Out the Sun: Florida’s Top 10 Gay Beach | VISIT FLORIDA

Contents:

• VACAYA – GAY & LGBT+ CIS & RORT VATNS REIMAGED
• AFFORDABLE GAY VATN TOWNS
• WHAT’S INCLUD A GAY ALL-INCLIVE RORT?
• UNR THE ‘GAYDAR’: 10 BT GAYTN DTATNS THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU
• THE 8 TOP GAY CIS FOR 2023
• BANFF ROCKY MOUNTA RORT
• NEW ENGLAND GAY WEEKEND GETAWAYS - BT WEEKEND TRIPS OM BOSTON
• GAY FRIENDLY VATN PACKAG GAY FRIENDLY VATN PACKAG
• GALENA – ILLOIS’ GAY-IENDLY WEEKEND GETAWAY
• THE OMNIA MOUNTA LODGE
• HE TRAVEL – GAY TRAVEL TOURS, GAY ADVENTURE TRAVEL, ACTIVE VATNS
• TOP 10 GAY CAMPGROUNDS AMERI
• FIRE ISLAND GAY TRAVEL
• LGBT GETAWAY IAS: GAY PLAC TO GO NEAR ME FL
• THE WORLD'S MOST GAY-FRIENDLY BEACH CI AND RORTS
• GAY FLORIDA: BT FLORIDA WEEKEND GETAWAYS FOR GAY TRAVELLERS
• PARLIAMENT RORT (GAY MALE ONLY)
• OUT THE SUN: FLORIDA’S TOP 10 GAY BEACH
• 5 DAYS - COSTA RI GAY GETAWAY
• EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS PHOENIX
• GAY NU RORT MT ALLOW WOMEN, JUDGE DECLAR
• 9 REASONS WHY PUERTO VALLARTA IS OUR FAVORE GAY GETAWAY DURG THE WTER HOLIDAYS
• BT GAY BEACH DTATNS

VACAYA – GAY & LGBT+ CIS & RORT VATNS REIMAGED

You might be surprised to disver one of the Heartland's favore small-town gay getaways the heart of the Ozarks, closer to fay-valu-domant Branson than to any major ci wh a sizable gay populatn and three LGBT Diversy weekends each year. This temperate regn known for s natural scenery has s share of rzy plac to stay and eat, but fear not: you'll fd plenty of budget-iendly lodggs and cheap down-home rtrants, anic ffeeho, arts and crafts galleri, expensive die shops, and quirky gay bars.

A great way to experience this is by stayg a vtage n, such as Carola B&B or the gay-owned North Lodge on Oakland, a stately 1904 stone hoe that offers plenty of perks (-room DVD players, Wi-Fi, rob) at reasonable rat.

AFFORDABLE GAY VATN TOWNS

Compared wh other gay-popular vatn spots the Northeast, sophistited but laid-back New Hope and s appealg New Jersey neighbor Lambertville are ls plac to see and be seen and more rtful, romantic, and reasonably priced weekend hiouts for upl. Though this area of verdant Bucks County Pennsylvania has a lively gay nightclub and several trendy rtrants, life here floats along at an unhurried pace, and sticker shock is rare, pecially given this quat riversi hamlet's close proximy to New York Cy and Philalphia.

Along wh Grand Palladium’s tramark ntemporary sign and range of on-se rtrants and entertament, gay and lbian guts n enjoy ameni like the Zentropia Spa & Wellns and s fully equipped gym, several pools and Jacuzzis, sports facili, and direct beach accs. Lolly known as the San Francis of the regn, the gay cultural landspe is vibrant, and the drag scene is easily among the bt the natn–jt watch “Kgs, Queens, and In-Betweens” cy is also a risg fashn mec, hog the third most fashn signers the untry, along wh retail giants like L Brands, Exprs, Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fch. ” It mt be somethg the over 140 gay-owned bs, rangg om B&Bs to bars to art galleri to cuty ice cream shops, the small neighborg towns of Sgatuck and Douglas are home to the largt gay rort the Midwt–and thanks to lol protectn of genr inty and sexual orientatn, you’ll be hard-prsed to fd anti-LGBTQ attus here.

