Travel Tips For The LGBT Community

Many travel tips are universal.  On the other hand, there are times when traveling as a member of the LGBT community involves a little extra thought and consideration.  There are countries people frown upon reserving a single bed hotel room for a same-sex couple.  

Vacations are for having a good time and enjoying yourself.  They’re not for wondering if your travel destination is PC or gay-friendly.  With that thought in mind, here then are a list of travel tips for the LGBT community:

Check out LGBT travel blogs:While bloggers may make their money off of advertising there are still some you can trust.  Travels Of Adam, for example was able to provide confirmation on every point in this piece.  “Adam” agrees that while there are a number of big websites such as Out Traveler and Gay Cities provide data on this topic, several blogs also offer info on all sorts of LGBT travel destinations. 

Do your homework: Prior to stepping off the airliner you need to do your homework.  Research just what specific rights that members of the LGBT community have there.  Make sure there is nothing going on regarding the LGBT community there that would negatively impact on your vacation.

“Adam” agrees that--believe it or not--Wikipedia is a good starting point.  They actually have a piece on that provide specifics on the rights of the LGBT community in every country.  (Check the original sources if you are concerned.)  

You can also check out various sites having to do with gay travel.  If you are a U.S. citizen you are in luck too because the U.S. State Department also has LGBT travel info available.

Use available tech filters when searching for accommodations: A number of booking websites  provide users with the opportunity to actually filter their search results according to different specific desires.  For example you can use “gay-friendly” or “LGBT-friendly”.  People like “Adam” say that knowing you are staying at an actively gay-friendly hotel means there won’t be any hassle regarding the ‘two beds or one’ question.”  It is also a good idea to search for “TAG-approved properties”.

Use an LGBT-specific website when booking your entire trip:  Booking your entire trip on an LGBT-specific website guarantees you will be staying somewhere that’s gay-friendly.  

Visit your destinations of choice when they are holding gay pride festivals:  Festival can be great fun.  You can experience that feeling of unity and pride found only at such events.  Europe, in general, is reported to often have festivals during the summer months.  The events can run for days and sources indicate they sometimes are held the same time that LGBT film festivals, pride marches and concerts occur.  Again though, “Adam”confirms you need to check out the GLBT/human rights situation prior to embarking on any trip.

Check out LGBT and LGBT-friendly hotspots: As we have previously reported (in an ongoing series), there are many LGBT travel hotspots across the globe that are (as “Adam” confirms) almost always “ranked among the best” places for anyone to visit.  Some favored or “best LGBT” destinations include Barcelona, New York City, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco and Tel Aviv.  

The most important thing is to have fun.  So plan a safe, LGBT-friendly vacation.  While the LGBT community may not have as many rights or be as appreciated in some parts of the world, you can still enjoy your vacations and enjoy your life if you plan properly.

(All images are courtesy of the original owner unless otherwise indicated.)