Picking Gay And Lesbian Vacations
What should I consider when choosing a gay or lesbian destination?
What's important when picking a destination is really what's important to you. Does it fit within your price point? That is always important. How out and open are you? If you're going alone, there may not be any factors that are that different. If you're going as a couple, are you going to feel comfortable as an open lesbian couple once you get to the destination? When you check into the hotel, is somebody going to say, We've got two beds in the room, and you have to say, No, we want one bed. It really is going to depend upon what you're seeking out for that specific trip.
What are popular resort destinations for gays and lesbians?
There are some incredibly great destinations for the gay and lesbian community today. Puerto Vallarta would always be one of the top ones on my list. It's close, it's friendly, it's a great ambience. In the United States, Province Town, Key West, are great destinations for resorts. Puerto Vallarta is one of the best simply because it's a great value - your dollar goes a long way, it's very welcoming, and it's a very charming place.
What are popular senior gay and lesbian destinations?
That is a very good question, of senior gay and lesbian destinations. Not only do they have needs as gays and lesbians, but they have needs as seniors. I would always say a cruise ship is going to be one of the best things, just as it is in the mainstream population, because it's easy. You don't have to worry about where you are going to eat, how far it is, or if it is difficult to get there - everything is right there in a very compact destination. Palm Springs would be a great destination. Tucson, Arizona, is really seeing a boom in gay and lesbian retirees, and it's a very welcoming place, with a great climate. Then, of course, there is also Fort Lauderdale.
What are popular gay and lesbian honeymoon destinations?
What are popular gay and lesbian adventure destinations?
There are some really dynamic adventure destinations these days. Peru - people are really enjoying going to Machu Pichu, going up into the Andes. Ecuador, right next door, the Galapagos Islands, going also up into the Andes, are really great adventure destinations. South Africa - and people do need to go to South Africa - protect the rights of gays and lesbians in their constitution, which we need to recognize and support them. Some really wonderful things to be able to do in South Africa when it comes to adventure, include going up to Victoria Falls, and going out into the game reserves. Also, Southeast Asia is a great value right now. Cambodia, Angkor Wat, Thailand, Phuket, up into the northern Chiang Mai, or Chiang Rai, are also excellent adventure destinations. In your own backyard, there is the Grand Canyon. There are people doing some really great trips in the Grand Canyon.
What are popular gay and lesbian cultural destinations?
Culture is a very broad term, but to me New York will always be popular. London, as far as museums, or Paris. Rome is an incredibly great cultural destination. Minneapolis, with the amount of theatres and the new Art Institute, the new Guthrie Theatre, is a great value when it comes to a cultural destination. Buenos Aires is also an excellent value, has great theatre, the tango, and the architecture.
What are popular gay and lesbian active destinations?
There's a lot of choice in active vacations. You can go hiking in the Andes in Peru, or bicycling. There are some excellent bicycling trips in Italy and France, whether it be in the Noir Valley or in the south of France. Also, in the Netherland's, those are great, really active vacations that people would enjoy. A little costly right now, the European destinations, because of the dollar exchange. Again, I will always default to Central or South America as probably one of the better values when it comes to an active vacation. Another active destination that is really exceptional and a good value, is Costa Rica. Whether you want to go walking through the Cloud Forrest, white water rafting, the Manuel Antonio National Park, it's exceptional. You have to be a little careful of the monkeys throwing coconuts at your head. Costa Rica is one of the best - it's active, it's safe, it's close, and it's a good value.
What is an 'all-inclusive' vacation package?
I don't mind if you go for a mountain destination that includes drinks, food, stay at night and entertainment in an all inclusive vacation package. Most of those resorts are going to be focused in Mexican. The US people, you get some exceptional all inclusive resorts. You also have to plan those events, which actually take weeks to club it with another all inclusive resort. For men and women, an all inclusive resort which, when you get there you probably want to spend your penny.
What is not included in an all-inclusive package?
As far as what wouldn't be included in an all inclusive package, there isn't much, except for perhaps massage, facial - any spa services are normally going to be over-and-above what you've already paid. There's also premium liquor. For example, if you go Club Med, they've got some interesting wines. If you go to Mexico, there are actually Mexican wines, which are interesting. You can upgrade - you can actually order bottles of other wine, and that's going to be a surcharge. Other than that, it truly is an all-inclusive vacation.
What are some gay and lesbian destinations I can find in my backyard?
What are some gay-friendly areas of the world?
As far as safety for gay and lesbian destinations, you always default to some of the traditional ones. If we're talking about the U.S, Provincetown, Key West, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York are going to be safe, the Netherlands. Most of your Western European countries - Poland would be an exception, going through some hard time there. Those are going to be the safest. Australia is a really great, friendly, safe destination for the gay and lesbian community.
What are some places gays and lesbians should avoid?
There are places that people should avoid, and this is actually a very important question. People do need to do their research - I had some people call me last week and they wanted to go to southern Africa. They wanted to go on an adventure vacation, and I called the specific company. They had them going to Zimbabwe, and I said to the woman, Zimbabwe! No, if we're going to do them, we want to take them to the Zambian side of Victoria falls, not Zimbabwe. And she said, well, why? Well, the president of Zimbabwe is incredibly homophobic - they are killing gay and lesbian people there. That is a very difficult example, but you do need to research it. Amnesty International has a great gay and lesbian part on their website. It's also a reason that you should use a travel agent, or if you're not using an agent, make sure that you are going online and researching, because there are places, and there's nothing worse, for example, to go all the way to southern Africa and to have a very bad time once you get there. You shouldnt go to Zimbabwe, you should rather go to Zambia.