WHAT’S INCLUD A GAY ALL-INCLIVE RORT?

The cy created the first gay and lbian muny center the untry, and ’s Albany that was home to one of the earlit transgenr groups datg back to the cy may not have the crazy, never-endg nightlife of NYC, and may not have the sheer numbers of NYC, but, for general “Queer Life, ” Albany ranks seventh the untry–not to shabby for a cy overshadowed by the Big LGBT muny and the Mormon church hasn’t always seen eye-to-eye. As travel on the high seas ntu to bounce back om the COVID-19 panmic, gay and lbian travelers should nsir settg sail on a fun-filled cise vatn as their next planng a cise, vatners should first nsir what their ial sailg looks like. This le gets the stamp of approval om prev LGBTQ cisers, who praise the ships' genr-ntral bathrooms, onboard shows wh rint drag queens and diverse Voyag offers gay-specific sailgs through travel pani like Atlantis Events, but s more mastream erari still offer a welg, clive atmosphere that attracts LGBTQ cisers year-round.

For s all-gay cis, Atlantis charters megaships om popular l like Royal Caribbean Internatnal and Norwegian Cise Le, so cisers will have a fully immersive board, travelers n enjoy all the perks the megaships have to offer (thk: pools, hot tubs, sports urts and plenty of dg choic), pl special events like drag performanc, motivatnal speakers, LGBTQ movi on mand each b and high-energy circu parti across the ship. Private travel pani like VACAYA also charter Celebry ships for all-gay voyag throughout the (Getty Imag)Specifilly marketed toward lbians and LGBTQ women, Olivia has hosted more than 350, 000 travelers by land and sea over almost five s.

UNR THE ‘GAYDAR’: 10 BT GAYTN DTATNS THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU

Outsi of the sailg experience, Royal Caribbean has also publicly mted to support the LGBTQ muny throughout the year, and was the first cise le to earn the tle "Gay Traveler Approved" om GayTravel 2023, nsir a Royal Caribbean voyage that sails to gay-iendly statns. Prev cisers had high praise for the erari – which exclively vis gay-iendly lotns – as well as the uy cktails, themed nights (stum strongly enuraged), glamouro entertament, and unique events like drag bgo and high heel Demence sails every summer to statns like Rome; Athens and Mykonos, Greece; Kotor, Montenegro; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and more. The cy’s Gay Village, thought to be the largt North Ameri, is home to tons of bars, rtrants and nightclubs that ter to the LGBTQ muny, as do many of the cy’s celebratns, cludg Montreal’s Frge Ftival and Piknic É The glam W Montreal, centrally loted between Old Town and downtown, giv you a chic weekend vibe amidst the cy’s Old World feel.

THE 8 TOP GAY CIS FOR 2023

The cy is home to the renowned Rho Island School of Dign, the annual WaterFire art stallatn ftival and an LGBTQ Film Ftival—as well as artisanal ffee shops, gay-iendly bathho and an unrground mic Inspired by art, creators and ventors, The Dean offers ser style.

” Take up rince at this boutique hotel and be sure to stop for a cup of Bolt Coffee the After takg a self-guid walkg tour to see the 18th- and 19th-century archecture of the cy, stop the RISD Mm to view s permanent llectn of more than 100, 000 piec of IcelandReykjavik, IcelandHoppg a flight to Iceland is almost as easy as grabbg the jney to the Hamptons, but jt over four hours, you’ll land this island natn where weekend activi clu everythg om hikg a glacier to spottg the northern lights and htg a gay bar. Pl, there is a daily tastg the bar of lol beers and spirs, so be sure to toast wh your fellow Do: Pk Iceland is the untry’s leadg LGBTQ-owned tour operator, wh gay-specific experienc, tours of popular statns like the Goln Circle, and lol LGBTQ guis to let visors on hidn gems.

