Just out., May 01, 1998, Page 21, Image 21

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ip Rupinski, a gay travel agent with
Carlson Wagonlit (formerly of Travel
Agents International) in downtown
Portland, can rattle off a list of gay and lesbian
mainstays for regional summer vacations: San
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ome women, each with $2,545 to spare,
will find themselves spending their 1998
summer vacations floating down the
Amazon River with Women in Motion
tours, complete with pink dolphins swimming
alongside their chartered boat. The brochure
promises dolphins.
Meanwhile, a world away, a few gay men
and lesbians, for nearly $3,000 each, will spend
12 days with Family Abroad tours sailing
through the Aegean Sea visiting Greece and
Turkey.
Or why not join thousands of lesbians and
gay men in Amsterdam for Gay Games V in
early August?
The gay and lesbian travel business is
booming and it can be very expensive. Closer
to home, though, it can be a bit more reason­
able, and our own backyard has plenty to offer
queer travelers looking for a summer getaway.
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Summer beckons queer travelers to come out and play
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Francisco, Russian River, Hawaii....
Wayne Boulette, a gay travel agent with 17
years of experience, mentions Hawaii as the
top destination for Portlanders, regardless of
their sexuality. Even in the summer heat, gay
and lesbian couples are flocking to the islands
for “union” ceremonies.
Boulette also points out that any place
becomes a gay destination if the city has a
pride celebration. And Boulette s experience
tells him that the most popular pride celebra­
tion in the Pacific Time Zone is in Long
Beach, Calif., happening early in the season,
May 16 and 17.
“People who know it want it,” he says. “It
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draws lots of out movie stars. Long Beach is a
very active community. There’s a lot of pride in
it.”
Paring back a traveler’s budget even further
and breaking out the pup tent (queers being
the kings and queens of camp), there are a
variety of summer events heavy on rustic relax­
ation and low on cost.
Sharing Long Beach’s sensibilities, another
event saddling up early for the season is the
Gay and Lesbian Equestrian, Biker and Hiker
Games and Camp-Out.
The event, which is in its eighth year, is
held at Goose Lake Ranch in Bend, Ore., from
May 22 to 25. This is a summertime must for
IGLTA 1997 M ember S urvey
The 1997 survey of IQLTA m em bers illustrates some o f the particulars of sexual m inority
trailers.
Those surveyed said;
4 The top destination of the» L/G/B clients is California.
4 Their L/G/B clients travel internationally more often than domestic.
4 Forty-two percent of clients prefer to stay at gay/lesbian resorts exclusively; 16 percent never do.
To find an IGLTA member travel agent or IGLTA accomodations, call the association at
1-800-448-8550
Elvis-adoring cowpokes, as one day of events is
dedicated to the King.
Queer Fest ’98, scheduled for early June, is a
three day gathering at Camp Westwind on the
Oregon coast near Lincoln City.
Produced by Q-Basics, it’s a call to all “gay,
lesbian, bi, trans, same-gender-loving and queer
folks” interested in celebrating themselves and
their culture. A fee of $75 includes meals.
Cabins are available, but don’t expect room
service.
Lesbians trying to channel their muses— or
just get a little time alone with them— will
have ample opportunity at two separate sum­
mer events.
The first is the Dyke Art Retreat
Encampment slated June 28 to July 5 in
Southern Oregon for less than $200. Later in
the summer, Aug. 3 to 8, and for a bit more
money, try Dyke Art Camp. But don’t try
bringing any alcohol or pets. (They apparently
don’t mix well with the outdoor waterbed.)
For women who spent the gray months
watching too much Xerui, Wamor Princess and
Continued on page 21