For the Muse of the Month, we caught up with popular travel and fitness influencer Connor Gowland while he was exploring California’s Big Sur and Monterey for the first time.
As told to Marc Graser
Images courtesy of Connor Gowland
Connor Gowland is not your typical celebrity jetsetter. Proving that the richest experiences come at a price that fits any budget, he thrives on the thrill of the unknown, seeking out hidden gems that enable him to explore more, spend less.
“I used to think it would be impossible for me to explore the Greek Islands,” says the Massachusetts-native, who lives in West Hollywood, but after finding the cheapest flights he had ever seen online, he “took the opportunity to make it happen.
“Honestly, I am motivated by the prospect of experiencing five-star travel on a two-star budget. I don’t make a ton of money. I have student loans. However, I pride myself on my ability to find ways to make these grand trips happen. Even if you’re flying in the 40th row of a plane in the middle seat while hungover, there is always a way.”
Connor’s recent travels have taken him to Yosemite and the quaint California coastal town of Monterey for the first time, where he and his partner Paul rented a beach house via home swapping app Kindred. It was their first trip to the area where they explored Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park and Big Sur together with Connor’s dog, Olive.
“I love being creative, and I love having the ability to make my own schedule and be remote so that I can work from anywhere,” says the multi-hyphenate who epitomizes what it means to work in the entertainment industry these days. He has built a considerable online following who track his trips to the world’s most iconic destinations, or track his fitness journey. He also acts, models, and provides voice overs for video games and edits videos for casting companies.
“It’s cliché, but when I am feeling overwhelmed in LA, I always try to go somewhere new in order to gather my thoughts and take a step back from daily stresses. Travel has taught me that there is kindness and beauty in every place you go if you keep your mind open to it.”
Traveling expands your mind, seeing how others live. It allows you to leave your normal life and come back with a new perspective.
— Connor Gowland
Connor’s adventures aren’t just about escaping the limelight; they fuel his creativity. The faces he encounters, the stories he absorbs, and the challenges he overcomes all become fodder for his craft, enriching his portrayals with an authenticity no amount of research can replicate.
“Traveling expands your mind, seeing how others live,” Connor says. “It allows you to leave your normal life and come back with a new perspective. There is something special about every place. There is always a new person to meet, or experience to have.”
But Connor can’t stray too far from the crowds. “I love being somewhere where I can meet people,” he says. “I am a big explorer. My big thing is seeing something totally new everywhere I go. I love seeing the nightlife that different places offer and connecting with other travelers or locals. I love biking the coast of Ajaccio and also exploring the clubs of Ibiza.”
One of Connor’s proudest moments so far was being a contestant on “The Late Late Show With James Corden,” during a segment of “Late Late Live Tinder,” where he was paired up with pro-soccer player Collin Martin.
“Being on network television, on a gay dating segment, was something my teenage self would have never imagined doing in a million years, and I think I made him proud,” Connor says.
Connor’s favorite destinations include Kauai, Hawaii, and Sonora, California. “It is the quintessential small American town with the charm to match,” he says. But for him, Santorini, Greece, is a must-visit. “It is like living in a painting,” he says. “We took a catamaran tour around the coast, and vibed so much with the crew that they asked us to stay and work on the tour boat! I regret not taking that opportunity because, man, it truly is one of the coolest places I have ever been, if not the coolest. One day I’ll go back and take them up on a job.”
Being on network television, on a gay dating segment, was something my teenage self would have never imagined doing in a million years, and I think I made him proud.
— Connor Gowland
Q&A
What kind of traveler are you?
I am a big explorer. My big thing is seeing something totally new everywhere I go. I am loving my current trip because we have seen giant Sequoias, got to touch the biggest solid piece of granite in the world, El Capitan, and many other things that I had never seen or experienced before. I love seeing the nightlife that different places offer and connecting with other travelers or locals. I love biking the coast of Ajaccio and also exploring the clubs of Ibiza.
What’s your favorite thing to do when visiting a destination for the first time?
Two things. I always ask strangers what the best thing to do in the area is, and they never disappoint. I also enjoy exploring the gay culture of an area.
If you could be anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Of the places I have been, I’d have to say Oahu. My favorite food is poke. Between the food, nightlife, and jungle, there really isn’t a better place. If I had to pick a place I have not been, I’d go with Thailand. It looks so beautiful, I cannot wait to plan a trip there.
Where have you been that really surprised you?
Sonora, California! We stayed there last week during our Yosemite trip. It is this”Schitt’s Creek’-esque town with a few local bars and restaurants. I was not expecting to meet so many great people and have so much fun bopping around the town after exploring the park.
What’s your favorite travel memory?
Last summer, I had the opportunity to go to Kauai, Hawaii, while my boyfriend was on a work trip there. Before our first full day, I got zero sleep. I was so cranky. But we turned the day around and actually drove the entire perimeter of the island, stopping to explore waterfalls and hikes along the way, and ending at the Nāpali Coast, where we witnessed the most incredible sunset I have ever seen.
Where is that one place someone should go at least once?
Santorini, Greece. It is like living in a painting. We took a catamaran tour around the coast, and vibed so much with the crew that they asked us to stay and work on the tour boat! I regret not taking that opportunity because, man, it truly is one of the coolest places I have ever been, if not the coolest. One day I’ll go back and take them up on a job.
Why should people make time to travel?
Traveling expands your mind, seeing how others live. It allows you to leave your normal life and come back with a new perspective.
What has travel taught you? How has it inspired you or made you a better person?
Traveling has taught me that there is something special about every place. There is always a new person to meet, or experience to have. Just last night, we were having drinks at a taproom in Pacific Grove. We were invited in by a group of women we had never met. Then the waiter welcomed us with free drinks, and then invited us to watch the sunset on the patio with him. The kindness was unmatched and made me feel so at home in a new town.
What’s that item you can’t live without when you travel? What’s essential for you to pack?
Ugh. I hate this answer, but my phone is essential. I am always making content as a creator and am dreading the day I get posted on ‘Influencers in the Wild’ as I take no shame in posing for that IG moment.
Any advice for traveling with your pup?
Get a collapsable water bowl! Essential for hikes.
What motivates you?
Honestly, I am motivated by the prospect of experiencing five-star travel on a two-star budget. I don’t make a ton of money. I have student loans. However, I pride myself on my ability to find ways to make these grand trips happen. Whether it’s sharing my home through Kindred, sleeping in a build out truck, getting a posting deal with a hotel, or flying in the 40th row of a plane in the middle seat while hungover, there is always a way.
Follow Connor’s travels on Instagram.
5 Musings of the Month
- Travel is Attainable for All “I used to think it would be impossible for me to explore the Greek Islands, until one summer day, I found the cheapest flights I had ever seen and took the opportunity to make it happen.”
- Welcome Strangers “Travel has taught me that there is kindness and beauty in every place you go if you keep your mind open to it.”
- Escape Your Bubble “It’s cliché, but when I am feeling overwhelmed in LA, I always try to go somewhere new in order to gather my thoughts and take a step back from daily stresses.”
- Visit Sonora, California. “It is the quintessential small American town with the charm to match.”
- Go Where the Action Is. “I love being somewhere where I can meet people.”