BANFF ROCKY MOUNTA RORT

For a wild time off the beaten path, Piñata PV Gay Hotel offers stic charm and clothg optnal pool Cy ns a close send, particularly for the electric gay nightlife loted at the heart of the cy Zona Rosa, the area’s official gayborhood (which also has some of the bt shoppg). See the famed Oxford Street gay district wh a private tour om The Fabulo Wonr Mama (@thefabulowonrmama), a wealth of knowledge and humor who also posss some of the biggt peaks this si of the Grand Beach is perfect for workg on your tan or takg a surfg lson. Queer visors should head to Ibiza Town’s gay neighborhood, Calle la Virgen, wh s terraced rtrants and gay bars ial for fun tim, people watchg, and cisg for you’d rather not party like Paris Hilton but prefer to relax luxury and relative solu, leave behd Ibiza Town and head north to the Six Sens Rort.

This sun-drenched sert metropolis belongs to many cludg Hollywood A-listers, mid-century sign fanatics and gay male sun seekers, but for one week annually the cy turns Sapphic as party promoters Club Skirts turn the town to a nonstop party and mic ft that is bar none the largt gatherg of lbians the Uned Stat and has attracted the lik of Lea DeLaria and Lady Gaga among others. This sunny cy by the sea is hardly Brazil’s biggt (that distctn belongs to São Plo), but LGBT Carns dance to the beat of their own Samba-fed rhythm day and night pecially at Farme Amoedo, an vg stretch of gay beach Ipanema. One of the most eloquent and provotive queer wrers of all time, Amerin novelist turned expat Jam Baldw left que a footprt on gay Paree and visors to the Cy of Lights who trace his steps n take numero legendary hnts cludg fé L Dx Magots, Café Tournon, Le Select, Brasserie Lipp, Le Montana, and Café Flore among others.

NEW ENGLAND GAY WEEKEND GETAWAYS - BT WEEKEND TRIPS OM BOSTON

More than twenty-five years later (and still not sanctned by Disney) draws together an timated 150, 000 people for a week-long gatherg that clus pool parti, A Taste of Gay Days, and Miss Gay Days Pageant and is beloved by both a party crowd and same-sex fai.

The Dutch pal is servg of s reputatn as a breezy and tolerant mec for people of all kds as evinced by s tolerance for sexual pleasure and dg e, but between cisg the nals and the bars, save a moment for reflectn at the Homomonument, a nal si tr of triangl that memorat people who have been persecuted due to beg LGBTQIA. Between gay karaoke and go-go bars, 24 hour snas, sweaty nightclubs, and iendly (wk, wk) massage parlors, rowdy Bangkok is Southeast Asia’s undisputed queer pal and famo among nightlife offergs are ladyboy barets which transgenr women (katoey Thai) perform genr illns to the tun of popular gay divas.

GAY FRIENDLY VATN PACKAG GAY FRIENDLY VATN PACKAG

Polilly progrsive Boston is not only the pal of the first state that legalized gay marriage, 's also wh a three-hour drive of untls gay-iendly rorts and vatn statns, om the soarg mountatops of Vermont and New Hampshire to the charmg astal hamlets of and Rho Island - and don't fet other ol getaways elsewhere Massachetts, om the Cape to the Berkshir. A center of tn, the arts, and progrsive polics central-wtern Massachetts, btlg and relatively affordable Northampton anchors the leafy Pneer Valley, which extends om Connecticut to the state's tri-borr wh Vermont and New Hampshire and tak a seri of lovely towns (Greenfield, Deerfield, Amherst) and one hardscrabble cy wh some excellent mms and a b of gay nightlife, Sprgfield.

