When temperatures start to drop in the Northern Hemisphere, some of us start to imagine escaping to palm trees, sand and opportunities to wear skimpy swimwear.
A classic beach holiday is always tempting—some of the best LGBTQ2S+ destinations in the world are seaside. But queer people are known for trying out new ways to unwind. So here are five ideas for a winter recharge that might be more unexpected than a stay at your favourite gay-friendly beach resort.
1. Sail gaily on the high seas
In the past decade, the number of cruise companies trying to lure LGBTQ2S+ passengers on-board has exploded. Perennial favourites like Atlantis Events for men and Olivia for women, trans and non-binary people have been joined by VACAYA, launched in 2018, which bills itself as a more relaxed and full-acronym experience than the legacy players; and Brand g, in existence since 2011, which focuses more on culturally oriented cruises, particularly river cruises, which are generally smaller and more intimate experiences.
But mainstream cruises have also been courting the queer community. Virgin Voyages, founded in 2014, markets its adults-only cruises to LGBTQ+ holiday makers, has gender-neutral washrooms and includes queer content in its shows and other programming (yes, drag, of course). Celebrity Cruises has been offering on-board same-gender weddings since 2018 and hosts on-board Pride parties each June.
Try this one: Sorry, party boys. Oasis 2024, which Atlantis bills as the “biggest gay festival at sea,” with 5,200 passengers on a seven-day Caribbean cruise leaving Miami on January 21, is already sold out. So we’re going to suggest VACAYA’s full-ship charter of Celebrity’s Apex, a ship that can accommodate 3,405 guests. Sailing February 17 to 24, 2024, the cruise heads from Fort Lauderdale to Puerto Rico, St. Croix and Antigua. The marketing promise: fresh entertainment, welcoming parties, new immersive play spaces.
December 10 Update: The VACAYA Caribbean cruise is also sold out.
2. Put your hiking shoes on
Some of us are very bad at sitting around and doing nothing—we’re the fast-walking gays. And some of us will never be sailors. Olivia and Brand g, which we mentioned above, are not just cruise companies—they also offer land tours including bucket-list vacations like African safaris. But they’re just the tip of the iceberg of what’s available from LGBTQ2S+ tour companies. Canada-based Out Adventures offers a range of international cultural and outdoor adventures targeting gay men, as do Detours Travel and HE Travel. If you have a particular destination in mind, several regions have LGBTQ2S+-owned tour operators that offer off-the-shelf and custom options. Out in Colombia provides, of course, Colombian itineraries, Mérida Gay Tours hosts in Yucatán, Mexico, and Bagay Travel focuses on Argentina. Because of their regional specializations, these smaller companies can provide an inside track to the local LGBTQ+ community—and some of them work with multi-country tour operators.
Try this one: You’ve totally rejected a vacation spent sitting around doing nothing? Then we dare you: How about Out Adventures’ Kilimanjaro Gay Climb in Tanzania where you’ll ascend the world’s tallest freestanding mountain? For nine days starting January 6, trekkers will climb 5,895 metres to the summit for a sunrise you’ll remember.
3. Climb every mountain
Attitude is everything, and embracing the cold can be the best way to defeat the winter blahs. Altitude can help, too. Plus, depending where you live, a flight to the nearest gay-friendly mountain town might be cheaper than heading to a sun-kissed destination. Many ski-oriented resort towns like Whistler, British Columbia, Jasper, Alberta, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Aspen, Colorado, Grenoble, France and Queenstown, New Zealand, are known for their queer-friendly vibe. Think reading by the fire, lounging in the hot tub and having a nightcap with a view of a snow cap. If you’re a skier—well, there’s schussing down the mountain side. (Don’t forget to check out our story about the world’s best gay ski weeks.)
Try these out: If North America is your easiest option, the Whistler Pride and Ski Festival, which runs from January 21 to 28, 2024, allows you to dip into parties and organized activities when you want or just stay cuddled up in your room. Aava Whistler Hotel (4005 Whistler Way, Whistler) is the festival’s official hotel, but if you want to take a step back from the festivities, the grand elegance of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler (4599 Chateau Blvd., Whistler) will feed your soul.
4. Warm yourself up in the crowd
Perhaps it’s not the heat of the sun you crave, but the warmth of other human bodies—hot, shirtless ones. Start your 2024 with New Year’s celebrations at the five-night WE Party in Madrid, Spain, the two-event beach-and-pool Revolution Party in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or the five-party Dreamland in Miami, Florida. Take a breath, launder your jockstraps and then do the first couple of days of the porn-focussed Hustlaball in Las Vegas, from January 11 to 14. Then put on your harness for the second couple of days of Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend in Washington, DC, from January 12 to 15, before jetting off to Beef Dip Puerto Vallarta from January 28 to February 4 to hang out with a bigger, hairier crowd.
Try this one: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which in 2024 runs from February 16 to March 3, set a high bar for itself when hosting the 2023 World Pride celebrations. But the party was so good that a lot of World Pride attendees will be hungry for more. With outdoor community-oriented Fair Day on the first weekend, several circuit-style events, dozens of performances and arts events, and then a spectacular nighttime parade on Saturday, March 2, there’s something here for every type of partier.
5. Discover something new about yourself—and the world
Not every vacation has to focus on where you are on the planet. Your ideal holiday might be more about where you are in your life, about where you’re going and how you can give back. Wellness, educational and volunteer-focused vacations can help connect travellers to local cultures, to other like-minded participants and to themselves. Finding the right experience often means starting with your own interests—language learning, yoga, permaculture, helping poorer communities—and then researching companies and organizations in the field that are LGBTQ2S+-inclusive.
Try these out: Organizations like Volunteer Abroad, which match volunteers with areas of the globe that are in need, welcome LGBTQ2S+ participants—but remember that the region you’re helping out in might have different values. For a vacation that’s more about self-improvement, Vamos Spanish has queer+-friendly language schools in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Málaga, Spain.
