Big Sky, Montana brings to mind epic ski trips and exclusive mountain getaways in the snow, but did you know that it’s much more than that and it’s actually an incredible summer destination? There are remarkable, fun things to do in Big Sky, MT in summer months. Although it may be considered the off-season there, summertime is just another cycle of fun.
Big Sky for Gay Families
While there are some great guest ranches and small hotels, the Big Sky Resort is the ideal home base for fun things to do, and visiting off-season is perfect for getting the best deals and having the most diverse experiences. Here’s a complete plan for spending 4+ days here and it’s all the best things to do in Big Sky for gay families.
We actually went twice in one summer, so we know this town well. Whether it’s a part of your Montana road trip or you’re adding onto a trip to Yellowstone National Park, the resort is easy to work into your Montana travel plan. Check it out!
MEN ONLY, CLOTHING OPTIONAL PHOENIX GAY GUESTHOUSE
Tony’s House is a men-only, clothing optional Phoenix gay guesthouse, in the heart of town.
We offer five guest rooms, each one tastefully decorated in a mid-century style.
Our rooms include:
* King or queen bed * HD smart TV * WIFI internet access * Refrigerator * Microwave * Coffee maker * Writing desk
In addition, we have a barbecue, common public social areas, free on-site parking, and the best …a large, heated, clothing-optional pool and hot-tub in total backyard privacy.
Tony’s House is conveniently located in the middle of the metropolitan area, just fifteen minutes from downtown,, Scottsdale, the LGBTQ+ area, bars, and more.
Olympic National Park on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is an adventure that deserves a spot on your travel short list. It’s regularly named among the top national parks in the world by travel writers, explorers, and experts. Travel+Leisure magazine readers voted it one of the Top 15 National Parks in the United States. It’s the perfect place for LGBTQ travelers looking for an escape that’s easy to get to, welcoming, and accessible for people of all abilities, but still feels like a world class passport to a million acres of unspoiled wilderness.
Olympic National Park comprises the bulk the Olympic Peninsula, about 2 hours drive Northwest from SeaTac Airport and the city of Seattle, making it a prime location to visit with easy access. And there’s enough to do here to create an impressive itinerary in and around the park from a single central hub. The Olympic Peninsula includes not only Olympic National Park, but also Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Olympic National Forest, and the Olympic National Marine Sanctuary.
Getting Around Olympic National Park
You’ll need a car, as this park is huge, and not easily accessible with public transportation (although there are some options for that). From the airport, the easiest route is driving south along I-5 through Tacoma and heading west on WA-16. If you’re exploring all the wonderful LGBTQ hotspots in Seattle first (like world-famous Capitol Hill and the Broadway Market), then the best way is to take the ferry from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island.
Experience the famous Washington ferry system in action. No reservations are needed as the ferry holds 300 cars and leaves about once per hour.
Exploring the Park
Now that you’re out on the Olympic Peninsula, you’ll want to stay about a week to explore everything you can see and do, and take full advantage of the unusual diversity of the Park’s multiple and varied ecosystems. First , unlike most National Parks, Olympic does not have a main gate, and you cannot drive through the Park.
Instead, there are gates dotted around the perimeter of the Park, with access to multiple trailheads at each entry point. The most popular spots are: Hurricane Ridge (alpine mountains), Lake Crescent and Sol Duc Falls (glacial lakes and waterfalls in the rainforest), Hoh Rainforest (location of the quietest square foot in America), and Rialto Beach (wild Pacific Coast). The park is open year-round, but access to some places is limited in winter.
What’s Nearby?
Outside of the National Park, you’ll definitely want to take in the Dungeness Spit (the longest natural sand spit in the Western Hemisphere), Cape Flattery (the northwestern-most point of the contiguous United States), take a day trip by ferry to Victoria B.C., and explore some of the county and state parks that are less visited but no less spectacular.
There are 4 primary towns on the Olympic Peninsula: Port Townsend (a Victorian arts seaport), Sequim (the lavender capital of North America), Forks (of Twilight fame and gateway to the Hoh Rainforest and Rialto Beach), and Port Angeles (the largest town in the area and closest to the most popular places to visit in the area).