This historic fishg village (the Pilgrims stopped here 1620) veloped a Bohemian followg as a lony of artists and theater buffs toward the end of the 19th century and has been a favore statn among lbians and gays ever sce. The neighborhood is also home to Hillcrt Brewg Company, a proudly gay brewery and rtrant—some say the natn’s first—and is near Balboa Park’s San Diego LGBTQ Pri Para and Ftival, a three-day celebratn July that draws 300, 000 people. Together wh Enjoy Illois and Vis Galena, we created our Road Trip Adventure “Gay Galena LGBT Getaway Illois” wh hotel and rtrant tips, activy highlights, as well as some mt-dos for a perfect LGBTQ+ gaytn Illois’ northwt here on Couple of Men.

Our Founr Hanns Ebensten ran the first exclively gay adventure tour down the Grand Canyon 1973 and we most recently acquired OutQut Global Adventur, brgg even more gay travel tours to gay men, lbians & their iends.

GALENA – ILLOIS’ GAY-IENDLY WEEKEND GETAWAY

This will clu the unique sign of their flexible gers (yurts), and their annual Naadam Ftival of wrtlg, 545-SW-HETravel-NewMexi-Colorado-Southwt-Gay-Tour-gallery-300× Southwt Enchantment Adventure TourWe are exced to offer our first adventure tour through the remarkable, high sert regn of Northern New Mexi and to the lh tumn lors of the mountas of Southwt Colorado. GWt Iceland Fjords: Gay Iceland Adventure TourFrom Vikg culture to Arctic wilrns & bety, our new tour of Iceland will show you the extrem of Iceland: iendly Vikg scendants, unspoiled lh wilrns, fumg and hissg geysers, massive glaciers, towerg volno, and vg natural hot sprgs. Taste of ItalyPlant A Tree ProgramSPLASH Grand Canyon Gay Raftg AdventureHE Travel Heads to Machu PicchuHE Travel Prents EcuadorHE TRAVEL KAUAI ADVENTURE TOURHE Travel Prents Pengus of South AiHE Travel’s Galapagos AdventureGay travel huntg Santiago, Chile.

THE OMNIA MOUNTA LODGE

Camp Outdoor RortWebseAddrs: 6635 118th Ave., Fennville, MI 49408About Camp Outdoor Rort: Camp Outdoor Rort – Sgatuck is the Midwt’s most popular gay rort for anyone who intifi as LGBTQ, as well as their alli and iends.

Although urban statns tend to be most popular wh gay travelers bee of their rich cultural offergs, vibrant nightlife districts, and chic shoppg and dg, a number of the world's most gay-popular ci also enjoy picturque settgs on the water. Wh outstandg mms, distctive archecture (cludg several treasur by Antoni Gdi) a lively gay nightlife scene centered mostly around the sophistited Eixample district, and an abundance of stylish rtrants and hotels, Barcelona is a terrific statn for urban, yet there's a sweepg and betiful gay beach, Barceloa, jt mut om the cy center. It's jt a short drive south along the ast to vis some of the Southern Hemisphere's most betiful beach, cludg swank Camp Bay, which li the shadows of the Twelve Apostle mountas, and Clifton, which has a scene-y gay beach.

And as 's set on the eastern shore of Zealand Island, on Ørund (a stra that divis the North and Baltic seas), Copenhagen is close to a number of priste, wdswept stretch of sand, cludg such gay hangouts as Bellevue and Ishøj beach.

HE TRAVEL – GAY TRAVEL TOURS, GAY ADVENTURE TRAVEL, ACTIVE VATNS

For many years known primarily as Florida's "sprg break" pal, Fort Lrdale began an amb transformatn to a more sophistited rort statn startg around the early 1990s, which cid wh efforts to urt gay and lbian travelers.

