Visiting the Gay Olympic Peninsula With Kids – 2TravelDads

Visiting the Gay Olympic Peninsula With Kids - 2TravelDads

Doing an Olympic Peninsula Road Trip is one of the best ways to explore the beautiful towns and Olympic National Park near Seattle. Four days on the gay Olympic Peninsula should be perfect for getting in some good hiking, waterfalls, some beautiful towns and quiet relaxation. Adventures in Northwestern Washington state are an easy long weekend getaway in Washington or a series of awesome road trip stops along the way.

Exploring the Gay Olympic Peninsula

The Olympic Peninsula is known around the world for its beautiful mountains, its beaches and the Twilight Saga. Well, there’s more to it than that. We’ve spent countless days exploring the OP and not just visiting our old favorite haunts we’ve known all our lives, but also exploring places that are new to all of us. That’s the joy of the Olympic Peninsula and why we’ve got a handy guide to get you familiar with our favorite region of the Pacific Northwest.

So, why visit this beautiful natural region over the Oregon Coast or the Eastern Seaboard? Well, quite simply there are fewer tourists here and more opportunities to be in the middle of nature with nobody around. The quietest place in the on earth (in nature) is here. The original metropolitan center of the Puget Sound area is on the OP. The largest successful dam removal project in the USA is on the Peninsula. So many reasons to visit and enjoy a road trip!

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Olympic Peninsula Gay Travel Resources

Olympic National Park’s Ruby Beach – 2TravelDads

Olympic National Park's Ruby Beach - 2TravelDads

Does anybody think of Washington State as a beach destination? Not hardly, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have the most beautiful ones around. True, Olympic National Park is missing the palm trees, but we make up for it in other ways. Of all of the sandy shorelines in the Pacific Northwest, the most beautiful one in Washington is without a doubt Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park.

What makes Ruby Beach so beautiful and dramatic? It’s the sea stacks, the weathered wood, the wildlife, the perfection of it all. We’ve got the scoop for how and when to visit to have an unforgettable time at the most beautiful beach in Washington. And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll find some of the red rocks and garnets that give Ruby Beach its name.

How to Get to Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park

One of the things that makes the most beautiful in Washington is its remote location. Located just over three hours from Seattle and a little more than 2 hours from Olympia, it’s not exactly an impromptu day trip, which keeps the crowds down. If you’re making the trek that far you should plan on spending a few days both on the sand and in the Hoh Rainforest nearby.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Olympic Peninsula Gay Travel Resources

Canterbury Inn – Gay Friendly Hotel in Ocean Shores, Washington

Canterbury Inn

BEST CONDO-STYLE BEACH HOTEL

The Canterbury Inn is a condominium style hotel in Ocean Shores, along Washington’s beautiful Pacific Coast.

Voted one of the best vacation getaways in Washington, Ocean Shores offers six miles of sandy beaches, twenty-three miles of interconnecting freshwater canals and a charming beach town where you can explore and enjoy some great shopping.

Everyone comes here for the ocean in any season. Enjoy:

* Beach combing
* Flying a kite
* Horseback riding
* Clamming
* Enjoying sunsets over the Pacific

Our freshwater canals are ideal for kayaking, water skiing, and fishing, or even for biking along on a beautiful afternoon. They even run through our local golf course.

See the Canterbury Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Olympic Peninsula Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Olympic National Park’s Ruby Beach – 2TravelDads

Olympic National Park's Ruby Beach - 2TravelDads

Does anybody think of Washington State as a beach destination? Not hardly, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have the most beautiful beaches around. True, totally missing the palm trees, but we make up for it in other ways. Of all we’ve been to, the most beautiful beach in Washington is for sure Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park.

What makes Ruby Beach so awesome and dramatic? It’s the stacks, the weathered wood, the wildlife, the perfection of it all. We’ve got the scoop for how to visit and have an unforgettable time at the most beautiful beach in Washington. And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll find some of the red rocks and garnets that give Ruby Beach its name.

HOW TO GET TO RUBY BEACH

One of the things that makes Ruby Beach the most beautiful beach in Washington is its remote location. Located just over three hours from Seattle and a little more than 2 hours from Olympia, it’s not exactly an impromptu day trip. If you’re making the trek that far you should plan on spending a few days both at the beach and in the rainforest.

