Since lesbians and gay men (the latter especially) are often viewed as a dual-income, no-kids, frequent-traveler demographic, the travel industry routinely pushes up prices when attempting to court our business. Many gay travelers lament the fact that just to travel with our own kind, we sometimes have to spend more for the privilege than other kinds of travelers. But with a currently shaky economy, as well as the mainstream's embrace of the gay travel world, budget travel has risen to the forefront of the gay and lesbian travel market. Not that gay budget travel was never there to begin with -- you just had to know where to look. Here's a roundup of strategies for squeezing the most out of your lavender travel dollar. The sidebar offers an overview of gay and lesbian tour operators that cater to the non-Gucci crowd. Ah, the politics of the gay hotel room. Checking into a hotel as a same-sex couple and asking to sleep in one bed can be a useful test of how gay-friendly an establishment is. Although requesting a single bed can feel awkward in some rural or conservative areas and countries, rooms with one bed often cost considerably less than those with two.
And why check into a mainstream hotel at all? First, check for gay or even just gay-friendly bed-and-breakfasts in the area you are visiting. They often charge much less than comparable rooms in mainstream hotels (especially hotels catering to business travelers, and particularly on weekdays). Breakfast is usually included, you may enjoy the chance to meet fellow gay travelers and you can pick the brains of your host, who's likely to have the lowdown on the local gay scene. This is especially helpful in off-the-beaten-path destinations. Yes, inexpensive gay-friendly B&Bs; can be unearthed all over the world, from South Dakota to Arkansas to Quito to Latvia -- places where staying with locals may mean the difference between feeling lost and having a gay ol' time. Having a hard time finding a budget gay or lesbian B&B; where you're going? Surf www.planetout.com/travel or www.purpleroofs.com for scads of gay-oriented accommodations around the world, some charging as little as $25 per night.
If you're traveling solo, the pesky "single supplement" charge can be a real thorn in your side. This fee, which can sometimes double the "based on double-occupancy" listed price, is incurred when any single traveler joins an organized tour group. How do you get around this hard fact? Ask the tour operator if there are other single travelers interested in the tour who might be looking to share a room; then the two of you can sign up together and secure the lower double-occupancy price. Sure, you may have to put up with snoring, but at least you'll have another single comrade to keep you company, and your wallet will thank you (and who knows, your roommate may look like Jodie Foster or Tom Cruise).
Got a great house or apartment that's going to go to waste while you're away? What better way to capitalize on it than by swapping it for a week or more with another gay traveler's home somewhere else in the world? The gay home-exchange network Mi Casa Su Casa (www.gayhometrade.com) sets you up with listings of other LGBT homeswappers for a mere $60 for a three-year membership. Anything from studios to cabins to mansions all over the world are listed, and members simply set up arrangements among themselves as to when and what will be swapped. Best of all, you can home-trade as much as you like once you've joined.
Another budget travel strategy is to choose gay-friendly destinations in relatively affordable countries. Forgo expensive New York, San Francisco, London or Paris and try instead more budget-minded gay destinations. In Latin America, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, Costa Rica, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires are all gay-positive hot spots brimming with dirt-cheap but sophisticated hotels, restaurants and bars. In Europe, experience the burgeoning gay centers of Prague, Budapest and St. Petersburg for a fraction of the cost of Western Europe (and in Western Europe, Amsterdam and Barcelona -- while not super-cheap -- cost considerably less to visit than Paris or London). In Asia, the Philippines, Bali and Thailand present a gayer culture than pricier (and more closeted) Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo. Montreal, Cape Town, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland also have highly evolved gay (and English-speaking) scenes and generally cost less than similar cities in the United States or Western Europe, even despite the ever-weakening American dollar. Within the United States, gay-friendly communities like Portland (Oregon), Providence, Fort Lauderdale, Baltimore, Austin and Phoenix offer consistently better values than Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles and the like. Finally, don't forget that you can always save loads of cash by visiting gay destinations during their low or "shoulder" seasons: consider Key West or Palm Springs in July, or Provincetown or Rehoboth Beach in November. Of course, many of the places listed above require long and expensive plane tickets, but by securing good airfares or using frequent flyer miles, you can live like a king (or queen) on a lot less once you arrive.
Maybe you don't like getting dirt under your fingernails, or you gave up camping long ago after a stint in the Brownies. If you're looking to save money, keep an open mind: gay campgrounds have steadily grown in popularity in North America over the past several years. Not only do they tend to be social havens for rural gays and lesbians, but they also offer city slickers a chance to let their hair down (as well as their trousers, since a large percentage of them are clothing-optional). Many travelers find that camping and its grown-up sister, RVing, are a fun, budget-conscious way to travel. Gay Camp USA (www.campgayusa.com) lists nearly 100 gay and gay-friendly campsites across North America (and even one in England), all for low rates, and some even offer work-exchange for camping on the property -- now that's budget living! If you don't like to go camping without your microwave, Rainbow RV (www.rainbowrv.com) is the largest LGBT RV/camping club in North America. For a membership of $19.95 per year, you get discounts to select gay campgrounds, an online newsletter, a gay campground directory and invitations to gay RV rallies and events. So gas up your Winnebago and get going!
Destinations
Listings
