Joshua Tree Day Trip – 2TravelDads

Joshua Tree Day Trip - 2TravelDads

Visiting Joshua Tree National Park is a great addition to a vacation to Palm Springs or Southern California in general. It’s a very unique National Park and visiting is a very different experience compared with Yellowstone or Yosemite. I’d sooner relate it to visiting the Everglades than any other Park. There are tons of things to do on a Joshua Tree day trip, but you need to know what to do before you just show up.

Before arriving at Joshua Tree we’d done some research around hiking and unique features of the park. We didn’t fully understand the layout though and had to adjust our plans to be able to experience the best of a Joshua Tree day trip. The following guide should help you plan, prep and have an awesome time exploring this fascinating place.

WHAT IS A JOSHUA TREE?

So glad you asked. A Joshua Tree is a member of the yucca or lily tree family. It’s like a giant succulent that grows only in hot, arid climates. They are very rare outside of the deserts of the American Southwest (there’s a small grove in Mexico), but their yucca cousins can be found in deserts all around the world.

The Joshua tree is a rough, pokey plant. It doesn’t get very big, unlike the Sequoias or Redwoods, and it’s rarely grows straight up. Joshua Trees are shaped like Dr. Seuss trees and look a lot like the silhouette of a person jumping out to scare you. They really cool. They don’t bloom every year, but when they do it is amazing and since it’s so rare, if you get the chance to visit when they’re blooming, you’ll be one of the few people on Earth that experience it.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

California’s Southerm Deserts Gay Travel Resources

 

Instagramable Guadalupe, California – 2TravelDads

Instagramable Guadalupe, California - 2TravelDads

I hate to be that guy but I’m going to share with you the best secret spot in California for Instagram worthy pictures. I know, you’ve seen it a thousand times but this you want to check out for sure. Guadalupe is the best surprise of a town and it’s the most Instagramable town in California, or at least the Central Coast.

There are some places that have been ruined by Instagram and people over running things in an effort to get a cute picture or something. That’s not the case here. Instagramable Guadalupe, CA is cool and would only benefit from people sharing its awesomeness.

A party of the Santa Maria Valley, Guadalupe is nestled between wine country, artichoke fields, and the sand dunes of the Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes Preserve. It’s about three hours north of Los Angeles and 40 minutes south of San Luis Obispo. It’s a short jaunt off the 101 and totally easy to add to a California Coast road trip. It’s one of the less visited towns off the 101 and is absolutely worth your stop.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

California Central Coast Gay Travel Resources

 

California Agritourism in the Santa Maria Valley – 2TravelDads

CALIFORNIA AGRITOURISM IN THE SANTA MARIA VALLEY

We’ve loved visiting the Santa Maria Valley of California for years, ever since our first visit in 2017. We wanted to take a different approach to visiting on our most recent trip, so went with the theme of agritourism. Of course we still enjoyed the beach and nature of the Central Coast, but California agritourism with kids was a hit in more ways than just a fun vacation.

Why the Santa Maria Valley for California agritourism? For three reasons: diversity of farm experiences; wonderful, welcoming people; and it’s gorgeous. Just keep reading…

WHAT IS AGRITOURISM?

We love agritourism because it’s a very different way to explore and learn. If you’re not familiar, agritourism is the approach of tourism through the lens of farming and agriculture. It’s visiting and interacting with farmers and experiencing both the work and the joy of farming. One of the biggest benefits of agritourism with kids is helping them see and understand where their food comes from.

Tip: a good conversation to have with kids is regarding sustainability and organic farming and labeling. When you start visiting farms and vineyards, you’ll see signs and you’ll hear farmers talking about what they do to ensure they’re growing the best produce possible, so it’s nice to lay some groundwork.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Central Coast of California Gay Travel Resources

California Central Coast Road Trip – 2TravelDads

What could be more perfect any time of year than a California Central Coast road trip? Nothing. Leaving the SoCal area out of Los Angeles and heading north up the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), you’re bound to find beautiful, quirky, delicious, and captivating stops. A road trip up the California Central Coast fits nearly any budget and can last a few days or two weeks. There’s never a dull moment with or without kids, and we’ve done it both ways.