Port Angeles is a great location to use as your “home base” during your visit as it’s centrally located to everything the Peninsula and Park have to offer.
Where to Stay
LGBTQ-friendly Maitland Manor is an exceptional boutique B&B in downtown Port Angeles within easy walking distance of the waterfront, and LGBTQ-owned Domaine Madeleine is an intimate luxury inn located on a waterfront bluff just outside the city.
Maitland Manor:
Domaine Madeleine
Both offer comfortable accommodations, easily accessible locations, all the amenities you need to explore the area, and a welcoming environment for LGBTQ travelers, including couples and solo travelers. Domaine Madeleine also welcomes pets.
Each inn provides comprehensive, up-to-date day trip itineraries to ensure you see everything the area has to offer. Depending on the season, you’ll encounter extraordinarily lush green rainforests (March-May and October-November), wildflowers (June-August), wildlife (year-round, but especially September-October), leaf-peeping (late September to early October), solitude and winter sports (November-February), a variety of renowned festivals that vary by season, and romance and adventure year round. Also of note, Port Angeles is home to the longest running and one of the leading annual transgender conferences, Esprit, held in May every year.
Battlefield Bed & Breakfast Farmhouse and Solarium
GETTYSBURG LESBIAN OWNED B&B – PET FRIENDLY TOO
Welcome to Gettysburg’s Battlefield Bed & Breakfast, where we are celebrating over twenty-five years as one of Gettysburg’s top B&Bs.
Our Gettysburg lesbian owned B&B combines lovely, historic guest rooms with modern conveniences and luxurious amenities. We’re famous for our delicious breakfasts served daily. After breakfast, pass a little time with our morning historians, who can help bring Gettysburg history to life.
Tired from a long day of exploration? Come relax with us at our evening social hour.
We have spacious common rooms where you can relax and mingle with our other guests. Our two bedroom suites have ensuite bathrooms.
We are located in a gorgeous Civil War-era farmhouse on thirty acres on Gettysburg’s South Cavalry Battlefield, right next to the National Military Park. There are walking trails, gardens, meadows, and woods here, as well as rescue horses, friendly outdoor cats, a pond and some beautiful witness trees – trees that were standing here at the time of the great battle.
And our Gettysburg lesbian owned B&B is just seven minutes by car from downtown.
Blue Spring State Park is our most common activity with friends visiting Florida, and it’s the best place to see manatees near Orlando or Daytona Beach. Florida has over 1000 natural springs and they’re all a little different. Some are in high traffic areas like on the Crystal River and others are so strange to pronounce that you might not have ever heard of them… like Ichetucknee Springs. This is everything you need to know about visiting Blue Spring State Park, including the best time for manatees, handicap accessible wildlife viewing, and kayaking / standup paddleboarding information.
Where is Blue Spring State Park?
Blue Spring State Park is a little over a half hour away from Daytona Beach in Orange City, Florida. It’s actually really easy to get to and quite simple to make a day trip out of. Blue Spring State Park is easy to pair with the trip to De Leon Springs State Park or Gemini Springs. It’s a bit further from Cocoa Beach if you’re heading to that part of the Florida coast, but it’s still worth the visit.
If you are visiting Orlando this is also an easy trip to add on (45 minutes drive) and is a nice alternative to theme parks or crowded hotel pools. After a whole bunch of time at Disney World or Universal Orlando no doubt you’ll be ready for some nature and Blue Spring State Park is just perfect for that. Also, the manatees and alligators are real, actual wildlife vs being animatronics, so they’re more exciting!
Welcome to the Top of the Ridge Farm, a New Hampshire gay friendly B&B perfectly located on a quiet country road, offering amazing vistas of Mount Washington and New Hampshire’s White Mountain. Our NH B&B is luxurious B&B for adults on six acres of meadowlands and trees.
Top of the Ridge Farm Bed & Breakfast also an ideal escape all four seasons – there are so many great things to see and do here in any season. Our luxury bed and breakfast is close to many of NH’s most beautiful destinations, as well as places in Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont.
