Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
For most people, going on a vacation is just a matter of gathering funds, choosing a location, and booking a trip. For LGBTQ+ people, the reality is different. In a world where being queer can be a death sentence in some places, queer people need to do thorough research before they travel to any new location, especially a different country.
They have to find out the laws concerning LGBTQ people in the country. If the country is not queer-friendly, a decision has to be made as to whether visiting that particular country is worth the potential dangers they face. If they’ve made up their minds to visit that country or location, the next step is to think up ways to safely navigate the city or country in question. Protocols for PDA, booking rooms, etc. have to be considered and decided on before the trip. If possible, efforts should be made to connect with the local queer community, as well as with queer tourists who have been to that area before.
They should also ask questions about the safe parts of the town, as well as the best time to go out to avoid being victims of a hate crime. After all, these have been considered and plans have been made, the queer person can then proceed with their trip, remaining vigilant and watchful throughout the vacation. If you’re queer and you’re thinking of taking a trip somewhere, you’re probably feeling exhausted at the thought of never being able to let your guard down, even on vacation.
We have to remind you, of course, that all this watchfulness usually applies when you’re going to a country that’s not LGBTQ+ friendly. Queer-friendly countries may have a few hotspots that are not advisable for queer people to visit, but for the most part, you will find that you can relax and explore more, as well as be affectionate with your partner in public without fear of being arrested and punished.
Most queer-friendly countries can be found in continents like Europe and America, although places like South Africa in Africa, as well as Thailand in Asia, are also welcoming towards queer people. If you’re looking for a place where you, for the most part, are free to express your sexuality, whatever it may be, you can always look to the land of the free, the US.
The United States is not completely free from queerphobia, but most states have laws protecting queer people from discrimination enshrined in their constitutions. In most of their tourist locations, you can be visibly queer and even share a room with a partner – if you have any – without any problems. There are even specific bars, clubs, hotels, and resorts dedicated to queer people. In such places, you can relax and socialize with queer people like yourself. One such place is the Rainbow Mountain Resort, located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.
This resort was founded in 1981. In 1985, Richard Spezzano, a digital artist, and his partner, Raymond Miller, stayed there on their first anniversary and it came to hold a special place in their hearts. In 2011, the owner wanted to sell it, and developers were eyeing it for housing projects. The couple made a decision to buy the property and restore it.
Since then, it has served as a getaway for members of the LGBTQ community. Situated on 26 acres of lush mountainside, it has pretty much every amenity you can think of, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a sauna, a volleyball court, and even its very own restaurant and nightclub. The main lodge of the resort was erected in the 1900s, and over the years, buildings were added, mostly in the 1950s and 1960s.
This beautiful resort is located 11 miles from Worthington State Forest and 22 miles from the glacial lake at Sunfish Pond, specifically in the town of East Stroudsburg. From the resort, guests can also explore sights in the surrounding areas like Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Bushkill Falls, Country Kettle gift shop and
Pocono Go-Karts and Play Park, which is the area’s largest go-karting park. For history aficionados, a visit to the Pocono Indian Museum is recommended.
Let’s be honest, most people go on vacation planning to visit all the places of interest, but they usually end up relaxing by the pool and chilling in the bar. That’s why it’s important to check that the amenities in your hotel or resort are up to a certain standard. You don’t want to be forced to go out because your hotel pool sucks and the drinks are shit. Luckily, you don’t have such problems with the Rainbow Mountain Resort.
There are up to thirty-five rooms, and no two of them are the same, so even if you visit several times, you’ll never be bored by your room decor. You have the option of either a shower or a bathtub in your bathroom. Housekeeping is provided daily, and you can access irons and ironing boards on request. There’s also free complimentary wi-fi throughout the resort.
The rooms come in different classes. The first class of rooms is the King room. These spacious rooms are located in a motel-style building, and each one comes with a king-size bed, an ensuite bathroom, WiFi, a television, a fridge, and a coffee maker. There’s room for two adults, so it’s fine if you go with a partner. There’s also on-site parking. After the king rooms, there’s Cherry House. This place is built in the style of a country inn, and you can get either a full or queen bed in your room. The bathroom is also en-suite, and you get on-site parking.
As expected, the rooms are double occupancy. For the ultimate luxury experience, check out the cabins. They offer a more rustic experience, with all the amenities you can expect from such luxury accommodation, i.e. WiFi, ensure bathroom, and a private deck. The room accommodates two adults, but there’s an adjoining cottage that sleeps four with a shared bathroom.
Aside from comfortable rooms, you can expect the best meal service from the Rainbow Mountain Resort. You don’t have to get up early for food in the morning, as they have full breakfasts available from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. For lunch, you can either visit the resort’s own restaurant or get some snacks from the hotel’s café. There are three bars and lounges on the resort, so you can grab a drink at any one of them.
Most people on vacation also want to be entertained, and although you could leave the resort and go into town if you’re one of these people, many events are held in the resort, usually on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. There are Karaoke nights and weekends, with themes like Retro and Latin. There are also dance parties. Holidays like Easter, St Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s, etc usually merit special parties. Viewings of music videos from different decades are also held.
Let’s put it this way: if you’re staying here and you find that you’re having a boring weekend, you’ve probably left the resort by accident.
Nothing ruins a trip or an outing like bad staff. Whether you’re just stopping by at a restaurant or booking a weekend away at your dream location, you can easily find that rude, incompetent, or inattentive staff will color the whole experience for you. Well, we’re happy to tell you that you don’t have to fear any of that at the resort.
The staff are so friendly and personable that most guests leave on first-name terms with them. Check-ins, food and drink orders, housekeeping requests, and even questions about where to visit in the town are all handled without delay by a team of staff. All you need to do is make a request, and they’ll do everything in their power to grant it. Guests usually come back year after year, and usually give the competence of the staff as one of the reasons.
We’re not sure whether the name of the resort comes from the queer community or the mountain, but either way, it speaks to the freedom queer people experience in the resort. Although most of the guests are gay men, every member of the LGBTQ community is welcome, and the resort is proactive in trying to attract a more diverse guest list. There’s even a Lesbian weekend specifically for the sapphics. Guests can relax, feel safe among members of their own community, share a common queer joy, and can leave refreshed not just in mind, but in body as well.
Aside from being a prime vacation spot, the resort is also known for giving back to society. They hold special fundraisers for charities like Habitat for Humanity, Pocono Arts Council, Cancer Society, Beacon Light Fund, and many others. They also host free educational seminars where they invite professionals from different fields, including law and politics. When you stay at the resort, you can be sure that at least a part of the money you pay is going to be put into doing some good.
In addition, one of the things that really endears the resort to us is the fact that it is open to non-lodgers. That means that if you have a couple of friends in the area, they can come over to visit with you, and you can all have fun exploring the lush mountains.
The Rainbow Mountain Resort offers the chance at a found family, spectacular views, great food, and several places to unwind. These are enough reasons to spend your next vacation there, but we’ve given you ten. Book a stay and thank us later.
