gaypartyblog.com gay nightlife scene

Whether you are a college student and are looking forward to a break away from your exams and hectic school schedule or if you are just looking for a few days off this might help. Now is the time to plan your spring break 2008 trip.  There are so many places to go for fun on spring break including Cancun, The Bahamas, Acapulco, or even Jamaica.  Puerto Vallarta is also a destination that comes to mind with gay friendly travel, unlimited alcohol, and beautiful beaches.  Or you could check out Aruba and risk running into Joran Van Der Sloot.

Although, with the weak dollar and talk of a coming recession it may be better to plan the trip more domestically.  There are many places to go here in the U.S. where we can enjoy beaches without the hassle of dealing with new passport laws and excessive travel abroad.  Florida seems to be the most popular overall U.S. spring break destination with

There are a few destinations that come to mind at first when I think of a gay spring break. Key West certainly wants your business the month of March with many festivities going on for gays and lesbians.  The problem with Key West is getting out to that island and it could be hard booking a stay at a gay resort since I am sure they are mostly booked up already.

Some places to go in Key West include the gay resort called the Island House (1129 Fleming Street) which can be found online at islandhousekeywest.com.  They have quite a frisky website that makes it look like you will be in for a time of fun while staying at the property.  Manhunt.net recently ran a contest for a free stay at this gay resort so it is working hard to promote its property.  This clothing-optional Bed & Breakfast won the 2007 Planet Out Travel Award for best gay resort.

Ft Lauderdale is a destination that over 800,000 gays visit each year with new hotels including the Starwood W, beachside Hilton, and newly remodeled Marriott Harbor Beach.  You also have lots of great gay resorts to stay at to satisfy your curiosity.  While Ft. Lauderdale does not claim to be a spring break destination you can bet the beaches are crowded and the drinks are pouring even though the hotels are expensive. College nights in South Florida can be found these clubs.  A wonderful thing about Ft. Liquerdale is the proximity of West Palm Beach and South Beach Miami.  You could also spend a few days here then stumble down to Key West for even more entertainment.

Some sites you may want to check out to save money during spring break will be your typical travel sites such as Orbitz.com and kayak.com.  I always find the best deals when I deal with the hotels directly such as going to the Marriott.com site for hotel stays or the AA.com for flights.  If you are a student you may gain to save the most with a student travel site which can offer deep discounts with group travel packages as long as you show your student I.D.

You could also hit up a colder location for a ski trip for your spring break. I just don’t see the fun in going somewhere cold if you have already been suffering through the winter months and ready to get out and show off your bod you have been working on at the beach.

Wondering if you are old enough to drink in certain places? Here is a list detailing the legal drinking ages in each country.

I have to admit that skiing is a sport I have only tried once and, although I remember the experience well, I didn’t actually do very much. Mind you it was in Scotland in December, in a blizzard and I had had no training. Consequently I slid downhill at great speed for a few seconds before I realised I didn’t know how to stop. After purposefully falling into a snow drift I trudged back up through the snow and fog to find the café and drank hot chocolate for the next hour while my friends had a great time. I also had a great time with the après-ski as the place I stayed at had ice skating, saunas and other attractions. But it wasn’t a gay resort or skiing holiday and if you want to get into the sport with other like minded guys and gals then you may want to check out some of the functions and events I found recently.

In North America most of the gay ski weeks (as the gatherings are called) take place in the West, in places like Aspen, Park City and Whistler. Over in Picturesque Stowe, Vermont, a popular gay ski gathering has been taking place annually for over 20 years. The Winter Rendezvous, as it is called, traditionally takes place at the end of January/beginning of February. The best way to find out more about this (and other events) that I found was to visit a specialist gay travel website and browse around. For example, I discovered that it’s not just a question of turning up to a gathering and joining in. These are popular events and you are advised to book early. Bear in mind that you will need accommodation, lift passes, equipment if you don’t have your own and that entertainments may also be provided with tickets selling out fast. The Winter Rendezvous this year features a drag show and cabaret including live singers and guests DJs. Plenty of après-ski there.

The Aspen Gay Ski Week runs at a similar time to the event at Stowe and also features extras, with plenty to do after your skiing or snowboarding activities during the day. At this gathering you can expect to find club nights, costume parties, a comedy night and a pool party. The Utah Gay Ski Week, which has just taken place, included a welcome party, social dinners and meetings and a different mountain, or collection of runs to try out every day.

I don’t want you to think that the only reason guys and gals go to these gatherings is for the evening entertainment but I just wanted to point out that there is plenty to do once you have finished you’re skiing or snowboarding. Not everyone is a good skier and I didn’t find any information about the level of expertise needed to attend these events. I assume that beginners are welcome and that like most if not all ski resorts, you can pick up some training from professionals when you are there. But having the extra entertainment makes for a great holiday for partners who don’t ski, for example, so whatever your level of ability or interest, if you like the great outdoors, snowy conditions (with warm hot chocolate and cafes as an alternative), roaring fires and great scenery then you may well want to consider a ski week as an alternative holiday.

As for other countries around the world, well, after a quick search around I found events being held in France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. For more information and details there was a great collection of news and ideas at gaytravel.about.com (search ‘ski’).