The Top LGBTQ-Friendly Destinations

Pride isn't just for June, but it's a great time to give you another overview of the safest and most accepting travel destinations for queer travelers. Whether you're going to immerse yourself in the community and history, or you just want to know that you're not going to be uncomfortable out sightseeing with your significant other or just being yourself. 

Personally, I like to know that I'm spending my travel dollars in more progessive and tolerant places. Knowing that a destination is queer-friendly is a good indication that it's great for solo women travelers, too. I want my money to go to people who have everyone's best interests in mind and are working to make the world a better place for all travelers, because travel is for everybody. 

What are your favorite cities for queer travel, acceptance, and history?

Infographic by me:

New York City, New York - The birthplace of Pride, it has an established scene of gay bars, drag fests, and nightlife. Visit queer landmarks including the Leslie-Lohman Museum of LGBT Art, CubbyHole, & NYC Aids Memorial, then stop at Big Gay Ice Cream.

Amsterdam, Netherlands - A trailblazer in queer history, it’s home to some of the oldest gay rights organizations, was the first country to legalize gay marriage, and even has a (homo)monument to remember those lost in WWII. Get your queer merch and city info from Pink Point, then hit up some of the best queer bars and nightclubs.

Taipei City, Taiwan - The first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, Taipei has cemented itself as one of the best and safest cities for queer travelers. Specifically, the Ximen and Zhongshan neighborhoods are brimming with bars, clubs, and even speakeasies.

San Francisco, California - The home of iconic Harvey Milk, everyone knows the City by the Bay is a haven for queer activity, but did you know they also have the world’s first transgender district? Enjoy the rainbow crosswalks, the Aids Memorial Garden, and colorful murals.

Bangkok, Thailand - Not only is Bangkok known for being very queer-friendly and progressive, it’s also budget-friendly, so you can party and sightsee for less than most destinations. Take in the nightlife, markets, history, and more!

Sydney, Australia - Called a queer capital the world over, Sydney also puts on the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and Pride is a BIG deal there. It has the largest collection of queer-owned establishments. You can even head out to Darlinghurst & Surrey Hills for a quieter, rainbow-filled visit.

Barcelona, Spain - Open and accepting to all, the city has it all. Gaixample, the official gayborhood is the heart of the queer community, filled with gay shops, restaurants, and bars, as well as the “hetero-friendly” gay-owned Axel Hotel.

Reykjavik, Iceland - In 2009, the first openly-gay Prime Minister was elected. Already one of the safest cities for women and solo travelers, Reykjavik became a safe haven for queer travelers, too. Pride sees 100K visitors and Rainbow Reykjavik celebrates the nature of Iceland over 3-10 days.

Berlin, Germany - With a long history of LGBTQ community, you can learn about the city’s queer story at the Schwules Museum, see a queer show at House of Presents, pay your respects to those persecuted at The Memorial to Homosexuals persecuted under Nazism, and choose a safe hotel from the Pink Pillow Collection.

Free Road Trip Stops

I'm a road trip girlie. I have been road tripping my whole life, so even on short trips, I look into all the places I could stop along the way. Earlier this month, we were going to an engagment party for a cousin in Vegas, but decided to fly in and out of Burbank to visit my uncle. We were going to rent a car anyway, so this was the perfect blend of fly and drive trip to me.

Now, you already know that I am an expert at finding roadside stops, from using AAA guidebooks before the internet, to using Google Maps now, if there's a cool place to stop, I'll find it. 

We've driven between Los Angeles and Vegas before, so we thought there probably weren't too many things we may have missed, but apparently that's not true. Knowing that, you can imagine how many cool things there are along any route wherever you're driving. One of my favorite things is an outdoor museum or sculpture park.

