Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to Eastern Europe might exist for this
group.
The International Gay and Les-
bian Travel Association (IGLTA)
(
&
800/448-8550
or 954/776-2626;
www.iglta.org) is the trade association for
the gay and lesbian travel industry, and
offers an online directory of gay- and les-
bian-friendly travel businesses; go to their
website and click on “Members.”
Many agencies offer tours and travel
itineraries specifically for gay and lesbian
travelers. Among them are
Above and
Beyond Tours
(
&
800/397-2681;
www.
abovebeyondtours.com);
Now, Voyager
(
&
800/255-6951;
www.nowvoyager.
com); and
Olivia Cruises & Resorts
(
&
800/631-6277;
www.olivia.com).
Gay.com Travel
(
&
800/929-2268
or
415/644-8044; www.gay.com/travel or
www.outandabout.com), is an excellent
online successor to the popular
Out &
About
print magazine. It provides regu-
larly updated information about gay-
owned, -oriented, and -friendly lodging,
dining, sightseeing, nightlife, and shop-
ping establishments in every important
destination worldwide.
The following travel guides are avail-
able at many bookstores, or you can order
them from any online bookseller:
From-
mer's Gay & Lesbian Europe
(www.
frommers.com), an excellent travel resource
to the top European cities and resorts;
Spartacus International Gay Guide
(Bruno Gmünder Verlag; www.spartacus-
world.com/gayguide) and
Odysseus: The
International Gay Travel Planner
(Odysseus Enterprises, Ltd.); and the
Damron
guides (www.damron.com),
with separate, annual books for gay men
and lesbians.
FOR FAMILIES
Families are very important in Eastern
Europe, but if you're traveling with chil-
dren, don't expect any special treatment.
You might get reduced rates for children
under 12 when you visit museums, a
reduced extra-person rate for the child in
your hotel room, and a few kiddie menus
here and there in restaurants, but other
than that there are no financial breaks for
the younger set. You'll find most young
visitors at the beach, on the ski slopes, or
in the museums of Eastern Europe.
Recommended family travel Internet
sites include
Family Travel Forum
(www.
familytravelforum.com), a comprehen-
sive site that offers customized trip plan-
ning;
Family Travel Network
(www.
familytravelnetwork.com), a comprehen-
sive site offering sound advice for long-
distance and international travel with
children; and
Family Travel Files,
which
offers an online magazine and a directory
of off-the-beaten-path tours and our
operators for families.
SENIOR TRAVEL
Many museums and attractions in East-
ern Europe offer free or reduced rates to
people of retirement age. However, few
hotels offer age-based discounts and no
restaurants offer the early-bird specials so
popular with the over-50 set. However,
members of
AARP
(formerly known as
the American Association of Retired Per-
sons), 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC
20049 (
&
888/687-2277;
www.aarp.
org), may get discounts on hotels, air-
fares, and car rentals if these are linked to
a U.S.-based company. AARP offers
members a wide range of benefits, includ-
ing
AARP: The Magazine
and a monthly
newsletter. Anyone over 50 can join.
Many reliable agencies and organiza-
tions target the 50-plus market.
Elder-
hostel
(
&
877/426-8056;
www.elder
hostel.org) arranges study programs for
those aged 55 and over.
ElderTreks
(
&
800/741-7956;
www.eldertreks.com)
offers small-group tours to off-the-
beaten-path or adventure-travel locations,
restricted to travelers 50 and older.
INTRAV
(
&
800/456-8100;
www.intrav.
com) is a high-end tour operator that
caters to the mature, discerning traveler
