Staff Picks: 7 Places We Love

The owners and staff of Gray Jones Media – the parent company of Vacationer Magazine, Bear World Magazine, Queer Forty, and Gayming Magazine – reveal the places they love to travel and where they feel comfortable being their authentic selves. Add these places to your travel bucket list!

At Vacationer Magazine, we’re always talking about safe places to go based on LGBTQ+ rights and travel trends, which often include popular queer destinations based on a travel expert’s recommendations. No matter the frequency of travel experiences; everyone has done it and there’s always at least one destination that tugs at our heart. So, we wanted to reach out and ask the rest of the Gray Jones Media family about their favorite destinations that are not only safe for LGBTQ+ travelers, but their favorite picks also get their hearts pumping with excitement. 

From GJM owners to the editorial staff to our social media guru, we reveal the places that we love as well as not-to-be-missed sights you should check out when visiting our favorite places around the world. 

Iceland

Feeling comfortable and safe is my number one priority when planning a trip. Going somewhere cold is my second priority (mountains over beach, don’t @ me). Iceland was perfect for this.

Not only does it have a wonderful track record with regard to LGBTQ+ rights, but it also has a landscape that rivals no other! Whether you want cozy cafes in Reykjavik or want to explore sweeping vistas on your own time, there’s nowhere else like it.

My personal recommendation would be to rent a car and do your own road trip around the “Golden Circle.” There are lots of great coach tours available, but renting a car allows you to explore each of its wonderful attractions at your own pace. My boyfriend and I did the route from Reykjavik, to Flúðir, to Vik, then back to Reykjavik. Four days is the perfect amount of time to explore the variety Iceland has to offer, while also not being daunted by a road trip in a new country – especially if it’s your first time.

My personal ‘must see’ locations are Braud & Co Bakery – the cinnamon rolls are out of this world! Head to Gamla Laugin near Fludir for a quieter hot spring off the tourist trail, and also visit Gullfoss Falls! – Martin Lathbury, Social Media Manager

Key West, Florida, USA

Over the last few years, I have been lucky enough to visit Key West, the host city of Bear World Magazine’s sponsored event Key West Bear Weekend. This has enabled me to see Key West more than once and also get to know the locals, the hotel owners, the bar owners, and the store owners. 

What is clear is that the island welcomes the LGBTQ+ community fully. There are numerous gay bars, like Sidebar and New Orleans House, as well as LGBTQ+-only hotels, like Island House, Alexanders, and the Equator, and many other hotels, such as the LGBTQ+-friendly Kimpton Key West. 

It’s a destination where I enjoy working and taking the extra time to enjoy a few vacation days, too. There’s much history and LGBTQ+ nightlife to explore, such as author Ernest Hemingway’s Home, and events such as Fantasy Fest, Bone Island, and Big Gay Key West – events and spaces to make us all feel welcome. And it all happens on this tropical oasis located a couple of hours away from Miami. – Richard Jones, Co-Founder, Gray Jones Media

Malta

In recent years, Malta has come out on top of the most LGBTQ-friendly places on earth and it’s a major achievement for such a small island. I adore Malta, it’s a crazy melting pot of culture and architecture, with the capital city of Valetta being a prime example where one minute you can be walking down a British street with ironwork from Sheffield, to then round the corner into an Italian piazza and then on the Arabic city walls. This is all down to its packed history of being ruled by various countries all leaving their mark.

This Mediterranean island is full of the friendliest people you’ll meet and affords its LGBTQ citizens and visitors the best possible protections, leading to its enviable ranking I mentioned above.

While the gay scene isn’t massive, there’s plenty to see and do. Some favorites include wandering the streets of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage capital city, built by the Knights of St John, it’s both a 16th-century citadel and a vibrant 21st-century town. You could take a tour of the Game of Thrones filming locations including Kings Landing, the Red Keep, and the streets of Flea Bottom. Also, check out the Neolithic Temples — all UNESCO world heritage sites — which are the oldest stone architecture in the world.

On top of all this, there’s plenty of watery fun to be had with several amazing dive sites, the famous blue lagoon, and numerous unspoilt beaches. – Robin Gray, Co-Founder of Gray Jones Media

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Montreal has always been one of my favorite destinations because of the variety it offers. Call it ADD or blame it on the fact that I’m a Gemini, but I love a city with lots of options. Montreal allows one to get the European experience for a fraction of the cost and it’s about an hour away from New York City by plane. You cannot beat that!

The food, the architecture, and the people all have that magic combination of Canadian, French, British, and American influences all of which meld together to create a beautiful and friendly place to spend your time and that’s not to mention the city’s amazing queer nightlife.

