There are countless gay-friendly properties around the world, and they can range from huge resorts to cozy bed-and-breakfasts. These establishments cater to travelers of all orientations - and they actively welcome gay travelers and treat them with the same respect as they do all of their guests. Your Liberty Travel Rainbow Specialist knows which of these mainstream properties roll out the gay welcome mat, and can help choose the best one for you.

Hotels that are gay- or lesbian-owned often serve travelers of all kinds. They can include full-service, large hotels that are even affiliated with a chain, but just happen to have a gay or lesbian owner. Or they may be smaller properties that specialize in personalized service, and offer expert guidance to travelers about gay nightlife and other activities. Check with your Liberty Travel Rainbow Specialist for details about what these lodgings offer.

A smaller category of hotels and resorts that limit their business to only gay men or only lesbians specialize in creating a welcoming ambience for their guests. These properties don't usually refuse straight people, but they focus their marketing on gay travelers, and the activities and atmosphere are usually tailored exclusively to them. If you're looking for smaller-scale lodgings and you're fine with limited services and facilities, these properties may be a good choice for you.

Not all lodgings are created equal, but you'll have plenty of excellent choices. What you choose will depend on your personal taste, as well as where you are going. Location is always important, of course, so look for a hotel that is close to the attractions and activities that are most important to you. Style and ambience are equally important, as is being mindful of your price range.

From the big city to the secluded countryside, you'll obviously find an especially wide array of gay-friendly lodgings in the destinations most popular with gay and lesbian travelers. Wherever you're headed, you will need to decide whether you prefer larger or smaller hotels, and what location will help you make the most of your time.

Gay Lodging in the United States

Top gay hotspots in the US start out in California, where gay-friendly accommodations are easy to find in cities like San Francisco, Palm Springs, and West Hollywood. In these cities, hotels range from smaller establishments to trendy, full-service hotels.

The same is true of New York City, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Miami Beach. Gay-popular destinations like Key West and Provincetown, meanwhile, are home to a wide variety of cozy bed-and-breakfasts, where personalized attention is the norm.

Gay Lodging Abroad

EUROPE
France, the United Kingdom, and Germany are among the Western European nations where the gay-friendly tourism infrastructure is most extensive.

ASIA & SOUTH PACIFIC
Australia is the leader in the Pacific in terms of gay-friendly places to stay, but you can find pockets of welcome at hotels in Hong Kong and resorts in the South Pacific, as well.

LATIN AMERICA
Latin America provides the gay traveler with a wide selection of friendly accommodations in destinations like Costa Rica, Argentina, and Brazil. Closer to home, you can choose from an ever-growing variety of gay-friendly resorts in places like Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

CANADA
And our neighbor to the north, Canada, welcomes gay and lesbian vacationers at superior quality gay-friendly hotels in destinations such as Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

One of the biggest events for gays and lesbians around the world is the annual Pride celebration that has become a tradition in countless cities in the United States and elsewhere. Plan a vacation to coincide with Pride Day and you'll be reveling in so much more than the parade. You'll be surrounded by cultural performances, concerts, and parties.

During Pride festivals, you may find hotels offering special packages that include admission to some events and parties. But book early - the best-located hotels go fast.

Traditionally, June is the most common month for Pride celebrations, although they take place during other months too, depending on the destination.

In the United States
Some of the largest June events take place in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco.Fort Lauderdale's is in March.

In Canada
You can join gay Pride events in Toronto in June, and in Montreal and Vancouver, both in July.

In Latin America
Among the cities hosting the largest celebrations in Latin America are Mexico City, Mexico in June, and São Paulo, Brazil in May. That's followed one week later by a similar celebration in Rio de Janeiro.

In Australia
Sydney, Australia hosts a massive celebration called New Mardi Gras, which is one of the largest such events in the world.

In Europe
A dizzying collection of Pride events in Europe has its highlights in Hamburg, Paris, and Zurich in June, and in Berlin, Cologne, and London in July.

Gay and lesbian organizations stage some impressive sporting events throughout the year. For participants and spectators alike, it's a lot of fun built around some good-spirited competition at its best.

Among the top events are:

• Aspen Gay & Lesbian Ski Week in January
• Gay & Lesbian Ski Week at Whistler Resort in February
• Dinah Shore Golf Week in March (which brings a large gathering of lesbians as well as other golf enthusiasts to Palm Springs, California)
• Gay Ski Week in Lenzerheide, Switzerland in March.
  

Circuit parties, if you haven't been to one yet, are massive dance parties that raise funds for non-profit organizations. If you're up for dancing all night and seeing live shows in a wild atmosphere, all for a good cause, ask your Liberty Travel Rainbow Specialist to find out when and where some circuit parties will be happening. It's worth planning a vacation around one of these events at least once for the experience.

Major amusement parks are popular sites for annual gatherings that bring together thousands of gay and lesbian travelers, plus their families and friends, to have a good time on the rides and attractions at places like Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Six Flags parks around the nation. Your Rainbow Specialist can help you find some of the best and plan a vacation there for you.