J. Scott Coatsworth

Santa Maria Wine Country for Gay Families – 2TravelDads

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Santa Maria Wine Country for Gay Families - 2TravelDads

Over the years we’ve had several trips and shared lots about the Santa Maria Valley in California. This is one of our favorite places on the Central Coast, and not just as a road trip stop, but we love visiting for the outdoor experiences and agriculture, the California agritourism, in the area. The Santa Maria Wine Country also is its own AVA, meaning that it’s a special wine producing region. This podcast and article is all about how YOU can enjoy the Santa Maria Valley vineyard culture, both in person and from wherever you are.

I interviewed two seasoned SMV winemakers, Norman Beko (Cottonwood Canyon Winery) and Wes Hagen (J. Wilkes Wines), and we discussed everything from what makes the SMV a special region for growing grapes, to how visitors can tour Santa Barbara County Wine Country during the Coronavirus pandemic. These winemakers and their teams are working hard to keep the wine culture alive and available.

What Makes the Santa Maria Wine Country Unique?

Being located near the coast and between both east/west and north/south mountains, the climate stays remarkably cool for being a central/southern California area. When it’s blazing hot in Los Angeles, it’s nice and cool in the SMV. When it’s cold and foggy up in San Francisco, it’s warm and pleasant down here. This is the ideal climate for growing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. Nearly 80% of the wine grown in Santa Barbara County is chardonnay or pinot.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Best Isle of Man Restaurants – Our Taste for Life

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Best Isle of Man Restaurants - Our Taste for Life

Eating out is one of my favourite things to do in the Isle of Man. When I moved here two years ago, I’ll admit, I was slightly concerned about the culinary scene. Coming from London, I have always been spoilt when it comes to the choices on offer. And while I’d only consider myself a moderate foodie, my palette does have relatively high standards.

With this in mind, I had to make it my mission to find all the best Isle of Man restaurants to avoid the dreaded FOMO. Thankfully, this small, unassuming island has surprised me as it continues to do with many things. In fact, I’ve found plenty of gems on the island that would satisfy even the most sophisticated of taste buds.

So let’s get into it; here are my 30 top restaurants on the Isle of Man.

30 Best Isle of Man Restaurants

Douglas is the islands bustling capital, so it makes sense that most IOM restaurants, pubs, and nightlife concentrate in this area. Most people who visit the island stay in Douglas for this reason. 

1.  Barbary Coast

Barbary Coast is the island’s answer to Nando’s, TGI Fridays, and Five Guys, all wrapped up into one. Other than McDonald’s, we don’t have any of the UK chain restaurants on the IOM. So naturally, local restaurant entrepreneurs look to create a copycat.

Full Story at Our Taste for Life

Isle of Man Gay Travel Resources

The Ultimate Gay Travel Packing List – The Nomadic Boys

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The Ultimate Gay Travel Packing List - The Nomadic Boys

What can we say, we love a big package!

Though not the kind we have to carry around an airport if ya catch our drift…

Trying to squeeze everything into such a tight space is tough (despite us having plenty of practice). We always struggle with separating the essentials from the vanity items.

The Gay Travel Packing List

Choosing what clothes to bring is always the easiest part. After all, gay men are notorious for their fabulous dress sense. So, when it comes to planning out our outfits (or lack thereof!) for a trip, we have no trouble. But we get so caught up in the excitement of what we’ll wear that we often forget some of the fundamental items – some quite painfully obvious! We made this gay travel packing list of all the vital items that we feel are imperative to remember and we thought we’d share it with you.

Having such a list will not only make your trip run a lot smoother, but it will also prevent any bickering with your travel partner/buddy when one of you forgets something important…

Hit us up if you think there’s anything essential you think we’ve left out!

Road Tripping Montana for Gay Families – 2TravelDads

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Montana for Gay Families - 2TravelDads

We keep going back to Montana because each trip results in a different and amazing experience. From the National Parks, to the historic wild west towns there is so much to explore. Oh, and the food! We’ve covered quite a bit of territory in in this amazing state and have lots of tips for having your own Big Sky adventures!

Montana for Gay Families

There are many different ways to get to and to explore Montana for gay families. We’ve taken Amtrak to and from Glacier Country. Flying into Bozeman, we’ve gotten to do several Yellowstone Country road trips. And then driving from Washington State, we’ve gotten to see so much of the western part of the state.

One of our favorite local road trips is through the western region, as this goes through both old mining country and several ghost towns. You’ll see beautiful natural wonders and cool towns as you traverse the state.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Montana Gay Travel Resources

Best USA Gay Saunas – The Nomadic Boys

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Best USA Gay Saunas - The Nomadic Boys

Always busy, always fun, always liberated. Let’s just say that American guys don’t hold back when it comes to enjoying their time at a gay sauna. From getting off in the steam rooms to freely complimenting each other in the open showers to throwing underwear parties, it truly is a free for all zone.

It also begs the question: Why are gay guys so obsessed with saunas?

Well, why WOULDN’T we be? They’re big, hot, sweaty rooms, full of dudes in their birthday suit, with no judgments or diva attitudes. They are a place for queer men to find each other, socialize and relax, maybe even indulge in some hanky panky (away from the prying eyes of hetero-society), and who knows, even find Mr. Right.

