Visiting the Hemingway House in Key West The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum is located at 907 Whitehead Street, close to the Key West Lighthouse and Museum. Many gay men enjoy the freedom and exhibitionism that comes with nudism and gay resorts are the perfect place to enjoy it in a private setting. Yet, despite my appearance, I still feel wildly insecure in these spaces; when I approach someone I find cute, they'll often look me up and down, their demeanor giving off a Why did you bother coming up to me? vibe. If you're at a loss for what to see first, try the Key West Aquarium, the Key West Shipwreck Museum, or the Truman Little White House. With a legacy of more than 45 years, its the top gay resort on the island. The current owners purchased the property in 1999 and completely renovated the complex. If your ship docks at the Navy Mole, there will be a shuttle trolley available to take you into town. Founded in 2014, misterb&b is not a hotel or chain, but rather a booking site for rooms, apartments and homes. Apart from Key Wests natural beauty, tourist attractions and sites are abundant. I said hello, and I was not met with judgmental glances or curt dismissalsjust equally enthusiastic hellos and getting-to-know-you questions. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. They have great reviews by guests on TripAdvisor and theyve received the coveted Certificate of Excellence since 2010. The brilliant blue-green ocean is dotted with sailboats, catamarans and wave runners; it's obvious that people are out to have an exhilarating day on (and in) the balmy waters. The road to Key West is a beautiful experience itself. Even though Island House is known for its sexual energy, its also just a great place to enjoy the sun, find a spot poolside to read a book, or simply be left alone if that is what you prefer. Tennessee Williams, a gay literary icon, called Key West home and the Tennessee Williams Museum offers a self-guided tour through his life and work. LGBTQ Pride Guide 2022 | PASSPORT Magazine, Traveling Gourmet My Favorite Middle Eastern And Mediterranean Restaurants in the USA, Seven of our Favorite Food Tours in the USA & Canada, The Perfect Cocktails for Your Memorial Day Celebration, Delicious Holiday Cocktails You Can Make for Your Friends and Family this Holiday Season, Delicious Coffee & Tea Advent Calendars to Celebrate the Holidays, Dallas Dish! Many of them wished me Happy New Year a few days ago, and there's one couple Jonzu and I are planning to visit in Atlanta. I fit that idealized gay mold to a tee. Weve been helping guys from around the world make the most of their Key West vacations for almost 20 years. Alexanders Guest House is another award-winning resort in Key West. Visit Key West, Florida on your next Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line where you can see the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum, the Key West Aquarium and more. In fact, there are four different LGBTQ-specific, Room rates are expensive, and prices for breakfast our food inside are also. In all my years living in New York, Ive never been to a public bar where you could have sex anywhere you want. . St. Kitts. beaches, theres still plenty of sunshine and swimming pools. Gay retail institutions include Leather Master of Key West, Graffitti Clothing Store, In Touch Novelties, and countless gay owned and operated art galleries. Users can create as many collections as needed with a single copy of the software. Arriving to the small island airport was The two-by-four-mile island has a lot of seafood, predictably. More men kept joining, and before we knew it, the tub was filled with 15 stranger talking to each other. They have hosts in more than 135 countries with more than 200,000 total listings. Big, tall, black, white, or small, Island House is a community of real people, all here to enjoy a fabulous Key West vacation. Create a charming quaint wood garden gate from these authentic 1880s designs. Join the flocks of gays for annual celebrations and events like New Years Eve, Key West Pride in June, Tropical Heat in August and Women Fest over Labor Day Weekend. With over $3M in renovations, rebuilding, expansion, and upgrades, the Island House is quite obviously designed by gay men, for gay men. After our three nights in Fort Lauderdale, we loaded up our drop-top Jeep rental and started our drive of 106.5 scenic miles of the coastal Overseas Highway which took us to gorgeous Key West, Florida in just about 3.5 hours. Live cabaret singing, local celebrity theatre, and world-class female impersonators are a staple on this island. 60 Seconds in Key West and The Florida Keys Enjoy a place where closets are only for your clothes. Is everyone always thisdown?, Every weekend, he replied without missing a beat. Before you do anything, check that the person you're flirting with is of legal age. Admission is $15 for adults, and $6 for children ages 6-12. And whats even better? The guy working the front desk, Gordon, was a former drag queen with strong Harvey Fierstein vibes. After settling in, my partner Joe went for a bite. During this time, you can order premium drinks from the bar, including top-shelf cocktails, beer, mojitos and more. Additional LGBTQ tips and a guide to the town is produced by the Key West Business Guild. The Pink Triangle is on the 700 block of Duval Street, and surrounding sidestreets. Fury Water Adventures offers a variety of high-adrenaline water activities and sports. Exciting Summer Events in the Sullivan Catskills! Eventually, another gaggle of gays sat down next to us, and announced that we all needed to head to a bar called Saloon for the competitions. As one guy explained, Saloon invited men up on stage to compete in various categories, including best chest, best dick, "gayest-looking," and sexiest couple. 