Lesbian Travel

Twenty Four Hours in Bodega Bay – Tango Diva

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Bodega Bay

Across the Golden Gate Bridge and past the winding roads through meadows of green grass on Highway 1, you will soon land in the enchanting town of Bodega Bay. This quaint destination lends itself to a truly peaceful and relaxing getaway. And, if you’re longing for a solo getaway that includes amazing views, an awesome massage, delicious food, and miles of coastal trails, then book a stay at Bodega Bay Lodge. The Lodge is a cozy inn perched atop a tranquil bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The crown jewel of the resort is the pool and hot tub that has endless views of the bay.

If you happen to find yourself is 24 hours of free time, here is my perfect itinerary for you.

  • 4:00 PM Check into the hotel and relax in your room.
  • 5:00 PM Everyday in the lobby complimentary wine and cheeses are paired and you can enjoy sampling a local winery’s selection.
  • 6:00 PM Enjoy a sunset dip in the hot tub and feel free to savor the view with a glass of sparkling.
  • 8:00 PM Dine at their Drakes Sonoma Coast Kitchen. Chef Jeff Reilly has established close relationships with local organic family farmers, ranchers, fishermen and artisan cheese makers to create a fresh and innovative menu. Everyday is an adventure! Do order the crab cakes and finish with a piece of Jeff’s Mom’s Chocolate Cake.

By Teresa Rodriguez – Full Story at Tango Diva

Marin Gay Travel Resources

Los Angeles Area Gems – Globetrotter Girls

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Long Beach - Globetrotter Girls

While Los Angeles itself has plenty to offer, the city can be quite overwhelming, especially for people who aren’t used to cities of this magnitude. During the month I spent in the West Coast metropole last year, I became increasingly frustrated about the long drives and traffic several times – can it really take 90 minutes to cover an eight mile distance?

I found myself wishing for small town conveniences on various occasions (usually while stuck in a traffic jam on the 405), and that’s when I realized it may be a good idea to check out some nearby cities of a more manageable size to see what they have to offer. Luckily I had enough time to check out several cities right in Los Angeles county, some along the coast, some just outside the L.A. city limits. Each one was special and unique in their own way, and worth a visit for things that the others didn’t have.

If you visit L.A. and want to escape the ‘Big Smog’ for a day, here are five nearby cities that you should visit:

1 LONG BEACH

Long Beach is LA’s big neighbor to the south, California’s 7th largest city and second busiest container port in the U.S. The massive port has led people to believe that Long Beach is nothing more than a big industrial city, but I found out that the city itself is actually a fine escape from L.A., offering a downtown area that is walkable and, as its name suggests, a pretty long beach.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Greater Los Angeles Gay Travel Resources

Life Lately and Upcoming Travels – Globetrotter Girls

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Dani - Globetrotter Girls

Where I’ve Been: I crossed the bridges between Manhattan and Brooklyn countless times, but for the entire month, not once did I make it out of these two boroughs.

What I’ve Been up to: After stressing myself way too much in May with work, immigration matters and trying to find a place to live, I decided to take things a little slower in June. I cut my work hours in favor of a new business pursuit (which I’m excited to tell you more about next month, but it hasn’t officially launched yet), and gave up on the apartment hunt since it was not only time consuming and frustrating, but it also didn’t look like I was going to even get a place I really liked. I have to say that I was extremely lucky how everything came together for me in terms of sublets and housesits – so far. This month I’ve had several options and haven’t even had to share a place. Amazing!

One of the main reasons why I stopped looking for a place? Because it’s almost time for me to leave New York! Yes, that’s right, my 3.5 month travel break is nearly over, and I am getting ready for my next big trip. Since I’ll be gone for several months, there was no point anyway to look for a permanent place now, which would’ve meant having to deal with finding a subletter, and hoping that the sublet goes well.. but this also means that when I get back to New York, I’ll have to start the apartment hunt over again. Oh, well.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Hirls

Visiting Cuba: 10 Things To Know Before You Go – Globetrotter Girls

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Visiting Cuba - Dani

Cuba had been on my travel wish list for a long time. Every time I visited the Yucatán, I thought about hopping on a flight to Havana from Cancun, but somehow it never happened. The restrictions for Americans to travel to Cuba played a big role in this during my first two visits to Mexico in 2010 and 2012, but in 2017, the timing was finally right.

