Kelsy Chauvin

Unplanned, the sun rose in the horseshoe–shaped gap between El Capitan and Half Dome.
It was 6 A.M. in Yosemite National Park, and I was officially 50 years old. From our perch away from all other people, my wife Denise and I popped the fine Iron Horse Vineyards brut she bought a few days earlier in Sonoma County—fittingly called Reflection. Sunrise over Yosemite is even better with bubbles.
I’d never considered 50 a big deal, until it was only three months away. When I turned 40, Denise and I were newly dating and I lured her to the Grand Canyon for sunrise. So it made sense to...

Travelers to Little Rock are always quick to discover a bevy of outsized surprises. The Arkansas state capital is a diverse city rich in unforgettable restaurants, unique attractions, and a fun array of LGBTQ+ hotspots. Home to just 202,000 residents, Little Rock earned its nickname as "the biggest little city in the South" with flair–even earning a place on Southern Living's 2024 Best Cities in the South list.
The capital is home to a mix of LGBTQ+-owned businesses and year-round events, inc...

Half a mile out we saw the enormous mouths of humpback whales breach upward from the water’s surface.

A dozen giant jaws gulped water and air, then receded into the icy waters outside Glacier Bay. Gulls swirled around the white wash as the humpback tails flipped up then lunged back down. The process repeated off and on for an hour, until the grand finale of the pod “mugging” by for a quick look at our ship before disappearing.

It was only our second day cruising the Inner Passage aboard this Alaskan Dream Cruise (alaskandreamcruises.com), and already what we saw had blown our minds...

by Kelsy Chauvin
The radiant green valleys of Sonoma County are famous for their vineyards. But at Mine + Farm in the small town of Guerneville, outside the 805-acre Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, a different green is part of a unique guest experience. The nine-room former fruit and hops farm in Russian River Valley is now a cannabis-friendly lodge. “It’s a surprise-and-delight element for guests to discover,” says Suzanne Szostak, who, along with life and business partner Bryce Skolfield, opened Mine + Farm as a modern take on old-fashioned B&Bs...

This June marks the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, which kickstarted the gay rights movement in 1969. The bar where it all began has been commemorated as a national monument, with a new visitor center debuting this summer. It’s part of a small but mighty contingent of LGBTQ heritage markers in the city, including the New York City AIDS Memorial, the Alice Austen House, and Brooklyn’s Marsha P. Johnson State Park, which in 2020 became New York’s fi...

Sitges is home to one of Europe’s most welcoming LGBTQ communities, and no matter when you visit the Sitges lifestyle will seduce you.

The small Spanish city of Sitges is a sparkling gem on the Mediterranean, where the slower pace and seaside atmosphere command your full attention. In a flash you may realize you’ve forgotten everything else for the sake of just being present and adapting to the locals’ leisurely tempo, and it is heavenly.

Just 40-minutes south via the R2 train from Barcelona,...

The starring attraction of any Texas getaway has to be the food. Lovers of zingy barbecue and luscious Tex-Mex seek out their favorites anywhere and everywhere across the Lone Star State. And in Plano, expect to find all those comfort-food classics waiting for you–along with dazzlingly creative menus from local chefs, paired with down-home fun and entertainment.
Plano is a short 20 miles north from Dallas, plus it's part of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) rail network...

From designer desert digs to family water fun to spa serenity, we have a getaway for you.

Framed by the towering San Jacinto Mountains and filled with iconic mid-century modern buildings popping with bright colors, it’s easy to shift into vacation mode as soon as you arrive in sun-filled Palm Springs.

There is one challenge, though...zeroing in on the right accommodations. Palm Springs serves up everything from luxury hotels to casual inns, family fun spots with pools galore to adults-only spa retreats...

Just off Piazza Maggiore, Bologna’s central square, the Quadrilatero seduces all of the senses. Grocers deal out chunks of nutty, rich Parmigiano Reggiano cheese as samples to discerning shoppers, along with razor-thin slices of prosciutto di Parma that melt on the tongue. Wine bars pour effervescent glasses of local pignoletto wine alongside boards of warm focaccia, lightly salty-herby mortadella, and balsamic so delectable it tastes closer to dark-chocolate syrup than vinegar....

We curve around a bend on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail on the outskirts of Anchorage, Alaska, finally catching a break from the overcast skies. It’s easy to understand how this is considered one of the country’s most beautiful urban coastal trails. On our bikes, we pedal along quiet stretches under the dappled sun that gives way to the wide harbor and downtown skyline vistas.
Suddenly, our Alaska Trail Guides leader pauses our ride and whispers the words we’d hoped to hear: “There’s a mama bear...

It was a brisk evening in Barcelona on the hotel rooftop. Our bottle of cava, two glasses, and a view across the Gothic Quarter felt like the perfect welcome back to the Catalonian capital.
We heard footsteps and laughter rising from the slim streets below. A few blocks away, the ancient spires of the Barcelona Cathedral glowed orange with last daylight, timed with evening church bells ringing softly across the city.
I haven’t stopped dreaming about Barcelona since my first visit there in...

The happy couple seemed to glow in the soft sunshine of Canandaigua Lake, posing effortlessly in love on the waterfront promenade. They stood in a moment of perfect autumn weather, and the kind of natural beauty that’s made New York’s Finger Lakes a beloved and understated wedding destination—and as much of a treat for guests as it is for the newlyweds.
As one of the country’s favorite wine and food regions, the Finger Lakes now rivals Napa, Sonoma, and even some European destinations for its...

The best cities have layers. Thom Seivewright found new, surprising ones in his hometown of Montreal, and he’s sharing them through his deep-dive Queerstory tour.
After years as a Clefs d’Or-member hotel concierge, Seivewright, 44, got out from behind the desk to begin working as a local tour guide. He completed guiding-school coursework, learning all about Montreal’s famous sights and attractions, such as its French-colonial origins, religious history, and iconic architecture, but he soon realized that success as a city guide would come from differentiating himself. He wanted...

Love and marriage may be the ultimate gift, but just beyond those cherished vows and celebratory toasts comes the unforgettable honeymoon. Unlike the nuptials themselves, the honeymoon is intimate; a private dessert for two. It’s chapter one of a love story. Better still, it’s the newlyweds’ first chance to voyage together in wedded harmony. For LGBTQ+ couples, planning a romantic honeymoon comes with familiar choices—beach or city, resort or B&B, adventure or light recreation—plus considerations about feeling welcome as well as safe...

The small island nation in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea is bound to be the greatest show in Europe this September 7 through 17. Over those 10 days, Malta will host EuroPride Valletta 2023 in its capital city, with superstar Christina Aguilera headlining the highly anticipated closing concert on Saturday, September 16.
EuroPride is one of the world's largest LGBTQ+ celebrations, taking place in different European Union nations each year since 1992...