GayTrippers - Gay/Lesbian Holiday Reviews, Gay/Lesbian Vacation Reviews, Gay Travel

Gay Bars - San Francisco

2008-01-20T15:55:00.000+00:00

San Francisco gay bars are plentiful and ever changing. The city's gay scene is vibrant and dynamic with gay bars opening, closing and changing ownership fairly regularly. In my experience the best way to enjoy the gay bars of San Francisco is to read the local gay press for the very latest daily gay bar and club listings.

The main gay village of San Francisco is Castro. Let's have a look at some of the gay bars in the Castro area of San Francisco.

SF Badlands (Address: 4121 18th St, near Castro Street. Tel 415/626-9320. Website: www.sfbadlands.com). One of San Francisco's most popular and lively gay bars. Particularly popular with younger people. This bar is cruisy and friendly at the same time. This bar seems to be busier earlier in the evening, so a good place to start off a night out in San Francisco.

Bar On Castro (Address: 456 Castro St. Tel 415/626-7220)
This bar used to be Castro Street Station, the building has been completed converted into a very popular venue that gets packed Thursday to Sunday evenings. This bar gets full by 10pm so early arrival is recommended.

Brighton, UK - Life Outside Kemptown

2008-01-19T14:41:00.000+00:00

Outside of the main 'gay village' of Brighton, Kemptown, there are a number of more local type gay bars. If you travel along towards Hove you can find some friendly, smaller gay bars. One of the main shopping streets in Brighton is Western Road. If you head along this street towards Hove and turn right up Dean Street, you'll discover a small friendly bar called 'The Prince Arthur'. With a great range of food served during the day and drinks all day and evening and a friendly atmosphere, The Price Arthur is open Monday to Thursday 12-11pm, Friday and Saturday 12 - 1am and Sunday 12-11pm.

Travel further along Western Road towards Hove and you will get to Norfolk Square, take a left turn into this square and walk down Western Street, towards the seafront. Here you'll find one of the newest gay bars in Brighton, 'The Grosvenor'. This bar attracts a mixture of locals and visitors to Brighton and Hove, it's friendly atmosphere makes it a great place to start you evening out in Brighton.

Amsterdam Gay Bars Warmoesstraat Area- Reviews

2007-11-05T14:55:00.000+00:00

Amsterdam has many gay bars and clubs, this is a review of the more popular venues found in the Warmoesstraat (pronounced var-moo-strart) area of the city. I hope you find it useful when you get to Amsterdam ;-)

On arriving at the Central Train Station of Amsterdam, the first gay area of Amsterdam that you find is known as the Warmoesstraat area. Here are my reviews of the bars and clubs in this area:

1. The Queen's Head
Address: Zeedijk 20, located at the Central Station end of a street called Zeedijk (pronounced zay-dyke) directly opposite a gay bar called De Engel Van Amsterdam, which is the next bar in this review. Tel +31 (0)20 420 24 75
Opening times: 4pm to 1am Sunday to Thursday and 4pm to 3am Saturday and Sunday.

The Queen's Head is not particularly large. However, this is something that I personally think works for this bar. I would recommend sitting at the actual bar (rather than at the tables and chairs in the bar), whether you are alone or with someone else. The barmen all speak English (as well as their native Dutch) and will help you with directions or other local info.
The Queen's Head has a regular crowd of locals who often drink and socialize in the bar.
I would recommend going to the Queen's Head at around 10pm as it's a popular bar to go to before moving on. The drink prices are at the lower end of the scale for Amsterdam and similar to De Engel Van Amsterdam (see next bar in this review).

2. De Engel Van Amsterdam
Address: Zeedijk 21 (directly opposite The Queen's Head bar). Tel: +31 (0)20 427 6381
Opening times: 3pm to 1am Sunday to Thursday and 1pm to 3am Friday and Saturday.

De Engel Van Amsterdam (which means The Angel of Amsterdam) is a small gay bar located at the side of a canal. In my experience it is cruisier than The Queen's Head and in good weather it's nice to sit on the outside terrace next to the canal. There are regular DJ nights at this bar, on a Wednesday and Friday. The drinks prices are about the same as The Queen's Head, i.e. at the lower end for Amsterdam.

3. Argos
Address: Warmoestraat 95 (located about half way down the Warmoestraat).
Opening times: 10pm to 3am Sunday to Thursday and 10pm to 4am Friday and Saturday.

