SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 5 CA-California-Travel
SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- California has always welcomed
visitors of various lifestyles and backgrounds, and in the wake of the State
Supreme Court's legalization of gay marriage, the Golden State has even more
appeal as a top vacation destination for same-sex weddings, commitment
ceremonies and honeymoons.
"This ruling reflects California's unique appeal as a destination which
welcomes visitors of various lifestyles and backgrounds. California continues
to welcome LGBT couples to our state whether they are on vacation, or now,
coming for weddings or honeymoons," said Susan Wilcox, vice president of
communications and industry relations for the California Travel and Tourism
Commission (CTTC). "Additionally, there is no doubt that same-sex marriage and
vacations to California will be good for the economy, from generating more
state and local tax revenues to supporting jobs for thousands of
Californians."
Visitors are encouraged to check http://www.visitcalifornia.com/lgbt for
same-sex marriage locations and honeymoon packages and ideas from around the
state. The Web site also includes links to the destinations and
accommodations, and will be updated with new package information.
According to a Travel Industry Association (TIA)-sponsored survey of
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender/Transsexual (LGBT) travelers in 2006,
four out of the top 15 gay-friendly U.S. destinations named by travelers were
in California, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Palm Springs/Palm Desert
and San Diego-the most destinations named of any state. In addition to the
listed cities, many other California destinations, such as Santa Barbara,
Sonoma, Lake Tahoe and Napa, have gay-friendly programs.
Nationally, nearly half of all gay men (48 percent) and women (47 percent)
surveyed in the TIA study said that a destination's gay-friendliness is
important to them when making leisure travel choices. According to TIA, LGBT
travelers have a significant impact on the U.S. travel economy, with gay men
spending an average of $800/trip, which is $260 more per trip than
heterosexuals traveling alone (an average of $540/trip).
Gay-owned and operated since opening its doors 10 years ago, the Chateau
de Vie in Napa Valley's Calistoga, part of the San Francisco Bay Area Region,
has a long history of welcoming couples, groups and families celebrating
commitments, anniversaries and birthdays among its vineyards (site fee and
accommodations vary depending on size of party). This elegant bed and
breakfast is also a favorite of culinary travelers with its wine pairing to
seven-course dinners. Since 1999, 10 percent of all the ceremonies at
Ardenwood Affairs, a Victorian wedding site in Fremont with an impressive
mansion, gardens and grounds, have been by same-sex couples. Many choose to
arrive at the ceremony, held in a Victorian-style gazebo, via a horse-drawn
carriage. Ceremony and reception rental fees vary from $1,200 to $2,200.
Heading east, Angel Island is the largest island in the San Francisco Bay, and
from it exceptional views of the San Francisco skyline, Golden Gate Bridge,
Marin County and the San Francisco Bay are seen. These stunning sights also
provide a unique and spectacular backdrop for all types of weddings and
receptions. Site rental fees on Angel Island range from $82.50 to $132.50;
depending on the location on the island, there may be a special events permit
required at an additional cost of $250 to $750. For couples who desire a
private ceremony for two, or perhaps to include family members and close
friends, Churchill Manor Bed and Breakfast in Napa offers elopement packages
for up to 20 people that range from the Simply Elegant (starting at $1,4000)
to The Ultimate Intimate (starting at $3,850), as well as A La Carte
offerings.
The luxurious Viceroy Palm Springs, located in the Deserts Region, has
taken their "I Do for Two" package to the next level, and is now including a
wedding, commitment or vow renewal ceremony along with overnight
accommodations, champagne and fruit upon arrival, two 60-minute spa treatments
each day, romantic evening turndown and breakfast for two in bed, or dining at
its restaurant Citron or poolside. Rates start at $449 per night, midweek.
Voted by Out & About Magazine as one of the Ten Most Romantic Gay Guesthouses,
Casitas Laquita in Palm Springs is a lesbian-friendly, private resort that has
offered commitment ceremonies for many years. The property is located on 1.2
acres and its architecture incorporates the "early mission" style that
dominated Palm Springs in the 1930s.
