Gay Vancouver – Experience The Great Outdoors

[TotallyOz]

Gay Vancouver – Experience The Great Outdoors

At BoyToy.com we believe that our members like a little bit of variety in their gaycations. While it's wonderful to sit on a beach in Thailand during the day and hit the boy bars at night, that's not the only type of vacation you want. Sometimes you want to see a bit of history and culture and head over to Vienna or Paris. Other times, you want to have an active outdoors vacation. And that's fine.

In fact, my manly men, big old bears, turgid twinks and sexy silver foxes, that's why today I'm going to talk to you about one of the best places in the gay world for a vacation if you are into the great outdoors – Vancouver Canada.

Vancouver doesn't get a lot of talk in the gay press, and that's a shame – since it's so gay-friendly that it has the highest number of gay men of any Canadian city. There is lots to do, it's perfectly acceptable to hold hands or smooch a dude in public and, like Toronto, the city is incredibly gay-positive.

And, there is so much to do. Because it's located on the water, but surrounded by mountains, you can literally windsurf in the mornings, then go snowboarding in the afternoon of the same day. So you can, in essence, combine a summer and winter vacation in one trip. How fun is that?

Running and biking are also very popular, particularly along the Seawall, a great route that takes you through beautiful parks with striking water views. There are also a bunch of golf courses, and renting speedboats is also very popular. All in all, if you want to do something other than a rent boy, Vancouver is a great gay destination.

The only downside for some people is that the beaches tend to have rocks rather than sand at the water's edge. You'll get used to it, but it can be a distraction if you are used to sand with your sun.

The Gayborhoods

Just like Toronto, Vancouver has two distinct gayborhoods. The most prominent one is the West End, which is gay in general, but has a super-gay subsection called Davie Village. The village is marked with giant rainbow flag signs, and nearly every business in the village also displays the rainbow. When you are in Davie Village, you may feel like you are in an alternate universe where straight people don't exist – and that's not always a bad thing, if you know what I mean.

When there, you'll want to check out Little Sister's Book And Art Emporium – one of the oldest gay book stories in North America. You'll have access to free maps, and magazines detailing what's going on with gay life in Vancouver at the moment. Many bars and clubs also leave coupons here for free drinks and discounted entry, so it should certainly be your first stop when you get into town and want to get oriented.

The other gayborhood is Commercial Drive. The main advantage Commercial has over Davie Village is that the restaurants are much better – so if you want a good meal before a night of sucking and fucking, Commercial Drive may be the destination for you.

The downside of Commercial Drive is that it has a much higher percentage of lesbians and lesbian-themed bars and clubs than Davie Village. So, if it bothers you to be in a part of town where the majority of the gay population has vaginas, then you'll probably want to spend most of your time in Davie Village.

Saunas

Both Davie Village and Commercial Drive have a ton of gay saunas. They are not very expensive, and tend to attract a mixed crowd – everyone from college kids to dudes in their 70s. They tend to not attract very many rent boys, but there is generally enough of a variety of man meat.

While we generally don't endorse specific places in these travel guides, we have to recommend Steamworks, which is actually a chain of gay saunas that have theme nights, dark rooms, dance parties and the type of stuff you'd generally associate with a club rather than a sauna. It's a somewhat unique experience to be in a corporate-owned gay sex sauna franchise.

Gay Life In Vancouver

Canadians are so damned civilized compared to America when it comes to the gays. You can get married in Vancouver. Gay escorts are also completely legal, and there are multiple gay brothels. Beyond that, gay escorts can and do advertise legally online, in gay magazines, and even in local newspapers. Being in Vancouver or Toronto is the closest you'll get to being treated exactly the way straight people are in most of the world. This alone is reason enough to take a visit and contribute some cash to their local economy.

July is when Vancouver holds their pride parade. There are also multiple fetish parades, gay and lesbian film festivals, drag shows, strip bars and everything else you can imagine in your kinky little brains.

Tourist Things

Because Vancouver is a very young city, you won't see the types of churches and traditional tourist attractions you find in Europe or the Far East. But there are still some fun things you can write home about.

The Granville Island Brewery is awesome for anyone who likes beer. And because of the large Chinese population, Vancouver is known for having the best dim sum restaurants in North America. The Museum of Anthropology is also popular.

Let's Do Vancouver!

