Gay Travel and Leisure

[W_L]

I love traveling and I enjoy learning about new places.

 

However, I have never been to the gay scene at any of the travel destination I go to. I've been to New York, Montreal, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Charleston, Memphis, and other spots in continental North America a few times, but I did not visit any of gay areas on my travel. I want to go, but I am not sure how you should ask a stranger about the best gay part of their city. The internet offerings are cool, but they tend to focus too much on the fashionable crowd of metrosexual looking gay clubs that I find kind of off putting.

 

Does anyone have good hints for gay travel? Fun stories about places that are cool to go to?

[Jack Frost]

I can only speak of the gay villages in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Philadelphia. The latter threes were by pure accident (I just walked into them) and didn't catch my interests (I was just merely walking around in the city itself).

 

Gay villages aren't my cup of tea and I rarely go to the one in Montreal.

 

But you shouldn't be afraid of asking where's the gay village in any major North American cities. Just ask the tourist info booth. They won't care. It's not like you're asking in Saudi Arabia.

Edited June 16, 2009 by Jack Frost

[Graeme]

Try getting yourself a copy of Spartacus, the gay travel guide. I've never looked into it myself, but I've seen it around for years in gay-friendly bookshops here in Australia.

[Nephylim]

If you ever come to Wales go down to Cardiff Bay and visit the visitors information centre. Not only the bay the most fantastic place and a must for totty watching on a hot summer day but the information centre was actually able to give us a map with all the gay bars and night clubs in the city centre with a recommendation for different kinds of tastes AND none of them even batted an eyelid when we asked. The bar they recommended was fab too.

[W_L]

Jack Frost-

 

I just get a bit nervous if I am going to ask for directions to cool gay places from a stranger.

 

Graeme-

 

Thanks for the Travel magazine suggestion, I need to invest in one

 

Nephylim-

 

I would love visiting Wales and Cardiff Bay. If I go to England, I will try o visit as much as I can and maybe take the tram to cross the channel.

[methodwriter85]

If you're up for taking a 7 to 8 hour drive, there's this cool beach town in my state that has a very gay-friendly side. (Of course, you could just take a flight to Philly, and then drive from there...that might be easier, LOL.)

 

It's called Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

 

http://www.funmaps.com/index.cgi/nextState...icalLocation=27

[Nephylim]

Anyone wanting to visit Wales is welcome to come for a visit... not much action in this little valley town but I am planning to move to the big city later this year.

[woody]

I would either invest in a guide book like Graeme suggested or just check out one of the gay free papers when you get to a city(record shops are good places to find them), every city seems to have them and they are generally a really good guide on events going on as well as a lot of the pubs and bars. other than that the web is all ways a reliable and easy way to find what's on where, just google (name of city) gay guide and you'll generally come up with a couple of web pages which at the very least are a good place to start.

 

I've done a fair bit of travel round the world and had a lot of hilarious nights and one thing I'd suggest is trying to find the smaller local places, ive found is the meat markets of the big clubs are the same everywhere really, and I've met a lot more interesting people and had a lot more fun and random nights going to the smaller places and just going with the flow. Heh met more interesting AND cute boys at the smaller places as well instead of just the latter which seem to haunt the clubs a bit world over.

 

Also even if there's not a gay village gay bars tend to be in relative proximity to each other so if you find one wonder around and you'll probably find a few more, oh and keep an open mind. Heh i remember once wondering into a bondage club by accident in London and spending most of the night talking to a Master before he had to stop and go 'punish' his 'slave'.

 

Basicly the best bet is treating it like you do the rest of your travels, keep an open mind, try and be as friendly as possible go with the flow and you'll have an awesome time.

[W_L]

Well, I am staying at the Sheraton in Toronto, right next door to the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame and a few blocks from the gay district of Church/Wellesley St.

 

This trip is my attempt to have some fun as working around state politics is very monotonous and dull on the lower levels. One good thing about working for government is the amount of Vacation time.

[DragonFire]

I can only go along with what everyone else has said, that little book Graeme recommended is worth its weight in gold.

 

The last two or three holidays I've been on, I haven't checked out the gay spots at all. I really didn't feel the need to go out of my way, when I was quite comfortable doing what I was doing. That said, I was in a relationship then, I wonder if that habit will change now I'm single?

 

Probably.

[Dalmatia]

If you ever come to Wales go down to Cardiff Bay and visit the visitors information centre. Not only the bay the most fantastic place and a must for totty watching on a hot summer day but the information centre was actually able to give us a map with all the gay bars and night clubs in the city centre with a recommendation for different kinds of tastes AND none of them even batted an eyelid when we asked. The bar they recommended was fab too.

 

No no no, don

[Nephylim]

No no no, don't got to Cardiff if you want a good gay scene, go to Swansea! I swear everyone I meet there is gay, and apparently all the bars on the main street are gay bars. Downside though, Swansea is a dump Nice beach, and the closest cinema to me, but ugly. Like Dylan Thomas said, ugly, lovely, town. Cardiff at least has some sights to see.

 

Anyway when I went travelling I used the Lonely Planet guide books. They tend to have sections in them about the gay scenes of the cities, clubs and bars, etc. I never went though, its not my thing. When I go away I want to see cities and sights more than the guys. I can see guys back here in Wales, but I can't see the Colosseum.

 

 

Maybe I will be taking a trip over the mountain on the weekend then Hope you have some cute straight guys and gay gals for me over there.

[W_L]

Here's a slight question that I just came across:

 

Should I go to a Bath house while I am in Toronto? There are no bath houses in Boston, (Our last one closed down in the 70's and there are still laws against such establishments).

 

I know the risk associated with bath houses and anonymous sex. I've just never been to a place like that and I want to try it out, but I am worried about the risks of HIV and other problems.

[DragonFire]

Here's a slight question that I just came across:

 

Should I go to a Bath house while I am in Toronto? There are no bath houses in Boston, (Our last one closed down in the 70's and there are still laws against such establishments).

 

I know the risk associated with bath houses and anonymous sex. I've just never been to a place like that and I want to try it out, but I am worried about the risks of HIV and other problems.

 

I wouldn't be caught dead in one and would advise you to steer well clear. If you do decide to go and have a look, then try wearing a burka!