Want to marry your beau at a picture-perfect winery in Niagara, ON? Thinking about planning a wedding like “The L Word” gals on the slopes of Whistler, BC? What about sunset nuptials on Nova Scotia’s quaint coast or getting hitched horseback in Alberta with the Rockies as your backdrop?
Canada is one of only five countries in the world that invites same-sex couples to legally tie the knot. Word is getting out. (For a guide of same-sex wedding planning in Canada, visit www.gay.com.)
“I love Canada,” says Ed Salvato, editor in chief of The Out Traveler and travel media corporate director at PlanetOut. “Gay and lesbian visitors will feel a warm welcome just about anywhere, and not just the big three ‘traditionally gay-friendly’ hot spots—Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver. I’ve been in eastern British Columbia (heli-hiking), Québec City (romantic get-away) and in Halifax (for a historical tour), and in all places felt right at home.”
But saying “I do” isn’t the only reason Canada’s becoming the new “it” destination for the gay and lesbian crowd. Maybe it’s the mix of culture, cuisine, landscape and adventure, combined with friendly faces and relaxed attitudes.
There’s men-only or women-only outdoor exploration with Yukon Pride in the Yukon Territory www.yukonpride.ca, Old World charm and outrageous circuit parties in Montréal www.tourisme-montreal.org, the “gaybourhoods” of Toronto (Latin drag at El Convento Rico) www.torontotourism.com, and GLBT date movies at Vancouver’s August “Out On Screen” www.outonscreen.com.
Winnipeg, MB is gaining a rep as a pioneer settlement turned GLBT gathering spot. The Chicago of the North, Winnipeg’s got historic architecture, shopping, culture, cabarets and cafés just like the big cities, but on a more intimate scale. Sophisticated, open-minded and fun—what’s not to like?