Travel Geeks Take Note: New Airport in Berlin Opens in June

Airport City (simulation); Visualisierung: Björn Rolle

This just in from the folks at www.visitBerlin.com: On June 3, 2012 the brand-spanking new Brandenburg BER airport in Berlin opens and the two remaining airports, Tegel and Schönefeld, will be shut down permanently. (Tempelhof airport was closed in 2008.)

There is a lot of information about the new airport that is interesting and exciting like its convenient access to the center of the city: Trains will leave from the train station just underneath the main terminal every 15 minutes. Travel time to Berlin’s city center will be less than half an hour at a cost of around just 3 Euros.

Architects and designers were also highly conscious of environmental concerns. The planners employed a range of eco-friendly measures to ensure the new airport’s sustainability: Flora and fauna at the construction site were protected and heat and energy recycling systems were incorporated into the design from the get-go.

If your travel plans include Berlin this summer be sure to check with your airline. You may also wish to read more about Brandenburg BER on their website: www.berlin-airport.de.

Discover New England Presentation

Click here to download a PDF version of Ed Salvato’s LGBT tourism marketing presentation.

If you have any questions, email him by clicking here.

Athens Pride and Mr. Gay Greece & Cyprus June 8-10

The winner of Mister Gay Europe 2010/2011 GIULIO SPATOLA will be our special guest in Athens to host the Grand Final of MISTER GAY GREECE & CYPRUS 2012 on SUNDAY JUNE 10th 2012.

 

Why not visit Greece for one of its gayer weekends?

Athens Gay Pride is scheduled for June 8-10, 2012. Mr. Gay Greece and Cyprus takes place on Sunday,  June 10.

An IGLTA partner, Mr. Gay Greece offers packages via their website, taking the fuss out of planning.

Spend a few U.S. dollars — your personal bail out of an amazing country that needs just a little help to get back on its feet.

What’s So Gay About Wine? Find Out Here!

Disco balls as grapes. Nice!

The wines aren’t gay, silly. It’s all about celebrating Pride with Out in the Vineyard, the first Wine Country events and travel company dedicated to the LGBT community.

Out in the Vineyard presents Gay Wine Weekend, taking place Friday, June 15 through Sunday, June 17, 2012 in California Wine Country (Sonoma).

Here’s a line up of events:

Friday, June 15th

  • V.I.P. Host Hotel Guests’ Reception – 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM – El Dorado Hotel on The Plaza
  • Winemakers’ Dinners – Experience the food and wines of Wine Country – 6:30 PM – ESTATE, the girl & the fig and El Dorado Kitchen
  • Come to the Cabaret – An evening of song featuring Katya Smirnoff Skyy – 9:30pm – Sebastiani Winery – $20 Admission

Saturday, June 16th

  • Winery Tours – Wine tasting and lunch at some Sonoma Valley’s Finest Wineries.
  • Twilight T-Dance – Atwood Ranch, Glen Ellen, CA
  • VIP Reception 5:00pm – 7:00pm/T-Dance 7:00pm – 11:00pm
  • Twilight T-Dance VIP – $150 – Twilight T-Dance General – $75
  • After-Twilight Party – El Dorado Kitchen – 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM – $20 Admission

Sunday, June 17th

  • Wine Auction & The Big Gay Brunch sponsored by Benziger Family and Imagery Wineries of Sonoma Valley – Ramekins – 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM  $50 Admission
All monies raised at The Big Gay Wine Auction will benefit Face to Face, Sonoma County AIDS Network.
Full Details:        www.outinthevineyard.com/events/gww2012/

The Homomonument Turns 25 & 8 Other Reasons To Visit Amsterdam in 2012

In 2012 the Homomonument (gay monument) on the Westermarkt in Amsterdam – the very first gay monument in the world – turns 25 years old. This event will be celebrated with a birthday party on 5 May

The city with the first monument to LGBT people (above) and the first gay marriage, Amsterdam has attracted queer visitors for as long as there have been queers. Here are a few great reasons to visit this year. For more information visit the following websites:  www.amsterdam4gays.com, www.gayamsterdam.com and www.iamsterdam.com/visiting.

