Lesbian Spring Travel In Rio de Janeiro!

With how travel has been in this last year and a half, who doesn’t have the travel bug these days! There are still opportunities to travel with minimal to no restrictions and safely. It’s also a great time now to plan for the rest of the new year. While the United States is feeling the cold in January the southern hemisphere is just starting to heat up! One of our favorite places to travel to with Ladies Touch Travel is Brazil, specifically Rio de Janeiro around late February.

One of the largest events in Brazil is Carnival, but a little inside info, there are so many great festivals, block, and beach parties around Rio two weeks before the actual Carnival that are free or super low cost that it doesn't make much sense to go during Carnival to spend double the price on everything! Currently, Carnival is on schedule for February 25- March 5, 2022, so if you go right before make sure you don't miss out on these spots:

1. Ipanema Beach- Between Posto 8 and 9 is the infamous Farme Gay strip. You will see the pride flags and many gay and lesbian folks enjoying the scenery and music. This area is a ton of fun especially if you are with cool people. We have literally partied to sundown with the Ladies Touch Travel group not even realizing everyone had left the beach!! Good times indeed! Keep in mind in Brazil women typically wear thongs or Brazilian cut bikinis and men wear speedo-type bathing suits so don't be alarmed, go with the flow and enjoy the beauty!

2- Bloco Ceu na Terra- One of our favorite block parties in Rio de Janeiro happens in Santa Teresa at guess what time? 7AM!! You would think who wants to party at 7AM but thousands fill up the narrow cobble stone old town streets of Santa Teresa for an energetic party. You'll see sheroes, villains, drag queens, clowns, you name it but after all the craziness you can't help to say "that was an amazing experience"!

3- Samba School Rehearsals- There is something about the drums beating live that make the hairs on your body stand at attention and even if you don't know how to dance, you just start pumping your hips...welcome to a samba school rehearsal! Carnival is when all the samba schools in Rio get together to compete on music, dancers, and costumes so experiencing a rehearsal beforehand is a one of a kind party. We had the pleasure of visiting Comuna Que Pariu in the Lapa District and it was a blast and not to miss!

4- Lapa District- Lapa is filled with bars, clubs, and parties that go til the wee hours so drink a redbull and experience the nightlife! Rio de Janeiro is very mixed as far as the patrons. You'll find that many parties have queer and straight people all in the same room having a ball and nobody cares! There are definitely gay clubs but for the most part in Lapa everyone parties together.

These are just a few things to do while in Rio de Janeiro especially right before the actual Carnival. Make sure you have a Caipirinha and Pao de Queijo when out and about in Rio. The Cariocas (Brazilian Natives) are warm people, love to have fun, and offer great hospitality. As with most places you travel to, always travel safely! If you want to learn more about our lesbian women’s travel group and upcoming destinations email us at ladiestouchtravelevents@gmail.com or go to our travel section for more details. 

2022 LGBT Women’s Travel Bucket List

There’s no denying that the pandemic has turned the travel industry upside down on its head. Even through all the uncertainties there are still some travel hotspots for lgbtq women. Check out the top 5 on our Ladies Touch Travel list with little to no restrictions and who knows maybe we’ll see you at one of these locations!

1-     Puerto Vallarta, Mexico- Known as the top LGBT destination in all of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta has been the top location for tourism during the pandemic. With old school charm, culture, and upbeat energy its no doubt why PV is on the top of many travelers list. The LGBT women’s community has been also growing in Puerto Vallarta making this little big city their top option.

2-     Key West, Florida- Looking for beautiful beaches, small town feel, and queer energy? Look no further as Key West has been a top destination for the LGBT community for many years. September every year hosts the top lesbian event- Womenfest.  Key West, in particular Downtown Key West is filled with gay businesses including lodging so you will feel safe and busy with lots to do.

3-     Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica- If you haven’t been to Costa Rica, now is your chance! Our favorite area in Costa Rica is Manuel Antonio as it is the most LGBT friendly area in all the country. Wake up to howler monkeys or watch sloths hang out in the trees, nature will be all around you, and its why we love it! There are other areas to check out but first try Manuel Antonio and make your way to their beautiful national park to be connected to the area’s beauty.

