LGBT Travel Expert

Ed Salvato – a passionate traveler — is often called “the world’s foremost expert in gay travel,” and currently contributes to numerous outlets. He’s also the on-air expert on Sirius/XM OutQ with Derek & Romaine and Toronto’s Proud FM. Ed loves to answer your questions. Post a comment below or send an email. You get free travel advice. Ed gets to know what gay travelers are interested in.

Dinah Does Vegas: Girl Bar’s Famous Party Moves to Sin City

From Dinah Shore Week 2011

Girl Bar Dinah Shore Weekend, in association with Fuse Events, announced that Dinah Shore Weekend 2012 will take place April 27-29, 2012 in Las Vegas. (The unrelated but similarly named The Dinah by ClubSkirts will still take place as it always has in Palm Springs, CA, March 28-April 1, 2012.)

Since last year, Girl Bar and Fuse Events have been working exclusively with Caesars Entertainment to create a women’s weekend experience at Caesars Entertainment properties. According to organizers, the official events and hotels for Dinah Shore Weekend will be situated walking distance, across a variety of Caesars-owned properties, including Planet Hollywood and Flamingo hotels. The latter will have its “Go Pool” turned over exclusively to the ladies for ticket and pass holders.

“Our sophisticated ladies wanted ‘bigger, better and more’ in a city that never sleeps with the finest in entertainment and accommodations, with non-stop flights both domestically and internationally,” said Girl Bar producers Sandy Sachs and Dr. Robin Gans. 

The full Dinah Shore Weekend 2012 schedule of events, performers, ticket and hotel information and VIP travel package options, visit www.dinahshoreweekend.com.

What’s Hot in Los Angeles and West Hollywood: Listen In

Proud FM Toronto’s latest travel Tuesday segment aired last week. Find out what’s new, hot and happening in Los Angeles and West Hollywood with their “travel guru” — yours truly. Discover new restaurants, bars, a revitalized downtown and much more.

Click here to listen: http://www.proudfm.com/interactive/podcast_player/554

 

Tulum. Everybody’s Talking About It

Caribbean Heat 2012, one of the most anticipated Latin America gay events, expects several hundred gay men from all over the world

Located at the tip of the Yucatan peninsula in the gay-friendly state of Quintana Roo, Tulum is best known for well-preserved ancient beachfront Mayan ruins (below).

It’s less known for having an incredibly fun party called Caribbean Heat (that’s a photo from last year’s above), seven days of events, parties and culture (optional exploration of the nearby ruins) for gay men that kicks off August 1, 2012. Prices start at $1,180 per person. For more information, click here.

The event is centered at the Adonis Gay Beach Resort in Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico and attracts hundreds of men from around the world. I haven’t been personally yet, but the Adonis is a gay resort that gets very high ratings on Tripadvisor. Check the resort out here.

The seaside view of El Castillo at Tulum

Marriott.com Got A Little Bit Gayer

From Marriott.com/gaytravel

When Marriott International Inc. first developed its LGBT-specific landing page back in 2010, Marriott.com/GayTravel, it was a little light on, well, gay travel.

But Marriott recently announced a fresh relaunch of their site, www.marriott.com/gaytravel, which they assert is “the first hospitality portal tailored for LGBT consumers worldwide,” available in English, French, Spanish, German and Portuguese.

There is now a good amount of there there. You will find new hotel openings, special events, destination information and ongoing deals and promotions, some of which are designed specifically for LGBT guests. The site also provides wedding and honeymoon packages in gay-popular destinations around the world.

Marriott hosts events on behalf of well-known gay organizations like HRC, so if you time your visit you may see a Marriott transformed into a very gay hotel. The imagery is, at times, daring, like the shot of the implied mixed-race gay couple and their kid to the left.

Hide/Seek: Major Gay Museum Exhibit Appears in Washington

Berenice Abbott, Janet Flanner, 1927. Gelatin silver print. 9 ½ x 7 3/8 inches. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. © Berenice Abbott/Commerce Graphics, New York.

In time for the developments in same-sex marriage equality in the state of Washington, HIDE/SEEK, the first major museum exhibition to spotlight gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender identity,  is making its last stop and only West Coast appearance at Tacoma Art Museum in Washington beginning Saturday, March 17.

From the organizers:

This compelling exhibition, which offers an unprecedented survey of nearly 150 years of American art, debuted at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery last year.HIDE/SEEK was originally organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, and has been reorganized by Tacoma Art Museum and the Brooklyn Museum.

“Tacoma Art Museum is excited to be a part of the national discourse. HIDE/SEEK redefines how modern American portraiture is viewed through the lens of gender and sexuality identity,” says Stephanie A. Stebich, Director of Tacoma Art Museum. “This exhibition comes at a time of historic legislation and we have a rich history of presenting compelling programs that spur ideas and dialogue within our community.”

