Recommended Destinations for Same-sex Couples
Laid-back and care-free, Mexico, Caribbean and USA offer some idyllic locations for gay and lesbian travellers. Add in striking beaches, awe-inspiring settings, entertaining day & night activities and a fun-in-the-sun attitude and you will have everything needed for the perfect holiday.
Below are some of our top recommendations:
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Named the ‘San Francisco of Mexico’, Puerto Vallarta has long been one of the most popular gay travel destinations. Its friendly environment, once voted the #1 friendliest tourist destination in the world by readers of Conde Nast magazine, great weather, lively beach scene and gay venues are just a few of its top draws. Incorporate the many cultural festivals, kitschy cafés, gourmet restaurants and vivacious nightlife and there is no question on how it earned its nickname.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep.
Well not highly recognized as a gay travel destination, the capitol city of Santo Domingo offers a low-key vacation option. It can be easily accessed from the resorts in La Romana and has several bars and restaurants in its colonial zone with a welcoming and friendly vibe. For those looking for a little less city and a much more beach, the resorts provide picturesque sands and swaying palms and a gateway to many adventure activities like sea-kayaking and scuba diving.
Cancun, Mexico
As an up and coming destination, Cancun offers a fantastic festival every May. The Cancun International Gay Festival draws a free-spirited, diverse crowd with one major agenda … to let loose. Activities during this non-stop party week include a Welcome Party, Caribbean Cruise, Bar Hopping and a Beach Barbecue.
St. Martin / St. Maarten
Half Dutch and half French, a vacation to the tiny island of St. Martin is like visiting two amazing European countries at once. It is a hip combination of cosmopolitan attitude (both sides) paired with fantastic shopping, incomparable dining experiences and a range of activities that will keep you going long past seven days. While there are no stand-out gay venues or clubs, this island is still warm and welcoming to all tourists.
Hawaii
Perhaps because Hawaii is one of the world's great melting pots, where people of many races and beliefs live in relative harmony with each other and nature, Hawaii is amazingly open and welcome to gay and lesbian visitors. While gay and lesbian travelers will likely encounter few difficulties in visiting the islands and will find many places and areas where they can meet other and socialize, it is important to recognize that a large number of Hawaii's people have Asian roots where cultures may be less accepting of alternative lifestyles.
Key West
Key West isn’t the kind of place that you just find yourself in one day. Located at the southern-most tip of Florida (and all of the United States), it’s actually a small tropical island at the end of a chain of small tropical islands. One needs to make a determined effort to get there, but it’s worth it. A longtime artists’ colony, Key West has always been a gay and lesbian travel haven. Basically, it’s a small town that just beats to its own drum, which means everybody is welcome, no matter what your persuasion or persona. Key West has a lot of “firsts” to be proud of: first American city to vote in an openly gay mayor (Richard Hayman elected November 1, 1983), the first American town to actively advertise to gay and lesbian tourists and the first American city to organise a Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Key West’s official motto is “One Human Family”, meaning “all people everywhere are entitled at birth to equal rights, dignity and respect; and lives that are free from prejudice, discrimination, harassment or violence.” You’ll see One Human Family stickers posted all over Key West.
San Francisco
Welcome home to San Francisco! San Francisco has a special place in the hearts of gay and lesbian travelers. It's not only because of their history of fighting for lesbian and gay equality. San Francisco is a place where world-class attractions, amazing restaurants, diverse neighbourhoods and breathtaking views are around every gay-friendly corner.
LEGAL SAME-SEX WEDDING DESTINATIONS
Whether you're eagerly planning to make a long-standing relationship legal or simply wondering how you and your partner can tie the knot in legal destinations, please do not hesitate to contact Romantic Planet Vacations Inc.
USA: California
Latest Update: New licenses for same-sex marriages are unavailable as of November 5, 2008, and the future status of same-sex marriage is uncertain.
In May 2008, the California Supreme Court overturned a prior same-sex marriage ban, legalizing marriage between same-sex couples in the state of California, and opening the floodgates for marriage licenses on June 17, 2008. While some couples (like Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi) have announced their engagements, others wonder if marriage in California should be the next move.
USA: Massachusetts
Massachusetts was the first state in the United States to allow same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses.
European Countries
The Netherlands became the first country in the world to offer full, legal marriages to same-sex couples in 2001, closely followed by Belgium. Spain's gay marriage laws were passed on June 30, 2005.
No wedding is ever easy and there are a few obstacles to getting married in these three European countries (The Netherlands, Belgium & Spain) if you are not actually a resident or citizen. The Netherlands requires that at least one of the intended brides or grooms must be a resident in the country for a period of four months. Gay couples from the other 14 nations that are members of the European Union can come to The Netherlands and marry without establishing residency. In Belgium the requirement is three months.
Canada
Same-sex marriages had been legal in most provinces in Canada for several years, but as of July 2005, it became legal throughout the country. Canada has a "come one, come all" approach, so any foreign same-sex couple can marry there, but you should bear in mind that although you may legally marry in here, your marriage may not be legally recognized at home.
Argentina
Argentina has joined Canada as one of a select few nations to legalise marriages between same-sex couples.
The ruling makes Argentina the first country in Latin America to grant same-sex couples all the legal rights, responsibilities and protections that apply to heterosexual couples. Same-sex civil unions -- not marriages -- had already been legal in Buenos Aires, as well as Uruguay and some states in Mexico and Brazil.
South Africa
South Africa introduced its new gay marriage laws in 2006.
