CALIFORNIA is such an amazing state...it's really like its own country! With so many different options and landscapes, there is something for everyones liking. Desert. Mountains. Beaches. Country. Big Cities. Amazing beauty.

With only a couple short weeks away before Proposition 8  is decided, early polls show the state is divided...it's going to be very close!  I pray it gets a big  NO. We are so close here. Gay marriage in California is huge step forward for us!

Probably the top two GAYEST places to get married, would  be SAN FRANCISCO and WEST HOLLYWOOD. SAN FRANCISCO is probably ground zero, for the California Gay marriage Movement. In 2004, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom began allowing marriage licenses to be issued to same-sex couples.

 

This city is gay, gay, gay! Stay in cozy Victorian gay B&Bs, eat at excellent gay restaurants, take gay tours, and bask on gay beaches (at least when the fog rolls out!). While San Francisco's sunny Castro district is home to many of the city's gay-owned business and households, LGBT culture has become a distinct part of the San Francisco's identity as a whole and there is hardly a street in the city where a rainbow flag isn't flying.

West Hollywood  is  LA's queer neighborhood and offers hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and nice residential areas. Shopping here is amazing and lots of 5 star dining. This is a celebrity town and many in the industry are in full support of gay marriage! Home to Southern California’s largest gay and lesbian population, WeHo offers about a dozen gay-welcoming hotels.  Go Gay West Hollywood!

Head a bit east to the desert and you will find your self in Palm Springs. With year round sun, breath-taking mountain views and world-class shopping, Palm Springs has twice been voted the best gay destination. Spectacular views and lavish gay resorts of all shapes and sizes, (Choose from upscale and hip to cozy and nude!) this gay desert hideaway boasts an 35% gay population. 

North of San Francisco you have RUSSIAN RIVER. Sort of a favorite getaway it seems for lesbians and bears. These magnificent woods in Northern California offer a string of offbeat villages where you can relax poolside, explore the backroads, stop by a winery (or four), have a three martini lunch, take a breathtaking hike, float down the river, discover local art, dine al fresco....or just sleep in. It is the gayest rural area you'll find in the U.S., with mellow queer resorts, bars and paddling on said river.

 

ORANGE COUNTY is  42 miles of breathtaking beaches and coastlines and 34 unique cities. Among them
is LAGUNA BEACH - with its serene coastal views, outstanding art galleries, and well-oiled Speedo-clad beach boys, this gay-friendly town is just an hour south of Los Angeles and about an hour from San Diego. Laguna Beach is host to dozens of art festivals including the world-renowned Pageant of the Masters (held every July and August), which is a MUST SEE!

Laguna is a popular getaway for L.A. gays, who swell the gay population, particularly on weekends. It is also home to a large lesbian population, although not as large as that of Long Beach.- Located at the southern end of town, West Street Beach is a gay treasure of the California coastline. Pack yourself a picnic and a beach umbrella, and come on down!

CRYSTAL COVE  is located between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach. Crystal Cove State Park has 3.2 miles of beach and 2,400 acres of undeveloped woodland, which is popular for hiking and horseback riding. The offshore waters are designated as an underwater park. Crystal Cove is used by mountain bikers inland and scuba and skin divers underwater. The beach is popular with swimmers and surfers. Visitors can explore tidepools and sandy coves.

THE BEACHCOMBER  runs a popular cafe there and they also handle booking weddings which can offer spectacular sunset oceans views. They offer full event services including diverse menus, amazing food, décor rentals, entertainment...you name it!  Crashing surfs and breathtaking sunsets provide an amazing backdrop to the perfect Southern California gay wedding. AND if you plan far enough in advance, I would highly recommend trying to book one of the  historic cottages in the cove  for a perfect honeymoon on the ocean.

Last but not least is the mellow friendly city of San Diego. San Diego offers the complete Southern California vacation: great weather, uncrowded beaches, great gay beaches like Black's Beach and San Onofre Beach, world-class tourist attractions, excellent restaurants, nearby Tijuana and a booming gay scene centered in the Hillcrest area. As a port of the Pacific fleet, San Diego is also home to many navy and marine troops.

Tucked away in the nation's most southwesterly corner on a perfectly sheltered harbor, mild mannered San Diego is continuously caressed by gentle sea winds that both cool it in the summer and warm it in the winter. The harbor provides the perfect setting for a gay wedding. 300 days of sunshine and ideal year-round temperatures, make SD a popular spot for fun as well as gay weddings.  

M.V. Lee Badgett, research director at the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law, estimates that gay weddings could add $370 million to the state economy over the next three years, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times.

Prop 8 is Unfair. Unnecessary. and Wrong!

     VOTE NO ON PROP 8!