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Even before Mexico City approved same-sex marriage last year, our warm neighbor to the south was a great place for gays to visit. The Blue Seas Report & Spa in Old Town Puerto Vallarta is a gay guesthouse with beautiful views of the ocean — and other guests. Two bedroom/two bath condos go for $229/night right now, and when the season slows (after April 10), rates drop almost by half, to $134/night for up to four guests. And even now, nearby Abbey Hotel Vallarta has singles, doubles and suits for $110 to $150. Visit BSPVR.com to book.
Even south-er of the border in Costa Rica, Aaron Star has opened the Blue Osa Yoga Sanctuary & Spa (pictured), a gay resort for meditation, relaxation and even some adventure outings, all on the Osa Peninsula overlooking the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. For more information, visit BlueOsa.com.
Community Marketing, which does surveys on LGBT travel trends, has declared that once again, New York City, San Francisco and Las Vegas are the top destinations for gay Americans on vacation. The rankings have remained fairly consistent over the years, with L.A./West Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Palm Springs, Miami, New Orleans and Provincetown all in the top 20. But Dallas figures on the list too at No. 16, tied with Denver and just one spot behind South Beach.
Top travel brands for accommodations, according to the survey, were W Hotels and Kimpton Hotels (a tie). The top two airlines were both North Texas-based: American Airlines soared above all the competition, but in second was Southwest Airlines. Who says Texas is only populated with conservatives?
With the Saints in the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras barely a week later, the time to be in Louisiana for some serious partying is now. Shreveport has two more weekends of parades and New Orleans is devoting a lot of energy to football fans on Sunday.
The Winter Party Festival may be the only circuit event actually produced by an organization like the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. This year, it takes place March 3–8 in Miami. For tickets and more information, visit WinterParty.com.
Speaking of winter, the Whistler resort in Vancouver is really gaying up the Olympics this year, especially with the Pride House, which focuses attention on prejudice and will be open throughout the games. If you can’t make it to Canada — the opening ceremonies are Feb. 12 — you can always visit virtually at PrideHouse.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February 5, 2010.