The editors of Out and About, a gay and lesbian newsletter, have described Miami's South Beach as the "hippest, hottest, most happening gay travel destination in the world." For many years, that could also be said of Key West, which still is one of the country's most popular destinations for gays. Fort Lauderdale -- where gays own more than 20 motels, 40 bars, and numerous other businesses -- is definitely also on the gay-friendly map.
You can contact the Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Community Services of Central Florida, 946 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, FL 32803 (tel. 407/228-8272; www.glbcc.org), whose welcome packets usually include the latest issue of the Triangle, a quarterly newsletter dedicated to gay and lesbian issues, and a calendar of events pertaining to the gay and lesbian community. Although not a tourist-specific packet, it includes information and ads for the area's gay and lesbian clubs.
Watermark, P.O. Box 533655, Orlando, FL 32853 (tel. 407/481-2243; fax 407/481-2246; www.watermarkonline.com), is a biweekly tabloid newspaper covering the gay and lesbian scene, including dining and entertainment options, in Orlando, the Tampa Bay area, and Daytona Beach.
The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) (tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses and tour operators.
