Vacations Blog

Florida attracts millions of tourists every single year. The island of Key West has developed its own speciality for catering to gay and lesbian visitors. It has many types of accommodation including hotels and resorts that are especially for the gay community. Before making your travel plans it pays to read all about gay travel to Key West so that you can be prepared.

In the whole of the States there are only three other locations that can offer as wide a range of gay friendly accommodation – Fort Lauderdale, Provincetown, and Palm Springs. But Key West beats them all as it has a greater variety as well as rooms and resorts located in historical buildings just a short stroll away from trendy bars, nightclubs, and excellent restaurants.

For the past forty years, gay and lesbian tourists have been made to feel welcome in Key West. Today you can find visitors from every kind of background imaginable including gay artists, police, lawyers and doctors. Everybody is welcome to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere on this paradise island.

Even back in the 1980s, Key West elected an openly gay mayor, and since that time there have been many gay city commissioners and other people in authority. There is a diverse culture and population that is difficult to match anywhere else.

The nightlife and dining facilities that are found all around the island cannot be matched for comfort and service. Everywhere you go you will find likeminded people to socialize and interact with. The nightclubs have events hosted by some of the most famous DJs from the US and Europe.

If shopping is important to you then you will not be let down by what is on offer in Key West. You can find famous brands alongside independent shops all of which can provide you with everything you need for an enjoyable holiday. You should remember to pack lightly as you will not need much more than shorts and t-shirts.

During the day there is a host of activities on offer. You can easily spend hours lazing around on a beach taking in the sun’s rays, or if you feel adventurous you can take a snorkelling or diving trip to explore the stunning underwater plant and animal life. Many tours are arranged specifically for gays and lesbians so that you can be assured that you will spend your days with like minded people.

You will never regret a gay vacation to Key West. In fact most visitors choose to come back time and again.

Most travelers do not worry too much about whether they will be welcomed at traditional travel destinations. Generally, places tourists frequent usually want to attract anyone who is willing to pay for the available products or services. However, for sexual minorities, including gay men, some locations range from an absence of an open arms greeting to outright hostility. Consequently, some gay travel destination are more welcoming than others.

In Europe for example, both Berlin and Prague have long traditions of enthusiastically welcoming gay visitors. Germany and the Czech Republic may be more socially conservative than, say, Sweden, but the capital cities of both nations have large gay populations and pockets in which gay men can openly hold hands or exchange a loving kiss without experiencing so much as a surprised look. Prague has been gay friendly since even before the fall of the iron curtain.

Most of Latin America is a different story. The tradition of machismo is prevalent. Generally gay men should abide by the customs of the community in order to assure their personal safety. In other words, just because you see straight people behaving a certain way, don’t assume that a gay couple could follow course. Of course sexual minorities are at least as prevalent in Latin America as in any other part of the world, but it is assumed that the minorities will demonstrate considerable discretion. However, in locations that rely economically upon tourists, like in Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, the conventions of western Europe are more likely to appear, given the international nature of the temporary population. Mexico City is gay friendly to tourists only in certain areas of the city, despite being much more cosmopolitan in other ways.

The United States is definitely a mixed situation. In general, the two coasts are more accepting of gay men than the central portions of the nation. The North is much more welcoming than the old South. Urban areas tend to be more progressive the rural regions. Places frequented by the young are typically most accepting of all; young Americans do not understand what business sexual orientation is of anyone other than the people directly affected. Still there are exceptions to all of those “rules.”

America’s most popular gay friendly vacation destinations and retirement areas include Palm Springs in California and Key West and South Beach (Miami) in Florida.

The world is diverse, and there are still places where gay men are persecuted. To maximize your enjoyment of your destination, understand the local customs and culture.