The Gay Village in Montreal has everything you could possibly want in a relatively small and completely walkable area. Most of my personal favorite spots are on the Rue St Catherine including their infamous gay strip club The Stock Bar (where you are assured to get ‘the full monty’) and one of my all-time favorite bear bars Le Stud. There is also a great boutique on the strip too called Mistr Bear which specializes in fashionable, sexy, and fetish garments going up to a size 4XL.  I can’t wait to get back! ­– John Hernandez, Staff Writer, Vacationer Magazine and Queer Forty

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

One of my favorite places to visit is my hometown – New Orleans! It’s known for its food, culture, and music, but the city is also very romantic! So many nice restaurants to go to for dinner, and so many places to catch live music throughout the city!

Of course, every traveler visiting New Orleans must visit the historic French Quarters! But if you want to experience New Orleans like a local, you should hit the bars, clubs, and restaurants of Frenchman Street. Other nice neighborhoods and streets in New Orleans to visit for a nice, romantic stroll include the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, the shops on Magazine Street, or take the streetcar up St. Charles Avenue and look at all the beautiful old mansions! 

There are so many places to eat in the city, I could never just pick one or two places to visit. Just about any restaurant in New Orleans will have good food. As far as history and culture are concerned, you may want to visit Congo Square in Louis Armstrong Park – yes, Congo Square is the birthplace of jazz! You should also visit the tomb of famous Voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau in Saint Louis Cemetery No.1. Remember to mark an “X” on her tomb and make a wish! – Kyle Jackson, Deputy Editor and Social Media Assistant, Bear World Magazine

Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

When it comes to travel, I’m always looking for places where I can be my full authentic self, or simply put, where I feel comfortable as a Black gay man. So, I’m adding Salvador de Bahia, Brazil to our ‘Places We Love’ list. It’s one of my favorite places in the world. It’s the warmth and welcoming vibe of Brazilians and the food – like feijoada – that reminded me of home, which didn’t feel like it was thousands of miles away. 

Spend the day in Salvador’s historic, colorful Pelourinho neighborhood strolling by shops, restaurants, and capoeira dancers in Largo Terreiro de Jesus. While walking around, I befriended Andre Gallo at one of many art galleries in the neighborhood. He graciously guided me and my best friend on a short tour to introduce us to a few of his friends in shops on Rua Gregorio de Matos, including a stop to taste a few sweet treats at Chocolates Marrom Marfim. The locally made chocolate was just as delicious as the moqueca served at Axego Restaurant & Bar for our dinner. Needless to say, I did buy an oil painting that still conjures fond memories of my trip. 

You can’t leave Salvador de Bahia without a visit to the Afro-Brazilian Museum, order a caipirinha at Odoyá, and if you’re lucky, witness a live performance of the famous samba-reggae group Olodum! Head to Porto da Barra before noon on Sunday to claim your stretch of sand to mingle with the festive locals. The sunset alone is worth the visit to this beach. Salvador de Bahia is just one of the places I love in Brazil. I’d also recommend a visit to the gay clothing-optional beach Praia da Galheta in Florianopolis, and for nature lovers, a trip to Iguazu Falls is a must! You’ll thank me later. –  Kwin Mosby, Editor-in-Chief, Vacationer Magazine

Sydney, Australia

Sometimes I think I embarked on a career in journalism to discover a place that was better than my hometown of Sydney, Australia. I’m still looking. 

I keep traveling and dreaming of paradise, but I fear I may have left it when I moved to the United States! However, I’m happy to recommend my home to queer travelers seeking the trip of a lifetime. Yes, it’s a long way to go and yes, it’s worth it. I can share with you two places I know like the back of my hand and yet still seem to me as alluring as any I’ve discovered. 

As a kid, I was blessed to grow up in one of the most beautiful and historic places on Earth: The Blue Mountains of New South Wales. The Greater Blue Mountains Area was entered on the World Heritage List in 2000 because of its sheer geological importance as one of the oldest places on the planet — and the unique flora and fauna that exist there within its endless eucalypt forests, sandstone cliffs, rugged tablelands, valleys, and escarpments. It’s a day trip from Sydney and you can plan an overnight stay at one of the many charming inns and B&Bs in the area. Plus, a lot of gays and lesbians live there, drawn by the natural beauty, the arts scene, and the slightly more affordable housing. 

Now, when I moved out of home and came out and got my first digs close to the University I was attending, wouldn’t you know it: I longed for the coast, and I was drawn to one of the world’s most beautiful beaches: Bondi. With its sickle-shaped curve of sand the color of a cheesecake crust, charming art deco architecture, and vibrant cafe culture — not to mention plentiful people watching — Bondi beach is a must-visit and a great way to spend a lazy day in Sydney. Again, lots of LGBTQ folks live here. It’s not that far from Sydney’s Gay Golden Mile, aka Oxford Street, and it’s a few suburbs away from Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art where the soon-to-be arts-famous are trained: think Cate Blanchett, Toni Colette, Judy Davis, and Baz Luhrmann. Maybe you’ll see the star of tomorrow having a flat white coffee at Gertrude & Alice Bookstore & Coffeeshop on Hall Street.

If you happen to get to Sydney WorldPride, consider these detours, courtesy of one well-traveled lesbian who still longs for home. – Merryn Johns, Editor-in-Chief, Queer Forty