We’re just a two-hour drive from the mountains, the seacoast, a multitude of pristine lakes and ponds, some important historical sites, and many great little towns and art and foodie communities.
Florida Keys Kayaking was one of our favorite parts of our road trip from Miami to Key West (mmm, key lime pie!). The best places to kayak in Southern Florida are spread out between the many islands, and they aren’t all where you’d expect. This is our guide to kayaking with kids in the Florida Keys, and any of these spots are great as an adult too.
As we go through the many kayaking spots in the Keys, you’ll see that some of the launch sites are in state parks and others are public access via beaches or boat ramps. Wherever you’re putting in, and whether it’s a kayak, canoe, or standup paddleboard, always be aware of wildlife, underwater obstacles, and other boats. Remember, safety first in all things if you want to have an amazing Caribbean vacation!
Best Places for Florida Keys Kayaking
Kayaking through the backcountry waters of the Keys, and you’ll see one of the world’s most diverse marine life ecosystems. The quiet, shallow backwater region of flats and mangrove islands has inspired many naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts to combine environmental tourism with the sport of sea kayaking. The opportunity to explore such serene, untouched areas is very special.
BOOTHBAY HARBOR GAY VACATION RENTAL ON THE WATERFRONT
Captain Barter House is a Boothbay Harbor gay vacation rental, part of a 3-home, privately owned, rental group, all on the water and an easy walk to downtown.
Most guests park the car and walk everywhere with the exception of the local grocery store.
Town tours, dock access, kayak rentals, the botanical gardens are only a portion of what the town has to offer.
We love to find places that everybody talks about but nobody knows the cool stuff you can do there. One such place is Palm Springs, California. I mean, everybody goes there for a nice weekend or a relaxing vacation, but besides golf, gay bars and swimming pools, what is there? The ACTUAL Palm Springs!! Agua Caliente Indian Canyons is the reason for the name, and hiking here is awesome!
Have you been to Palm Springs and done the oasis hikes at Indian Canyons or out at the Coachella Preserve and know what we’re talking about? Been thinking about a visit maybe but didn’t know what to do beyond golf and shopping? Well, let us give you some motivation to make a weekend trip out of it or at least get you away from the pool for a few hours – try hiking Palm Springs!
Visiting Palm Springs and the Indian Canyons
A two hour drive from Los Angeles, Orange County or San Diego, PS lies to the east of the coastal cities. You’ll have to pass through Riverside or Ontario, so plan for city traffic on your drive… or you can just take a short flight from any of the Southern California airports. Actually, most West Coast airports have direct flights into town.
Once you’re in town, drive right through to the end and follow the signs for Agua Caliente Indian Canyons. After about ten minutes you’ll be at the park entrance. Pay your fee and pick where you’d like to begin, then enjoy hiking Palm Springs and all its glory.
Arizona offers rivers and lakes in the low deserts, as well as the high deserts and the mountains, for a variety of kayaking and paddling experiences year-round. These are some of the best places for kayaking Arizona, no matter your skill level, from kayaking spots near Sedona to rafting adventures just outside of Phoenix.
Whether you’re venturing far into the wilderness or staying close to your kayak launch site, always be prepared. Riding the rivers is amazing, but it can also be fierce with hot sun and strong winds. Pay attention to conditions and remember, safety first. As you plan out your paddling places in AZ, feel confident booking guided tours where available, as professional, local knowledge can really make for a great experience.
Also, these boat trips often can lead you to wonderful trail heads for hikes. Some of the best places to go hiking in the state are very nearby our suggestions, so enjoy the full AZ outdoors experience!
Kayaking Arizona (Northern)
Northern Arizona is famous for its otherworldly canyons and red sandstone formations. This is where Arizona meets Utah, so think Grand Canyon meets Zion National Park. Here you’ll find the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon. This is also the gateway to the Grand Canyon. There are several amazing National Parks and BLM sites to explore in this part of the state, and some of the best places to kayak in the state! If you’re doing a road trip to the Grand Canyon and beyond, add this kayaking Arizona spot to your travel plan!
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