Sometimes you know a thing is there, because you've driven past it so many times. Sometimes you find out about it from Google or a blog post. Sometimes you just see it from the highway and figure out where to get off to look at it. Here are some cool places we've seen on road trips:

Liberty Sculpture Park - Yermo, CA

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Jacob Two Trees the Troll - Issaquah, WA

The Sunsphere - Knoxville, TN

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Goldwell Open Air Museum - Goldwell, NV

The Original Del Taco - Yermo, CA

International Car Forest - Goldfield, NV

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Bravo Farms - Traver, CA

Seven Magic Mountains - Las Vegas, NV

Old Tonopah Cemetery - Tonopah, NV

Maryhill Stonehenge Memorial - Goldendale, WA

Mine Heritage Exhibition - Wallace, ID

There are so many cool little places to stop when you road trip, and a lot of them are free! There's a whole botanical garden in Southern Oregon along I-5 that I want to visit on another trip down. Free is a good price, and it helps to break up the monotony of a road trip and lets you stretch your legs without having to be at a rest area or a place to eat. Sometimes, you even learn some stuff!

What's your favorite roadside attraction?

Avoiding Jet Lag On Any Trip

Jet lag is the worst. It can lower your energy, make you feel weak and stupid, but ostly it just gives you less quality time on your trip. When you're sluggish and groggy, nothing is fun or interesting. Honestly, budget travelers can't afford to get hit with jet lag. If you're someone that has been a victim of this traveler's curse, there are ways to make sure you avoid it next time. 

I had the worst bout of jet lag in 2006 and I vowed to never again have that problem. Over the years I've learned some great ways to keep my body from rebelling over the time (and environment and weather) changes:

Me with my sparkling water

Easy things you can do

There are jet lag preps that are going to take you some time, but there are some that you can do as you're traveling and the night/day before your trip.

• Stay hydrated - with the dry airplane air, you need to keep your body hydrated more than you would normally. I put ice cubes in a thermos (ice is usually permitted through security), then fill up with water once I'm through TSA. 

        I hate water, and I'll pretty much only drink it if it's ice cold or I'm walking a lot on vacation. You want to drink at least one, if not two or three, depending on how long your trip is. I have also purchased a bottle of water at the airport and added it to my thermos for chilling. You can also add a hydration packet to your water for extra oomph, like Liquid IV or Venture Pal, which add a fun flavor. I'm also one to order tomato juice on a flight, because it's hydrating and packed with vitamins, plus flying dulls your taste buds, so it's a little more tasty than you expect.

            

        You also want to bring a good moisturizing lotion and lip balm and re-up every so often. I know some people like to do a hydrating sheet mask on long flights. I could never, but you do you. I bring a tiny hyalauronic acid spray for my face.

• Avoid alcohol - Alcohol is dehydrating - so are most caffeinated drinks, but you gotta live your life - and usually packed with sugar. If you can avoid drinking the night before your flight and your entire day of travel, that's really going to help your body be able to retain moisture and hydration, it'll also help keep your immune system running right and avoid getting sick for no reason.
• Get a good night's sleep - Sleeping is so important for your body to recharge and keep going. Even if you have an early morning flight, go to bed at a reasonable time and try getting as good of a deep sleep as you can. I know that sometimes it's very exciting to know you're traveling, or stressful, if you're always worried you forgot something (make a packing list, or buy my travel planning guide, so this isn't you!), but getting enough rest is going to help you stay alert and also healthy.
• Eat light - The day before my flight, I make sure I'm not eating a bunch of heavy food that's going to make me feel like trash when I'm up in the air and the weird pressure makes your body feel all out of whack. Eat lighter than you normally would. Think fish or chicken, or even a vegetarian dish, with lots of veggies and fewer carbs, fried elements, and sugars. It might be difficult to continue to eat better while flying, but I also bring along light snacks, like fruit, nuts, a little dark chocolate, and protein bars, which all give you a burst of energy, without making you feel full and gross. 

Crafting and listening to a movie

Make-a-plan things you can do

I'm a planner, so I've mapped out our whole trip before we've left home, I've packed 2-8 weeks ahead of time, I've paid for as many things as I can before I get to my destination, and I know exactly how I'm spending my time on the plane, especially, on long flights. 

• Get on "destination" time before you go - If you can, start adjusting your routine to your new time before you leave home. Now, I don't do this, because I will work up until the day of my trip, and I have a dog with a schedule, but even if you make a few slight adjustments to your own schedule, like going to bed a little earlier/later before you are actually on your trip, this can help your body adjust to the time difference before it just gets thrown into it. 