TOP 10 GAY CAMPGROUNDS AMERI

The regn has been eclipsed by nearby Fort Lrdale recent year's as the state's top gay statn, but you'll still fd plenty of gays and lbians livg and playg the parts - and visg durg the several big gay circu parti held South Beach each year, om Wter Party to Whe Party to Miami Gay Pri. The largt cy on the famoly swank and sophistited French Riviera, Nice (populatn 350, 000) is not que a gay playground on the same plane as such Euro-queer hot spots as Ibiza and Mykonos, but this stylish cy wh an outstandg variety of tony rtrants and shops do have a growg gay prence (this is also te, by the way, of nearby Cann, which is smaller but also is beg creasgly popular wh gay travelers). S., and Canada, the romantic Mexin Riviera rort of Puerto Vallarta mak for an approachable, relatively affordable, and fectly fun and lively gay getaway om late fall through early sprg ( quiets down here nsirably durg the hot summer months).

R Janeiro jtly renowned for s sugary beach, and a party-driven, ftive gay scene that's ncentrated chiefly around trendy Ipanema and the more touristy Copabana areas, both of which ont the ocean and are ial for glazg, joggg, or playg the sun and sea. Sydney's gay scene is foced tradnally around Oxford Street, a 20-mute walk om the much-photographed Inner Harbour and Sydney Opera Hoe, but nearby ner suburbs like Newtown, Erskeville, and Glebe have sizable LGBT populatns and many mixed bars and rtrants. The weather at the beach, even summer, is often ol and wdy, and the surf n be vlent—even que dangero—pecially around gay-popular Baker Beach, a clothg-optnal patch near Prid Park that affords visors fe views of the Goln Gate Bridge.

FIRE ISLAND GAY TRAVEL

Juttg out om the southeast ast of the US between the Gulf of Mexi and the Atlantic, Ameri’s Sunshe State radiat as one of the warmt regns the US, endowed wh Lat-Amerin flavours, gay-iendly ci and hundreds of kilometr of beatific beach.

LGBT GETAWAY IAS: GAY PLAC TO GO NEAR ME FL

Once home to both Ernt Hemgway and Tennsee Williams, Key Wt’s populatn of gay natnals and ex-pats has boomed sce the 1970s, and the island is now ripe wh gay-owned hotels and B&Bs as well as an active gay nightlife centred around Duval ’s easy to gus why the regn is nicknamed ‘the Floribbean’, blsed as is wh year-round sunshe and tropil beach many led wh Caribbean-style villas and Cuban eateri. Headg the Florida gay scene wh untls drag show, baret and gay club offergs along Ybor Street, Tampa also anis regular LGBTQ+ events, such as the yearly Tampa Pri and Diversy Para and the Tampa Internatnal Gay & Lbian Film Ftival. Now known as the gay pal of Florida or ‘Gay St Pet’ to lols, the cy is nstantly cultivatg s LGBT+ crentials, now given a perfect sre by the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equaly Inx, which looks at the qualy of life for LGBT+ people ci around the world.

Unofficially though, the historic Grand Central mercial district and nearby neighbourhood of Kenwood are quietly takg off as the go-to gay statns, hostg all kds of gay-iendly bs (everythg om antique stor and salons to bars and rtrants) amongst 1920s’ Craftsman bungalows and a cheery, down-to-earth atmosphere. Stay centre-stage at the Rz-Carlton or another of the bt gay rorts Florida to be close to the endls beach actn, movg land for sophistited shoppg and dg on Las Olas Boulevard or yachtg through the Venice-like waterways that grid the entire for the cy’s gay scene, Wilton Manors is the place to be wh s huge assortment of gay bars and clubs vised by upwards of 1. Its whe-sand beach e edged by an endls promena, while, town, vibrant gay neighbourhoods mgle wh South-Amerin enclav to create the perfect storm for a wild you’ll undoubtedly be tempted by the spirallg asters and rtoon attractns of Orlando’s many theme parks, take at least one day to experience a more unhurried versn of Orlando, wh the garns and nature prerv dottg the cy, or optg for a foodie foc among the morn rtrants and live mic bars all over.

THE WORLD'S MOST GAY-FRIENDLY BEACH CI AND RORTS

As for the cy’s events, Gay Days at Orlando Area Theme Parks is certaly the biggt, drawg crowds of over 150, 000 red-shirted LGBT travellers to the Crella Castle gat each year, while other ocsns, such as Downtown’s Come Out Wh Pri ftival, do an equally good job of takg over the cy centre.

