‘The Amazing Race’ Couple Chat About Love, Travel, and Their Epic Win!
It’s February, which means ‘tis the season for romance and love! So, we reached out to connect with Will Jardell and James Wallington. You may know them as the gay couple that crossed the finish line first on season 32 of the reality TV show, The Amazing Race. I mean who could forget!
Currently living in LA, the two reality TV personalities put their wanderlust on pause due to the pandemic, but they’ve resumed exploring the world as witnessed in the OUT Traveler series, “Get Back OUT There with Will and James,” on YouTube. And we can’t wait to see where their love for travel will take them next!
But before they head out the door on their next adventure as travel content creators, we wanted to catch up with them. In this Q&A, Will and James reveal what it’s like to travel as a couple; they offer their recommendations on where LGBTQ+ travelers should go when visiting LA, and they discuss how The Amazing Race and travel have made their bond stronger. Plus, we asked them if they’d be game for another race around the world, but first, we wanted to know all about the experience on The Amazing Race.
You were the winning team of the reality competition show The Amazing Race season 32! Why did you decide to do the show? How long were you dating before you landed a spot on the show?
Will: James is a HUGE super fan of The Amazing Race, Big Brother, and Survivor and he had applied for all the above but specifically the Amazing Race nine times with various family members and friends.
James: Will is also a huge fan and when we started dating that’s when we started applying. We applied three times together starting in 2015 and ultimately got cast on season 32 which was filmed in 2018 but aired in 2020. At the time of filming, we had been dating for four years and got engaged on the show.
Will: We were engaged for three years and then got married in 2021. It was a dream come true to run the race together and even better to win and get engaged. We were the first LGBTQ+ proposal on The Amazing Race!
Aw, that’s awesome. The whole experience on the show has to be one big blur of adrenaline, but were there any memorable moments throughout the competition?
Will: Obviously winning was a highlight but getting engaged was another massive highlight of our time in the competition. I really loved traveling to Kazakhstan because it is a place that I would probably never be able to visit on my own accord. It is a beautiful place, and I would go back.
James: Okay, Will took the obvious answers, so for the sake of saying something different, I really enjoyed any moment that allowed us to connect with the other teams we were racing against or the locals of the countries in which we visited. The show is so relationship driven that it was important for us to connect with everyone and anyone we met along the way.
So, what did the race teach you about traveling together?
That we are good at working together and being a team in all aspects of life. We travel so well together and have learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses. When one is weaker the other can step up. It taught us so much about our communication skills and how to be there for each other in all moments good, bad, stressful, etc.
Would you do it again?
Will: 1000% YES. The Amazing Race is an incredible experience, and we would be crazy to not say ‘yes’ if asked to race again.
James: We’re really hoping that the show eventually does a “Victory Lap” season and invites back previous winners from the 34-season span of the show. It would be iconic. If Survivor can pull it off, so can The Amazing Race.
I know I’d watch… for sure! You mentioned getting engaged while filming the show. After all the traveling, did you decide to have a destination wedding?
Will: We had a destination wedding in New Orleans, LA. New Orleans is a vibrant and open city that is welcoming to all people. As an LGBTQ+ traveler, you can find community there and so there are many things to experience.
James: We were fortunate to meet with members of the LGBTQ+ community while visiting last summer and did an LGBTQ+ walking tour, met with the owner of the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture to learn about Mardi Gras’ LGBTQ+ history, and met with the voice of the New Orleans Saints who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. We created a video highlighting our time in NOLA.
It’s definitely a fun city. Just out of curiosity, what was your first trip together?
Our first trip together was to New York City for Valentine’s Day in 2015. We would recommend NYC to all travelers and hopefully, you have a better experience than we did! Our first trip together was full of curveballs and surprises plus never having somewhere to stay locked down until the day of. It was 17 degrees the entire time and we carried three huge suitcases around a sloshy city every day to get to new accommodations. One thing the trip taught us though is how well we travel together. We never fought and made the entire trip fun by just being together. It was a huge turning point in our relationship and solidified our future.