4-     Palm Springs, California- One of the top LGBT destinations on the west coast is Palm Springs in California. Filled with natural hot springs, spas, and wellness hotels, Palm Springs has become the top place for some of the largest queer events including our favorite Dinah Shore Weekend when thousands of women flee over to the town to escape the rat race and connect with other queer women. Palm Springs has many gay businesses and pretty much all are gay friendly establishments. Outside of Dinah Shore Weekend, Palm Springs is a great place to take your hunny or group of friends to hang out for the weekend.

5-     Bogota, Colombia- Love the city life and culture? Head on over to Bogota, Colombia’s capital for one of the biggest LGBT communities in South America. Bogota offers historical sites, nightlife, and a booming gastronomy scene if you love Latin food. If you get out to Bogota, check out the Chapinero Gayborhood for an experience of the gay bars and businesses for a time to remember.

Don’t get deterred to travel!  Even though travel is a bit more complicated, it’s doable. If you feel nervous to travel alone but love to travel join our travel group for one of our upcoming trips at linktr.ee/ladiestoucheventsntravel There are beautiful countries waiting for you!

Mexico’s LGBTQ Haven - Puerto Vallarta

 If you haven’t heard by now, Mexico has been the most dominant country in tourism, pandemic and all. There have been no restrictions to enter Mexico and they don’t plan on getting strict or close borders. What has happened in the last year depending on the city or town is curfews. Many of the bigger cities may have seen businesses close anywhere from 10PM to Midnight worse case. Because of the minimal to no requirements and proximity to the United States, Puerto Vallarta, has been one of the top cities to travel to in Mexico during this pandemic.

Puerto Vallarta typically gets lost when people talk about Mexico. Most people when talking about Mexican vacations mention Cancun and Los Cabos first before mentioning Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta though is a gem with a lot of old town and authentic Mexican charm! On top of all that charm, Puerto Vallarta is the most LGBT friendly city in Mexico with its own gayberhood, Zona Romantica, filled with queer owned businesses, the popular Los Muertos Beach which has a gay section between Mantamar Beach Club and Blue Chairs Resort and bars/nightclubs galore off Lazaro Cardenas and Ignacio Vallarta Ave. 

The LGBT women scene is growing in Puerto Vallarta with several lesbian owned businesses you must check out and support! Elixir Mixology Bar makes the yummiest drinks and a great starter spot before you turn up the rest of the night. Another great spot is Café Versalles in the Versalles neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta. The owners are super cool and love to give back to the community. Then there’s Oculto, a dining experience for those that love gastronomy, connection, and conversation. The ladies at Oculto put together amazing dishes to make your tastebuds happy and if you are looking for a different experience, you don’t want to miss this! Lastly there’s Nosh Turkish Bites if you’re in the Romantic Zone and in the mood for some Mediterranean yumminess.

Outside of the lesbian businesses and places to visit in town, there is so much to do in Vallarta from popular tours like Rhythm of the Night, Whale Watching, lounging beachside at Mixto Beachclub in Quimixto, or snorkeling by Los Arcos and more. You can easily turn around and wonder how a couple weeks went by with all to do in town. Not to mention north of old town there’s Marina, Nuevo Vallarta and Bucerias so make time to paint the town rainbows. If you want to come down and join other like-minded women, contact us to participate in Tropicale, a Lesbian Vacation in Puerto Vallarta May 31- June 5, 2022 and you’ll get to visit several of these places mentioned.  If you plan to be in town another time connect and say hi!

