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“The Big Island in particular is off the beaten track,” Mr. “So it’s very welcoming to gay and lesbian travelers.” Though the island of Hawaii lacks a vibrant bar and club scene, it offers other pluses. “They embrace, they pull in, they don’t judge, they don’t condemn,” he said of the Hawaiian people. “It’s kind of the anti-Caribbean in the sense that it’s so warm and welcoming.” The aloha spirit, he said, is one of acceptance, and it permeates the island.
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But the quieter Big Island, the one actually called Hawaii, is what Ed Salvato, the editor in chief of Man About World, a gay travel magazine for the iPad, called “surprisingly gay” in a telephone interview. There are plenty of gay bars and gay-friendly businesses, and the 24th annual Honolulu Pride Parade and Celebration is coming up on June 7. travelers heading to Hawaii, and it is well worth a trip if you’ve never been. Popular with tourists, Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, and the busy Waikiki area in particular, may be the most obvious choice for L.G.B.T. (The northern Florida beaches are just as awesome as those along the state’s east coast, too, so sun worshipers should be quite content.) Sousa said she has stayed in a number of area resorts, including the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, and always felt welcome and safe when traveling with her wife. traveler, something I have experienced time and time again.” Ms. Sousa wrote, but the area is notable “because of its overall welcoming attitude toward the L.G.B.T. “There isn’t a plethora of gay nightclubs (Pensacola is home to the only gay nightclubs in the area, which include the popular Emerald City),” Ms. Sousa sees as up-and-coming gay-friendly destinations, “especially for L.G.B.T. Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola are among the places Ms. travelers have for many years flocked there and, more recently, to Fort Lauderdale as well, but the northwestern part of the state? “One might not instantly think of Florida’s Panhandle as gay-welcoming due to its conservative nature, but it has long been a refuge for gay Southerners looking for a beach getaway,” Desiree Sousa, the owner and editor in chief of Gay Travel Information, wrote in an email. South Beach is of course a major gay destination, and L.G.B.T. “Part of what I think informs this idea of up-and-coming gay destination is that night life isn’t part of it,” he said. There are a number of gay-owned bed-and-breakfasts, restaurants and other businesses (the website is a good resource), but you won’t find gay bars here, Mr. A hippie culture in the 1960s allowed gay culture to blossom, said Andrew Collins, who has written extensively about L.G.B.T. Here are some of their suggestions.ĭon’t let the 67-foot-tall statue of Jesus Christ intimidate you: This Bible Belt city with a population of just over 2,000 has a hard-core religious right element, but it exists alongside a flourishing gay scene. hot spot that we may overlook when making travel plans. But of course a lot of people who enjoy travel, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, want to continuously add new cities to their “places I’ve been” list, so I asked a few gay travel experts to suggest a lesser-known or up-and-coming L.G.B.T. spectrum simply want to go somewhere that is packed with kindred spirits, to relax without having to worry about fitting in with a straight crowd - or, in some places, about the potential perils involved when you don’t fit in. Many who identify anywhere along the L.G.B.T. Despite the fact that a sea gull once pooped on me while I was relaxing on a Fire Island beach, I do understand the allure of the place, and that of other idyllic destinations like Provincetown, Mass., and Key West, Fla., which have long been known as gathering spots for gay and lesbian vacationers.