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Victoria’s Royal BC Museum – 2TravelDads

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Victoria's Royal BC Museum - 2TravelDads

There are very few museums that we’ve gone back to several times, but the Royal BC Museum in Victoria is one of them. Located just off the Inner Harbour, it’s an easy addition to a Victoria BC weekend getaway or even just a day trip. And the Royal BC Museum with kids is wonderful too. This is both our review and our guide to the museum and should answer any questions you’ve got about planning a visit.

Getting to the Royal BC Museum

Victoria is an easy place to get to, either from Seattle, the Olympic Peninsula or Vancouver. Living in the Seattle area, the Victoria Clipper is a great option for us. Catching the Clipper from Pier 66, there is overnight parking nearby or it’s a short Lyft ride from anywhere in the downtown area. The ride from Seattle to Victoria is a little less than three hours, and riding the Clipper is really relaxing. It’s a great way to start a Victoria weekend getaway.

Other options for getting to Victoria include the Blackball Coho ferry from Port Angeles, WA; Washington State Ferries to Sidney from Anacortes, WA; BC Ferries from Tsawwassen, BC to Sidney; or the V2V boat from Vancouver, BC (seasonal).

Depending on your overall travel plan, any of these can be booked on relatively short notice and at a variety of price points. Also, seaplane flights from Seattle’s Lake Union or Vancouver’s waterfront are available, but at a much higher cost.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Victoria Gay Travel Resources

Canoeing in the Kawartha Highlands – Out With Ryan

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Fall breeze. autumn leaves and pure Canadian wilderness. This is exactly what you’ll discover when you go canoeing in the Kawartha Highlands this season. This provincial park is the ideal place to re-connect with mother nature in any season, but especially in fall and late-summer; the most beautiful time to explore Canada, in my opinion.

Not only was this my first canoe trip in the Kawartha Highlands but also my first overnight canoe trip ever!

I learned so much from my 2 nights and 3 days canoeing, portaging (which I thought at first was a fancy word similar to apres-ski) and camping my way around the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park, specifically the Serpentine Lake Loop.

Canoeing in the Kawartha Highlands

My good friend Chris Mitchell invited me and a group of our travel blogger friends on a camping trip where we all experienced canoeing in the Kawartha Highlands together, and oh boy, this oasis didn’t disappoint.

We have a saying in the LGBT+ community: There are friends. And there’s family. Then, there are friends who become family. This trip is where my travel blogger friends, Chris, Kimberly, Kathryn, and Kevin became family.

Full Story at Out With Ryan

Ontario Gay Travel Resources

Shipwright Inn – Gay Friendly Prince Edward Island B&B

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Shipwright Inn - Gay friendly Prince Edward Island B&B

A warm welcome awaits you at the Award-Winning 5 Star Shipwright Inn which is centrally located in the historic district of Olde Charlottetown.

Charlottettown, the birthplace of Confederation, is where Canada was actually formed and the area is rich in both history and tradition. Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest and greenest province. The “Gentle Island” is best known for the vivid colours of its gently rolling landscape, miles of sandy beaches and its deep red soil and was made famous through the book “Anne of Green Gables” written by Lucy Maud Montgomery.

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Gay Life in Canada – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay life in Canada

Canada is one of our favourite places to visit. It’s not only one of the most gay friendly countries in the world, it also offers so much to LGBTQ travellers including large gay scenes, Pride events throughout the year, stunning landscapes, and of course many cute guys.

We met one particularly cute Canadian guy at the Whistler Pride event, who is not only a world famous renowned vlogger, but has since become Mr Gay Canada! Josh Rimer is proudly shining the rainbow flag around the world, so we just had to sit him down and get his word about gay life in Canada.

Hi Josh, introduce yourself:

Hi guys, I’m Josh Rimer, 41 years old. I grew up in Red Deer, Alberta, now living in Vancouver in British Colombia with my fiancé Heath. I’m a gay travel vlogger and also host travel content on our national LGBTQ television station that airs daily.

This year I was also made Mr. Gay Canada 2019!

What was it like growing up gay in a small town like Red Deer?

I’ve been out for about 20 years now and luckily it was a much easier and more accepting process than I originally thought it would be. Canada itself is a very progressive country and Canadians are generally very liberal-minded, so I was lucky in that sense.

But I grew up in the days before there was any talk about marriage equality and Red Deer was an area that was especially conservative. This was also just before the Internet so it was difficult to understand and accept that I could be gay. There were no openly gay people around me, so the only homophobia I saw or experienced was when kids would use gay slurs to put someone down, so I knew it wasn’t something there was a positive feeling towards.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Canada Gay Travel Resources

 

Jasper National Park, Alberta – Out With Ryan

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Jasper National Park, Alberta - Out With Ryan

Jasper National Park is one of the most beautiful places in Canada. There I said it!

