What a year it was!
2010 had some truly awful travel moments (disabled cruise ships, erupting volcanoes, exploding oil wells, snowbound airports), but it also offered sublime places, pictures, and people from the world over many of which we featured right here.
During my peripatetic wanderings this year, I had quite a few unforgettable experiences. It was tough to pare the list down, but here here are, in no specific order, the hotels, destinations, and excursions that rocked my travel world this year.
Hotel
The Amanwella resort in Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful hotels I've ever stayed at in one of the most stunning locations -- on a palm-studded beach in the warm Indian Ocean.
Destinations
I visited two places -- quite different from one another -- that both have become quite interested in the gay market. Both invited me to speak to their tourism officials to help them understand the gay and lesbian travel market, but during those trips, I fell in love with both places.
- Prince Edward Island, one of Canada's Maritime Provinces (and the nations smallest province) and
- Buenos Aires (click here for our Out Guide to B.A.), where I witnessed the signing into law of the bill legalizing same-sex marriage.
Excursion
I've said it many times before but it's worth repeating: There is nothing like a gay cruise. It's one of th most fun vacations you can have but it's also one of the only that will allow you to meet other great lesbian or gay travelers (I've made many life-long friends during gay cruises), and to actually feel re-affirmed as a gay person. How many vacations to do that? My favorite this year was the Atlantis cruise aboard the Solstice, a beautiful, contemporary vessel, like a W Hotel floating in the Caribbean.
Dining
I've noshed my way through three continents for you this year, dear reader, to bring you our top recommendations for where to get your calories. In a huge, long, competitive list of amazing and gay-friendly restaurants, one keeps popping up as this year's favorite. Baker & Banker offers that elusive trifecta of amazing (farm-to-table) food, professional/friendly service, and romantic ambiance. (Click here for other top San Francisco restaurants and for our Out Guide to the city.)
