Tag Archives: LGBT Family Holiday

Rainbow Family Adventures: Some Useful Tips

As the world grows more tolerant, there’s an increasing range of destinations for LGBT families to travel to. In many ways it’s never been easier for rainbow families to go on holiday. That said, there are still a few challenges to be overcome.

Firstly, communicate with your child. Your little one will almost certainly know that your family is a little different to other families out there, so make sure that he or she is aware of the realities of the place you’re travelling to. Will the destination be as accepting of your family as your home country is? Talking these things through before you leave will save hassle later on.

Please also choose your destination wisely. Some cultures are more accepting of LGBTs than others, so do appraise yourself of local customs and beliefs. We strongly recommend you do your research through gay travel websites such as OUT Adventures and Further Afield.

By far the best tip we can offer is make sure everything is legal. Will the country or state you are travelling to legally recognise your family and your right to be an LGBT parent. Just because everything is legal at home, this may not be true abroad, and the last thing you’ll want to happen is to end up languishing in a foreign gaol.

Ensure that you bring all the legally-binding documents that prove you’re married and that you’re the legal parent of your child. For this information it is always worth contacting your nation’s embassy in the country you want to go to. Make sure that you have travel insurance in case you get into any kind of trouble at all. It’s always worth paying a higher premium for a more comprehensive service.

Have a Happy LGBT Holiday

As the summer approaches, a team of experts have come up with some top tips for a hassle-free and fun-packed LGBT family holiday. Residence Inn, lesbian mums’ blog Mombian.com and the Family Equality Council organised an hour-long Twitter forum which threw up all manner of great advice. You can see it all for yourself by searching for #RI Family and #TMOM.

The top ten tips that came out of the session are as follows:

  1. @Mombian advised that, to avoid bureaucracy, parents should make sure they take with them adoption papers that name them as the legal parents or guardians of their children.
  2.  Be prepared for any eventuality, said @TravelingMoms.
  3.  Stay abreast of the news as it relates to your travel destination. The UK Foreign Office and US Department of State websites are especially helpful in this regard.
  4.  Everyone agreed with @lifewithroozle’s statement that parts of the world that permit LGBT marriage are a pleasure to visit. Other tweeters claimed that Quebec was a great example of that. @MeaganShany mentioned that Florida and Portland, Oregon are worth going to, even though neither places yet allow gay marriage.
  5. Do not keep all your important papers in the same place while on holiday. @SeymaShabbir suggested backing up documents digitally.
  6. Your holiday is sure to be more enjoyable if you take the time to learn the local customs, said @LavLuz. Also be prepared for your kids’ complaints i.e. ‘Are we there yet?’ ‘I’m bored!’ ‘I’m tired!’
  7. Making the most of hotels’ creature comforts can make you feel right at home. Residence Inn, for example, offers a complimentary breakfast with every room.
  8. Sadly, much of the world remains ignorant and intolerant of LGBT families, so don’t be shocked or upset if you encounter prejudice, argued @DesignerDaddy. Try to stay confident and friendly.
  9. Many LGBT mums and dads travel for the purpose of international adoption. @DebOnTheRocks offers excellent support and guidance to such parents, every step of the process.
  10. As @KimSimes said, re-train the kids’ sleep patterns before travelling to a new time zone.