ClearwaterHome of both the Church of Scientology and Hooters, wh a somewhat outdated approach to men’s fashn, Clearwater n be fiven for s lack of excg visuals thanks to s excellent selectn of gay beach and offbeat neighbourhoods. Pete Pri Ft, Florida’s largt gay pri of the bt day trips Florida, Clearwater Beach is perfect for a leisurely day of sunbathg and piickg across the island’s parks and quartz-sand beach, before movg to the cy’s historic Grand Central District, for world-class mms, the largt ncentratn of Scientologists outsi of Los Angel, and surely a lively night of entertament.

For the ultimate Florida gay beach experience, vis Miami Beach Island durg one of the cy’s LGBT events, such as Whe Party Week, Wter Party Ftival or Miami Beach Gay Pri, when 12th Street Beach be the go-to place for gay socialisg. Alternatively, for a no-holds-barred experience, try the clothg-optnal Hlover Beach wh s very own gay sectn between the 12th and 16th lifeguard well as the lotn for partygoers, South Beach also doubl up as a classy place to stay wh s llectn of Art De rinc and Mid-century hotels built on the wateront.

GAY FLORIDA: BT FLORIDA WEEKEND GETAWAYS FOR GAY TRAVELLERS

Pensala Beach cy near the Alabama borr may not seem like the most gay-iendly spot, but ’s been a beach getaway for LGBTQ folks om the South for a long time, particularly for Gay Memorial Day Weekend, which started rmally the 1980s and has grown to a huge gatherg, drawg thoands to late-night circu parti wh well-known profsnal DJs and rmal tent parti on the beach. Stonewall Beach, a swath of sand near the Pompano Beach pier, was unoffilly named by lol gay rints on the 51st anniversary of the Stonewall Rts, a seri of spontaneo monstratns followg police raids New York's Greewich Village 1969. Unrstandg Fort Lrdale’s gay scene is much more easily done wh the help of a lol and apartment sharg is one of the bt ways to meet someone livg the cy who knows how thgs work, where and when are the bt nights to go out, and what plac to eat at and which to avoid.

PARLIAMENT RORT (GAY MALE ONLY)

A note om 5 Days - Costa Ri Gay GetawaySmall groups ( 5-8 passenger maximum per excursn)What you n expect durg your visRegular temperature checks for staffRegularly sanized high-traffic areasTemperature checks for tour participants upon arrivalGuis required to regularly wash handsHand sanizer available to travelers and staffTransportatn vehicl regularly sanizedContactls payment for gratui and add-onsFace masks required for guis public areasPaid stay-at-home policy for staff wh symptomsGear/equipment sanized between eFace masks required for travelers public areasSocial distancg enforced throughout experienceFace masks provid for travelersSafety preutns are provid by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for much is 5 Days - Costa Ri Gay Getaway? A clothg-optnal Florida rort terg to gay and bisexual men mt open all areas to women, acrdg to a June 30 lg om a judge on the Florida Commissn on Human Relatns and reported by cisn — which overled a prev lg statg the rort did not discrimate — affects Key Wt's New Orleans Hoe, though 's not bdg until the full missn weighs . Unrstandg Key Wt’s gay scene is much more easily done wh the help of a lol and apartment sharg is one of the bt ways to meet someone livg the cy who knows how thgs work, where and when are the bt nights to go out, and what plac to eat at and which to avoid.

OUT THE SUN: FLORIDA’S TOP 10 GAY BEACH

5 DAYS - COSTA RI GAY GETAWAY

EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS PHOENIX

GAY NU RORT MT ALLOW WOMEN, JUDGE DECLAR

9 REASONS WHY PUERTO VALLARTA IS OUR FAVORE GAY GETAWAY DURG THE WTER HOLIDAYS

BT GAY BEACH DTATNS