It’s one of the top places you must visit when travelling to Canada. Bucket list worthy, trust me. Plan a trip to Jasper for a few days and experience this National Park and all the best things you can do.

Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, with over 11,000 square kilometres for you to discover. So now that I’ve caught your interest to visit, here are the best things to do in Jasper National Park!

Hands down, the first best thing to do is drive around this national park. The amount of beautiful snow-capped rocky mountains and awe-inspiring natural landscapes around Jasper National Park is worth a drive.

If you have the opportunity to stay in Jasper for a few days, dedicate a day to taking a little road trip around Jasper National Park. It’s worth renting a car if you came to Jasper by the Via Rail train, girl trust me.

By Ryan – Full Story at Out With Ryan

Alberta Gay Travel Resources

 

Gay Vancouver – Out With Ryan

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Gay Vancouver - Out With Ryan

Hey travel queens! Are you looking for the inside scoop on Gay Vancouver? Well, this travel guide to gay Vancouver has got you covered! From Vancouver’s gay bars, gay clubs and all things rainbows, Out With Ryan has you covered gurl!

Vancouver is definitely on my top 5 most Gay-friendly cities in Canada. With a wide range of gay events, gay bars, and gay clubs, the city is made to quench your thirst… it also rains a lot and when it does, it’s usually raining men. Whether you are an extrovert or introvert, Vancouver is a must for you travel queens.

This city is a popular destination for gay tourists year-round and has a thriving LGBT nightlife. I’ve spent many nights in Vancouver since two of my best friends live there; one gay, one straight. I’ve experienced Vancouver from the locals’ perspective for over 3 years and very excited to share my Travel Guide to Gay Vancouver!

GAY BARS & GAY CLUBS IN VANCOUVER

Vancouver gay bars and gay clubs are located in the gay village, which is mostly based on a section of Davie Street in the West End. The Gay district of Vancouver is filled with rainbow crosswalks and many gay bars, clubs, and shops!

By Ryan – Full Story at Out With Ryan

Vancouver Gay Travel Resources

 

ELEVATION TREMBLANT 2019: Let’s Have a Ski-Ski

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Elevation Tremblant

Chad Callaghan stops by with a post on the upcoming Elevation Tremblant ski week:

If you’re anything like me, you’re already itching to be on the slopes. At least, let’s hopethat’s why you’re itching… Luckily, Daddy Christmas has been good to his boys this year and blessed us with plenty of early-season snow and…drum roll please… a brand new ELEVATION Gay Ski Week! (*waits patiently for a chorus of “Yas Kweens”*)

Producer Tom Whitman is bringing his Midas touch to the slopes of Tremblant, Quebec, the #1 ski resort on the East Coast. ELEVATION MAMMOTH has long been the gay ski week gold standard out West, so you’ll understand my excitement that the event is heading East. I know, I know, Canada sounds so exotic and distant, but it’s actually only a couple of hours drive from NYC to Quebec’s “trembling mountain.” (Yes, I googled it, that’s actually what Tremblant means in Algonquin, k?)

Plus, who doesn’t love a man from Montreal?

Whitman says he’s always wanted to expand East, and Tremblant checks all the boxes. “It’s one of the best ski towns in North America and Quebec is famously welcoming to the LGBTQ community. It’s a great place to taste a little Quebecois culture, drink in some natural beauty, and hang out with sexy, friendly boys and girls from Toronto and Montreal.  Oh yeah, and our East Coast.”

This year, Whitman’s three ELEVATION events, the “Triple-Crown of Gay Ski,” are well-spaced enough that you could conquer them all.

First up is the freshman event in Tremblant. Taking place January 31stto February 3rd, it’s just far enough after New Years that you’ll be ready for a midwinter gay getaway. In its inaugural year, ELEVATION TREMBLANT is sure to draw a massive crowd of ELEVATION enthusiasts, sporty New Yorkers, and Canadian first-timers (be gentle, they’ve never done this before). Get in on this event early. Years from now, when Tremblant’s gay ski week has become an annual tradition for all the gays from Toronto to Boston, you can say you were one of the first.