The Argos is the oldest gay bar in Amsterdam. It has a larger number of men into leather that go there than other bars in Amsterdam and a mixed age group. The barmen seemed friendly to me and the bar is strictly men only. There is a basement dark room and the bar gets busier after about midnight. The Argos bar is very cruisy and the drinks prices are fairly expensive for Amsterdam.

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Los Angeles, USA

2007-11-04T16:52:00.000+00:00

Both the Culver City and West Hollywood areas of Los Angeles have substantial gay and lesbian scenes, however the over 30 gay and lesbian bars and clubs are not centered in one specific area. For this reason you need to be quite organized when taking a vacation in Los Angeles. Make sure you have money for taxis if you intend bar hopping.

One of the most popular times of year for gay/lesbian people to visit Los Angeles is early to mid June when the city's Gay Pride event takes place.

In the West Hollywood area of Los Angeles the main gay and lesbian area is Santa Monica Boulevard. This is a pedestrianized street lined with shops, outdoor cafes and bars and clubs. In the evenings it has a friendly, party buzz atmosphere.

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Paris, France

2007-11-04T13:36:00.000+00:00

The center of Paris is historic and beautiful. The main gay and lesbian area of Paris is called Le Marais (which means the swamp)!

There are hundreds of gay and lesbian bars and clubs in Paris. The bars usually open their doors at around 5pm and most of them close at 2am. The gay and lesbian clubs open at around midnight until the early hours (some until noon the next day).

The public transport system of Paris closes between 1am and 5.30am everyday. The exception to this is Saturday nights when public transport operates until 2am. After this time there are some night buses and taxis.

The currency of France is the Euro, there are many ATM/cash machines in Paris, so there is no need to worry about carrying large amounts of cash or using Travelers Cheques.

France has an equal age of consent and currently has limited legal recognition of same-sex couples.

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Barcelona, Spain

2007-11-04T12:59:00.000+00:00

The Spanish city of Barcelona is a truly beautiful city. The main gay and lesbian area of Barcelona is called L'Eixample (it's pronounced eye-sham-play), located in the north west of the city. L'Eixample has many gay and lesbian bars and clubs to suit all tastes.

Everything seems to happen later in Spain than in other European countries. Spaniards usually eat late (around 9pm or 10pm). The bars don't get busy until around midnight and stay open until about 3am, when the gay clubs (or discos as they are locally called) open. The clubs stay open until around 5am or 6am. I would recommend having a sleep before you go out so you can party all night, if you want to.

Opened in 2007, Barcelona has a fast, efficient and modern Metro system to transport you around the city.

The coastal resort of Sitges is located about half an hour away on the train and well worth a visit while you are in Barcelona.

Barcelona is located in the Spanish region of Catalonia. This region has two native languages, Spanish and Catalan. This often means that the locals of Barcelona are not fluent in English, therefore I recommend taking a Spanish phrase book.

Overall, I would definitely recommend a vacation in Barcelona during the summer months.

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United Kingdom - Country Profile

2007-11-04T11:56:00.000+00:00

The United Kingdom (UK), is also known as Great Britain, Britain and England. It has a population of around 60 million people. The UK sits off the coast of northern mainland Europe and is a member state of the European Union (EU).

The UK has a well developed gay/lesbian scene in all major cities.
The most popular gay/lesbian UK vacation destinations are London, Brighton, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh. However other larger cities also have popular gay/lesbian areas, such as Birmingham and Leeds.

Legally, gay/lesbian citizens have equal rights to heterosexuals in the UK. There is an equal age of consent and same-sex relationships are legally recognized. Same-sex couples can enter into a legally binding Civil Partnership, with identical rights and responsibilities as heterosexual marriage. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is illegal in the provision of all goods and services and in all employment in the UK. All major cities of the UK have dedicated Gay/Lesbian Liaison Police and Community Support Officers.

The UK is a relatively expensive country, with high taxes. Sales tax is set at a standard rate of 17.5% but is much higher than this on certain goods such as petrol/gas, cigarettes and alcohol.

If you are a citizen of a country outside the European Union (EU), it is highly recommended that you have travel insurance when visiting the UK. In an emergency, the state-run health system, the National Health Service (NHS), will treat anyone free of charge. For emergency health care there is no private sector or choice of provider in the UK, all emergency treatment is provided by the NHS. For non-emergency health care non-UK/EU residents may be asked to pay for health services.

Here are a few more top tips for your vacation in the UK:

1. Don't carry anything that could be used as a weapon. If you are caught carrying any kind of weapon the penalties are very severe.

