhode Island recently ranked at the top of a national report on LGBTQ+ safety. States like California, Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Colorado, and Minnesota have maintained strong nondiscrimination protections and, in many cases, passed “shield laws” designed to protect access to gender-affirming care and prevent state agencies from cooperating with out-of-state prosecutions.
These states also tend to house some of the nation’s most beloved destinations. New York City remains a global hub of culture, theater, and history. San Francisco and Los Angeles continue to attract travelers from across the world, with California’s natural parks adding unmatched beauty. Oregon and Washington offer both progressive cities and stunning coastlines. Colorado combines urban sophistication in Denver with easy access to the Rockies. Chicago, Minneapolis, Providence, and Boston all provide rich cultural experiences within states that legally affirm our right to exist.
In these places, travel is not only safer but also affirming. Museums, theaters, and local businesses often actively support the LGBTQ+ community. Restrooms are less likely to be policed and more likely to offer gender-neutral options. Public transportation is less fraught with anxiety. Simply put, the experience of being a tourist feels closer to what it should be: freeing, inspiring, and memorable.
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Traveling Smart in a Patchwork Nation
Even in affirming states, there are strategies that make travel smoother. Researching local ordinances and checking resources from LGBTQ+ organizations can prepare you for what to expect. Apps and community networks can help locate gender-neutral restrooms or supportive businesses. Sharing itineraries with friends and building in safe rest stops along the way adds another layer of protection.
Hotels and private businesses are often more flexible than public facilities, which means planning ahead for accommodations that advertise inclusivity can reduce stress. Large airports in restrictive states may still maintain family or gender-neutral restrooms, which can be lifelines during long travel days. And while it is frustrating to think about, there is also wisdom in having contingency plans in case you encounter hostility.
What becomes clear when you travel as a trans person in today’s United States is that the journey is not just physical. It is also emotional. There is a constant awareness of your surroundings, a heightened vigilance that others rarely have to consider. But this vigilance does not mean abandoning the idea of travel altogether. It simply means traveling with intention.
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Balancing Safety and Joy
The temptation is to see this growing map of restrictions and feel only despair. It is true that Florida, Texas, and other states with strong tourism appeal are making themselves unwelcoming. But it is also true that many states are doubling down on inclusivity and working to ensure that trans people can travel without fear.
The choice, then, is not simply between travel or no travel. It is between accepting risk in hostile states or channeling our energy and our money toward destinations that value us. By choosing affirming states and cities, we not only protect ourselves but also reward communities that are standing against discriminatory tides.
Travel has always been political, whether we admit it or not. Where we go, how we spend our money, and what stories we bring home all send a message. As a transgender woman, I want my message to be clear: I will not give up the joy of exploration, but I will also not willingly step into places that seek to erase me.
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The Bottom Line
The United States has always been a complicated country to navigate. It is vast, diverse, and divided. For transgender travelers in 2025, that complexity feels sharper than ever. Yet, the spirit of travel; of discovering new landscapes, meeting new people, and claiming space in a world that often tries to deny it, remains worth pursuing.
As I plan my own journeys, I am learning that my travel map is not shrinking but shifting. Some iconic places may be off the table for now. But others are opening wider, ready to welcome me with both beauty and dignity. In the end, that is the real heart of travel: not just seeing the world, but finding where you belong within it.
