Jetsetting With YouTube Sensation Haley Star
Not only does drag sensation Haley Star host a successful YouTube show, but she is also known as the “Glambassador” for Providence, Rhode Island and travels the world spreading her message of “peace, love, and cupcakes.” Find out more about her most memorable trip, her best travel advice, and her plans for the future.
Q: What type of traveler are you? (i.e., adventurer, cultural explorer, free spirit, rejuvenator, spa aficionado, etc.)
A: I live with the motto of YOLO (“You Only Live Once”) in every aspect of my life, especially when it comes to traveling. Many times when we travel, we tend to forget we may never return to the place we are visiting, so I try to experience everything possible. I think you need to adapt a “carefree and come what may” attitude; you’re in a new place and need to embrace anything that gets thrown your way. Just go with the flow and you’ll have the time of your life.
Q: What types of activities do you like to do on your travels? Do you look for a place where it’s quiet and you can relax or someplace that has great activities or nightlife?
A: Where I am will depend on what I do when I am traveling. If I am on vacation with friends, we will likely seek out the nightlife and hot spots to keep up dancing into the night. However, if it were a more relaxing vacation at a tropical resort I would have no problem unplugging from the world and simply enjoying my surroundings. I think every trip is different and depends on your reason for taking it.
Q: When thinking about where you will travel to next, what inspires you to make a decision? And what, if any, research do you do about that destination?
A: I definitely will ask friends and relatives about places they have traveled to and consult some online reviews, but ultimately if it looks like somewhere I’d want to be then I’ll go. While someone’s opinion does matter, it’s just that—an opinion. Someone else may not enjoy a destination, but I could fall in love with it.
Q: What is the most memorable trip you’ve taken and why?
A: Vienna, Austria—hands down. I traveled there a few years ago for the Life Ball, and it was an experience like no other. I got to perform in the runway show with an audience of more than 3,500 guests and meet amazing people from around the world, including President Bill Clinton, Gloria Estefan, and Lance Bass, just to name a few! It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I hope to return again in the future.
Q: What is the best food you’ve ever found on a trip?
A: That would definitely have to be in Vienna, too. There was such an eclectic mix of food from all over that you really could try whatever you wanted.
Q: What, if anything, do you always take with you when you travel?
A: Must haves are a good book and an ample collection of music. Also, gum and bottled water—we all hate the taste in our mouth when we fall asleep on a plane.
Q: What’s your best piece of travel advice?
A: Nothing will ever go completely as you planned it—from travel delays to dinner plans to hotel accommodations. Always take a deep breath and step outside the situation. Realize you are lucky enough to be able to travel and think about positive ways to influence the situation as opposed to focusing on the negative. It will make your travel experience that much more worthwhile and make you appreciate it even more.
Q: Is there a destination to which you can’t imagine not returning?
A: I can’t pinpoint one. I take something special away from each trip I take, whether it to be Provincetown or a foreign country. So I guess all of them!
Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A: Living in Rhode Island opens the door to so many fun weekend trips. New York is just a three-hour drive away, Cape Cod is only two, and Vermont and Maine aren’t far either. Personally, Provincetown on Cape Cod (not to be confused with Providence, Rhode Island) is my favorite weekend getaway, and not just in the summer. It is the perfect place to unwind and relax and there is something for everyone to do. Whether you want to dance and party or take in nature and relax, you really can have the time of your life.
Q: Where would you like to travel to next?
A: My dream trip would be to Australia. I have heard such phenomenal things, and I think it would be a completely breathtaking place to visit.
Q: Tell us about your upcoming project(s)?
A: I’ve always got something brewing! Winter tends to be a slower time, which is awesome because it gives time to regroup and recharge. Currently, I am working on some exciting summer gigs throughout New England and a couple of top secret projects that you’ll see unfold in the coming months via YouTube and a few other outlets. Stay tuned!
Haley Star’s Bio:
Haley Star is one of the top YouTube drag sensations and the ever plucky pretty Princess of Providence, Rhode Island. Dubbed the official “Glambassador” by the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, she totes herself around spreading “peace, love, and cupcakes” for the world to enjoy. Having performed all over the world from New York City to Vienna, Austria, Haley is bound to put a smile on your face and some laughter in your heart. Find her, know her, love her!
Follow Haley on Twitter and Instagram at @MsHaleyStar.
