Planning a gay holiday? Well, truth be told, planning a gay holiday isn’t that much different from planning any other type of holiday. Sure, there are extra steps you may need to take e.g. ensuring that the destination is going to be gay-friendly. However, the rest of the process is incredibly similar.
On this page, we are going to walk you through the steps of planning a gay holiday. We are going to pay very special attention to the choosing your destination part since this is the place where most gay people trip up.
Know Your Budget
Before you can even contemplate getting too far into the process, you’ll want to know your budget. Think about how much you have to spend on your gay holiday. It will guide where you stay, as well as the activities that you do while you are there.
Should You Use a Gay Travel Company?
One of the first decisions that you’ll need to make is whether to use a travel tour company to plan your holiday for you. Many people do, and it has its own pros and cons.
For starters, using a gay travel company will mean that somebody else is doing the holiday planning for you. It means that you need to put very little thought into everything. You can also be sure that they will be choosing gay-friendly destinations. Assuming that the travel company is gay-focused, then you can also enjoy the fact that you’ll be doing activities designed specifically for you.
On the other hand, using one of these companies may end up being a bit more expensive. You’ll also end up with far fewer choices when it comes to places that you can go to. After all, if somebody else is planning everything for you, you won’t really have much of a say over the hotel, attractions, etc.
Know Your Destinations
It is always important that you research any destinations that you want to head to. Not just because of your budget, but because not every place is going to be friendly to gay people.
When you are searching for destinations for a gay holiday, we suggest that you avoid any place that has anti-gay legislation in place. You can’t be yourself there. You’ll also want to look into the culture of the location, just to make sure that nobody is going to be judging you for who you are.
We like to look at major gay towns and cities. This is because they’ll often be loaded with tons of fantastic places that you can head to. After all, chances are that you’ll want to mingle with gay culture, etc. Lots and lots of gay bars, clubs, etc. in an area means that there will be a sizable gay population, and this means that you can be safer there.
Of course, you’ll also want to think about the type of holiday that you want. For example, are you looking for a beach holiday? A cruise? Somewhere that you can explore ancient cultures? Chances are that you already have a rough idea about where you want to head, you just need to do a little bit of extra research into it.
Gay Holiday Know Your Destinations
Make a List of Things You Want To Do
Once you have chosen a destination, go through a guidebook, or a website, and make a note of everything that you want to do there. You don’t have to narrow the list down too much here. Just a decent list will be a good start. You need a rough idea of what there is to do in the local area.
If this is a gay holiday, then you may want to pay special attention to any gay bars, clubs, or other cultural areas that you can check out. You may even want to make a note of when pride festivals occur in the area, just in case that is when you wish to travel.
Narrow the List Down
Once you have a list of things that you want to do on your holiday, it is time to narrow down that list. Make a list of places that you ‘must visit’, followed by places that you would like to visit, but are OK not doing so. Remember, you won’t be able to fit everything into a single holiday, no matter how much you try!
We suggest that you also think about the amount of cash that you have, as well as the time that you are on your holiday. Obviously, you’ll be able to cover more on a week-long holiday than a quick getaway.
Gay Holidays Make a List
Plan Itinerary
Once you have a list of what you want to do, it is time to plan a loose itinerary. We know that there are some people that don’t like a rigid structure to their holidays, and that is fine. However, it is always wise to have a rough plan of where you want to head each day. You don’t have to do any fine planning e.g. for dining options, etc. unless the dining locations are likely to require booking far in advance.
Booking Your Accommodation
Once you know where you are heading, it is wise to look into accommodation. We suggest that you aim for any accommodation that claims to be gay-friendly. In some of the top gay towns and cities, you’ll likely find whole resorts dedicated to gay people, and they are always nice to stay at.
If you can’t find a proper gay hotel or resort where you are, don’t worry too much. Instead, just choose a place that is fairly close to wherever most of the activities that you plan on doing are. Obviously, you will need to be thinking about your budget at the same time.
Booking Your Flights
Flights should be easy to book. Many of the major travel destinations should have an airport close by. We suggest that you try to book your flight as far in advance as possible. The longer you leave it, the higher prices will get.
At the same time, you will also want to look into how to get to the accommodation from the airport. In some cases, you should be able to get an Uber. In other cases, it may be a bit too far and expensive to go that route. So, you’ll need to hop on a bus instead. Don’t worry too much about this. Just have a general idea of your final destination. All airports will have transport routes into the nearby towns and cities.
Get Travel Insurance
This is so, so important. You should never go on a trip without travel insurance. Hopefully, you won’t need to use it. But, if you get sick overseas, or end up in some other situation (i.e. lose your bags, get robbed, or end up being arrested), then having the travel insurance is going to be essential.
Thankfully, travel insurance isn’t going to be too expensive. It’ll probably be the cheapest part of your whole trip!
Gather Your Documents
If you are heading overseas, then make sure that you have your passport to hand. You’ll also want to have details of your accommodation stored on your phone, plus your flight tickets. Always keep details of your travel insurance close by too.
Let People Know Where You Are Heading
We suggest sharing details of your itinerary, plus any relevant phone numbers, with somebody that you trust back home. This way, they’ll know if you run into any issues. It’ll make it much easier for you to get help if required.
Gay Holidays Bucket List
Pack Properly
Remember, always look into the type of weather that your final destination is likely to have. Think about what you want to do when you are on that trip. Pack the right clothing for it (but don’t pack too much, it’ll be heavy!).
If you are single and ready to mingle, then you should be practicing safe sex when you head overseas. So, always pack some protection in your bag e.g. some condoms.
Be Prepared to be Flexible
Remember, no holiday has ever gone smoothly. Chances are, when you get to your destination, you’ll spot places that you want to head to which you have never heard of before. So, prepare to be flexible. If you try to enjoy your entire holiday on a rigid schedule, then you won’t have fun at all. The whole reason you are heading on holiday is because you want to relax!
Final Thoughts
As you can see, planning a gay holiday isn’t all that different from planning any other holiday. Your main concern is that you choose the right destination for your trip. Once you have chosen a gay-friendly destination to holiday in, then the rest of the plan should fall into place rather easily. So, the things that you can see and do, the amount of money that you can spend, etc.
We hope that you end up having a ton of fun on your trip! Remember, you should talk to a dedicated travel agent if you want the best-planned trip.
Hello, my name is Gay Worlley - no, really - and I love learning about all things queer. I am also a qualified gardener and enjoy traveling in my spare time.
I love sharing my travel stories with anyone who will listen, and now I want to share them with the world through my new website! Not only that, but I want to inspire others and teach you about LGBTQ+ travel, queer media, pride, and much more.
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