        Here's what I do: I look at when I'm arriving to my destination and I look at how much plane time I have. I know I can do pretty normal on about 5 hours of sleep, so that's the minimum I shoot for. Trust me. You do not want to just get on the plane and sleep for 10+ hours, regardless of what time it will be at your destination. Your body continues to want to sleep or you end up wide awake at midnight and it throws off your whole body's rhythm for half of your trip. You want to get enough sleep, but not too much, so you're still slightly tired, and are able to sleep at a normal time at your destination. This almost ensures that you will sleep really good and wake up totally refreshed.

    I make a plan before I even get on the plane. Example: I'm leaving at 6pm and my flight is 9 hours, which would be 3am at home, but is actually 11am local time. That means I'm getting on the plane at 2am local time, when I should be asleep. Theoretically, you're getting served 2 meals. Maybe snacks, but we aren't going to worry about those, because you brought your own. My plan for these 9 hours is:

• board the plane
• watch a movie, play a game, or read a book for 2 hours and eat dinner
• take a sleep aid (I do Dream Water gummies and my usual allergy pill) right when food is served
• cuddle up in a cardigan, put on slipper socks and an eye mask, pop in my earbuds with a sleepy-time podcast on, and get situated in my travel pillow. (I prefer the FaceCradle, because it allows me to stretch my back while I sleep, but pick your favorite.)
• hope to sleep 4-5 hours
• wake up and watch another movie or read for the remainder of the flight and eat second meal - if you're worried about sleeping too deeply, good for you, but you can always leave a note on your tray or choose on your seatback monitor for the flight attendant to wake you up for food
• be awake and refreshed when plane lands

Sleeping on the plane does take some practice, especially if you're a light sleeper like my husband is. We find that having the correct travel pillow is pretty key. I can sleep anywhere, but I also don't want to wake up feeling like a crumpled up piece of paper. Having body aches, or a neck that you can't turn comfortably, for half your trip kind of ruins the experience. If you normally take something like melatonin, then do it on the plane when you need sleep, too. You can also try eating a banana, if you aren't into sleep aids, that can naturally help you fall alseep.

protein-packed breakfasst!

Once you arrive

When you get to where you're going, you're going to want to just do whatever you normally would during the local time. I usually like to take an overnight flight and get there in the daytime, but that doesn't always work out. If I get there during the day, I check-in to my hotel or Airbnb, drop my bags, change my clothes, and then go do some sightseeing. If you get there in the evening, try to walk around and do things until it's a normal time for you to go to bed. Whatever time you get there, try to get some walking in. I love to do a museum or a walking tour when I arrive. Do what interests you. 

You'll want to continue to drink extra water and avoid alcohol for that first day, until your body adjusts. Eat more protein in the morning for extra energy and save your carb-heavy meals for the evening, when you would normally be winding down anyway.

You don't need to do many of these things for a shorter trip, but any trip can benefit from your sleeping better, eating more thoughtfully, drinking more water, and generally being better to your body. 

What are some of your jet lag nightmares, or wins?

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Traveling to Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month

May is AAPI Heritage Month, where we try to learn more about those people who helped build the country that we live in. Knowing who correctly contributed to music and architecture and food is so important to understanding our country as a whole. I have finally made it to another Japantown and will be making another visit on my next trip to LA, because I feel like there's so much I didn't see in the short amount of time I was there. I'm interested in taking my time to see more artwork and read more plaques and maybe also staying long enough to have a great lunch.

Eric and I in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles

I frequent a handful of AAPI-owned businesses just in the town where I live, but I try to find others in greater Portland and also when I travel, because when minority-owned businesses are uplifted and thrive, the whole community benefits.

