After several trips to the Florida Keys the biggest question we get is how to visit the Florida Keys for cheap. “What’s an affordable hotel in Key West?” or “What key should we stay on for cheap?” Here’s a plan for an affordable Florida Keys vacation that is budget friendly and also tons of fun.
If we’re missing a topic or don’t answer your question in this post about doing an inexpensive Florida Keys trip, send me a note and I’ll get you set up with the best budget information possible.
Whenever you budget for any vacation, you have to keep four things in mind:
Transportation – flights / rental car / gas
Hotels – lodging / vacation rental / resort
Food – 3 meals a day and snacks
Activities – cheap things to do are great, but big ticket fun is also nice
We tend to set a lump sum budget before we dedicate to our destination, and then if we can make our ideal vacation destination work we will fit it to our budget. The Florida Keys budget is an example of setting a total amount and then tailoring your plan to fit it.
You’re never too far from a beach in the Isle of Man. From the popular tourist haunts to the secret little coves, I know them all. And in this article, I’ll be sharing 15 of the best Isle of Man beaches so that you can check them out for yourself.
Finding the Isle of Man Beaches
One of my favourite things about living here is the endless glorious beaches. Rain or shine, a stroll on the beach is my all-time favourite way to clear the head. So there aren’t many days that you won’t find me on one coastal walk or another with our little pup Ronnie.
We are incredibly fortunate when it comes to our local beaches. Compared to other UK beach destinations such as Bournemouth or Cornwall, you could say that the Isle of Man beaches are almost secluded. Even during our busiest months of the year, it’s easy to find a spot all to yourself.
Not only that, most of them are utterly pristine. By that, I mean little to no rubbish and sparkling blue water that invites you to dive in every time you look at it. Not to mention the diverse jaw-dropping surroundings that make each of the Isle of Man beaches unique and exciting.
When we travel anywhere, we like to blend in. Do as the locals do. Experience a new place from its roots. Some may say turning up on a Scottish island dressed in fluorescent-colored tank tops contradicts our “blending in” mantra, but hey, whoever said blending in meant stop being fabulous?
Regardless, learning about the culture, getting the lingo down, and unearthing all of the hidden gems are of utmost importance to us. At the very least, we want to pronounce the name of our destination correctly… Duh!
Yet, despite numerous back-and-forths of us practicing the correct pronunciation of Islay; “EYE-Lah, EYE-Lah, EYE-Lah,” aloud to ourselves, we (of course) marched up to our hotel check-in, confidently announcing our excitement to be in “I-slaaaaayyyy”! facepalm We sounded like a bunch of gay guys cheering a drag queen performing a lip-sync… Luckily, the check-in lady laughed it off.
Visiting Gay Islay
The Isle of Islay is a Scottish island in the lower Hebrides, famous for rain, wind, cold, and more rain. Such weather is ideal for creating good quality peat… which in turn, makes a superbly delicious whisky, which gay Islay is super famous for. So, all in all, it’s rather worth it.
Ever since Seby found out that I’m originally Greek, he’s been begging for us to take a trip to gay Crete. A big fan of mythology, all things from Aphrodite to Achilles, it was like he was predestined to end up with a Greek fantasy of his very own.
I finally agreed to go on a trip, but only because I’d been watching the two Mamma Mia films and was getting serious Greek island envy. Just looking at images of the beaches was enough to get me all hot and bothered.
Full of history and culture, the fascinating backstories and tantalizing atmosphere can make anyone fall head over hells for Crete. Sure, the gay nightlife may not be as crazy as some of the other Greek islands, like Mykonos’ gay scene, but it’s still very much alive, pulsing with music and pure Cretan energy!
About Gay Crete
Crete is the largest island of Greece, so there’s a lot to see and do. Towns like Agia Galini, Hersonissos, and Chania are where you’ll find most of the gay friendly bars and clubs. Hersonissos is also a great beach spot, with sprawling golden sands and crystal blue waters that are perfect for diving. Though history buffs will find something to gag over anywhere as practically every street corner is brimming with ancient allure.