  • Pink Istanbul in Paradiso, March 24
  • Rapido Queensday, April 29
  • Queensday, April 30
  • Amsterdam Gay Pride, July 28 – August 5
  • Rapido Pride edition ,Augustus 5
  • Hartjesdagen street festival Zeedijk, Augustus 24-26
  • Get Ruff Leatherpride, November 2 – 4
  • Pink Christmas, December 14 – 27

Suite Dreams: Oregon Hotel Strives to Keep Portland Queer

Doing their part to keep Portland queer

Doing their part to keep Portland, Oregon quirky and homo-friendly, the Jupiter Hotel, a locally owned boutique property, announced a new room package, Keep Portland Queer.

The package includes an LGBT Travel Portland brochure, as well as complimentary resources like Out City and PQ Monthly magazines, as well as a tasty treat from local favorite Voodoo Doughnuts, a gift card to Fantasy for Adults Only and a bottle of Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato, with ten percent of the proceeds from the package donated to the PDX Q Center.

So you can stay queer and give back to the local community. According to the Jupiter, “The donation to the PDX Q Center encourages a symbiotic relationship with local LGBTQ partners and beneficiaries.” (I just loved that a hotel used the term LGBTQ in an official communication!)

The Keep Portland Queer package can be viewed online or booked here: http://bit.ly/KeepPortlandQueer

Tour of the Week: VentureOut’s Heading to Galapagos in 2013

NTN6's photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/12615511@N08/4418218916/

Would you like to cross off this major destination from your bucket list? Get in touch with VentureOut via email or by calling them at 888-431-6789 and let them know you are interested in joining them to the Galapagos.

They are planning on visiting between January 10 and February 15, 2013, and they’ll try to accommodate the dates you prefer in that timeframe. VentureOut has been leading tours of gay and lesbian travelers (and their friends) since 1998.

AquaGirl 2012 in Miami: A Week of Hot Parties For A Cause

AquaGirl, now in its 13th year is bigger and better than ever.

With nearly a full week of events stretching from  May 2 through May 6, women from Southern Florida (and throughout the U.S. and even abroad) flock to Miami to dance, splash around, catch an LGBT flick, meet other ladies and much more.

Check out the line-up of events here from VIP receptions and pool parties to film festivals and cool work outs. Purchase tickets here.

Continue reading “AquaGirl 2012 in Miami: A Week of Hot Parties For A Cause”

Sunny Ft. Lauderdale Tempts Bears From Winter Hibernation

Even the cars move out of their way!

With Beachbear Weekend scheduled for May 10-14, 2012, Ft. Lauderdale will become a hirsute center of fun for big, friendly, muscle-y guys and their admirers.

Already boasting one of the largest populations of muscle bears along the east coast, Ft. Lauderdale will positively bulge with bears, cubs, otters and others waking from their hibernation and seeking sun and surf. The Courtyard by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach, located a block away from the city’s gay beach at Sebastian Street, will host this event and become the undisputed bear capital in the east for the second weekend in May.

According to the organizers:

BeachBear Weekend has been created to showcase the healthy outdoor lifestyle enjoyed in Greater Fort Lauderdale. The events over the course of the week will focus on the beach, surf, exercise, and of course some of the hottest parties anywhere. Proceeds from this event will benefit Sunserve… whose mission is to provide critical life assistance and professional mental health services with an emphasis on the economically disadvantaged, marginalized youths, and senior adults in Greater Fort Lauderdale. 

For more information, visit BeachBearWeekend.com.

A “Descendants” Kinda Stay: Dinner For Two, a Movie and a Good Book

Gay-friendly Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa has a special kinship with Kaui Hart Hemmings, author of The Descendants, which won recognition at the 84th Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Awards in Hollywood last month.

In fact, the lovely Kaui spoke to a group of LGBT travel writers who visited this hotel property near both a gay beach and the famous gay bar Hulas two years ago about her book, then being circled around by George Clooney to possibly make into a movie. See our video interview with her here.

The Waikiki Marriott announced a fun “Dinner & Movie” package that includes a signed copy of her book. Here’s the complete package that begins at $209 per room, per night:

  • Complimentary book, The Descendants autographed by Kaui Hart Hemmings
  • Room accommodations – City View
  • Welcome cocktails for two people upon arrival
  • Dinner for two at Kuhio Beach Grill or room service
  • One in-room movie
  • Complimentary popcorn and soda for two for the in-room movie

Marriott offers a gay travel resource page here.

Fine print: 

For reservations or more information, visit www.marriottwaikiki.com or call 1-800-721-6996 in the U.S. and ask for the Dinner & Movie package promotional code L9Z.  Offer is valid till December 31, 2012.  Blackout dates and restrictions apply.