Here are some places to visit on your travels to celebrate and support the AAPI people there:

Chinatown in Vancouver, BC

Chinatowns

Most large cities have a Chinatown, but there are some that aren't that well known that are steeped in history and have amazing food that should be on your radar:

• Las Vegas - Believe it or not, amongst all the other crazy things in Vegas, you can visit a completely separate Chinatown that's not on the Strip. It has over 150 restaurants and is home to 6 supermarkets. This has been on my list for over a year, and I hope to spend some time here on my summer trip.
• Oakland - Often overshadowed by San Francisco's Chinatown, Oakland can be a bit more chill. It's mostly a neighborhood rather than a tourist destination, but there are 45 restaurants and 9 tea shops, the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Madison Park, where you can see people doing Tai Chi in the mornings, and Oakland Fortune Factory, where you can customize your own fortune cookies.
• Honolulu - Hawaiian/South Pacific culture is different than Chinese culture, and Honolulu's Chinatown is it's oldest and most artistic neighborhood, with an eclectic mix of Asian vendors, from lei makers, dim sum restaurants, the Japanese Izumo Taishakyo Mission Shrine, and Chinese Kuan Yin Temple.
• Houston - Although it seems like an unlikely place to find authentic Chinese culture, Houston has a younger, thriving Asiatown, as it brings diversity, instead of just Chinese merchants. You'll also find Malaysian, Vietnamese, Korean, and more within the 6 square miles, including the Hong Kong City Mall and Teo Chew Temple. You can also take a bus tour of this sprawling neighborhood through Asiatown Houston Bus Tour.

Japantown in San Francisco

Japantown

At one point there were many Japantowns, like Chinatown neighborhoods, but they got pushed out of towns, so now there are only three: San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles. There is also a Japantown in Vancouver, BC. I've had a goal to visit more than just San Francisco, and we made it to Little Tokyo on our recent trip to LA. 

We bought some cute gifts, had an amazing breakfast burrito and Japanese pastries at a very popular coffee shop, had fun perusing the machines in the goshapon "stores", and then had to hit up Dave's Hot Chicken for a drink in order to use a bathroom, because there are no public restrooms there for some reason.

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Portland used to have a Japanesetown, but it has been pushed out, so now we just have the Japanese American Historical Plaza with a few statues/art pieces and these wonderful cherry blossoms that were gifted to us by Japan. It is right next to Old Town Chinatown though, which has some great restaurants and the Chinese Gardens. Further away, Portland also has a Japanese Garden, which is pretty sprawling. They have cherry blossom trees as well. The people of Portland turn out when the trees are in bloom. This year we had some really beautiful sunny days and the crowds were massive. 

Toronto appears to have a later cherry blossom season, and I'd love to make it there to see them...and also explore the rest of the city.

Statue in Las Vegas's Chinatown

Museums

I love a good museum and when I can learn about a new culture or heritage (or even my own), even better. There are some great ones that can educate you on the history of Asians in America. Here are just a few:

• Wing Luke Museum in Seattle - Located in Seattle's Chinatown, this museum is named after a city council member who was the first Asian American to hold a public position in the Pacific Northwest. Inside you can view paintings, photos, other artwork, and textiles. The museum also offers programming and city tours.
• Angel Island Immigration Museum on Angel Island, California - Thought of as the West Coast's Ellis Island, an estimated one million immigrants came through Angel Island, though Asian immigrants were discriminated against, so not nearly as many were allowed in as wanted to come. Now, Angel Island is a state park that is home to a recreated detention center that will show you what life was like for those Asians who were forced into these types of centers due to the Chinese Exclusion Act.
• Hmong Cultural Center Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota - You might not think of a large Asian population calling the midwest home, but make sure to visit this museum that tells of the Hmong people from Laos who sought refuge in the US after the Vietnam War. Even know, there are around 90,000 Hmong people living in Minnesota, as they were given help through the University of Minnesota Agricultural Extension Service to set up farms in the Great Lakes area.
• Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles is currently closed, but I'd love to check it out next time I'm in town. It covers over 130 years of history and is a Smithsonian-affiliated museum. It collaborates with the Academy Film Archive to care for and provide access to home movies that document the Japanese-American experience. 