No matter if you are a SoFL local, it’s your first time visiting this beach town, or it’s your tenth time in this amazing city: this queer and lesbian Miami guide is for you!
We share everything about top queer-friendly things to do in this city: bars, clubs, events, hotels, and more. So you know exactly where to go.
Miami is one of the gayest cities in the United States and has a lot to offer. From beautiful beaches, lots of sunshine, great parties, to cultural highlights, delicious food, and a vibrant LGBTQ+ community. There’s truly something for everyone here.
Visiting Lesbian Miami
Yes, this city is famous for its amazing parties, and there are definitely some great parties for us queer women in Miami. The lesbian party Aqua Girl, for example, is one of the biggest lesbian parties in the world!
But, there are also many cultural things to do in this vibrant Southern Florida town. We absolutely love exploring the buzzing local art scene. And we will tell you all about it. Enjoy this amazing city!
We share our best travel tips in this complete guide to the gorgeous gay Playa Del Carmen: practical safety tips, where to stay, go out, party and tan! The men are hot. The drinks are bottomless. The beaches are never-ending. The weather is gorgeous. There aren’t enough nice things to say about Playa Del Carmen.
Visiting Gay Playa del Carmen
As a sassy Frenchman and a Greek guy, we like to see ourselves as quite a fiery duo. Yet on our first trip to Mexico years ago, we quickly realized we were nowhere near as vivacious as we aspired to be. We went from feeling like a spicey paella to a chicken stew very quickly. Yet the more we visit, the more the spirit of the nation takes hold.
Playa del Carmen is a gorgeous little nest in the wider fabulously gay Riviera Maya that embraces its visitors and thrusts them into the high energy, passionate, and wildly invigorating atmosphere. The parties are some of the most outrageous we’ve ever seen, with loud music, extravagant performances, and a free-spirited crowd.
Whilst gay Koh Adang has nothing to do with Alex Garland’s famous novel-turned-film, it sure feels like it when you get here. Adang is totally unspoiled and untouched by mass tourism. Facilities are scarce, so very few people venture here, making it feel secluded and peaceful.
Koh Adang is one of the largest islands of the Adang Archipelago, which forms part of the Koh Tarutao National Marine Park. It sits just opposite the more developed and touristic Koh Lipe – connected by a short 10-minute tail boat ride.
Visiting Gay Koh Adang
Despite the proximity to the crowds on Lipe, Adang remains a quiet slice of paradise, which is what makes it so ideal. We love to head to Koh Lipe for the beach parties, crowds, and good restaurants, then hop over to Adang to get away from it all!
Milos is a small volcanic island of about 160 square kilometers (61 square miles). As it’s such a small island, you can reach most of these Milos beaches within 15 minutes from Adamantas (where the ferry arrives).
And there are many paved roads on the island! But it’s also good to know there are quite some dirt roads. Especially if you want to go to the southwest side of the island, you need a 4×4 vehicle to do so (ATVs or 2×2 vehicles are not allowed).
Without further ado, enjoy these 21 best beaches in lesbian Milos! At the end of the list, we share an island beaches map, so you know where to find all beaches.
Is this Paradise? Yes, it is. We’ve found it. Right here at the northern tip of Palawan Island in the Philippines: El Nido!
We came to gay El Nido during our big trip in the Philippines and ended up staying for a few weeks. It turned into a big underwater adventure – we went one time and wanted more and more. It is an underwater lover’s wet dream. It has many healthy coral reefs, underwater landscapes and an abundance of marine life with over 800 fish species. Almost every time we dipped our head into these turquoise waters it was like we were entering a whole new world – so many colors, fish and even a few turtles and rays passing by!
Snorkeling Gay El Nido
Joining one of the four famous snorkeling tours in El Nido (A, B, C or D) is the most accessible way to get a flavor of this magical underwater world: no diving experience is required, it’s fully guided and very secure.
In this article, we’ve summarised our experience with each of these four snorkeling tours of El Nido to help you pick the best one for you.
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.
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