Our accommodations include 2 full suites, with 1 bath per suite. Eve’s Hideaway, downstairs, sleeps up to 6 guests. Eve’s Tree House, upstairs, sleeps up to 5 guests. Please go to our website for more details.
Each suite encompasses 1,500 sq ft of space, including ceiling fans & tile floors to cool you off on warm days. The kitchens are fully equipped & furnished with gas stove & microwave, so you may cook at home if you wish.
Stay with us the next time your travels bring you to the St. Augustine area.
Secluded, yet close to everything.
See the Eve’s Web Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here
Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in Northeastern Florida
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Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has been courting gay and lesbian travelers for nearly two decades, an effort that most recently included a marriage-equality wedding promotion.
This year the city became one of the country’s first destinations to market to transgender travelers, with a new tourism campaign, and for the first time will host the Southern Comfort Conference, one of the largest transgender conferences in the country, with about 1,000 attendees. (The 25th gathering begins Sept. 29.)
Much of the credit goes to Richard Gray, who arrived in Fort Lauderdale in 1991 as a hotelier and now serves as managing director of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender market. Mr. Gray, 57, also serves on the board of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association. Following are edited excerpts from an interview with Mr. Gray.
Q. How has marketing to gay travelers changed since Fort Lauderdale started its outreach efforts in 1996?
A. At first, it was too risky to use the word “gay,” so we used “rainbow.” We started with a budget of $35,000, which has grown to over $1 million. We now welcome 1.3 million L.G.B.T. travelers who spend approximately $1.5 billion in the area.
Everybody talks about the nightlife in Miami, Disneyworld in Orlando, the natural beauty of the Keys. What about Florida’s gulf coast though? That’s a side of the sunshine state that falls mainly under the radar, despite offering just as many exciting adventures as Florida’s Atlantic coastline has. And Gulf County isn’t just a summer destination: the prime season here is September through March. So if you’re thinking about taking a trip to Florida, why not consider the Gulf Coast?
244 miles of coastline
I bet you didn’t know that Gulf County has 244 miles of glorious coastline along the Florida panhandle. What’s different from other parts of Florida’s coast? Gulf County has remained its nature – there, you don’t find an aggressive invasion of nature like in Miami for example, where barely any nature is left. Instead of man-made, artificial beaches, you can still experience true nature, tranquility and the unspoiled ocean. The stunningly beautiful Cape San Blas is home to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, which was named the best beach in America a few years ago.
Water of all kinds
One thing that makes Gulf County special is that it has access to several bodies of water: the Gulf of Mexico of course, the saltwater of St Joseph Bay, the Gulf County Canal, Apalachicola Bay and river basin, Indian Pass Lagoon, and the freshwater of Chipola River and the Dead Lakes. These waters are all connected and give nature lovers access to untouched nature and wildlife – bird watching, fishing, hiking the nature trails and ecotouring is possible in all of those places.
If Florida’s a family of blockbuster travel destinations – with Miami and Orlando as the energetic kids – Fort Lauderdale’s like the cool older brother. The one who doesn’t need to raise his voice to command your attention. Located on the state’s east coast a 38-minute drive from Miami, and three hours from Orlando, this city of 172,000 is the perfect foil to both.
It’s less intense and touristy than its neighbors, while sharing their year-round temperate weather. It’s almost perpetually sunny, and the sea is warm in summer and refreshing through winter. But Fort Lauderdale’s best quality sets it apart from the pack: it’s found in Broward County, the most progressive (read: gayest) of all Floridian counties.
It’s firmly Democratic in a region where Republicans reign supreme and, according to the US census, has the second highest proportion of LGBTI residents in America. Furthermore, Greater Fort Lauderdale has long been recognized for its efforts to attract gay and lesbian tourists, and in recent years, trans travelers specifically. Perfect for gay beach lovers.
Traveling around the county as we do, we really appreciate visiting different museums and historical places. St. Petersburg, Florida has the absolutely fabulous Salvador Dali Museum. It houses the largest collection of Dali’s works outside of Europe. The museum’s collection includes 96 oil paintings, over 100 watercolors and drawings and 1,300 graphics, photographs, sculptures and objet d’art.
We flew into Miami in early April, headed to gay Miami Beach for its seventh annual Pride celebrations and the sun-kissed climate of the Florida coast, not knowing what to expect from a city rebuilding the visibility of its LGBTI community. What we found during our short but eclectic time perched on the shores was the magnificent fire that first gave inspiration to the original pride marches of the late 1960s and sparked a movement that began to change the nation; and it’s alive and well.
This year, Pride in Miami Beach returned to the true roots of the LGBTI movement, aiming to bring diverse communities together in understanding and provide a safe space for self-expression and enjoyment for everyone – something that other prides have arguably lost sight of in recent years, in favor of weekend-bender parties.
In gay Miami Beach for the first time, and reveling in the delights of a sunny Pride, we decided to take in some of the other attractions of the city. From historical to culinary, architectural to stylish and a nightlife unique to only few LGBTI capitals – it’s all for the taking in beautiful Miami Beach…
Here is one of the stories from the shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. It’s important, I think, that we tell the stories of those who lost their lives in this terrible event.
Born in Sarasota, Fla., to a Puerto Rican father, Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34, made it his life’s mission to open doors for gay travelers, especially in Latin America.
He was proud of his Puerto Rican heritage. And as the national brand manager for a travel agency that catered to gay people, he organized what the company’s owner, Al Ferguson, called the first ever gay cruise to Cuba.
“There was so much fear in the American gay community to go to Cuba because of how they would be perceived and treated and potential security risks,” Mr. Ferguson, 54, said. “And Eddie was probably one of the leading voices to say Cuba was exceptionally safe for the gay community, and Cuba was really anxious to welcome the gay community. And it turned out to be true.”
During the trip, in April, Mr. Sotomayor and Mr. Ferguson met with Mariela Castro, Raúl Castro’s daughter and a prominent gay rights advocate there. The two men also posed in front of a poster left over from President Obama’s trip.
And instead of sleeping on the ship during their stay in Havana, Mr. Sotomayor found an Airbnb rental near the Malecon, an esplanade along the coast. The company later told him it was one of the first rentals in Cuba, and asked him to write a review.
Photo via Flickr by T. Tseng[/caption]
When life becomes monotonous, head down to Florida, America’s favorite year-round destination, to break free from everything dull. Some go for the hedonism it offers, and others go to relax. But when you’re thinking of your ultimate escape, look no farther — Miami, the Magic City, will never fail to make you feel refreshed, relaxed, and energized by the time you get back to work.
Here are five places offering rest for the weary in gay Miami.
Stroll Around Wynwood Art District
With over 70 museums and art galleries, Wynwood Art District screams life, hopes, and dreams in vibrant colors. The open-air street art installations you’ll see here won’t just awaken your drained body but will feed your mind as well. If you want to explore together with other art lovers and learn more details about the visual feasts you’ll be seeing, join the Wynwood Art Walk Tour. When you’re done, sit at one of the cafes in the neighborhood and enjoy the artistic vibe. If you like contemporary art, be sure to check out the internationally acclaimed Art Basel, an annual art show held in December.
Over 100,000 people came to Miami beach on Sunday (10 April) for the 8th annual Miami Beach Gay Pride to prove that the community is still alive and well and its historical legacy as one of the hottest gay destinations is going from strength to strength.