Yes, Ruby Beach is very near both the Quinault and Hoh Rainforest areas of Olympic National Park, either of which is easy to add to your trip to Ruby Beach. See, already you’ve started forming an awesome travel plan encompassing beaches, forests and more. Check out our Olympic Peninsula road trip itinerary to get some more ideas!

Tip: a weekend trip is plenty of time to do Ruby Beach, as well as the beaches of Kalaloch and La Push. If you can do three nights, that’s really best because then you can add in the rainforests to your plans and maybe even some hiking at Hurricane Ridge.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Olympic Peninsula Gay Travel Resources

Leavenworth, Washington – 2TravelDads

We get a lot of questions about the best things to do in Leavenworth, Washington, as it’s kind of a mystery to people who haven’t grown up here. Leavenworth is the perfect destination for enjoying the mild PNW summers in the mountains, the beautiful snowy season along the Wenatchee River, and for getting your Oktoberfest on in the fall. There are countless things to do in any season, but this is the ONLY guide you’ll ever need for planning an amazing trip

Leavenworth, WA is a top destination for Seattleites and people visiting the Pacific Northwest.  There are lots of reasons to love it and even more for why you should visit, so we’ll help you find one that suits yours or your family’s travel style. These are the best things to do in Leavenworth in every season.

LEAVENWORTH’S HISTORY (REAL QUICK!)

It’s cute.  It’s quaint.  It’s manufactured.  Huh?  Yep!  There’s a great story behind the small Bavarian village at the foot of the Cascade Mountains.  

Once upon a time, Leavenworth, WA was a logging town that was failing.  As the jobs left and economy fell, the town hired a PR firm to save it from turning into a ghost town.  They all worked together, refaced most of the buildings with stereotypical Bavarian façades, added lots of fun character touches, changed many business approaches and created a new destination:  Little Bavaria.  It’s amazing.  The town is adorable and had you not known the history, you might think that it was historically an actual Bavarian settlement.  

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Eastern Slope Gay Travel Resources

Canterbury Inn – Gay Friendly Hotel in Ocean Shores, Washington

BEST CONDO-STYLE BEACH HOTEL

The Canterbury Inn is a condominium style hotel located along Washington’s Pacific Coast.

Voted one of the best vacation getaways in Washington, Ocean Shores offers six miles of sandy beach, 23 miles of interconnecting fresh water canals and a quaint beach town to shop and explore.

The ocean is the big draw, no matter the season. Visitors enjoy beach combing, horseback riding, clamming, kite flying or just watching the sunset over the Pacific. Our fresh water canals provide the perfect spot to kayak, water ski, and fish, to bike around and they even come into play on the golf course.

Our units range in size from studios to two bedrooms and each are individually decorated. Each features living room areas, flat screen TVs, and kitchens — most have fireplaces too.

See the Canterbury Inn Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Olympic Peninsula Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Gaslight Inn – Seattle Gay Inn

Gaslight Inn - Seattle Gay Inn

In restoring Gaslight Inn, we have brought out the home’s original turn-of-the-century ambiance and warmth, while keeping in mind the additional conveniences and contemporary style needed by today’s travelers. The interior is appointed in exacting detail, with strikingly rich, dark colors, oak paneling, and an enormous entryway and staircase.

Gaslight Inn’s comfortable and unique rooms and suites are furnished with quality double or queen-sized beds, refrigerator and television. Many rooms feature private baths and some also have decks with fabulous views or fireplaces. The living room, with its large oak fireplace, is always an inviting room, as is the library.

Through the late spring and summer, we encourage you to relax and unwind at poolside with a glass of wine after a long, busy day. This private, in-ground, heated pool with several decks and interesting plant arrangements, is found at the back of the inn.

See the Gaslight Inn Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Seattle Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Explore Queer Seattle – Passport Magazine

When you lived in a city for many years, it’s weird to return as a tourist. Seattle was my home for high school, college, and my swinging 20s, until I journied east to New York City. Since then, I’ve returned only a handful of times. Each visit has reminded me how dynamic a city can be—especially one like Seattle, where the economy has been an unstoppable force ever since Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, and other mega-companies sprung up there decades ago.