Minor White, Tom Murphy (San Francisco), 1948. Gelatin silver print, 4 5/8 x 3 5/8 inches. The Minor White Archive, Princeton University Art museum. Bequest of Minor White, MWA 48-136. © Trustees of Princeton University.

 

Deal of the Week: 2 for 1 (or 40% off) Fab Out Adventures Tours

I guess they like the discount!

Our friends at Out Adventures send you a little love.

You just have to show them a little love. Share a picture; like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and couples get to travel two for the price of one. Solo travelers get a whopping 40%. Choose among the following 2012 trips. But hurry, this deal is valid only from February 13-15, 2012.

• Comfort India March 04-13
• Comfort Morocco April 15-25
• Comfort Peru April 29-May 07
• Comfort Turkey May 20-June 03
• Active Peru with the Inca Trail August 12-19

For more information on the offer check out the OUT Adventures website.

Our Thoughts Shift to Provincetown’s Independence Day Parties

From last year's pier dance (Independence 2011)

It’s never to early to daydream about Provincetown in the summer. Here we are barely a third of the way through February and our mental travels take us to the tip of Cape Cod for July 4.

It definitely isn’t too early to start planning. That is after all an incredibly busy week. Some guesthouses sell out as do some of the key parties. It’s also the week most of the party crowd from NYC and LA heads to P-town. So take that as a heads up to act or as a warning to steer clear!

Our friends at the Crown & Anchor, organizers of Independence 2012 sent us some useful, partyplanning information. (After the fold below.) Tickets go on sale around March 6, 2012.

The Crown & Anchor dance complex is home to Ptown’s July 4th nightclub celebrations-and they promise an outstanding lineup from Saturday, June 30 through Friday, July 7.

Info

• Ticket sales for INDEPENDENCE 2012 will be available starting on or around March 6, 2012 at www.onlyatthecrown.com or call 1-888-CROWN29 for more details.
• Email inquiries please send to rick@onlyatthecrown.com.

Atten-SHUN! Military Personnel: Free at Telluride Gay Ski Week

The organizers of Telluride Gay Ski Week, which takes place from Saturday, February 25, 2012 through Saturday, March 3, 2012, is offering free VIP party passes for the week for active service members and a special military-themed “Do Ask Do Tell” dance party.

In celebration of the defeat of the discriminatory ban on openly gay and lesbian military personal known as “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” the party will take place during the middle of the week.

Telluride Gay Ski Week 2012

When:

• Saturday, February 25, 2012 – Saturday, March 3, 2012

Where:

• Towns of Mountain Village and Telluride, CO and Telluride Ski Resort

Info:

• Event schedule and ticket information available at www.telluridegayskiweek.com.
• Exclusive lodging packages available by calling toll free to 888-376-9770.

The host of Nuclia’s Get Wasted Party

Gay Ski: Double Diamonds Are a Boy’s Best Friend

 

Not exactly a shot of the ski slopes but at least one guy is wearing a hat!

Elevation Mammoth 2012, March 14-18, celebrates its 10th anniversary as an LGBT ski event, while sister event, Elevation Utah Park City Gay Ski Week, February 23-26, marks its second anniversary. The names may be a mouthful but the events have received enthusiastic praise from attendees throughout the years.

Click on the websites above for more information. Here’s a brief outline of the two events:

ELEVATION UTAH 2012:

• Dates: Feb. 23 – Feb. 26
• DJ Roster:  DJ Roland Belmares, DJ Josh Peace, DJ Brynn Taylor, DJ Pornstar, DJ Drew G & DJ Beau Dasher
• Utah Party Pass: $100 (early pre-sale for 7 parties);
• Utah Residents will be offered a special “Resident Discount Pass”
• For more information on events, pricing, lodging and more visit:  www.utahgayski.com

ELEVATION MAMMOTH 2012:

• Dates: March 14- March 18
• DJ Roster: DJ Beau Dasher, DJ Drew G, DJ Pornstar, DJ Brynn Taylor, DJ Josh Peace & DJ Roland Belmares
• Mammoth Party Pass: $145-$165 (early pre-sale for 9 parties)

Tour of the Week: VentureOut’s Medieval Hilltowns of Italy

San Francisco-based gay tour operator VentureOut has been offering small guided gay group tours since 1998. This week they announced a price reduction. Yes you read that right. They’re passing along to you savings from a softening of the value of the euro. Here are details from the company:

The U.S. dollar has been gaining in value against the Euro in recent weeks, and as a result we’re able to offer a price reduction of $250 per person / $500 per couple on our tantalizing program in central Italy in September. (Click on their website for details.) TRIP HIGHLIGHTS Visits to local artisans’ workshops A fun cooking session and wine tasting at a beautiful winery Stunning medieval hilltowns like Orvieto, Perugia, Assisi, Spello Delicious and memorable meals, including good wines Convenience of staying in one deluxe hotel for five nights