2. While you're in the UK be sure to spend at least one day in the countryside. Britain's countryside is stunning and not to be missed.

3. Have plenty of cash in the bank. As I mentioned earlier, the UK is an expensive place. There is no need to carry lots of cash as there are ATMs/cash machines everywhere.

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Los Almendros, Gran Canaria, Spain

2007-11-04T11:22:00.000+00:00

Los Almendros is a gated holiday complex in Playa Del Ingles, Gran Canaria. The complex is run by gay travel company Respect for gay men only. These are my pluses and minuses of Los Almendros.

Pluses:

1. The complex is entirely gated from the outside world.

2. Only gay men stay at Los Almendros so there are no noisy families.

3. There is an on site bar, restaurant and swimming pool.

4. Satellite Television is available in each chalet.

5. Nudity is allowed, if you want to.

6. There is a welcome meeting when you arrive to meet others staying in the complex.

7. The staff are mostly friendly.

Minuses:

1. Los Almendros is not right next to the main gay/lesbian entertainment center (Jumbo). But a taxi only costs about 2 euro and there are many taxis available.

2. The cooking equipment in the chalets is fairly basic. Two hot plates, a kettle, pots, pans, plates and cutlery. No microwave or oven.

3. The manager of Los Almendros seems to be in a permanent bad mood, though the rest of the staff are friendly and helpful.

4. The pool side can get very busy so sometimes there is no space left for sunbathing.

5. A deposit is required for access to the air conditioning in the chalets.

6. There is an extra charge of a few euro per day to access the satellite television.

Overall, I would recommend Los Almendros as place to stay whilst in Gran Canaria. It is convenient, clean and well organised.

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Brighton, UK - The Bulldog Pub

2007-10-27T13:19:00.000+01:00

The Bulldog Pub is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, gay bars in Brighton. Located on St. James' Street in the heart of the gay and lesbian scene, amongst many other gay and lesbian bars and clubs, The Bulldog is well worth a visit at least once during your trip to Brighton. I recommend popping into The Bulldog Pub at around 11pm on any evening as this is when the happy hour starts and the pub gets busier.

With a mixed crowd of mainly gay men, both visitors and locals, The Bulldog is cruisy and friendly at the same time. The drink prices are at the better value end of the scale and there are happy hours every day between 11pm and midnight and all day Sunday. Due to the currently liberalised drinking laws of Brighton, The Bulldog opens from Friday morning all the way through to Monday morning (without closing at all over the weekends).

Smoking of cigarettes is prohibited in all enclosed public or work places in the UK. Therefore smokers must go outside to the street for a cigarette, however this can add to the social experience as people often meet whilst having a cigarette and may not have otherwise had the chance to chat. Drinks may not be taken outside due to street drinking only being allowed in designated areas (such as seated terraces).

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Amsterdam, Netherlands

2007-10-25T23:18:00.001+01:00

Amsterdam is a small, beautiful and very gay friendly city. It has a large number of gay and lesbian residents and is a great place to visit for a long weekend.

The best way to travel in Amsterdam is by bicycle (available for hire at many locations in the city) or tram.

Amsterdam residents will help you if you are lost, or looking for a specific place.

There are three main gay areas to Amsterdam. These are The Warmoesstraat (leather area) near to the Central Railway Station - Centraal Station. The Reguliersdwarsstraat is the trendy, younger scene of the city, is in the city center and has 5 gay bars and a gay night club. Finally the Amstel area has a number of gay bars that are more typically Dutch.

Amsterdam can be expensive (especially hotel rooms). It is a must visit if you are in Europe and is very well connected by train and plane to other popular gay and lesbian European holiday destinations such as London, Brighton(UK), Sitges (Spain), and Gran Canaria(Spain).

Amsterdam has a Homomonument, commemorating and remembering all gay and lesbian people who have been persecuted and violated because of their sexual orientation. It is located at Westermarkt on a beautiful canal in the city center.

A couple of extra tips:
1. Smoking of cigarettes is currently allowed in bars and clubs (but there are plans to prohibit this in the next few years).
2. Smoking of cannabis is only allowed in licensed coffee shops and in private places such as a person's home. If you smoke cannabis in a bar or club in Amsterdam you will probably be told to stop.

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London, UK

2007-10-23T18:22:00.000+01:00

Today it was revealed that according to an internet based survey of over 7,500 American lesbian and gay travellers, 8 percent have taken a holiday in London, UK in the last year.