Looking back (and as we plan to do a Central Coast road trip again soon) I think next time we’ll eat more ice cream, spend some time hiking in Los Padres National Forest and schedule our trip around either Spring Barrel or Crush in the Fall.

We only just started to get into the amazing, diverse world of wine on the Central Coast and it could be the focus of its own trip. Was that too much much of a hint of what’s in store? Oops. Having said that, prepare yourself for fun with the family any time of year on a PCH road trip.

Planning your California Central Coast road trip

It’s so much fun to throw some bags and supplies in the car and hit the road, but when you’re talking about family travel to a popular destination, particularly in the summer months, you need to plan things out a bit more than this. Here’s how to plan your perfect California Central Coast road trip (or any similar trip for that matter).

Perfect California Road Trip Activities along the PCH

We always like to start our road trip planning with making a list of sights and activities we know both the kids and adults will love. When we’re talking about California we know that we can almost always mix beach time with hiking and even some family friendly wine tasting. The California Central Coast is perfect for all of those activities. Add in our love for history and we’ve got endless opportunities to enjoy a perfect road trip along the PCH together.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

California Central Coast Gay Travel Resources

California Dreaming – Once Upon a Journey

California Dreaming

Time flies when you are having fun! After a year in Asia, we fly to the other side of the world. Now we can call our trip a world trip for real! After some fantastic days in Hong Kong and Macau, we fly to San Francisco. The culture shock is huge, the jetlag as well…

HELLO SAN FRANCISCO!

As soon as we arrive, our friend David – who we met in Myanmar – takes us to the Golden Gate bridge. We enjoy the view over the iconic bridge from the best spot you can think of, and David also surprises us with some champagne. We couldn’t wish for a better start. Later on, not only the jetlag but also the champagne kicks in.

During the first days in the States, it’s difficult to adapt. The jetlag is enormous, it’s cold and rainy outside and the people are so different. People talk small talk to us, and we are not used to that at all. Besides that, it’s the first time after a year of travelling that I feel unsafe. Something I never expected to happen in San Francisco. There are so many homeless people, which is shocking to me. Feeling unsafe had something to do with being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would not recommend people to be in the city centre and the areas close to the city centre of San Francisco late at night.

Before arriving in the States we were thinking of hitchhiking from San Francisco all the way down to San Diego (we like adventure), but after hearing a couple of horror stories, we book the first night bus down to Los Angeles. From Los Angeles, we travel further down by bus, to San Diego. The buses in the States are not that bad at all!

By Roxanne Weijer – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

California Gay Travel Resources

Joshua Tree National Park – Free Wheel Drive

Free Wheel Drive

Due to the cold we drove all the way from Yosemite to Joshua Tree National Park in a day. It took us about eight and half hours to get there. This was both our first time being in the Southwest so just about every plant and animal was new to us. We found free camping about 10 minutes outside of the park, which gave us the chance to see a lot of the park.

This park is so cool! It has the famous Joshua Trees and so much more. It’s a hot spot for rock climbers and artists, and the sunsets are absolutely amazing.

Full Story at Free Wheel Drive

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Running a Clothing Optional Resort – Gay Star News

InnDulge Palm Springs

‘It’s a relaxed, welcoming, free environment. It makes people comfortable to be who they are. If that’s someone comfortable with their clothes on, great, or with their clothes off, also great. It’s about being in a safe, queer space.’

Jon Jackson and his husband Sandy Miller thought twice before buying Palm Springs’ gay, clothing-optional resort INNdulge in 2010. But little did they know what an amazing experience running the 31-room hotel would be.

Think midnight pool parties, making new friends from around the world, and spending their days in one of the US’s most amazing cities. Palm Springs is of course known for its huge LGBTI population, super cool art deco stylings and 300 days of sunshine a year.