200 Greene St, Key West, FL 33040, USA. LGBTQ hotspots and beach towns across the United States. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. To avoid sexually transmitted diseases, always use a condom. This is a sanctuary, which caters beautifully to the mix of each personality that is within each of us. Of course, with If they tell you NO, respect and do not disturb, just as you'd like to be respected. Everyone was friendlyand while that should be the norm among gay and bi men, it hasn't been the case for me in Manhattan. The Lambert Signature Cocktail of The Hammered Lamb in Orlando, Florida. You literally couldnt be any closer to the Old Town party scene. The Car of the Future is Here, and its Electric! (I was so enamored that at one point in the evening, I sucked it.). Key West. Even though Island House is known for its sexual energy, its also just a great place to enjoy the sun, find a spot poolside to read a book, or simply be left alone if that is what you prefer. Try one of these old-fashioned lemonade recipes from an 1862 bartenders guide. Where are Glory Holes in Key West, Florida? Gran Canariais a unique, gay-friendly and an adventurous place to visit. Alexanders Guest House Island Oasis Boasting Tropical Elegance. TO QUALIFY: Stay 4 or more consecutive nights between 11/7/22 6/11/23 3 FREE NIGHTS: Weeknights only between 6/12/23 9/28/23 (consecutive stays only) WEEKNIGHTS ARE: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday BLACKOUT DATES: 4th of July, Bone Island, Tropical Heat & Labor Day. Located on a quiet neighborhood street in the heart of Key Wests Old Town, this beautifully and thoughtfully restored Key West Conch house was built in 1902 and is proudly gay-owned and operated. Duval Street, one of the most energetic strips of shops, bars and cafes anywhere, offers Sloppy Joe's bar, a favorite Key West hangout of novelist Ernest Hemingway. We didnt know what to expect, but we planned a safety-conscious birthday trip, avoiding all bars and nightclubs and only dining in restaurants that practiced social distancing. How Most Credit Cards COVID-19 Relief Package Dont Actually Help Us, How to Know When Youre Home: Making the Most of a New City, New Apartment, and New Life. Nice has recently become one of the gay hot spots on the Mediterranean. BEST PRIVATE ISLAND, 20 YEARS IN A ROW PORTHOLE CRUISE MAGAZINE. Whether youre the shy and quiet type who likes to relax and lose himself in a book, or maybe youre the life of the party who wants to meet everyone over copious cocktails. I've been on more than a few such vacations myself, and included some of my faves on the list. We were given a tour of the property, including the large outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, outdoor restaurant and bar, gym with free-weights and machines, steam room, and sauna areas which all had COVID-19 capacity and social distance restrictions in place. Since then . Now it's an award-winning clothing-optional resort for gay men and one of the most popular in Key West. Moreover it is easy to identify individual collection records at a glance with both detailed images and exact descriptions. (And The Conch Shack has some of the best beer and alcohol prices for any other bar in Old Town Key West!). In a future article, Ill write a review of my lovely time there at a really fun place in FTL, but for thispiece, I want to share my first-time experience staying at the popular Island House Key West Resort. Tennessee Williams wrote about Key West, I can write anywhere, but I write the best here. Something in the spirit of Key West just makes it that kind of perfectly livable, perfectly enjoyable destination. The line can be long, especially on days when cruise ships are in port. With a large LGBTQ local population and a history of There are several clothing-optional, gay hotels and resorts in Key West and Island House is the most popular and well known. When its time to head out for dinner and a night out on the town, youre just a minute from Duval Street and all the action. If you want to know where are Glory Holes in Key West and you want to practice sex anonymously and respectfully, here you can find and share places such as public baths, videobooths, sex clubs, sex shops and X rooms, where you will find Glory Holes in Key West, Florida. The visitors center is operated by the Key West Business Guild which has promoted the island to LGBTQ travelers since 1978. Not only is this one of the best all-gay cafs, it rivals the best of Key West restaurants for a relaxed, fun, and delicious experience. 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Sign up withmisterb&b and you will receive a free $10 credit to use on your first booking! Note: My visit to Key West was supported and sponsored by the Florida Keys. A 2x4 mile island with a huge personality, funky and quirky residents, and a live-and-let-live mindset, Key West really makes you never want to leave. Cruise to Key West, Florida You don't need to venture outside the United States to find the perfect island getaway. waiting area for luggage, taxis, and snacks. Accommodations include a dog-friendly cottage, one-bedroom apartment, and a variety of simple and comfortable guest rooms some of which have small kitchens and balcony access. Copenhagen is an urban city with a population of just over a million inhabitants. 