Alexa Moore Wants You to Pack Your Bags (and Follow Her on Threads)

They used to say the internet could take you anywhere with just a click, but travel creator Alexa Moore is transforming those clicks into real-life adventures. In just this year alone, she’s stamped her passport in the Dominican Republic, Belize, Vietnam, Italy, Thailand, Montreal, and so much more. Through Threads, she’s demystifying the experience of travel and showing her followers that they can make the destinations they dream of a reality.

Following @lilmsawkward on Threads, one is immediately thrust into her mindset and her travel experiences. She’s like that one friend who always has a suitcase half-packed and the best travel stories to share. Her timeline is equal parts travel diary and random musings, full of tips, laughs, and honest moments. As a Black traveler who’s been to nearly 50 countries, she’s made it her mission to show people how they can see the world—whether they’re globe-trotting veterans or just thinking about their first trip.

Alexa’s posts range from sharing the best street food spots she’s found in Bangkok to laughing about the time she got lost in Venice. She keeps it real, making travel feel less intimidating and way more fun. She’s also quick to hype up other creators, jumping into conversations about hidden gems or swapping advice on navigating solo trips or traveling while Black.

Her Threads feed stands out for being relatable. It’s not just about stunning photos (though she’s got those, too); it’s about showing the messy, awkward, and amazing sides of being on the go. Alexa has turned her love for exploring into a community where people can learn, laugh, and get inspired to finally book that trip they’ve been dreaming about.

We sat down with this DC native to find all about why Threads has become her home as of late, how important the Threads community is to her experience on the app, and where she’s heading next.

(This interview has been condensed for clarity.)

What do you remember about joining Threads, and how did it feel when you first made your account?

Yeah, so I actually remember the day it launched. Everyone was getting a number and I was like, “Wait a second. I want my little profile number too.” So I joined quite early. I think the day it launched, I was there. I was excited. I thought it would be, well, I didn't know what it was going to be like at all, but what just drew me is the ability to possibly just show a different side of myself on social media that doesn't involve me just posting travel videos. I always like to say that I like to yap a lot. So it was finally a platform where I could just yap. 

We love a yapper. How does someone whose username is "Little Miss Awkward" become such a notable travel creator?

I've always been very awkward, but I got the travel bug after studying abroad in India. So I created this little blog and just started posting about my travels there. Then I created an Instagram and I just started posting about travel and I just kept the username because it was very me and I did kind of want to change it. But now I feel like I've just grown myself into a brand in itself. And though you may not see me and think “travel,” when you click on my page, you'll definitely find that.

Absolutely. So what's one thing that attracts you to other travel content shared by other creators in the community?

I think stories. People love to do threads on Threads. Having multiple-thread posts about experiences overcoming hardships or just even being on a long haul flight and seeing them just post, Okay, I'm checked in. I'm on the plane. This is what I'm getting in business class. I think that part, seeing more transparency behind the way people travel is what really draws me, especially to other travel creators. We all do travel content, but we all travel very differently. There's some very controversial topics that can come up around travel. Whether it's window seat versus aisle, or even people who like middle seats, which is very weird. Or there are people who are million milers. Or they have had these insane travel experiences that I wouldn't even know because they tend to post more aesthetic content on Instagram, so I just don't know them as a person. I feel like Threads really humanize creators. For creators, Instagram has always been about being so, well, posed. But now, people are leaning into transparency and real conversations on the platform, which I love. With Threads, though, I love that there’s no need to post any images at all.

What do you love most about sharing your travel experiences, especially on Threads?

There's nothing that touches my heart more than someone seeing my post about travel and then they end up doing it or booking it themselves, and sending me a message about it. I created my platform because I wanted to inspire people who look like me to travel the world. I wanted people to see me go to interesting and different places. And I'll also say with Threads, I do feel like the way the algorithm works. I meet so many new people. I feel like it's been pushed to all different types of audiences that may not be followers of me, that may have no idea that I'm even a travel creator. So it kind of fosters a very different community in a way that I'm not used to.

You speak of wanting to inspire people to travel. What do you think makes travel content aspirational?

I feel like this is a really big debate in the travel community, because aspirational travel always sells, right? People love beautiful things, point blank, period. But I think sometimes that aspirational content doesn't tell the full story. And I think that can become an issue because people want transparency. I see this a lot with Gen Z. They want to know exactly what you're doing, how'd you get there, how much money it costs, how they can go about booking it. And so it’s not that aspirational content can't inspire them to do that, but I do think there is a need to have a little bit more transparency on how that person got there and how someone could get there themselves. 

What’s the most underrated aspect of Threads in your opinion?

Ooh, underrated aspect. I think from a creator perspective, the ability to just, like I said, expand your community. There are so many people who have found me on Threads that followed me on Instagram. And then another underrated aspect, the poll feature. I love using that thing. I have no idea who's answering it. I'm so indecisive that sometimes I just need a little feedback from the audience.

Have you gained any useful travel tips from the Threads community?

I think the biggest one, I call 'em “the points and miles people.” They book business class flights and I'm very, very new to that space. I didn't even realize all the things with airline loyalty, but there are some very amazing creators who post upcoming business class deals or how to make the most of your travel credit card. So I love following those Threads because I am clueless. I didn't even realize people were using miles to book these amazing trips.

You recently posted a Thread with some other Black travel creators you enjoy. What made you want to start that thread?

I was having this conversation with one of my other travel creator friends. Sometimes I feel like as a Black travel creator, we get pigeonholed to think that our content is only for Black people. And though my audience is primarily Black, I think we are not a monolith and we expand across different niches within travel. So I wanted to promote these other creators, because it's not just doing one thing. We're doing so many different things, from train travel to budget travel to luxury hotels. We do it all.

What's your favorite way to highlight the local culture and experiences on Threads?

Oh, food photos! I love to eat. So food photos, number one. And also, stories. Some interesting things happen and instead of texting the group chat, I go to Threads and let people know. If I had a really interesting or cool interaction with someone, I'll post about it on Threads. Or if I learn something new about a culture or a country that I'm in, I post it on Threads because I love sharing information. I think it's an interesting, new way for me to document how I'm traveling.

If you could plan a group trip with your Threads community, where would you go and why?

This is a great question. I am actually planning a group trip. I just went to Northern Thailand, but now I feel like I need to do Southern Thailand. Thai people are some of the kindest, most hospitable people I've ever met. I felt like I could just be there. I wasn't stared at. Sometimes it can be a little uncomfortable, like the staring, but it's mostly curiosity. But in Thailand, I did not feel any of that. People were so kind, so welcoming. So I would love to take my community and go south because I didn't do any beaches. I did more mountain hiking and a hot air balloon ride. Amazing. But I want to go to the beaches and do some island life. So I would love to take my Threads community there.