10 Top Places To Visit If You're A Vegan, and Things To Enjoy There

By: Guest Author
Getty Images / Alexander Spatari

Veganism used to be confined to a select group of people, but not anymore. It is estimated that there are about 1.62 million vegans in the United States and growing.   

Veganism is exploding everywhere around the world and with companies like Beyond Meat making it easier for non-vegans to enjoy vegan products, it will continue to grow rapidly in the years to come.

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Glasgow, Scotland

The Clyde Arc Bridge at night across the River Clyde West of Glasgow city centre in the Finnieston area. The bridge is also known locally as the Squinty Bridge because of the angle at which it crosses the river
Getty Images / Kenny Williamson

Glasgow is considered the top vegan destination in the United Kingdom. There are tons of amazing restaurants that every vegan will love. You will never have a problem finding exactly what you are looking for in terms of food.

One of the most peaceful and relaxing things you can do is go to the local market and pack a nice vegan lunch and go on a picnic in the countryside. Take a romantic drive down the windy country roads and enjoy the scenery.

You can get some more wonderful tips in this article that talks about various veggie hotels you can stay at that will help make your trip easier.

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Portland, Oregon USA

A color photograph of the east part of the downtown Portland, Oregon waterfront as The Willamette River divides the city's east and west sides. Photo taken in September 2019.
John C Magee / Getty Images

According to The Vegan Word, Portland, OR has some of the best local vegan restaurants around. The city is filled with restaurants and fun activities that you can partake in.

Some of the best vegan chefs are flocking to Portland to open restaurants that tailor to this continually growing community. Vegan cooking classes and vegan coffee shops are more and more common.

If you are mad about food and good food, check this list of great vegan blogs.

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Bali, Indonesia

A part of the temple complex, at the edge of Lake Bratan. The temple belongs to Bali's cultural unesco world heritage site - "Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy".
Getty Images / Maria Sward

According to a blog post by The Nomadic Vegan, Bali is truly “mystifying” when it comes to a vegan destination. There are things to do such as the Bali Vegan Festival, which happens every year. You can plan your trip around festivals such as these to make your trip even more educational.

You may also want to check out some of the vegan food tours from Vegan Adventure Tours. They offer a 14-day adventure that takes you through places like Sanur and the island of Java. You have the opportunity to stay in beautiful cottages on the lushly covered hillsides of the country.

On these adventures, all meals are included in the price and they are all vegan meals to suit your needs. It’s a fantastic way to take the stress and work out of eating vegan, if only for a few days.

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San Francisco, California USA

Getty Images / Alexander Spatari

According to Choose Veg, San Francisco was ranked among the top ten best cities in America for vegans in 2018. There is an endless amount of restaurants in San Francisco to accommodate the vegan lifestyle.

You can find loads of information about San Francisco’s vegan lifestyle by visiting the San Francisco Vegan Society’s website.  Every year in October, they hold the World Veg Festival which has speakers, cooking demos, and various performers and vendors.

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London, England

Getty Images / © Sylvain SONNET

Veganism no longer consists of a small group of people in London.  In the past few years, the vegan restaurant scene has exploded, and there are now more than 110 vegan restaurants in a five-mile radius, according to Happy Cow.

If you want to visit a wonderful city with plenty of vegan restaurant options, London is the place. Make sure to try some spring vegetable tagliatelle and healthy salad dishes next time you are in London.

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Cusco, Peru

Getty Images / Anna Gorin

I was lucky enough to go to Cusco last year and hike Machu Picchu.  Not only was the trip amazing, but the food was also amazing as well. There are so many vegan-friendly restaurants that made it easier than I expected to travel there.

Quinoa is one of the super grains that made the vegan dishes there so amazing. No matter what restaurant you eat at, quinoa recipes will be all over the menu. I assure you that you love this ancient city and all that it has to offer for your vegan travel needs.

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Tel Aviv, Israel

A bird's eye view of Tel-Aviv and the mediterranean sea at sunset
Getty Images / © 2011 Ilan Shacham

According to an article on Happy Cow, Israel has the highest percentage of vegans globally, with an estimated 5 to 8 percent of the entire population being vegan, an estimated 400,000 people and growing.

So it’s no wonder why Tel Aviv makes it on the list of top vegan cities in the world. Happy Cow’s Tel Aviv city page lists 31 vegan, 29 vegetarian, and 138 veg-friendly eatery options so make sure to check it out before you go.

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New York City, USA

New York City skyline
Getty Images / Nico De Pasquale Photography

New York is a mecca for vegan food eateries — Brooklyn and Manhattan being two of the most well-known places for their vegan cuisine. PETA puts out a great list of vegan restaurants to visit while you are in town.

New York City has a wonderful Vegetarian Food Festival that they host every year in May.  This festival is a fun way to explore all of what New York City has to offer when it comes to living the vegan lifestyle.

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Austin, Texas USA

Aerial shot of Austin, TX skyline during a summer golden hour.
RYAN KYTE / Getty Images

When you think of vegan food, Austin, Texas probably isn’t one of the cities you would think that is on the top of the list. Most of us think of Texas as the meat-loving, gun-toting, cowboy hat-wearing city.  Yes, there is some of that, but Austin has a growing vegan movement and tons of wonderful vegan restaurants to try.

As a matter of fact, in 2013 PETA named Austin the most vegan-friendly city in the nation.  So don’t be shy, if you are vegan, you will absolutely love Austin!

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Chiang Mai, Thailand

two pagoda at the Inthanon mountain at sunset, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Getty Images / phutthiseth thongtae

Vegan Travel puts out great information on places to explore, restaurants to eat, and vegan activities in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Explore Chiang Mai and discover its unrelenting beauty and exquisite vegan restaurants.

Mostly Amelie put out a wonderful blog post that has a complete guide to the vegan restaurants that are in Chiang Mai. Check it out before you go!

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Conclusion

There are plenty of restaurants and events to accommodate you as a vegan anywhere in the world you decide to go. As the movement grows and spreads, more and more events and restaurants will become available to explore.

So keep living life and having fun, and most of all, be kind to everyone and especially the animals we share this planet with.

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