Vancouver is very nice to the gays, so let's reward them for being cool – I'd love to fly up there and meet you by the hotel pool! We might even have time to snowboard before we hit the clubs or at least site by the fire and watch our boytoy's hit the slopes.

cc boytoy.com 2013

[RA1]

Even though I have not the experience with the gay life in CYVR that others may have, I have been there several times and can attest to it being a very interesting venue in general. There are many, many places to visit in and around YVR. All seem like fun.

However, a few friends and escorts seem to have had a problem with Canadian customs who ask silly questions like, why are you here, etc. Usually the best and correct answer is for a vacation. But, the authorities might, since they have raised the question in the first place, continue on with their investigation and see if you have a "record" past or present in any US state. If so, they may not allow you into the country.

I know this has happened to some.

This is not intended to denigrate Canada or any such, but merely to serve as a "consideration" for any to whom it might apply.

Best regards,

RA1

[Guest zipperzone]

RA1: It's a case of tit for tat. Try entering the US from Canada and if they find a previous record they send you packing. There was a case not too long ago where a woman in her 60's was denied entry because the computer found that she was charged with shoplifting as a teenager, over 40 years ago.

[RA1]

Zip-

I certainly agree. I don't know which country started it and to some extent it really does not matter but I abhor the fact that such exists. Canada and the US have very much in common and they should be extolling each other's virtues, not trying to find fault.

I have always had fun in Canada and found the citizens to be friendly. I have done my best to offer the same when I have had Canadian customers or just visitors here in my own baliwick.

Best regards,

RA1

[AdamSmith]

In 2006 I drove from Boston to Quebec City for business. (I know, what is my trouble?!) Anyway, entering Canada was a breeze but re-entering the U.S., there was an hour-long backup, then they all but did a French Connection tear-down, searching the trunk, etc. Yeesh.

[Guest zipperzone]

Zip-

I certainly agree. I don't know which country started it and to some extent it really does not matter but I abhor the fact that such exists. Canada and the US have very much in common and they should be extolling each other's virtues, not trying to find fault.

I have always had fun in Canada and found the citizens to be friendly. I have done my best to offer the same when I have had Canadian customers or just visitors here in my own baliwick.

Best regards,

RA1

In years long gone by such scrutiny was not possible. And then came the little device called "a computer" which eventually had enough data stored to make all this possible. However the events of 9/11 escalated these policies to ridiculous heights. Paranoia reigns and who knows that little old grey haired lady might have a bomb in her bra.

[JKane]

RA1, I also have seen customs at the airport get a little deeper than you'd expect into people's business. A friend of mine ended up with a protectionist agent worried he was their to steal Canadian jorbs. FUNNY for those of us in entertainment that are regularly having our work stolen by much less talented--but governmentally subsidized--Vancouverites!

I wish I'd tried Steamworks. Otherwise loved the city. Granted I've not yet been to New York, but downtown Vancouver felt the closest to what I'd expect of it of anywhere I've ever been! Wonderful hotels and food downtown... but parking at my hotel cost something like $20/day.

Might mention the weather in the piece... I was there on a gorgeous weekend but quite a few people went out of their way to tell me it wasn't normally like that! Dreary/rainy often cold was the implication. My hotel had complimentary (to borrow) golf umbrellas in each room... it's basically Seattle North, after all.

Also, you kind of alluded to this, I was surprised by the ethnic variety of the city, with a surprisingly large Asian population. Many many restaurants are some kind of Asian fusion and many of the escorts I looked up were Asian as well.

Is there any gay strip club scene in Vancouver?

[BiBottomBoy]

http://www.yelp.ca/search?find_desc=gay+strip+club&find_loc=Vancouver,+BC

[JKane]

Oh, and the single weirdest thing I noticed in Vancouver (is it all of Canada?)... ICED TEA.

Top of the line restaurants are proud to serve fucking FOUNTAIN ICED TEA (Brisk from a soda machine). Many offered me the choice of brewed or fountain! High end places mind you, who the hell asks for canned iced tea over fresh??? Medium to low end places usually just had fountain/canned. Bleck!

[JKane]

http://www.yelp.ca/search?find_desc=gay+strip+club&find_loc=Vancouver,+BC

Thanks, I guess that's a no, those all seem like clubs at best.

[BiBottomBoy]

To be honest I prefer Lipton's canned peach iced tea over fresh.

[RA1]

It is really hard to find good, fresh iced tea. A lot of it is instant even here in the land of iced tea (the South).

Best regards,

RA1