We talked about your win on The Amazing Race and traveling as a couple, but let’s dig into your travel style and wanderlust. At what age did you receive your first passport? What was your first trip?
Will: I got my first passport at the age of 20 when I went on a cruise for my sisters’ graduation. We made a stop in Nassau, Bahamas and that was my first time out of the country. The second time was with James when we traveled to the Philippines in 2015 together which started our content creation journey.
James: I think I was 14 years old when I got my first passport because my parents took my sister and me on a spring break trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
So, what trip or travel experience sparked your passion for travel?
Will: As a young kid, I went to NYC quite a bit and loved walking around the city, seeing Broadway shows, and experiencing new foods and museums. It sparked something in me to continue to learn about others, see the world, and all it has to offer.
James: Throughout my childhood, my family was notorious for taking trips every summer. It wasn’t until I visited Guatemala on a church mission trip in 2006 that my passion for travel was truly ignited.
It’s obvious you both love to travel, but what really inspires you to do it?
Will: When you travel your views expand, your understanding of others is enhanced, and you can see the beauty that is all over the world. When you stay home you limit yourself and are only exposed to those around you.
James: The world is diverse, unique, and beautiful, and being able to see it inspires us to continue traveling and learning as much as we can to better citizens of the world.
Travel is really about connecting, learning, and educating ourselves. So, drop some knowledge on us about your LA – your current hometown. What are three things LGBTQ+ travelers should do when visiting Los Angeles?
1. Spend time exploring West Hollywood whether it be for drag brunch or bingo, shopping, great restaurants, and some of the best LGBTQ+ nightlife. In 1984, WeHo was established as the first city in the nation to have a majority openly gay governing body.
2. Kick back and relax at Will Rogers State Beach. It’s been the unofficial gay beach of Los Angeles since the 1950s!
3. Enjoy good food or cocktails at The Black Cat in Silver Lake! There’s a plaque on the exterior of this local bar that declares it “the site of the first documented LGBTQ+ civil rights demonstration in the nation.”
As world travelers, you’ve seen a lot. What are your top three favorite places to visit?
1. The Cook Islands
2. The Philippines
3. The Galapagos Islands
It seems like there’s a theme with this answer but these are three places we fondly look back on or still talk about to this day.
What three places are still on your bucket list to visit? Why?
Will
1. Ireland has always been my No. 1 place to visit since I was little.
2. New Zealand mainly to see The Lord of The Rings filming locations and see the beauty.
3. Africa because it is the one place we really wanted to go while on The Amazing Race and didn’t. We also had a trip booked to go to Tanzania, but COVID got in the way.
James: I have always wanted to visit Africa! I’d also love to go back to Cambodia. We went during The Amazing Race, but it was such a tease driving by Angkor Wat and not being able to get out and explore the ruins for ourselves.
Yeah, it’s a fast-paced show so it can sometimes give viewers the impression that contestants are missing out on some incredible sights. Ok, now it’s time for a couple of fun questions. What’s one thing you never forget to pack in your suitcase?
PASSPORT! We have the best passport cases that we never leave at home for obvious reasons! The case holds all of our important documents like vaccination records and international driver’s licenses. We also always have our reusable cutlery and water bottle to reduce our waste. It’s important to be eco-conscious while traveling.
That makes sense! Next question… You’re going on a road trip or on a long-haul flight what singer or band is always on your playlist?
Will: Always Beyonce. Sprinkle in a little bit of Broadway showtunes as well. Depending on the mood I will have upbeat music, or I can chill out to some acoustic/singer-songwriter tunes.
James: I’m not picky but I’m a sucker for Broadway Showtunes!
You can follow Will and James’ travels on Instagram and Facebook, and check out their OUT Traveler series, “Get Back OUT There with Will and James,” on YouTube.