The Ten Best USA Gay Saunas

So, with all that in mind, check here is our list of the 10 best USA gay saunas:

  1. The Club Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

If you think Fort Lauderdale couldn’t get any gayer, wait until you hear about Club Fort Lauderdale. It’s one of the city’s most popular gay saunas, fitted with a state-of-the-art gym, outdoor heated pool, and a massive dry sauna. Oh, and it’s open 24/7… one of many reasons we rate it as one of the best gay saunas in the USA.

New York to Florida Lesbian Road Trip – Our Taste for Life

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New York to Florida Lesbian Road Trip - Our Taste for Life

f you’re planning a New York to Florida road trip, you’ve come to the right place! After several epic road trips and living in 4 states on the East Coast, I know all the best places to stop on route where you can experience a variety of landscapes and activities.

Going On a Lesbian Road Trip

This lesbian road trip to Florida will take you down the coast for an unforgettable journey through these states: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. I’ll be sharing the best places to stop along the way, as well as noteworthy activities and sites, East Coast hidden gems, and other helpful tips.

What’s impressive about the United States’ Eastern Coast is that each state is special in its own way. Whether you’re travelling with friends, your partner, or solo, you’re in for quite the adventure. Get ready for stunning mountain views, breathtaking beaches, delicious food, and vibrant nightlife.

And, of course, the best part of road tripping is finding secret spots along the way, which you’ll certainly come across as you make your way to each of these destinations!

Save this article as your guide, but feel free to get creative with it, adding and removing places of your choice. And, if you’re starting your road trip in Florida, you can start at the bottom of this guide and make your way up.

By Charlotte & Natalie – Full Story at Our Taste for Life

Costa Rica: San Jose Gay Bars – Globetrotter Guys

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Costa Rica: San Jose Gay Bars - Globetrotter Guys

Like any country, if there is going to be a gay scene it is going to be the biggest in the capital city. If you are flying to Costa Rica, you are likely to be flying in to San Jose.

San Jose Gay Bars

Most people move straight on, but we think it is worth spending the weekend here first, there are a lot of gay bars in the capital city to check out first. It’s relatively modern by Latin America standards and is said to be one of the safest and least violent cities in the region. We felt perfectly safe while we were here and at night, used Uber to be extra safe.

We had one of the craziest nights out yet in San Jose. A lot of bars have the concept that you pay your entry fee and then its an open bar (which can be somewhat dangerous if like us your are a lightweight!).

Here is our list of San Jose gay bars and clubs.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

San Jose Gay Travel Resources

Gay Travel Safety Tips – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Travel Safety Tips - The Nomadic Boys

If you were to scroll through our Instagram feed or browse our website, you may get the impression that we are nothing but super adventurous, carefree, and audacious bimbos. And you’d be 100% correct!

But just like doing the hanky panky, we believe when it comes to travel, it’s important to stay safe, be comfortable, and know what we’re getting ourselves into.

Gay Travel Safety Tips

Our point is that while you should have fun, you should make sure you’re doing so safely. Unfortunately, we all know parts of the world aren’t as progressive as we’d like them to be, so doing research and prepping yourself as much as possible will help make your trip run smoothly regardless of where you go.

Of course, after you’ve made those safety checks, you’re going to want to let your hair down and find out where the gay heart of your destination lies.

So, without further ado, here are our top gay travel safety tips for traveling as a gay couple.

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By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Bali’s Kecak Dance – Everything to Sea

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Bali's Kecak Dance - Everything to Sea

Bali, often nicknamed “The Island of the Gods” or sometimes “The Island of a Thousand Temples”, is known as a mythical place rich with art and culture, fascinating its visitors.

Experience the Bali’s Kecak Dance

One thing the Balinese still maintain is Bali’s Kecak Dance. Part ritual, part art-performance, part dance, Kecak is carried out by about 100 bare-chested men wearing nothing but black-and-white sarongs. It is meant to illustrate the world’s diversity. For the Balinese, it’s important that each aspect of the world is in balance. The concept is that there are many differences in the cosmos, and they should strive to be in harmony. Kecak is often performed before sunset surrounded by breathtaking views, such as the oft-visited temple in Uluwatu.

“Chak … chak … chak”. This is the repetitive sound of chanting during the dance. All the male performers vocalize it in synchronicity. Some of them drop into trance. Watching it is engaging… mesmerizing… hypnotic… and exciting. There’s really nothing like a Kecak experience.

Full Story at Everything to Sea

Bali Gay Travel Resources

Gay Cambodia With Local Aaron – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Cambodia With Local Aaron - The Nomadic Boys

Cambodia is surprisingly queer friendly by Asia standards – and we loved it! We easily rate it as one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly countries in Asia.

Traveling in Cambodia as a gay couple was a joy for us. We never felt discriminated against anywhere we stayed, and also discovered a pretty big scene in the main cities, particularly in Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap.

Living in Gay Cambodia

Culturally, the LGBTQ community here has a lot of visibility in society, with a small gay pride taking place in Phnom Penh every year since 2003, the Cambodian film Who Am I? in 2009 was the first to depict a lesbian couple and became a huge hit. More recently, in 2015 gay Cambodia got its first LGBT magazine called Q Cambodia and in June 2017, the government announced it would introduce a new course in schools to teach students about LGBTI issues, sexuality, and gender – an amazing feat!

However, that’s from our perspective as foreign tourists. What’s the true reality like? In Phnom Penh, we connected with our local gay friend, Aaron, who spent his childhood living on the streets of Phnom Penh for 8 years until he managed to develop a better life for himself and his family. In this interview with Aaron, he tells us about life in Cambodia and what it’s really like.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Colombia Gay Travel Resources