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This month, Pride celebrations are happening all across the country and around the world, and there’s never been a better time for a gay traveler to go out there and explore.
If you’re someone who’s looking to do some Pride-themed traveling and don’t know where to begin, there’s no need to look any further than Adam4Adam. We’ve got five tips to share with you so you can finally go out there and explore.
1. Decide on the kind of trip you want
Pride celebrations are as varied as the cities and countries they’re held in. Some are more of a party whole some are more of a protest. Some are family-friendly while some are definitely not. Will you be traveling along, with friends, or with family? Decide on these questions first so you can make an intelligent choice when you pick the locations you’ll be visiting and the activities you’ll be taking part in.
2. Come up with a schedule and stick to it
This mostly applies to those who will be traveling with their family. Pride celebrations now have a whole range of activities that include ones that the whole family can enjoy, but some of those family-friendly activities may not be whole day affairs. Coming up with a schedule that everyone follows ensures that every member of the family gets to enjoy different aspects of Pride during the trip.
3. Check out which establishments have Pride-related deals
More and more establishments are recognizing the power of the pink dollar, and will probably offer deals that are only available during Pride. Once you’ve decided on a city or country to go to, find out about these kinds of establishments first so you get more bang for your buck.
4. Pick accommodations that are LGBTQ-owned or LGBTQ-friendly
This goes hand-in-hand with tip #3. These hotels will most definitely have Pride-related deals in place. Even better, they’ll probably have more in-depth knowledge of the city’s LGBTQ community and can probably come up with unique tours and activities that the gay traveler will enjoy. There’s also the added security and peace of mind knowing that you’re staying with “family.”
5. Support restaurants and businesses owned by LGBTQ
Eating at restaurants owned by members of the LGBTQ community or buying products from LGBTQ businesses is one way of helping out a city’s LGBTQ community during Pride. As these businesses probably sponsor and fund the different Pride celebrations happening around the city, you’re making sure that they continue that support year after year.
Of course, these tips are just to start with. To all of our Adam4Adam blog readers who are also experienced travelers, do you have any other tips to share? Tells us all about it in the comments section below!
Something else to remember, is if you travel to a Pride event in a progressive city of an otherwise biased state, be mindful that all areas are not friendly. If possible, do not travel alone, and keep low-key until you get among friends. Remember, Pride has several purposes. One is to give you a chance to enjoy community, to refresh yourself. Another is to give non-LGBTQ people a chance to rub elbows with you, or at least to see that there is a large and varied number of human beings in the world. The last purpose is to try to… Read more »
#4 and #5 are 100% “separate but equal” thinking. I will not patronize a gay business just because it is a gay business.
WHY TRAVEL?
JUST STAY-AT-HOME AND WATCH IT FOR FREE! WE’VE ALREADY SEEN IT…DOZENS AND DOZENS OF TIMES..
THE ONLY THINGS THAT CHANGES ARE THE EVER-INCREASING OUTRAGEOUS AND THE IRRELEVANCE!
THE DUMBER AND DUMBER WE ALL BECOME IS THE MORE AND MORE IRRELEVANT IT ALL BECOMES.
Going to Knoxville with a friend to Do a pride event with Del Shores.
Know the neighborhood you’re staying in. Just because it’s within the city limits, does not mean its all that accessible to the events you want to attend, or even safe. Do your research. You may be fabulous, but you may become a target in the wrong place.
Going abroad? Check here first:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html.html
Then, there’s this:
https://www.dhs.gov/travel-alerts
I think RL hit the nail on the head. Just be the “gray man” and try not to stand out in the crowd.
I hear they’re going to have a big pride event in Jasper, TX this year….
At times a gay guy will claim discrimination because he got into an altercation when what really happened was he got “negative feedback” to his loud, obnoxious, overbearing, self-centered, inconsiderate behavior…some call it “flamboyant”. He was told to shut the hell up/go away not because he was gay, but because he a gay guy who was was being an ass.
Yes, being “gray” may often go a long way. Not everyone needs to…or wants to…or should have to…know or “deal with it” when it comes to your sexuality.