Me in Little Tokyo (please ignore my Malfoy shirt, as we were on
our way to Universal Fan Fest Nights)

Can't afford to travel and you're not near any of these things? Well, you can always check out your local Chinatown or Asian cultural center, go eat at a local Asian restaurant, coffee shop, or bakery, or you can throw a destination date night or party at home. Here are a few we've done:

• China
• Japan
• Myanmar/Burma
• Polynesia/Pacific Islands
• Tokyo
• Vietnam

Another great idea is to get ready for a future trip by learning a new language, like Mandarin, Japanese or Korean.

• Babbel allows you to buy a lifetime subscription at up to 55% off, but you can also just pay for a monthly membership. We plan to travel to a lot of international destinations and I jumped on a really good lifetime sub sale in 2021 as a Christmas present to us.
• Pimsleur has been around for a long time and I've used it when they were individual CDs, because I'm old, and that's what was around the second time we traveled to France. Now you can have all their offerings in one spot. Choose one language with Premium Monthly or get access to all 51 languages with All Access Monthly/Annual.
• Rosetta Stone is another one I used before everything was online. I still have Spanish CDs from them somewhere. The online RS is much better, because it's easier to use. You can choose from one language with three month and twelve month plans or all 25 of their languages with a lifetime plan.

Previously, I recommended Duolingo, as I used it in a pinch, it was fun, and it can be free, but they have announced that they are going to be using almost exclusively AI, which means, you never know if you are getting the correct language education, so I immediately dumped it from my phone.

Over the course of the next few months, I'll be posting facts on Facebook about Asian and Black history in destinations I'll be going to over the next year, because I think knowing more than just white history is important, even outside of the US.

Do you have a favorite Chinatown, Asian Market, or Museum that you would like to add to this list? I'd love for you to share.

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Why I Still Think TSA PreCheck and Global Entry Are Worth Getting

If you travel 3 or more times a year, then you know you're spending a lot of time in the TSA line. I don't want to waste time I could be looking at art or eating a meal or browsing in shops. Even if I'm just hanging out at my gate and playing a game, it's better than standing in line for no reason.

I know more people than ever have TSA PreCheck, and a lot of people online are complaining that you are waiting just in long in the PreCheck line as you are the regular line, but in all my experience, I've only waited the same amount once, and that was because the airport just wasn't that busy. There were, literally, 3 people in the normal line. 

On the other hand, PreCheck has saved me on a few occasions when the lines have been extra long and I was running late for my flight. Instead of waiting 45 mins, I waited 3, and was able to relax knowing that I had time to spare before boarding. In fact, one trip I got to the airport as my flight was boarding and whizzed through TSA, got to my gate in time to gate-check my bag (I'm absolutely not paying if I don't have to) and walk right onto the plane. Phew! That was a bit stressful, but then I sat down and slept my whole flight home. It was also 5am.

Why else do I think PreCheck is worth the money? ($80)

• At some point, they are probably make you start taking your shoes off again. I said it. Research shows that skipping that step is actually very bad for security purposes, and while this administration doesn't care about our safety, the next probably will. 
• I don't have to take everything out of my bag and then repack it in the 4 seconds before the next person and their bag invades my space on the conveyor belt.
• While you still need to adhere to the 3.4oz rule, you don't have to have it all corralled in a bag. At least, I never have.I still keep my liquids separate in my toiletry bag, but that's mainly so any spillage doesn't happen on all my dry stuff. 
• You don't need 3 bins for your things. Instead, you just empty your pockets into your purse or side pocket of your carry-on, push it/them through, and walk through the metal detector.
• Instead of getting "randomly searched" at security 3 out of 4 times on my trips, I almost never do.

Honestly, not having to get to the airport 3 hours early is a blessing, even if I find the airport fun. 

Literally, no line.

When should you upgrade to Global Entry? ($120)

If you're taking at least two international trips within your 5-year window, it's worth it. Obviously, if you go more, you get more value, but it's $40 more than PreCheck and that's worth it to me to not have to stand in hours-long lines coming back home. If you like standing in customs lines, that's great. I enjoy talking to people, too, but at the end of my trip, I just want to get home, even if I have another flight to get there. 

There have been times where people were waiting for 2 hours to talk to a customs agent and we just walked up to the machines, pushed a button, took our receipt, and walked right to the agent to hand it over. Am I worried about facial recognition? Kind of, but at this point, it's too late to do anything about it, and the government knows where I'm going and when I'm coming back. If you're worried about facial recognition, I get it. It means you'll have to wait in longer lines and do some extra steps at TSA.

