Ever since my first backpacking trip in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, I’ve loved hiking. But as a queer person, I haven’t always feel comfortable to be my full self on the trail. Aside from one unpleasant incident in Shenandoah National Park, other hikers haven’t said or done anything to make me feel like…
Camping skills are survival skills. While I understood this intellectually, I didn’t know it until Winter Storm Landon hit the Hudson Valley and knocked out my power for 40 hours.
Our camping equipment and skills helped us make the best of a difficult, potentially dangerous situation. So I got to wondering about the gender gap in outdoor recreation, and how it impacts our comfort and safety when weather emergencies happen.
While the wider queer community is important, BIPOC people sometimes need their own spaces within the rainbow community. The 7 outdoor groups profiled in this post – like Queer Crush, Wild Diversity and DiversifyOutdoors – are doing amazing work in connecting queer people of color to one another and to nature.
Click through to the full post for three reasons why this work is so valuable and 7 incredible groups to check out.
An Airbnb survey commissioned by The LGBTQ+ Travel Association, IGLTA takes a look at what LGBTQ travelers want in 2024, including the top destinations on our travel bucket lists and how we balancing exploring the world with staying safe on vacation. I break down the survey trends with my perspective as a queer travel writer.
Are you looking for an LGBT travel agency that can plan a custom trip for your rainbow family? Read on to discover 11 amazing travel agencies and private tour operators catering exclusively to queer travelers.
There are a ton of gay travel companies serving the group tour market. Queer women have a handful of options for lesbian tours, too. But there are times when you don’t want to take a group tour…and you also don’t want to do all the work of planning a tour on your own. If you just want to relax in LGBT friendly travel destinations with an itinerary designed to your exact preferences, an LGBT travel agency might be the perfect solution.
Caro Tyner shares their first bike packing trip in this story, which took first place in our LGBTQ essay contest, themed on firsts.
Before my first bikepacking trip, I impulsively grabbed the razor in my childhood bathroom, which had probably sat idle for years, and took it to my pits. I’d been fixating on the damp, sweaty hair under my arms when I woke up, and I didn’t want to deal with it on the road.
As I dried off, the bare skin in the mirror left me a little queasy. I hadn’t shaved in years, and the sudden loss made me worry… Do I look less queer?
While driving from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to the Lower Peninsula, my wife and I made a rockhounding stop at Petoskey State Park. Since it’s widely advertised as the best place to find Petoskey stones, I figured all the good ones would be picked over. But within half an hour of searching the shoreline, we had a couple dozen small, smooth Petoskey stones perfect for turning into jewelry. That day sparked my continuing fascination with these fossilized coral treasures unique to Michigan.
In this blog post, I want to share tips from my Michigan road trip for spotting Petoskey stones. I’ll cover what exactly Petoskey stones are, what to look for when hunting for them, and where the best place to find Petoskey stones is.
There are so many options for gay group travel that it can be overwhelming trying to pick the right tour company for your next adventure! In this blog post, I’ll give you the rundown of the best gay tour operators. No matter what type of vacation you have in mind, you’re sure to find a qualified tour operator to help you have an incredible trip, while also learning more about the local gay community!
When I set out on a road trip to Michigan, I really didn’t know what I’d find. So it was a total surprise when I learned that Michigan’s lake shores had more than pretty views, they had a secret trove of minerals and fossils waiting to be discovered!
I’ve always loved collecting rocks and shells, and it turned out that the unexpected highlight of my trip was rockhounding Michigan.
As an avid outdoors enthusiast who stumbled upon rockhounding in Michigan, I’m thrilled to offer a beginner guide you to looking for fossils in Michigan and the Great Lakes. So read on to discover common types of rocks in Michigan, where to find them and recommended tools.
Lake Onteora has some of the easiest and most accessible hikes near Kingston, New York. It’s located up Route 28 just three miles west of Kingston, within the Bluestone Wild Forest.
As a Kingston local, I’ve hiked each of Lake Onteora’s trails multiple times, from water snowshoe treks to summer blueberry picking hikes. So read on for all the Onteora Lake Trail details and my favorite locals’ tips to make the most of these accessible hikes near Kingston, NY!