I found a $100 flight deal from Cancun to Havana, and thanks to the ease of travel restrictions for Americans along with new flight routes from the U.S., my friend was able to fly directly from New York to Cuba. (Side note: The joy was short-lived. After Trump’s new restrictions, I am glad that we went to Cuba this year. If you are a US citizen, read this NYT article to find out how you can visit Cuba under the revised Cuba policies).

Even though getting to Cuba from North America has become easier, the country itself is not particularly easy to travel in. I did a lot of research before my trip to make sure I knew what I’d be getting myself into, and that I would be able to prepare accordingly, from dealing with two currencies to arranging transportation around the country in a place where I couldn’t just hop into a rental car like I’d done in Mexico a couple of weeks prior.

Of course, despite detailed research, it was impossible to find out everything I needed to know, and some things I learned as I traveled the country (the fact that there are more tourists than available seats in public buses, for example!).

To help make sure your trip goes as smoothly as possible, I wanted to share with you the ten things I think you need to know before traveling to Cuba.

By AUTHOR – Full Story at SOURCE

LOCATION Gay Travel Resources

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Pink Condos on Sunset Beach – Lesbian Owned Accommodations in St. Croix, USVI

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Pink Condos on Sunset Beach

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

Truly paradise, The Pink Condos have it all, beach, sunsets, snorkeling, relaxation and privacy!!!

Featuring four 1BR, 1 Bath condos and a 2 BR, 2 bath unit on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.

Wake up every morning to the beautiful blue water and watch the post card sunsets in the evenings from your private spacious balcony.

See the Pink Condos on Sunset Beach Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands

Life Lately and Upcoming Travels – Globetrotter Girls

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dani-globetrotter-girls

In my monthly round-ups, I am looking back at my travels over the past four weeks, what went well and what didn’t, and what’s next for me.

Where I’ve Been

Even though I did not once leave the city limits of NYC this month, I feel like I’ve been traveling a lot! I may have physically arrived here, but the gypsy in me definitely hasn’t mentally arrived.. yet. And I think I know why: Because I haven’t stayed put anywhere for this long since summer 2014! Can you believe it? I was flabbergasted when I noticed it – it just hadn’t seemed to me like I was on the move all the time, but this ‘break’ that I am taking now, just over 3 months (I’m five weeks in now), is the longest I’ve stayed anywhere since August 2014, when I left New York after four months, with only two short getaways in between.

This got me reminiscing – but I’ll get into that in a moment. Back to gypsy-ing around New York: This month, I’ve lived in Astoria (Queens), Brooklyn Heights and Prospect Heights (Brooklyn), Chinatown (Manhattan), and right now, I am settling into my latest place in Bushwick (Brooklyn) – and no, this one is not permanent.

What I’ve Been Up To

It’s been quite a month, despite not leaving New York City in the past 31 days. I am still getting used to the pace of New York again, and if I’ll be able to get more than six hours sleep at some point next month, I’ll be a happy girl. I am already reminiscing about how much time I had for myself in Ecuador, only a couple of months ago. Time to read books, work out every day, maintain the blog, work on freelance projects and get them done on time, and having time to socialize and explore.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Bellatrix – Castletownbere, Ireland

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Bellatrix - Castletownbere, Ireland

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

Welcome to Bellatrix, a women-only B&B in the village of Castletownbere in West Cork. We’re in a beautiful part of Southwestern Ireland, on the amazing Beara Peninsula.

We welcome women from all over the world – come stay with us amid stunning natural beauty and meet other women, share new ideas, or sit back and relax in the peaceful solitude of our stunning coast.

We welcome women from all walks of life – young or old, active or happily retired. All will enjoy a home away from home under Ireland’s bright stars, and our lovely, mature gardens close-by the historic fishing town of Castletownbere.

We’re just 15 minutes by foot through a small forest from a sheltered cove, Traneen, where you’ll find playful seals – a great place to swim in the summertime. There are also a number of other walking trails for you to explore.