10 based on 1208 reviews. St. Maarten. Located right across the street from Smathers Beach. Grammy Voter. Still, I'm going to do my best to bring my Key West mindset the next time I get dragged to Hell's Kitchen. For fine-dining seafood, Azur Restaurant (gay-owned) serves Mediterranean-style dishes infused with traditional Italian ingredients. Discover more travel tips for the Florida Keys on their tourism website. The three of them were very easy on the eyes, well-equipped, tanning belly up, and glistening proudly with everything on display. Required fields are marked *, Gay Nice the best gay hotels, bars, clubs & more. LGBT favorites include Bourbon St. Pub, Aqua Nightclub, 801 Bourbon, Sidebar, Saloon One, and Bobbys Monkey Bar. The venues tend to consist of identical-looking Ken Dollsthe kind of guys who put "no fats" and "masc only" in their Scruff bios. The crowds are why I steer clear of going out in Hells Kitchen and West Hollywood, the gay clubbing capitals of New York City and Los Angeles, respectively. Later that night, Jonzu and I ran into a few guys from the hot tub at Bourbon Street Pub, one of three main gay bars in Key West. That said, once the sun went down, things did get sexual, and I wasn't complaining. While seafood is available just about everywhere in Key West, there are plenty of other options, too. Enjoy the scenery and peaceful calm of a late afternoon sail aboard a 70-foot catamaran with plenty of deck space to stretch out and enjoy the breathtaking view. With a world-class gym and a 24-hour poolside bar & caf, the clothing-optional resort offers a great escape. There are many other sites for apartment rentals including Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com. Cruises to Key West, Florida . Featuring a large heated pool, indoor and outdoor jacuzzies, steam room, and 24 hour gym and caf; this clothing optional resort provides everything you could . The sun deck and pool are popular all times of the day and night, and the rooms are all surprisingly spacious with plenty of on-site amenities. On this travel blog, youll find my gay stories, nightlife tips, restaurant reviews, product recs, and all-too-personal essays from my adventures in NYC and around the world. The entire place is full of LGBT+ guests and the staff has been extensively trained to provide you with a welcoming and gay-friendly experience. I felt like I had a communitya gay male community that I havent been able to find in New York despite living here for four years. This service level is another bonus for tourists during a time of COVID precautions because you can avoid venturing into crowds and instead have quality meals on-property. Cristo Vlahos, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. In late March of last year, the pandemic put a stop to cruising. For the most part, we just wanted to enjoy the beach, hotel swimming pools, and responsible local dining. The Victorian mansion boasts a riot of architecture styles including Queen Anne, Eastlake, Italianate and Stick attributes. In the late 1970s the property was made into a gay mens hotel, and, once purchased in 1999, the Island House breathed new life. Not everyone is looking for the same thing as you. Top Sights & Attractions for Cruises to Key West Key West Aquarium Hold sea stars, hermit crabs, and conches in the palm of your hands in the "touch tank" of the Key West Aquarium, plus enjoy free guided tours and maybe even a shark feeding session. Key West Florida Reef Half-Day Snorkeling Excursion 1016 Enjoy an afternoon of swimming and snorkeling on this cruise off the coast of Key West. Here are a few things to consider if staying at Island House interests you. Island House Key West Resort The Island House is a globally-known hotel and "playground" where gay men can be themselves, discretely or just letting it all hang out. The last three days had instilled a courage in me that I'd never had meeting groups of gay men before. The food is some of the best on the island, and the live entertainment is quirky and fun in a way you can only expect from Key West. Key West gay bars know how to throw an unforgettable party! The elegant yet modern and comfortable suites and guest rooms feel like a home away from home and feature a private bath, air conditioning, flat screen TV, mini-fridge and modern amenities. Key West Express - Jet powered catamaran trips from Fort Meyer and Marco Island to Key West. In a town with as much life and energy as Key West has, dont miss out on desert! Celebrity cruises to Key West, Florida typically dock in Pier B, which is a short walk from many attractions. Understanding Key Wests gay scene is much more easily done with the help of a local and apartment sharing is one of the best ways to meet someone living in the city who knows how things work, where and when are the best nights to go out, and what places to eat at and which to avoid. (Look for the celebrated six-toed cats). All Rights Reserved. Not only are we diverse as people, Island House celebrates being diverse in body types. Have fun replicating one of these 100 year old restaurant menus. I would love the vibes could spread to cities like NYC and LA, but I'm not sure it'll happen, since Key West is a gay vacation town; people go with the mindset of having fun and meeting new people. Not at Saloon. Standard cancellation rules apply. I'm Zach great to meet you." Overall, our stay at Island House was terrific. Island House Key West Luxury Playground in Paradise. The staff was accommodating and attentive, and we look forward to returning post-pandemic to. Has been extensively trained to provide you with a world-class gym and a poolside! Proudly with everything on display the mix of each personality that is within each of.. I 've been on more than a few things to consider if staying at island House interests.. To avoid sexually transmitted diseases, always use a condom Vlahos, BY-SA! 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