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Power lesbians, WeHo gym bunnies, Silver Lake scenesters, DTLA daddies and maybe even a RuPaul sighting (hey, it’s happened to us!) await, so get yourself to the nearest freeway (LA is full of them) and make a morning beeline for the City of Angels.
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The Abbey | Flickr photo by Ed and Eddie Day 3: Los Angeles
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A big(ish) city in its own right, Long Beach has a surprisingly large queer scene centered around gay nabe Alamitos Beach and the bars lining Broadway including The Brit, Mineshaft and Falcon.Ī Long Beach legend, the Varden Hotel has been around since the ’20s (it was originally the Dolly Varden!), but has been spiffed up and is now a simple and affordable downtown gem sharing a city block with homo burger hangout Hamburger Mary’s.ĪLSO: Extend your gay stay an extra day when you earn rewards good toward hotels, only with Orbitz Rewards! Swerve back to the coastal highway and end the day with a night out in Long Beach, home of the gayest sounding retired ship-the Queen Mary. Heading north on PCH, dart inland onto I-5 for a quickie dinner at the Anaheim Packing District, a multi-level food hall housed in a former citrus-packing warehouse dating back to 1919. Regardless, Laguna’s beachfront downtown is immaculate and a full day can happily be wasted here. Once a legit gay getaway, its queer cred has waned in recent years but pretty West Street Beach still draws an LGBTQ crowd, and one gay bar- Main Street-remains. Yes, you’ll see military women and men in (make that “out of”) uniform.Ībout 30 minutes up the road is Riviera-like Laguna Beach. It might be too early to hit the beach, but depending on how late a start you get (we know you, girl), there’s a gay (and nude) section at surf mecca San Onofre State Beach which is a literal stone’s throw from the Orange County line and close to Camp Pendleton. Laguna Beach Day 2: Orange County and Long Beachīefore waving goodbye to America’s finest city, fuel up first at Wow Wow Waffle in North Park with a savory liege waffle topped with avocado, candied bacon and goat cheese (heaven!). The Berkshire Motor Hotel is one of the city’s best budget options and close(ish) to gay dive bars Pecs and the Eagle. LGBTQ ‘hood Hillcrest is woefully lacking in good accommodations, but bumping North Park is only a stone’s throw away by car. Club crowds join the queue at Rich’s around 11pm. Order from the “liq-her” cabinet at Sapphic hangout and eatery Gossip Grill or chill at video bar Flick’s. Satisfy your margarita and ‘mo craving in one swoop at gay hot spot Baja Betty’s. The epicenter of gay life in San Diego is Hillcrest and there’s much to see and do. Ocean Beach is funky and chill the party crowd loves Pacific Beach (aka PB), but clothing optional Black’s Beach is hands down (or should we say pants down?) San Diego’s gay beach. You came to California for the beach, right? San Diego’s 70 miles of coastline are yours for the taking. Afterward, snap a selfie at the photogenic Botanical Building and Lily Pond. The climb offers incredible 360-degree views of the city. Skip the museum, but work off breakfast by climbing the California Tower (which only recently opened to the public) via guided tour. Next, head to Balboa Park to the gayley named Museum of Man. The best brekkies in San Diego are at Hash House A Go Go and Breakfast Republic, but if you’re on the move, swing by Nomad Donuts and grab a to-go doughnut topped with bacon (to balance out the carbs, of course). San Diego | Photo courtesy of Visit San Diego Day 1: San Diego