What is a gay sauna
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These experiences allow guests to explore their sexuality, friendships, and overall well-being in a judgment-free environment—making it an ideal option for those who miss the communal aspect of traditional bathhouses but want something more intimate and modern.
Private, Elevated Wellness Experiences
Although the era of public gay saunas may be fading, today’s LGBTQ+ travelers have a wealth of private, elevated options for exploring and embracing their wellness and sexuality.
If you visit one, you will still find many gay men, of all different ages, sizes and ethnicities, who frequent them regularly. There are foam parties, naked nights and themed events - check their Facebook. By focusing on private, bespoke experiences, Alluvion Vacations curates wellness getaways that honor both the desire for connection and the need for personal space.
In 1985, New York City officials forced several bathhouses to close, marking the beginning of their decline.
The advent of dating apps like Grindr, Scruff, and Tinder further shifted the landscape. The Urban Cowboy Lodge combines rustic charm with upscale amenities, providing guests with private wellness experiences in a serene mountain setting.
Cities like New York were once filled with renowned establishments such as The Continental Baths and St.
One of the more common places men started to congregate were public saunas. Although these venues continued to face police raids and intimidation, as gay-owned and operated spaces, they became a sexual mecca for many gay men. However, in recent years, the landscape of these iconic venues has shifted dramatically, with many closing their doors due to changing cultural norms, the impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and the rise of dating apps like Grindr and Scruff.
The Evolution of Gay Saunas: From Urban Bathhouses to Private Wellness Retreats in New York’s Hudson Valley and Catskills – LGBTQ+ Travel with Maxwell Alexander – Wellness Travel
But while traditional gay saunas may be disappearing, new wellness experiences are emerging—moving beyond the urban centers and flourishing in upstate New York.
In doing so, these saunas became an important venue for gay men. This sort of oppression occurred even when men had sex in the confines of their own homes. Designed for the general public to come in, relax, and unwind, gay men used the relative anonymity and privacy of saunas as a safe space for sexual encounters.
Initially many saunas operators reacted strongly against this, with some calling the police on gay men, or hiring private guards to protect their facilities.
In these spaces men had a safe venue to have sex— one that came with significantly less risk of being caught that other beats.
As gay communities became more visible in the post-war era, the 1950s saw dedicated gay saunas begin to open. This lodge, along with others like Scribner’s Lodge, is redefining what it means to recharge and connect, away from the city’s hustle and bustle.
LGBTQ+ Wellness Travel Companies Catering to a New Generation
LGBTQ+ travelers are also embracing these upstate wellness retreats through services offered by companies like Alluvion Vacations.
And for even more, they remain a place of relaxation, or one of adventure. Australia’s first sauna was the Bondi Junction Steam Baths, opened in 1967, while Melbourne got its first sauna, Steamworks, in 1979. Their popularity grew significantly, with saunas opening across the western world, to the point where in the 1970s there were over 200 saunas in cities across the US.
While the first saunas appeared primarily in the United States, Australia soon followed.
They were more than just venues for sex; they were underground community hubs where LGBTQ+ individuals could express their identities freely.