The best Facebook groups (2025–2026) for slow & alternative travelers

Rebecca

3 weeks ago

best facebook travel groups – Love them or side-eye them, social networks are still where a lot of travel magic happens. Facebook groups are like digital campfires: you show up, ask a question, trade a lift, find a host, and join a project. People share real, ground-level info you will not find in glossy guides: border quirks, a spare cabin on a sailboat, tomorrow’s rideshare, a farm that needs hands (with a spare room and a big pot of soup).

This guide sticks to Facebook because it is where many communities already gather.

Inside you will find spaces for volunteer projects with room and board, cultural exchanges and free hospitality, rideshares and travel buddies, house and pet sitting, long-distance walking and bike touring, sailing and crewing, eco-villages and intentional communities, festivals, and more. The best part is simple: you can connect directly with people and with information, not with paywalls or middlemen.

A few gentle rules of the road.

Read each group’s rules before posting.
Check that recent posts look active and moderated.
Trust your gut; if something feels off, scroll on or report.
When meeting up, choose public places first, keep friends in the loop, and get the basics in writing (who, where, when, what is included).

Be kind, be curious, give more than you take, and dive in.

Search tips: use English keywords inside groups (e.g., rideshare, work exchange, house sitting, dumpster diving, eco-village, boondocking, festival volunteers).

Safety first: respect local laws and land access rules, meet new contacts in public places, share your live location with a friend, and when possible verify references/reviews. Slow travel, yes — but with your head switched on.

Shortcuts ↘️⬇️

Pick a topic and we will take you to that section instantly.

Best Facebook Groups for travelling: volunteers, house sitting, rides…

– best facebook travel groups

Hitchhiking (unorganised)

A people-to-people way of moving.

You ask for a lift in safe spots, carry a clear sign, and follow your gut. Laws and norms change by country, so read the room.

Organised rides & carpooling

Drivers and passengers plan a shared trip and split costs. Confirm route, pickup time, luggage space and contribution in advance.

Couchsurfing & hospitality

Locals offer a sofa or spare room for cultural exchange. Read profiles and house rules, share references, and communicate your plans clearly.

More “sleep on a couch” style hospitality

Alternative networks similar to Couchsurfing, often for specific interests such as cycling or garden camping. The spirit is generosity and no payment.

Travel buddies – find like-minded travellers

Find someone on a similar route or schedule. Align expectations on pace, budget, music and how you will share expenses.

Vegan / vegetarian travel 🥕

Plant-based travellers share food tips, meetups and host leads. Helpful for finding markets and eateries beyond typical tourist areas.

Alternative economies & swaps

Community exchanges for donating, swapping, or buying second-hand travel gear. Follow group rules, meet in public places, and document agreements. Reduce waste, kit yourself out cheaply, and circulate value locally and fairly.

Foodsharing, dumpster diving & recovery

Networks that redistribute surplus food. Observe local laws, prioritise safety and hygiene, and leave locations clean.
Check local laws and property rules. Prefer community-led food rescue and sharing over risky dumpster access; always leave places cleaner than you found them.

Backpacking communities

Crowdsourced advice for independent travel, including routes, packing, transport, and border formalities. Specific questions receive the most useful replies.

General travel tips & inspiration

Broad discussion spaces for destination research and practical problem solving. Suitable for early planning or quick fixes.

Eco-travel & responsible tourism

Information on low-impact travel and community-based initiatives. Minimize environmental footprint and support local economies.

Walkers & long-distance hiking

Planning support for trails and pilgrimages. Topics include stages, accommodation, water sources, footwear, and weather.

Cycling & bikepacking

Guidance for road and off-road touring. Expect route files, repair advice, packing systems, and cyclist-friendly places to stay.

Sailing & crewing

Opportunities to join a vessel as crew. Agree in writing on duties, safety equipment, watch schedules, and shared costs before departure.
Always verify skippers/boats, discuss safety gear and expectations in writing, and share float plans with a friend.

Women-only travel

Moderated spaces for women to plan trips, find roommates, and share safety information. Clear guidelines maintain a respectful environment.

LGBTQ+ travel

Inclusive communities providing destination context, meetups, and safety notes for LGBTQ+ travelers.

Nomads, remote work & jobs on the road

Resources for remote roles, seasonal work, visas, and taxes. Evaluate offers carefully and avoid upfront payments.

House sitting & home exchange

Accommodation gained by caring for pets or a home, or by swapping homes. References, confirmed dates, and a brief video call build trust.

Urban exploration (ethical & legal)

Exploration for documentation of abandoned or restricted sites. Respect laws, prioritize safety, and keep sensitive details private.
Many urbex spots are on private property. Get permission where required and follow a strict “take nothing, leave nothing” ethic. This guide does not condone trespassing.

Nature, foraging & permaculture

Plant identification, responsible foraging, and regenerative growing. Verify species, avoid protected areas, and share knowledge carefully.

Wild camping & boondocking

Overnights outside official campsites with minimal impact. Check access rules and fire restrictions, and remove all waste.
Always check local access laws. In Scotland, follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code; in other regions, look up public land rules and fire bans.

Volunteering & work exchange (room & board)

Meals and accommodation in exchange for several hours of daily help. Confirm tasks, hours, days off, and duration in writing.Look for fair hours, clear expectations and honest reviews. Avoid pay-to-volunteer schemes unless you trust the nonprofit’s impact.

Rainbow Family & gatherings

Community-organized meetings centered on sharing and simple living. Dates and locations vary, so verify current information.

Read each group’s guidance and local regulations for camping and fires.

Intentional communities & eco-villages

Projects where people live cooperatively around shared values or land stewardship. Posts often include visitor days, short stays, and residency options.

Travel photography

Spaces to share images and receive constructive feedback. Be considerate with location details and seek consent when photographing people.

Help us keep this guide fresh 🦭🪶🔍

This list evolves constantly – groups change names or rules, and some go dormant.

If you spot errors or dead links, please use the comments to flag them so we can fix things quickly.

Suggest a Facebook group

Name & link: paste the full group name with the https:// URL.
Category: e.g., walking routes, couchsurfing, low-cost travel, Erasmus/ESC, eco-villages, etc.
Short description: one or two sentences on what people share there.
Language & region: if relevant.
Status & entry rules: public/private, vetting questions, minimum age, etc.

We prioritise active, well-moderated, non-spammy communities that help people travel slowly and respectfully. If this guide helped you, share it with your networks – more eyes make this map better for everyone.

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best Facebook travel groups