Several hotels in the Los Angeles County Region also cater to gay and
lesbian weddings. Some are Travel Alternatives Group Approved Hotels, meaning
they have developed criteria of policies and services that specifically
support the LGBT community. These include the Hilton Checkers, Hotel Angeleno,
Sofitel Los Angeles and the Sheraton Universal. A variety of outdoor venues
spread throughout the county are also gay-friendly, including The Japanese
Garden in Van Nuys (banquet room is $500 for three hours), the Descanso
Gardens in La Canada (rental prices range from $1,300 to $2,300) and Calamigos
Ranch in Malibu, a 130-acre mountain retreat, which charges between $85 and
$90 per person. When it comes to churches and temples, Mt. Hollywood
Congregational Church in Los Feliz ($1,000 covers the use of the facility for
four hours, plus rehearsal, wedding coordinator, minister and musician),
Temple Beth Hillel in Valley Village and Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos
Verdes, along with the First Christian Church of North Hollywood (sanctuary
fee is $1,100 and chapel cost for more than 10 guests is $700), will all offer
same-sex marriages. At the stylish Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles,
same-sex couples staying two nights receive a one-year complimentary Gay &
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) membership. Couples can also take
advantage of the property's "Amour" package, which includes full breakfast, a
bottle of sparkling wine and 2 p.m. late checkout (prices vary; package valid
through December 2008).
In San Luis Obispo, the Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort, located in the
Central Coast Region, is an ideal setting for outdoor weddings with its 100
acres of forest, hills and meadows. The property's Garden Gazebo is surrounded
by a seasonal floral landscape, sparkling grotto water pool and greenery, and
provides the perfect space for a sunlit ceremony. Wedding ceremony and
reception packages start at $2,500. And for those who want all the wedding
details taken care of, the Fantasy Elopement package at the ultra-luxurious
Simpson Hotel Inn in Santa Barbara, North America's only AAA five-diamond bed
and breakfast, is a perfect fit. The package includes an officiator, wedding
license appointment, flowers, live music, a photo CD, wedding cake and
champagne with keepsake crystal flutes. Rates start at $1,395 per night Sunday
through Thursday (two nights required). Couples to San Ysidro Ranch in Santa
Barbara, a historic 500-acre luxury hideaway, can indulge in the Midnight in
Montecito package (Sunday through Thursday only, starting at $2,080 for two
nights) which includes a two-night stay in a restored cottage or junior suite,
a chilled bottle of champagne upon arrival, luxurious couple's massage and
breakfast in bed.
Yosemite, part of the High Sierra Region, has long been a gay-friendly
travel destination. In Yosemite National Park, The Ahwahnee is a National
Landmark and one of the most distinct resort hotels in North America. Each
year, it plays host to 300 wedding receptions. The AAA four-diamond property,
with its balance of history, hospitality and elegance, offers a two-night
romance package perfect for those wishing to get away. The package ($1,269 per
couple during summer months) includes two-nights stay in a classic or cottage
room, dinner for two in the soaring Ahwahnee Dining Room, sparkling wine and
flutes, a special keepsake gift and a surprise at turndown. The Yosemite Bug
Rustic Mountain Resort, a gay and lesbian-owned business in Midpines, also
offers an idyllic setting with its guest house, cabins, main lodge and health
spa nestled in the black oak groves just 25 miles from Yosemite Valley. It's
an ideal venue for those couples wanting wilderness ceremonies for under
$5,000 for a party of 100 (excluding rooms). In Lake Tahoe, the AAA four-
diamond Resort at Squaw Creek in Olympic Valley, with its towering ponderosa
pines and Sierra Nevada backdrop, is also an ideal place to celebrate a very
important day. Ceremony site fees start at $2,000; facility rental fees for
receptions start at $1,000.
The Casa Laguna Inn & Spa in Laguna Beach, located in the Orange County
Region, has been the venue for marriages, as well as same-sex ceremonies,
since 2000. The Inn, which was profiled in Sunset magazine's 2007 feature
"Romantic Stay," is also an exceptional destination for honeymoons with its
vantage point on California's coast. The Inn even offers a 10 percent discount
from the published rate for any same-sex couples who arrive with a signed
California Marriage License. The property's Elopement Package includes
minister, bouquets or corsages, wedding cake, champagne, chocolate-dipped
strawberries upon arrival and a rose at turndown. The cost is $1,000 with a
minimum stay required on weekends and holidays. Located in the heart of Costa
Mesa's famed Theater and Arts District, the Wyndham Orange County Hotel is
offering a special "O.C. Love Connection" package ($349 per night; package
valid through December 2008), which includes accommodations in a junior suite,
two 50-minute massages at The Spa at South Coast Plaza, fresh fruit upon
arrival, complimentary transportation to/from John Wayne Airport and breakfast
in bed.