Next up is the 9thannual ELEVATION Utah. Set February 21-24th, that gives you three weeks to recover from your Canadian kiki before you meet up with 1,000+ bromos and slope sisters for the annual invasion of the gays in Park City, home of Sundance, the Salt Lake Olympics, and plenty of former-Mormons who just wanna let loose. If you haven’t been recently, it’s worth noting that Park City and Canyons resorts merged a couple of years back, so that’s 7300skiable acres and some of the world’s most beautiful vistas. It’s now the largest ski resort in the U.S. While ELEVATION Mammoth keeps the party mostly contained to the Village, ELEVATION Park City takes you for a twirl on the town, to some of the best local night clubs and restaurants, so pack your dancing boots.

ELEVATION season ends with a little spring skiing. March 13-17 (St. Patrick’s Weekend) marks the 17thannual Mammoth Gay Ski Week, the crown jewel for ski huntys and board bros alike. This year, they’re expecting almost 3,000 guys and gals to take over the Village, transforming this sleepy ski town into a bona fide boy buffet. And if you’ve never been before, expect to be pleasantly surprised by how friendly everyone is.

Whitman says he started ELEVATION MAMMOTH to offer an alternative to the gay party scene in the great outdoors. “What makes ELEVATION work is the attitude of the attendees, or lack thereof. We encourage everyone to leave their ‘city attitude’ at the door, to be friendly, to introduce yourself to new people. Every year people return because of the friends they’ve made and the connections they’ve forged.”

While each ELEVATION event has its own local flavor and flair, there are a few events I personally look forward to every year: The Onesie Apres Ski is a classic (seriously, don’t forget your onesie. If you don’t have one, you’re doing life wrong), the Mammoth Aprés at 10k is the only time I’ve seen someone twerk in ski boots, and the all-new main event, GEAR, is perhaps the sexiest party of the year. It’s like a warehouse party at altitude (don’t think about it too hard). The dress code is in the name: transform your ski equipment into something a little kinkier, just put some THOT into it… or go ahead and pack your harness. I know you’ve got one.

Every year, I have a different experience at ELEVATION, and I’ve loved every one of them. I’ve met some of my favorite people on the mountain at Mammoth, and spent whole days getting some one-on-one time in with one of my besties in Utah. You can ski all day and crash early, party hard and sleep in, or be the first-chair-last-call hero we all wish we were.

My body is ready. Let’s have a ski-ski.

For more information on ELEVATION TREMBLANT, click here.

 

Toronto Island – Go Girlfriend

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Toronto Island - Go Girlfriend

The multi-cultural megacity of Toronto, Ontario, Canada can boast a wooded, rural, non-hectic getaway gem just a short ferry ride into Lake Ontario – think New York City with it’s Central Park, but in Toronto, with beaches. While only 300 ft into Lake Ontario with no bridge link, the island’s charm and non-commercialism is a relaxing respite from Toronto’s high rises and city center just a short distance away.

Take a picnic, put on your bathing suit (or take it off at the one of a few of Canada’s official Clothing Optional beaches), rent a tandem bike or family quadracycle or stroll the miles of walking trails in the wooded greenery bird-watching, swimming in Lake Ontario, or exploring Centreville Theme Park. On a summer’s afternoon, there’s a full day of activities to keep yourself and your family busy!

Getting to the Toronto Islands by Ferry is the easy part (it’s a relaxing 15-minute ferry ride), getting into the downtown core to park may be the challenge. Public transit is best if you live in or near Toronto, but for those outside the city, there is ample parking available at the numerous lots (especially on weekends) near the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Expect about $20 for the day’s parking.

By Stacy Rosien – Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Toronto Gay Travel Resources

 

Montreal’s Gay Village: The Hilights – The Nomadic Boys

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Montreal's Gay Village - The Nomadic Boys

Montreal is one of our favourite cities we’ve visited during our travels, especially during the summer months.

We came here during the Fierte Montreal gay pride and completely fell in love with the gay village. There are always many events going on Montreal not to mention many different foods to try.

One of our favourite gay travel bloggers, Barry from Toronto told us about his 5 favourite highlights from Montreal’s gay village following his recent visit during the gay pride:

Where to take the best selfies

I love La Graine Brûlée because it is super colourful and quirky. Check out the leopard printed seats, mini ferries wheel, graffiti covered cubby holes and small nooks that make it look like a play room with old Nintendo games. This unique cafe is located on the west side of the Montreal gay village right by the Berri-UQAM metro station. For me, this is THE place to take a selfie to kick off a great night out in the Montreal gay village.

I also love taking selfies by the rainbow crossings that mark the entrance of the gay village. Try to get the background ball installation in your picture, which is rainbow coloured during Pride.

Montreal also has some of the best street art murals, which are perfect backgrounds for your Instagram gallery.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Montreal Gay Travel Resources