Toronto
While some Americans are now considering crossing the border into Canada, I can confidently say this was my โexit strategyโ in 2000 when George Bush was elected president. I lived in Toronto for two years (with a student visa), and the dynamic city still lures droves of gay travelers from around the world. Part of its attraction is the charismatic Prime Minister of Canadaย Justin Trudeau, a strong supporter of the LGBT community. Add to this the fact that Toronto is easy to get to with hundreds of direct flights a week. Stay at Four Seasons Toronto (www.fourseasons.com/toronto), the flagship for the luxury hotel chain, which features a 30,000-square-foot spa and yoga studio. The diversity of ethnic cuisine in Toronto rivals NYC, and Bombay Street Food (www.bombaystreetfood.ca) on Bay Street offers authentic flavors and textures of Mumbai street food. Make a beeline to West Queen West, a gay-centric neighborhood chockfull of cafes, bars and galleries like Katharine Mulherin Gallery, (www.katharinemulherin.com) where you can find works by celebrated artist Kris Knight (www.krisknight.com), who recently updated the floral print design for Gucci.