GAY & LESBIAN TRAVEL STORIES

Florida's Gayest Places

With 1,350 miles of beaches lining warm, swimmable seas, balmy year-round temperatures, and an eclectic mix of attractions that ranges from high-end shopping to kitsch-filled theme parks, it's no wonder that Florida makes vacation-minded hearts beat faster. In this list you'll find the most welcoming enclaves - some obvious, but with angles you might not have considered; others that may require a map - to appeal to every possible type of LGBT tourist. For complete gay trip planning information, go to VISITFLORIDA.com’s gay site.

Fort Lauderdale

The numbers don't lie. With more than 150 gay-owned businesses – including 28 gay guesthouses – and two annual LGBT pride festivals, this once-sleepy resort town known for its hetero-laden spring break frenzies is officially the queerest spot in the state. Add a gay-popular stretch of sand at Sebastian Street and A1A; the Stonewall Library; and the village of Wilton Manors, where the concentration of same-sex households ranks among the top five in the country and it's hard to imagine a place much more gay anywhere. . With the recent boom of gay-friendly luxury accommodations on Fort Lauderdale Beach, including the St. Regis and soon-to-open W Hotel, the push is on to add more upmarket gay travelers to the mix, erasing memories of wet T-shirt contests once and for all. Get your bearings by ordering a free Rainbow Vacation Planner at http://www.sunny.org/rainbow and making your first stop Wilton Drive, home of the bright-yellow Shoppes of Wilton Manors plaza, aka ground zero for all this gaiety.

Best for: Travelers who crave total gay immersion, from bar to beach, guesthouse to gastronomy.

The Palm Beaches

Since the late 1800s when oil magnate Henry Flagler turned his attention to Palm Beach, the 14-mile-long island has been inextricably linked with the wealthy snowbirds who have made it their winter retreat of choice. The gay community has played a visible role in local politics since the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council formed in 1988; two years later, the group paved the way for a fair housing ordinance that protected LGBT residents, the oldest gay rights law on the books in Florida. Slip into Palm Beach's tony history at the 55-room, Beaux-Arts-style Whitehall Flagler Museum before strolling Worth Avenue, the east coast version of Rodeo Drive, and dining at the 140-acre oceanfront Breakers resort The Breakers, built by Flagler in 1896. Then, explore the heart of the local gay community in West Palm Beach, site of a few gay bars and Compass, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of the Palm Beaches which presents the area's annual PrideFest in Lake Worth's waterside Bryant Park.

Best for: Those who love high society, elegant shopping, and a subtler gay scene.

Miami

Don't assume you know Miami because you've attended the pec-packed gay circuit extravaganzas that are Winter Party and White Party. There is Miami Beach, the Art-Deco-drenched island that rose to gay fame as a playground for the well toned, and then there is the city of Miami, across the causeway, where the heat is steadily rising within its arts scene. In the 18-block Miami Design District, furniture showrooms, galleries and buzzworthy restaurants, like Michael's Genuine Food and Drink , lure locals away from South Beach. The Wynwood Arts District, its edgier southern neighbor, has 40-plus galleries that throw open their doors for a festive arts walk every second Saturday of the month, plus it's home to a pair of contemporary art powerhouses: the Rubell Family Collection and the photo-centric Margulies Collection at the Warehouse. To experience the fusion of South Beach and the downtown arts scene, visit during December's event-jammed Art Basel Miami Beach, the sexy stateside sibling of the renowned Swiss art fair.

Best for: Fans of beautiful people, arts, and architecture and an international vibe.

Pensacola

While it may not seem like the first choice for queer travelers, the low-key Florida Panhandle city of Pensacola (population: 53,000) has long attracted gay Southeasterners in search of a beach getaway. Positioned about 10 miles from the Alabama border, it's home to Emerald City, a decade-old gay dance club; a 20-building historic village; and sugary-white sands that create a vibrant, almost surreal landscape against the Gulf of Mexico's blue-green waters. If strength in numbers matters, then schedule a visit over Memorial Day Weekend, when a massive gay party spearheaded by New Orleans-based promoter Johnny Chisholm takes over the beach and downtown bars.

Best for: Unpretentious beach bums in search of a gorgeous patch of sand.

Walt Disney World

There's this little event that happens here in June called Gay Days, which brings an estimated 135,000 LGBT fun seekers to Central Florida's theme-park filled heart, most of them wearing red in a show of solidarity. On the first Saturday of the month, the Magic Kingdom serves as ground zero for gay visibility - a role it's held since the event began with an informal gathering of friends in 1991 - but the sprawling festivities ensure that nearby Universal Studios, Downtown Disney's permanent Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba, and Walt Disney World's other parks also brim over with queer cheer. If steamy summer temperatures and thousands of grown men in princess hats aren't your cup of tea, have a cool, adult-oriented experience by visiting WDW's Epcot during its fall International Food and Wine Festival. The park's global village is enhanced with booths selling surprisingly delicious sample-size portions of authentic cuisine from Ireland, China, South Africa, Morocco, Mexico City and more, accompanied by beer and/or wine from the regions. Parties, concerts, dinners, and workshops (cheese and wine pairing lessons, anyone?) accompany the six-week festival.

Best for: Families, fans of kitsch, and those who like their holidays in convenient packages.