Bellatrix is an eco-friendly bed and breakfast – we use a solar water heater for our showers, and we offer great local produce in season from our own organic gardens. We’re also wheelchair accessible.

Each of our guest rooms is unique, personally decorated by your hosts. Two of our rooms share a bathroom, and we also offer a three bed guest room for women traveling together.

Each room offers comfortable bedding – after a good night’s sleep, wake up with us and have a wonderful buffet breakfast. We can also provide a hearty Irish Breakfast upon request. On a chilly or rainy day, you can also just relax in front of our wood-burning stove with a good book or watch a movie from our DVD library. In the sun room, you can play ping pong with your partner or some of our other guests.

Bellatrix Bed & Breakfast offers wonderful garden views as well as a panoramic vista of the Miskish mountains.

The Beara Peninsula is a place of great natural beauty – be sure to allow yourself enough time to explore the area thoroughly – we suggest a week (although you may never want to leave!). There are so many things to do here, including:

  • Whale Watching: Many varieties of whales and dolphins inhabit the waters off the Beara Peninsula.
  • Dzogchen Beara Retreat Centre: visit this Tibetan Buddist Retreat Center, just 3 miles away.
  • Horseback riding: Take a packed lunch and explore the area on horseback with our friend, Cathy
  • Stone Circles: Historic stone circles and standing stones back from 1500 to 500 B.C.
  • Golfing: 3 first-class courses within an hour from our front door.
  • The Islands: Take a daytrip to Bere Island or Dursey Island.

There are so many other options – we’ll be happy to help you plan your adventures. But no matter what your plans, you’ll be sure to enjoy your stay at Bellatrix, an Irish B&B for women.

See the Bellatrix Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in Ireland

 

A New York Sunset – Globetrotter Girls

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New York Sunset

Another busy week is coming to an end! This week, I’ve had the pleasure to add ‘serious’ room hunting to my to-do-list (as opposed to ‘casual’ room hunting the week before).

Had I not challenged myself to daily runs this month, I don’t think I’d seen much of the city in the past seven days, but these four miles a day allowed me to remember that I am in my favorite city in the world. I deliberately chose scenic running routes this week to remind me in what a stunning city I live: Bridge runs over the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge, the Prospect Park loop, and runs through some of my favorite picturesque neighborhoods, like Fort Greene and Bed-Stuy, with their beautiful brownstones.

I had to pinch myself sometimes, thinking to myself ‘I can’t believe I am living here now‘, and indulged in reading a few of my first posts about my love for New York, and how I’d been trying to figure out to spend more time here ever since my first full summer in 2014. First my extended visa, now permanent residency.. sometimes I still can’t believe that this is really happening. I’ll be reminiscing some more about how I got here in my Life Lately round-up.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

New York City Gay Travel Resources

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Twelve Lesbian Resorts That Once Were

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Lost Lesbian Spaces

As we move gracefully from a mediocre spring into the depths of another volatile summer season filled with dread and uncertainty, one might ask oneself “are there any hotels / resorts / B&Bs / guest houses / ranches / etc in the U.S. where I can be surrounded exclusively by other queer women?” and the answer is “yes, there is one, it’s called The Highlands Inn and it’s in New Hampshire.”

But, if you’d asked that question a decade or two or three ago, the answer would’ve been, “Yes, SO MANY!” (Wanna know why? Check out the outro to this list at the end for some lesbian travel herstory and also the sources I used for this post!)

Ellie’s Nest Guest House // Key West, FL // 1980s

This is what the Ellie’s Nest building looks like now

In 1981, Ellie’s Nest was advertising itself in Gaia’s Guide as “Key West’s only guest house by and for women” (read: lesbians), owned by a lesbian couple named Martha and Judie. The property included tropical gardens, a pool, continental breakfast brought to your door and individually decorated rooms named after famous women like Gertrude Stein, Alice B Toklas, Georges Sand, Tallulah Bankhead and Patience and Sarah. A 1983 issue of The Empty Closet features a review of Ellie’s Nest, of which the author says “…the best Night life [in Key West] is right at Ellie’s Nest. Lounging by the pool in 76 degree temperatures, babbling with peers into the morning hours left us with some of our fondest memories of Key West.”

Full Story at Autostraddle