The other benefit of having Gobal Entry is that you get an ID card, which can work in place of your driver license, and that means I haven't had to go through the hoopla of getting a Real ID yet. I probably will when I need to renew, but for now, I am not paying an extra $30 to get another thing that works the same as 2 others that I already own (Global Entry card & current passport). 

Do you have PreCheck or Global Entry, and if so, do you think it's worth it?

3 Things You Should Take On Every Trip That Won't Fit In Your Suitcase

There are some things that you should take on every trip you take. Some of them won't even fit in your suitcase, even if you check it. But that's okay, because they are easy to carry-on and make a big difference!

Whenever I travel, I make sure I have the right mindset, because if you don't, when things go wrong or are a bit of an inconvenience, you can just start to spiral. Nobody wants to deal with your crash out when they are just trying to do their job, or are mid-crisis too. So, here are the 3 things you need in your travel arsenal:

This rental car was miniscule, but the actual problem was that I could not
get it back in automatic mode, no matter what, so I just learned how to
shift while driving around France.

Patience

Listen, you're going to wait in lines. You're going to be in places that are more crowded then you would like. There are going to be loud, annoying people. We all hate to endure these things. Maybe the restaurant you chose was understaffed and it took your meal extra long to get to your table. That's life. It's not the wait staff's fault. It's also nobody's fault that you are traveling somewhere popular and crowded, or during a particularly busy time. You're on vacation. You don't have to work and you don't have a time schedule. Just breathe and tell yourself it's okay. 

Did I freak out when I was unable to make my train to get to my Stonehenge tour? No. I was disappointed, but it wasn't anyone's fault that the trains were all down due to a freak hurricane-like storm that took down trees all over the city. Did I throw a tantrum because on another trip to London, someone got hit by a train and I couldn't make my breakfast reservation? No. I just figured out how to call the restaurant and let them know what was happening and to give my reservation away. Things happen. You being crazy is not going to help.

Our flight was late getting to Chicago (ORD), so we ran all the way to
our connecting gate, only to find out our next flight was delayed.
Sweaty and tired for no reason.

Kindness

The mom in front of you trying to wrangle her kid(s) and the stroller and her bags all on her own is doing her best. The counter staff dealing with angry passengers whose flights were delayed is just doing her job. The waiter who forgot your straw, because he has twice as many tables as usual, is trying to not fall apart. Being kind to people is the least you can do in almost any situation. Everyone's life is hard sometimes. You don't need to add to it. 

Besides, you have the privilege to travel and try new things and eat new foods and meet new people. That's amazing. If you frame it that way, and not like things are happening to you and making your life inconvenient, you'll be a lot more cheerful, even when things go wrong. Sometimes, a smile goes a long way and can help someone else get through and release some stress, too.

Missed a flight, so made the best of it by getting some food and
entertaining ourselves by streaming a movie. The GoDesk is perfect
for use as a table at the airport.

Compromise

Again, not everything is going to go perfectly all the time. Will you miss a connection? Maybe. Will something happen that you can't make it to a dinner reservation? Sometimes. It's not what happens, but how you deal with it. When we couldn't make it to Stonehenge, we went to a local park instead and marveled at that beauty. When we were going to miss our breakfast reservation at a restaurant in The Shard, we just stopped a local breakfast place and had a more budget-friendly, but still delicious meal. 

When we had our car window smashed and luggage stolen, we just called who we needed to call to report the crime, then had a very calm conversation with the airline staff person to help us get another flight, since we missed the one we were booked on. Did we have to go a different way and get home later? Yes. Was it the end of the world? No. By the time we got home, w were so happy to crawl into our own bed, though. Life happens, even on vacation. You just roll with it and realize that not everything is in your control, but what is in your control, is how you respond to it. 

Don't ruin your own trip by being an impatient jerk. You don't have to smile, but you can be kind, give people grace, be grateful you get to travel when so many don't, and enjoy every win you get. 

What would you add to this list?