In the North Coast Region, the Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino has
been offering same-sex ceremonies for years, many of which are performed by
the owner, who is a Universal Life Minister. The charming resort is located on
a hillside atop a meadow overlooking Mendocino Bay. The rambling lobby, guest
rooms and suites are paneled in pine and redwood, and provide a unique haven
along the rugged coast. Three miles outside of Mendocino, Sallie & Eileen's
Place is a women-only resort that opened more than 20 years ago. The property
is located in the woods and is close to state parks, beaches, hiking, biking
and horseback riding. Also in Mendocino is Ricochet Ridge Ranch, which has
hosted many gay couples on weeklong and two to four-day vacations, honeymoons,
proposals and commitment ceremonies. Six-night vacations start at $2,245 per
person, double or triple occupancy, and are all-inclusive. The service,
lodging and dining are all five-star caliber, and the company was recently
recognized by Outside Magazine as one of the 25 Trips of a Lifetime, right up
there with an African safari and a suborbital flight into space.
Downtown and close to the Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy, the W San
Diego, located in the San Diego County Region, provides a sweet retreat
package, "Feel the Wuv," for couples. The package includes a bottle of bubbly,
along with a 2 p.m. late checkout and starts at $279 per night. Romance is in
the air at the luxurious and hip Hotel Solamar, also located in San Diego,
where guests enjoy chilled champagne and truffles upon arrival and breakfast-
in-bed the next morning in the property's urban-decorated guestrooms and
suites as part of their Romantic Rendez-Vous package. With a June reopening
after an extensive $25 million renovation, the seaside L'Auberge Del Mar in
Del Mar will raise the bar on wedding expertise by offering new wedding menus
that appeal to all couples, including its Ocean Song Menu ($140 per person)
and Sunset Soiree Menu ($175 per person).
Penon Blanco Lookout, near Coulterville and part of the Gold Country
Region, is unusual among romantic bed and breakfast inns. It's so secluded
that each room has total privacy, with no adjacent walls, ceilings or floors.
This out-of-the-way retreat, just minutes from Yosemite National Park, sits on
200 acres at a famous forest lookout station and offers gourmet breakfasts and
fridges stocked with beverages to individual taste. It's the perfect getaway
for couples seeking a private and woodsy venue with amazing views. Romantic
getaway packages start at $139 per night (based on a two-night stay).
Davis, located 10 miles west of Sacramento in the Central Valley Region,
was voted number six in the Best Lesbian Places to Live by Girlfriends
Magazine. With its safe, inclusive community, Davis offers a variety of venues
for marriage and commitment ceremonies, including its local parks and the
University of California, Davis Arboretum, a public garden with more than
22,000 trees and plants.
In the Shasta Cascade Region, visitors can tie the knot at Dunsmuir
Botanical Gardens in Dunsmuir, which encompasses approximately 10 acres of a
hilly, wooded area with a meadow and picnic sites bordering the Upper
Sacramento River. Spring is an ideal time for ceremonies as the native white
dogwood makes a strong showing this time of year. From the moment guests drive
through the gates of Chapelle de L'Artiste Chateau & Retreat in the Town of
Paradise, they are treated to an upscale, comfortable country experience. The
property's lush landscape makes for an ideal venue for intimate weddings, and
guests can choose to exchange vows inside the quaint chapel, on an island in
the pond, and opening in July, in their 1,200-square-foot wine cave. Room
rates range from $255 to $325 per night.
The CTTC is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and
maintain marketing programs -- in partnership with the state's travel
industry -- that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination.
According to the CTTC, travel and tourism expenditures total $96.7 billion
annually in California, support jobs for 924,100 Californians and generate
$5.8 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about the
CTTC and for a free California Visitor's Guide, go to
http://www.VisitCalifornia.com.
SOURCE California Travel and Tourism Commission