Jungle Fever! Traveling in Costa Rica

We are definitely in unprecedented times and even with all that is going on in the world, people are still thinking about travel. A recent article on CNBC news said that travelers are “trip stacking” meaning they are booking many trips in a year instead of just one. Mental and spiritual health has been two of the biggest reasons people have been taking off and a country that we love at Ladies Touch Travel is Costa Rica just for that! Costa Rica which is nestled in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama currently has no restrictions to enter their country in comparison to recently where you needed to fill out a health form and carry traveler insurance in addition to showing a negative covid test result. What we love is that Costa Rica has different towns and vibes. If you want to really clear your head and be lost in the jungle, Dominical in the south Pacific is a great place. If you want to connect with the LGBT community Manuel Antonio is your place. Big Resorts and all-inclusive hotels you’ll find in the Guanacaste area. For hot springs and low-key vibes head up to La Fortuna. Lastly Limon/Puerto Viejo for Caribbean local Tico’s vibe!

There’s truly something for everyone and a great reason to check out Costa Rica considering the limited requirements. Our favorite town in Costa Rica is Manuel Antonio because it has a gay beach section, Playa Espadilla, gay accommodations, gay bars, and LGBT friendly restaurants! Although its predominately bois, women are always welcome for the fun too! Manuel Antonio also has its National Park so you’ll frequently see and hear howler and cappuccino monkeys, macaws, woodpeckers, sloths in the area which is my favorite experience especially when traveling with a new group. Since Manuel Antonio is in the south Pacific there are so many other areas nearby that take you to waterfalls, mountains, and the beach all within an hour drive.

Whatever your heart desires, make sure that you check out Costa Rica! A country with “Pura Vida” meaning “pure life” as their mantra can only welcome you with great energy! That’s exactly what you will experience no matter what side of the country you are visiting. Grab yourself an Imperial local beer, Gallo Pinto dish, sunset and indeed you will enjoy that Costa Rican pure life!

Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Do Group Travel

Many times, you’ll find yourself booking on Expedia, Booking.com, or any of the other online travel shopping company but outside of individual travel there’s group travel which hits your soul a little different. People think that traveling in groups can be messy and conflicting, but it takes a certain type of person to travel in a pack. It takes an open, adventurous, lighthearted individual and why it works when in the right energy. Even if one is off energy, they will rise up to match the rest of the group otherwise it won’t be the best trip for them. We’ve had some of our best life experiences at Ladies Touch Travel with our group travel. Our trips have been filled with laughter, good times, and unforgettable memories but the beauty that makes us utterly happy to watch is the bonds, friendships, and even the love connections that have happened on our trips so this is why we say these are the top 3 reasons why you should do group travel.

1-     You won’t have to worry as much about planning or costs. The top reason is that you can just worry about the clothes you need to pack. As if planning a trip isn’t already a headache, now you have less to worry about because you will be dealing with a travel coordinator with years’ experience that will handle it all for you as well as the group and you can just meet everyone at the airport gate to start the travel journey.

2-     You meet new friends. Another great reason to do a group trip is that you instantly meet new travel buddies. Ever get frustrated that you want to travel but your friends can’t take the time off or have the money to go on a trip? Now you don’t have to worry about that because you have like minded women on the same mission and in this case lesbian/lgbtq womxn/even straight allies that also love to travel. I have seen it time and time again, bonds, and new friends made on every single trip we have had. I’ve seen after a trip that their friendships extend past that initial trip they went on to weddings, birthday parties, or just getting together to catch up. So, if you want to surround yourself around other lgbtq women couples, singles, and everything in between, group travel, especially group travel with Ladies Touch Travel is a MUST!

3-     Unforgettable memories. When you don’t have to worry about planning, just met new friends, now you can really enjoy your moments and create lasting memories. There’s a synergy when a group of us are out anywhere around the world. The venue and people around us know we are there because that’s what groups bring to the experience. Think of anytime that you are with a group of friends, and you are having fun, how much better does it feel when it’s a big group with high energy. That’s why at Ladies Touch Travel we love a group experience.

I always say don’t knock it ‘til you try it because group travel is an experience and at Ladies Touch Travel we strive for good vibes, good times, and unforgettable memories. If you try it but think its not for you we understand but I promise you’ll enjoy the experience and will leave with at least a few new friends. Give it a try and join our newsletter to learn about upcoming trips in 2022 and 2023 at linktr.ee/ladiestoucheventsntravel  We look forward to you joining us on the next travel experience!