InnDulge Palm Springs

‘We had this bad taste in our mouths,’ says Sandy, over Skype from the South California town now he calls home (both Jon and Sandy are originally from North Carolina). ‘We’d previously moved to San Francisco to save this restaurant we’d invested in. We ended up there for 18 months. It was miserable. Running a restaurant is a horrible business! When we came to purchase the hotel, there was this nagging doubt.’

By Jamie Tabberer – Full Story at Gay Star News

Palm Springs Gay Travel Resources

Photos: Franz Rodriguez via INNdulge Palm Springs

Amber House B&B – Sacramento Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast

Amber House B&B - Sacramento Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast

Amber House was converted to a B&B in 1984. We have a total of ten rooms: five are located in our 1905 Craftsman-style home known as “Poets Refuge”, and five more in the sophisticated 1895 Colonial Revival directly across the street, known as “Musicians Manor”.

Both houses maintain their individual era of elegance, and also boast modern amenities such as Jacuzzi tubs for two, HD flat screen TVs, gas fireplaces, antique soaking tubs, luxury beds, private patio/balcony, free Wi-Fi & parking…just to name a few.

A fantastic 2 course breakfast is served every morning, either in your room, on the patio, in the dining room or in our garden. We offer gluten/dairy free options as well as a light breakfast, or a to-go bag for our guests in a hurry. In the evening fresh baked cookies are delivered to each room, with turn down service available if requested.

Comfort and convenience are our top priority here at Amber House. Added extras include (but are not limited to):

  • In-room single or couples massage
  • Car service
  • Rose petals & candle lit bath
  • Wine/Champagne with chocolate covered strawberries
  • Tickets to the B St Theater
  • Weddings

Located in the heart of midtown, there is always a plethora of things to do and places to go. Any one of our amazing Innkeepers can give suggestions or directions to suit your desires. Give us a try! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Whether you’re traveling for business, on vacation or in need of a local getaway…make Amber House your home away from home.

See the Amber House B&B Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

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

 

Big Pines Mountain House – South Lake Tahoe Gay Friendly Hotel

Big Pines Mountain House - South Lake Tahoe Gay Friendly Hotel

Big Pines reinvents Hotels, offering its guests the chance to “consume better”. For a very affordable price, they benefit from a package that includes the room, an all-you-can-eat continental breakfast, free wireless internet connection, and a ton of little extras at no extra charge.

More than just a Hotel:

  • The Big Pines creative and friendly concept offers in every room the character, comfort, cleanliness and security that make sense to your wallet.
  • Big Pines is a medium-size property (72 rooms) in the heart of South Lake Tahoe makes it easy to get to and practical for daily trip planning

Quality plus personality:

  • Big Pines is a budget friendly Hotel that is truly different, offering value and super friendly customer service year round at a very affordable price.

Our Mission

Big Pines is committed to exceed the expectations of our guests, by creating a friendly environment and getting the customers the best value for their money.

Vision

Big Pines is a two star Hotel offering consistent products and services. Our growth will be achieved through motel ownership, management and successful long lasting business relationships. We will be known for our creativity, innovation, exemplar service and family oriented products.

If you’re planning a trip to South Lake Tahoe, come stay with us at Big Pines.

See the Big Pines Mountain House Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

South Lake Tahoe Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Inn on Castro – San Francisco Gay B&B

Inn on Castro - San Francisco Gay B&B

The Inn on Castro odernist interior in a circa 1890 townhouse, just three houses up from Castro and Market streets.

With eight rooms over three floors with almost all private bathrooms, free wifi and hard wired internet access, flat screen tv, dvd player and our well known organic full breakfast, the Inn on Castro is a great way to stay in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro District.

From poached eggs with fresh hollandaise sauce to smoked salmon and fresh basil omlette, we serve amazing breakfasts every day.

See the Inn on Castro Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

San Francisco Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals