Welcome to Advocate Travel, brought to you by the staff of The Advocate and Advocate.com. Our mission is simple: to help lesbians and gay men make the travel choices that are the best and most comfortable for them by sharing our own experiences in a variety of personal, enlightening, and provocative travel stories. As we grow, we will offer intimate and informative glimpses of destinations, tour operators, accommodations, and other travel options throughout the world. In addition, our city and region guides will direct you to a gay-friendly source that can tell you what you need to know directly and honestly.

Travel Archive

The art of loving Switzerland The Swiss adage “es stimmt” means, roughly, “it fits.” When an Advocate editor goes in search of artistic and architectural delights—and maybe a gay Swiss miss or two—she indeed finds “es stimmt.” What better recommendation for a travel destination? Part 1 of 2 By Anne Stockwell

Dreaming in the land beyond the forest A visit to Transylvania—and the palace known as Castle Dracula—takes a gay horror fiction enthusiast back to his childhood, to the origins of his several mingled identities as a person and a writer By Michael Rowe

Falling in love with Provincetown Everyone asked me upon my return from P-town if I fell in love. Yes, I did, and not just with a cute guy from Chicago but with Provincetown itself. I enjoyed practically every aspect of my stay. What better way to spend a week? David Allyn

Brazil's other hot spot Looking for someplace more adventurous and less obvious than Rio? Check out São Paulo, the home of one of the world’s largest gay pride parades and one of the hottest spots in Brazil for gay nightlife Michael T. Luongo

Gay cruising in the Mediterranean After years of dreaming, a single gay man boarded his first gay cruise, from France via Italy to Ibiza. He enjoyed himself so much that he encourages others to follow in his wake. David Allyn

Queens at sea Even with kids and families around, two gay travelers found the Disney Wonder three-day cruise one of the happiest places on earth. Now here’s your look at the extra chapter from their travel guide, Queens in the Kingdom: The Ultimate Gay and Lesbian Guide to the Disney Theme Parks Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro

Two Quiet Islands: Saba and Anguilla Saba and Anguilla, two tiny and distinctly beautiful northern Leeward Caribbean islands, can be easily visited from the regional hub of St. Maarten/Martin. Alex Robertson Textor

Céline Dion towers over the Vegas Strip With a cast of five dozen, a giant state-of-the-art video screen, and more stage magic than David Copperfield, Dion’s extravaganza at Caesars Palace, “A New Day…”, is the instant camp king of Las Vegas and a must-see for gays lost in that oh-so-hetero playground Michael Giltz

From the Castro to Yosemite When a friend decides to get married in Yosemite, a gay New Yorker books a dual vacation: A visit to the heavenly park in the Northern California mountains bookended by stays in divinely different San Francisco, a mere four hours away. If one doesn’t get lost, that is David Allyn

London and the mysteries beyond A couple of gay travelers determined to scope out as much of the United Kingdom as possible start their trip in the capital and move on to Brighton, Lewes, and Manchester--checking out the best hotels, restaurants, and shopping opportunities (including almost every CD store) along the way. They return with a wealth of souvenirs, travel tips, and Web links. Lawrence Ferber and Matthew Dalton

From Buenos Aires to Antarctica With the only same-sex domestic-partnership law of any South American metropolis, the home of Evita Peron is one of the most attractive destinations in Latin America for gay and lesbian tourists. South of the capital, more adventure awaits, from romantic Patagonia to the surreal beauty of Antarctica. Michael T. Luongo

The warmth of a burning tiki torch One gay couple’s struggle to live their dream by buying a hotel in the gay resort town of Palm Springs, Calif., finds them triumphing over both competition and national tragedy. The end result? A charming and friendly place for gays to escape to. Cameron Andrews

Olivia sails ahead With a new resort vacation for gay-led families planned for Halloween and a new partnership with the all-American AAA, the travel company Olivia is no longer just about cruises for women—although it’s got some of those too. Cruising with the Indigo Girls, anyone? the staff

The Real South: Buenos Aires and Montevideo Cosmopolitan Buenos Aires and cozy Montevideo are exciting—and currently extremely inexpensive—vacation destinations for curious travelers from the Northern Hemisphere. Alex Robertson Textor

Pleasures of Paris, Secrets of Le Mans There’s never enough time for a gay traveler to take in all the joys of the City of Lights. Even so, next trip make sure to schedule a side trip to historic and gay-friendly Le Mans Lawrence Ferber

The folk in Vancouver Set in what may be the most beautiful city in the world, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival heads into its 26th year, bringing together not just folk music but also a diverse and friendly assortment of the “folk” themselves, from all over the world. Pat Blue Heron

A hot time in Alaska’s winter When David Drake took his one-person show Son of Drakula to Anchorage, he found the days aren’t as dark and the weather isn’t as cold as you might think. And at night things really heat up. David Drake

The wonderful gay world of Disney A new guidebook created for and by gay and lesbian fans of the Disney theme parks offers useful travel tips, gossipy behind-the-scenes tidbits, and a catty and comprehensive look at the attractions--and all that gay subtext Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro

Casablanca on the Caribbean Cuba's many cultural contradictions, curious isolation, and welcoming citizens make it a gay destination worth the effort of getting there. Michael Luongo

Wonderful winter week in Whistler Whether or not Canadians leave their doors unlocked, they definitely open their hearts and home to lesbian (and gay) visitors from the United States for the annual gay ski week event known as Altitude. Michele Fleury

Uncle Mame in Europe A gay uncle and his teen niece and nephew weather the lurid temptations of pot-smoking, pornography, and pizza-with-egg to find family fun in Paris and Amsterdam Charles Karel Bouley II

South African Fever: A Travel Diary A luxury tour of South Africa—with a side trip to nearby Zambia to see Victoria Falls—is a study in contrasts. The accommodations are amazing, the safaris and shark-encounters life-changing, but the reminders of surrounding poverty and racial separation are also sobering. Lawrence Ferber

Postcards from Egypt Whether inside a pyramid or at a Nileside cafe, a gay American tourist in Egypt needs to step carefully. Mubarak Dahir

La vie gay en Quebec Paris isn’t the only place you can be gay, speak French, and gnaw fresh croissant. Indeed, Montreal and Quebec City afford opportunities to enjoy la vie en homo between baguettes without leaving North America. And on excellent currency exchange rates, no less! Lawrence Ferber

Stress-free Switzerland The people who make the world’s best-known timepieces know how to take time off to enjoy themselves—whether hiking the amazing Alps, unwinding at a Six Feet Under-ish museum, singing German karaoke, or techno-partying until dawn Anne Stockwell

House of beauty, house of wax The “Aphrodite Bath” at the Borelli Salon and Spa in West Hollywood turns out to be just as luxurious and divine as its name implies, even if it does come with a serving of Enya. Alonso Duralde

Bars, bears, and color bars in Cape Town The jewel of South Africa for gay and lesbian visitors, this cosmopolitan city offers a wealth of opportunities to mix with the queer locals. But years after the end of apartheid the residual effects of racial segregation remain. Mubarak S. Dahir

St. Maarten: The "Happy Island" One of the most gay-friendly destinations in the Caribbean, the semiautonomous Dutch territory is quickly becoming an island hot spot, offering everything from butterfly farms to pristine beaches to bustling night life Don Romesburg

Napa's hidden paradise Meadowood, a resort nestled in its own wooded glen, offers luxurious accommodations, gracious service, great food, and a choice of activities--plus the option to just relax and soak up the idyllic atmosphere. Bruce C. Steele

Adventures in Australia The home of Gay Games VI, coming in November, offers an incredible variety of sights and experiences, including a thriving gay community and an array of accommodations and establishments that cater to visiting gay folks. Join our reporter for a 10-day journey through many of the country's most appealing destinations in Sydney and beyond. Dan Allen

My two favorite New York City hotels A new travel market research study validates two things most of us know anyway: gays and lesbians have a much bigger propensity for travel than our straight counterparts—and New York City remains one of our top three cities to visit. With that in mind, I decided to revisit two of my favorite Manhattan hotels: W, The Court and the Hudson. Judy Wieder, editorial director, LPI Media

Straight-shooting at the laser spa The Advocate arts editor continues her lesbian beauty quest at Reniu Laser Day Spa, Southern California’s first medical beauty spa, and learns more about how the experts tailor skin treatments to their clients—without gimmicky come-ons. Part 2 of a series (Click here for part one) Anne Stockwell

Germany light and dark Berlin is indeed one of the gayest and most gay-friendly cities in the world and a must-see for any queer visitor to Germany. But also consider for your itinerary the rich history and old-world charm of Bremen and Hamburg. And for the stout of heart—and for a life-changing encounter with the harsh realities of Nazi Germany—there's also the Neuengamme concentration camp Lori Kaye

Queer as Toronto The real home of Showtime’s popular series lives up to its television counterpart with a plethora of gay clubs and restaurants—and a bunch of other attractions to keep lesbian and gay visitors busy, busy, busy Lawrence Ferber

Once upon a time in London Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee celebration in London was quite a treat for one gay traveler, and indeed for all the queens in England Michael T. Luongo

Day and night on Mykonos The hottest Greek Island offers a host of beautiful beaches as well as the promise of an exciting night out after the sun goes down. An exclusive excerpt from Frommer's Gay & Lesbian Europe, 2nd Edition. Haas Mroue

City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection An all-American mix of politics and pride--both historic and up-to-date--makes Philly a great trip Bruce C. Steele

A capital idea A gay vacation to Washington, D.C., offers everything from monuments and amazing museums to incredibly diverse cuisine to an assortment of nightlife choices--hot-wax dripping optional Lawrence Ferber

At laser spa, beauty is skin deep The Advocate arts editor sets out on a lesbian beauty quest at Reniu Laser Day Spa, Southern California’s first medical beauty spa. Part 1 of a series Anne Stockwell

Cologne: The gay heart of Europe Northern Europe's new gay mecca will play host to one of the biggest gay parties ever when Europride touches down in western Germany this summer Erik Meers

Two for Palm Springs The Southern California desert resort town has a reputation for partying that’s underlined by the annual White Party on Easter weekend. But Palm Springs’s quieter attractions are ample, as one long-term gay couple discovered. Bruce C. Steele

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen There's much more to Denmark than that Little Mermaid. As the first country in the world to recognize same-sex partnerships, it welcomes gay and lesbian visitors and certainly knows how to show them a good time Jon Barrett

Stockholm: A cool place for all seasons The Ice Bar--made entirely of ice--lasts only a few months each winter, but Stockholm offers gay and lesbian travelers fun and comfort year-round. Craig Edwards

Island Queen The editorial director leaves it all behind in the spectacular settings of Maui Judy Wieder