When it comes to holidays, it’s not always easy to figure out which countries are safe for LGBTQ travelers on vacation. As a member of the gay community, it’s important to check into local and countrywide laws to see how people may regard you when they realize you are gay or whether you will be affected by local laws concerning homosexual lifestyles.
While setbacks often happen when booking a holiday, as a member of the gay community it is always best to have important information on what to expect when you travel from one place to another. It is definitely best to find destinations that are safe and offer a sense of security when you travel, and you may be surprised to know that there are many countries around the world that offer safe escapes for gay people who just want to have a little fun and take some time to relax.
If you are gay and ready to play, check out these countries that are gay friendly and will offer plenty do while on vacation.
Canada
Pride March/Toronto
Canada is a very diverse country with so much going on for fun and entertainment. Cities like Toronto offer areas like The Gay Village where you can find celebrations for the gay lifestyle including Pride March, Dyke March and other Pride Week Celebrations as well as a large LGBTQ community center and quite a few gay-friendly restaurants, night clubs and other businesses locally. Montreal is also a very gay friendly area where you can find Montreal’s Gay Village, which is also one of the largest gay villages in the northern hemisphere and you can catch fun drag shows and enjoy dancing at the popular Club Unity, the biggest gay club in the city. Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg also have large gay communities with plenty to do. If you are gay, you will find acceptance in Canada and will find plenty to do for fun.
Denmark
Centralhjørnet in Denmark
Children may have a love for Denmark because it is the home of the famous Lego, those painful plastic blocks that are a nightmare to parents walking barefoot in the dark in homes across the world. Denmark is also the first country to recognize and accept same sex partnerships back in 1989, and it has become a haven for the LGBTQ community during holidays and honeymoons from countries around the globe. Copenhagen, the city that just turned 850 years old this year, is one of the most popular tourist spots in Denmark and has long been a favorite spot for American tourists. It is also the location of Europe’s oldest gay bar, Centralhjørnet, which was established in 1917. Same sex marriage has been legal in Denmark since 2012 and when looking for a hip honeymoon spot or a place to spend a week with friends in the LGBTQ community, Denmark is a great place to visit.
Germany
While Germany is probably one of the last places that you may consider for a vacation if you are gay, it is actually a great place and very accepting of the gay lifestyle. There are gay communities all throughout Germany and it’s very easy to find gay celebrations including a large Gay Pride festival in Berlin and several bars, nightclubs and businesses that specifically cater to the gay community. Gay rights have been supported in Germany as far back as the year 1895 when the first known gay activist in Germany, Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, gave his homosexual rights speech in Munich on Lawyers Day. Since that time, the country has opened to the gay community and you will find many fun activities, shopping venues and clubs that stay busy all night, every night. If you visit Berlin, be sure to check out Schoppenstube bar or Griefbar, both of which are excellent places to meet others in the gay community and have a little fun all night long.
Ireland
Dublin Pride Parade
In a country where gay marriage was legalized by popular vote, you can count on having an adventure worth remembering when you plan a vacation to Ireland. The country has been listed as one of the friendliest countries in the world for gay men and women and with numerous gay clubs, bars and other businesses, it’s an ideal place to check out. Dublin, the capital city of Ireland is home to PantiBar and The George, two of the hottest gay nightclubs in the country. The luck of the Irish will be with you when you plan a holiday in this beautiful country.
United States
The United States offers a wide array of holiday travel destinations for members of the gay community, and since it’s somewhat simple to travel from one state to another, it is simple to hop from one state to another if you want to check out a variety of locations within the country. Starting in San Francisco, which is known to have a population that includes a whopping 6.2% who identify as LGBTQ, you will find numerous LGBT parties, festivals and other events all throughout the year. Some of the most popular include the Castro Street Fair which is held in October and features plenty of entertainment, music and dancing all day long. Moving along from San Francisco, other gay friendly cities include Portland, Oregon where you can find the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Q Center and the Equity Foundation, all of which are for the gay community. Portland Queer Film Festival is a major hit in the gay community and brings to light the best new theatrical and film releases of the year. Special screenings are held in October and November. Across America, you can find gay communities and acceptance from one city to the next.
When you take time to do a little research to find the hottest vacation spots that are gay friendly, you’ll find that you may just have an extra special reason to get that passport updated and book a flight. Taking a trip to the beach is always fun, but when you can explore the world and get a better view of the LGBTQ lifestyle across the globe, nothing can compare to the culture and style you will be able to experience firsthand in a new country.