Matt Kirouac

A transplant to Oklahoma City after two and a half years of RV living, Matt Kirouac is an award-winning travel, culture and food writer with a passion for uncovering hidden gems, exploring national parks and sharing LGBTQ+ stories. Along with his husband, Nathan, he's the co-founder of The Gay Lane, a travel brand dedicated to "celebrating queer culture in unexpected places,” and Kirouac Creative, a queer and allied travel consultancy dedicated to emphasizing inclusion and evergreen Pride. Matt is the senior dining writer of Oklahoma City's 405 Magazine, and in addition to InsideHook, his bylines appear in Travel & LeisureThrillistCondé Nast TravelerAFARMidwest LivingNational Geographic and others. A three-time author, including his most recent book, Secret Oklahoma, Matt is also a longtime podcaster, having created and hosted a national parks show for iHeartRadio, Parklandia, along with his current show, The Gay Lane Podcast, that he hosts with his husband. In 2023, Matt was given a Hometown Hero award from Visit OKC for his cultural contributions to Oklahoma City.

All Articles From Matt Kirouac

10 Great American Food Trails Worth Road Tripping For

From bourbon and onion burgers to surry sonker and pepperoni rolls

How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Santa Fe

What to see, do and eat, plus where to stay in this high-desert dreamscape.

How to Spend 7 Perfect Days in Maui

From volcanoes to parasailing, you won’t be bored on the Valley Isle

Oconto County Is Like a Midwestern Fairy Tale

It’s a winter wonderland, Wisconsin-style

This Is the Funkiest Town in the Ozarks

It’s like a haunted rainbow oasis on the Bible Belt

How Tel Aviv Became the Queer Epicenter of the Middle East

The Holy Land is a surprising sanctuary for LGBTQIA+ rights

This State Is Perfect for a Winter Road Trip

From the panhandle to the keys, this is the perfect route for an off-season adventure.

The 9 Best New Museums That Opened in 2022

From NFTs in Seattle to contemporary art in San Francisco

The 21 Most Underrated, Crowd-Free National Parks in America

From North America’s largest coral reef to a voyage north of the Arctic Circle

A Definitive Guide to the 13 Most Haunted Hotels in the US

At these spooky inns, strange apparitions in the halls, weird sounds in the night and doors opening and closing at will are more common than turn-down service

The Zany History of Wall Drug Store, the Ultimate Roadside Attraction

How a South Dakota drug store evolved into a quirky mecca of jackalopes, dinosaurs and doughnuts

We’re Thrilled to Report That Portland Is Weirder Than Ever

From creepy clown bars to horror-themed restaurants, we have all the oddball highlights

The Ultimate Guide to Georgia’s Barrier Islands

A mix of luxury and falconry can be found on some of the most unique islands in the country

Why You Need to Drop Everything and Go Visit Hot Springs, Arkansas

From palatial spas and mobster lore to baseball and thermal beer, this might be the most random town in America

This Wild West Town in the Black Hills Is the Ultimate Summertime Road Trip

Deadwood is a blast from the gold rush past in western South Dakota

The Perfect 7-Day Scotland Itinerary

From haggis toasties to world-famous golf courses, here’s where to go and what to do in Great Britain’s greenest pastures.