GLBT Travelers - Great "Same-Sex" Friendly Destinations?

I'm looking to get a family vacation together with two of my brothers. It will be my partner and me; my brother and his wife; and my brother and his fiancée.

Does anyone know of any same-sex friendly places that are fun? I'm not looking for bathhouses, circuit parties or anything else that you typically think of when someone says "gay destination". I'm looking for places where a same-sex couple just "blends in" with the rest of the couples/crowd both during the day and at night?

Thanks in advance for the help.

I'd say any liberal city. I would be happy to go (in the set-up you described) to:
USA: New York, San Francisco
Canada: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver
Europe: London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris
Australia: Sydney
Asia: Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei
Africa: Cape Town
..........and many others

I'm looking to get a family vacation together with two of my brothers. It will be my partner and me; my brother and his wife; and my brother and his fiancée.

Does anyone know of any same-sex friendly places that are fun? I'm not looking for bathhouses, circuit parties or anything else that you typically think of when someone says "gay destination". I'm looking for places where a same-sex couple just "blends in" with the rest of the couples/crowd both during the day and at night?

Thanks in advance for the help.

What type of vacation? Beach, city, trekking or something else? For beach, I'd recommend Thailand. It's a wonderful and accepting place for mixed groups.

. . . Amsterdam

Actually that's one on my list. I've always wanted to go. Since your profile says you're from there, you'd be the perfect person to ask, I guess. I take it there are no issues with the "straight" people thinking the "gay" people have invaded their territory when they see a gay couple in "their" restaurant, sports bar, etc.

I just don't want our vacation experience to have to be limited to a small circle of entertainment options just because of one same-sex couple. I get the feeling people have no idea what I'm taking about. Wish I could explain it better :(

What type of vacation? Beach, city, trekking or something else? For beach, I'd recommend Thailand. It's a wonderful and accepting place for mixed groups.

Thanks, rjque. Right now, it's really up in the air. My brothers and I have talked about a vacation and we know we're all taking one. That's about as far as we've gotten. Problem is, my partner and I haven't really taken a real vacation together in a long time (careers, home, kid, etc.) so this will be the first one we've taken in a while, PLUS having my two straight brothers as well.

In Amsterdam you will blend in fine... I am a bit shy about standing out and my partner and I went there and I felt 100% comfortable (including hand holding).... That being said the gay scene is quite varied and runs the gambit from the tame to the bizarre....

Actually that's one on my list. I've always wanted to go. Since your profile says you're from there, you'd be the perfect person to ask, I guess. I take it there are no issues with the "straight" people thinking the "gay" people have invaded their territory when they see a gay couple in "their" restaurant, sports bar, etc.

I just don't want our vacation experience to have to be limited to a small circle of entertainment options just because of one same-sex couple. I get the feeling people have no idea what I'm taking about. Wish I could explain it better :(

We are a gay couple from Amsterdam and we often hang out with straight friends. I can not remember even one occasion that we didn't feel comfortable. Being gay or straight is a non-issue here for the vast majority of people. So in restaurants, bars etc. you will all feel totally OK. The only exceptions that I can think of are the hard-core gay leather bars where women will not be allowed in. But if you want to take your relatives to any other gay bar they will be welcome. Same for a gay couple in most straight bars, although there must be some discotheques that cater to teenagers where a gay couple kissing may raise some eyebrows.........

Any large European city works, as well as sunny desinations like Mykonos, Ibiza, and Eilat.

I am a little confused, though. My partner and I vacation with both of our families regularly and have been everywhere from Breckenridge, CO and Charleston, SC to Iceland and Israel. Never been a big deal. How does simply being a gay couple change the dynamics of the trip? Hotels, restaurants, tours...no one has ever seemed to notice (or care for that matter). The only trouble I've ever encountered was in Breckenridge at the Hilton operated time-share we were staying in. The woman doing the marketing for the place wouldn't allow us to go through the sales pitch because we weren't married. I know, I know, why would I want to go through a time-share pitch...because I'm cheap and they were going to comp two of our nights there. At the same time, she also wouldn't let my partner's sister take the tour because her husband wasn't with her that day. (On a side note, I made some phone calls upon returning home to Hilton corporate. I got letters of apology and a free stay for the following year. It seems that mine wasn't the only complaint they had recieved about her.)

Again, out of 7 family vacations in the past 10 years, the old hag in Breck was the only problem. Just relax and go somewhere you can enjoy the company of your family and take in some scenery. Just don't wear the heels and tiara to dinner and you'll be fine.

Try this travel agency...they have quite a few packages and ideas...

http://www.conciergetravel.cc/