This makes London the only European city to hit the top ten destinations of the survey.
The survey company caterersearch.com has said that those who responded to the survey chose their holiday destinations based upon friends recommendations and places known for their gay-friendly atmosphere and culture.

With a population of nearly 8 million people, London is a city with more people than many countries. There are four main areas of London to find gay bars and clubs. These areas are called Soho, Vauxhall, Angel and Kings Cross.

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Gran Canaria, Spain

2007-10-21T13:31:00.000+01:00

Although it's located off the coast of Africa, Gran Canaria is part of Spain and is very Spanish in culture and character. The main gay resort in Gran Canaria is Playa Del Ingles. There is a large shopping/clubbing centre called Jumbo, where around 100 gay bars and clubs are located.

Gran Canaria - Top Seven Tips:

1. Go to Gran Canaria during the winter time. Gran Canaria is hot and sunny during the winter, whilst the rest of Europe is cold.

2. Taxis are relatively cheap, a taxi ride within Playa Del Ingles will cost around 2 to 3 Euro.

3. Drinks are around the same price as countries such as France, the UK or the Netherlands.

4. Get hold of gay map to Gran Canaria (widely available) as after a few drinks it's easy to get lost.

5. Cash machines are widely available in Gran Canaria, so no need to worry about taking lots of cash or travellers cheques. The local currency is the Euro.

6. English is not widely spoken, so it's worth taking a Spanish phrase book.

7. Most bars get going from around 11 to midnight onwards.

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Sitges, Spain

2007-10-21T13:17:00.000+01:00

Located about 35 km south of Barcelona, Sitges is a small but very popular summer gay holiday destination. With a long and beautiful sandy beach and many gay bars and clubs, Sitges should be on the list of any gay or lesbian person's holiday destinations.

Sitges - Top Seven Tips:

1. Go in the Summer time, Sitges is at it's best during the summer.

2. Travelling from Barcelona Airport to Sitges can be tricky. The train system is not brilliant and you have to change stations. The bus takes about an hour. A taxi transfer will cost anywhere between 50 and 70 Euro.

3. Most bars get busy everyday from about midnight onwards.

4. Because of it's small size you can walk anywhere in Sitges. No need to worry about transport within the town.

5. Drinks can be expensive. Many bars have happy hours where you buy one drink and get one 'free'.

6. Most restaurants in Sitges stop serving food by 10pm, therefore make sure you go out for food before 10pm as it is difficult to find anywhere selling food after this time.

7. Although there is a 'circuit' where people go from bar to bar, in our experience it is just as good to find a bar you like and wait for it to get busy.

Have you been to Sitges? Why not share your tips by adding a comment?

Brighton, UK

2007-10-21T10:49:00.000+01:00

Brighton has a very large local resident gay and lesbian population with many gay bars and clubs. Centred in the Kemptown area of the city the 'gay village' of Brighton is well established and integrated into the mainstream life of the city.
As well as nightlife, Brighton has a number of popular tourist attractions such as the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Pier (known as the Palace Pier to many locals, reflecting it's former name).
Brighton has a new, award winning public library (named the Jubilee Library in celebration of the Queen's recent Golden Jubilee), well worth a visit and free for everyone.

Brighton - Top Seven Tips:

1. Book accommodation early as it can be difficult to find, especially in the summer.

2. Brighton Pride is one of the largest in the world. It is free with a parade through the city followed by a very large party in Preston Park. The event is always held on the first Saturday of August.

3. Most residents of Brighton are friendly and will help you if you get lost or want to know what's happening on a particular night.

4. Like any other city, Brighton has social problems associated with urban areas. There are quite a lot of people with drug problems so be aware of your surroundings as you would be in any city. If you encounter problems, the police in Brighton will assist you and the city has a number of dedicated gay and lesbian liaison Police and Community Support Officers. In an emergency phone 999 or 112 (both numbers will connect you to the emergency services including police, ambulance and fire) for non-urgent situations you can call the police in Brighton on 0845 60 70 999.

5. There are hundreds of restaurants in Brighton. Most serve food until around 10.30pm. There are many 24 hour shops in the centre of the city.

6. Brighton currently has liberalised drinking laws. This means that a number of gay bars and clubs are open all night. However, outdoors drinking is only allowed in designated areas, such as terraces outside bars.

7. Brighton has a well developed seafront with a pebble beach. In the summer the beach can get very crowded. For quieter parts of the seafront walk along towards Hove.

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