So on my recent homecoming, it wasn’t shocking that Seattle had evolved with shiny new towers, an expanded bus system, and slick restaurants. I still recognized the Emerald City’s forward thinking citizens and ever-hip vibes as the familiar metropolis where I came of age, and I still loved it. I just had to adjust to all of its incredible newness.

My first stop is always Capitol Hill. It’s Seattle’s LGBT zone, and home to endless restaurants, bars, shops, and cafés, plus sprawling Cal Anderson Park, home to open lawns, public art, and all-gender restrooms. Most of the action happens on the “Pike/Pine corridor,” two parallel boulevards that cross Broadway, which is itself a great walking strip. At the corner of Broadway and Pine, a Jimi Hendrix statue rocks out for eternity in his hometown. His full-throttle stage posture embodies the spirit of Seattle’s musical history, where the 1990’s grunge era unleashed bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden.

Capitol Hill was my ’hood. I lived there and knew every corner. Thankfully, a lot of my favorite places are still around and kicking. Number one is the Wildrose (1021 E. Pike St. Tel: 206-324-9210. www.thewildrosebar.com), one of the oldest lesbian bars in the country, where Seattle dykes and their gay boyfriends have drank, played pool, and danced the night away since 1984.

By Kelsy Chauvin – Full Story at Passport Magazine

Seattle Gay Travel Resources

Green Cat Guest House B&B – Gay Friendly Olympic Peninsula Bed and Breakfast

Green Cat Guest House B&B

Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:

Welcome to the Green Cat Guest House, in Poulsbo, Washington just one hour west of Seattle via the Bainbridge and Kingston ferries, on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula.

Our Scandinavian-style chalet is surrounded by three acres of herb gardens and cedar groves, set in the midst of a peaceful rural valley of horse and llama farms, with the majestic backdrop of Olympic National Park and the untouched waterways of Puget Sound around us.

The Green Cat Guest House is ideal for weddings, reunions, or retreats – or even a romantic weekend getaway with your partner. You’ll enjoy a beautifully decorated guest room with private bath and full breakfast included.

At our Olympic Peninsula retreat, all of our guests have access to our fully equipped kitchen, large deck with jacuzzi, a large cedar steam/dry sauna, and three acres of lovely gardens, mystic cedar groves, and meandering trails.

The Green Cat Guest House is close to world class shopping, fine dining, marinas, golf courses, arts & crafts, art galleries, performing arts. If you’re looking for the perfect Olympic Peninsula getaway, come stay with us at the Green Cat – our area has it all!

See the Green Cat Guest House B&B Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Olympic Peninsula Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Lesbian Tacoma – Globetrotter Girls

lesbian Tacoma

I knew that during my month in Seattle, I wanted to explore Washington beyond the ‘Emerald City’ and the first place on my list was lesbian Tacoma, which shares the international airport SEA-TAC with Seattle. The cities do not only share an airport, but a stunning location right on the shores of Puget Sound, one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the Pacific Northwest.

While I found that most Seattleites tend to look down on Tacoma, I found the city to be surprisingly charming with lots of things to offer visitors – so many that I returned several times. So if you are visiting Seattle or the surrounding region, or road tripping around the Pacific Northwest, I’d recommend stopping in Tacoma. And since Tacoma is less than one hour from downtown Seattle, you may even consider booking your accommodation here – hotels in Tacoma are much cheaper than a Seattle hotel.

Here are five reasons why Tacoma is well worth a visit:

1 THE BRIDGE OF GLASS AND GLASS ART

What Tacoma is best known for is its glass art, and if you are not a fan of glass art already, you will be after a visit to the Museum of Glass. The famous glass sculptor Dale Chihuly was born here, and his remarkable glass blown sculptures can be seen all over the world. If you are planning to visit the Chihuly Gardens in Seattle, you also have to add the Tacoma Museum of Glass to your itinerary. In addition to installations by Chihuly, glass blown pieces from other glass artists around the world are displayed here, and there is a glassblowing studio on site.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Tacoma Gay Travel Resources