Tag: Gay Travel

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Tel Aviv Voted World's Top Gay Travel Destination

February 1, 2012 at 1:39 PM | by | Comments (0)

Israel tourism has been in an upward spiral over the last few years. Every year brings a new crop of travelers to the Jewish State—reflected in now-routine "this was the best tourism year ever" headlines—and they go home and tell their friends. That's how you end up with niche surveys about the popularity of Israel travel, like Israel being the number two destination for Russians.

Obviously part of Israel's tourism revolves around the country being a destination for religion travel. Jerusalem is and will remain by far Israel's most-visited destination (see our insidery tips for making the most of a Jerusalem visit here and here). But other parts of Israel are becoming famous for appealing to other demographics.

Forest-filled Haifa recently got the nod of being Israel's cleanest tourism city, part of a campaign to bolster green travel to and around Israel (El Al passengers flying from LHR to TLV can even purchase carbon off-sets).

And then there's Tel Aviv, which has just been voted the world's single best gay travel destination.

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LAN Launches a LGBT Travel Website, Just in Time for Carnivale

Where: Chile
January 19, 2012 at 3:05 PM | by | Comments (0)

Latin America's largest air carrier has expanded their horizons by tapping the lucrative LGBT travel market and launching a full travel website devoted to gay travel in South America. LAN Airlines' fresh site is an extension of the main page for the airline, but has features to celebrate the diversity that the continent offers to gay and lesbian travelers.

Believe it or not, LAN isn't the first airline to be as open online as they are open-minded; they join the ranks of Delta, Virgin America and Southwest in their commitment to inclusion. The carrier also will be a competitor for American Airlines, which consistently takes top honors as "Best Airline" to the gay community.

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Hawaii Now One Major Step Closer to Becoming Gay Wedding Hot Spot of 2012

January 2, 2012 at 12:05 PM | by | Comments (0)

Happy New Year! Also, happy year that more same-sex couples will achieve equal (or at least equal-er) rights. Just yesterday, January 1, two more US states switched to legally recognizing and performing civil unions. These are Delaware and Hawaii. For the moment, let's focus on the latter.

Hawaii is the only US state west of the Mississippi River to allow same-sex civil unions. None have gone so far as marriage (the California Prop 8 debacle came closest) and what this means for gay couples is that their union—not just the honeymoon—can also happen in the Aloha State.

According to The Baltimore Sun/KTLA, the turning of the calendar immediately coincided with the law going in effect:

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Neighborhoods to Know and Go: Chicago's Andersonville (in Instagram)

Where: Clark Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States
December 13, 2011 at 12:38 PM | by | Comments (3)

We're going to give it to you straight. There once was a time—not too long ago at all—that the north side Chicago neighborhood of Andersonville was known as an area where girls who like girls settled down and raised their kids and altogether made the area a desirable and safe place to stay forever. We're happy to report that the spirit of inclusiveness prevails, but a bloom of craft beer bars and brunch-happy restaurants have brought in a more mixed crowd and—dare we say it—tourists way tired of the Michigan Avenue crap.

Andersonville is where to come if you want to leisurely stroll while window shopping, sipping some excellent coffee and reminiscing about college with a friend you haven't seen in years. There will be occasional breaks to coo at babies in their strollers, pet Dachshunds in quilted tartan coats and impulse buy entire pieces of vintage furniture. God it's just so great when you really need to be in or are already in a warm and fuzzy mood, no matter the season.

Without further ado, our personally picked top spots to hit in Andersonville:

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Got Milk? The Human Rights Campaign In San Francisco Definitely Has

Where: 575 Castro St [map], San Francisco, CA, United States
September 27, 2011 at 11:30 AM | by | Comments (0)


It was as we were in San Francisco the week before last, strolling the Castro, chuckling at the names of places like Rock Hard the shop, the Sausage Factory restaurant and Hand Job (the nail salon) that we got ourselves a little jolt of history.

At 575 Castro Street (next to Hand Job, in fact) is the center for the Human Rights Campaign of San Francisco. It also happens to be the former premises of Castro Camera, the shop belonging to Harvey Milk.

Milk, of course, was assassinated in 1978, having being elected to San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors as America’s first openly gay man in public office.

The HRC center has a little bit of everything – from striking campaign stats by the front door of state by state views of same-sex marriage, adoption, and housing laws, and a timeline of gay rights in San Francisco, to various items of clothing and souvenirs of San Francisco – all to a jaunty soundtrack of Madonna.

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Forget Generation X; Aussie Passports Now Welcoming Gender X

Where: Australia
September 15, 2011 at 10:28 AM | by | Comments (2)

"X" marks the spot...for a new gender choice on Australian passport applications. The change was recently made "under new guidelines to remove discrimination against transgender and intersex people," according to MSNBC and the Aussie government.

Think you'll be funny and choose "X" for yourself? Not so fast; this is serious stuff. Intersex people—those biologically not completely either sex—can choose the new option. But if you're just transgender, then be prepared to show a doctor's note to back up your identifying as such. And it'd also be wise to prepare yourself to explain the "X" under "gender" on your Aussie passport when you pass through immigration at certain countries.

That said, a move like this just inches the world ever closer to equality, kinda like when the US altered the old "mother" and "father" fields to just "parent 1" and "parent 2."

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Three More of New York City's Gayest Places to Get Married

July 25, 2011 at 5:58 PM | by | Comments (0)

This weekend, when the same-sex marriage law took full effect, allowing couples to actually say "I do," a record 659 marriage licenses were picked up in just one day. There will be plenty more of this, and you can bet the wedding industry in NY state is positively jumping with excitement. The race is one to have the coolest wedding venue, and although we've already talked up The Five Gayest Places to Get Married in NYC, we found three more:

· The New York Public Library Main Branch at Bryant Park.
C'mon. It's where Carrie from Sex and the City was originally supposed to marry Big, until he had second thoughts. She ended up at the court house with him in the end, but that doesn't mean you have to take the bare-bones approach as well. The Astor Hall is a must-see, even if you can't pony up the $$$$ to get married in it.

The NYPL is well known for their extensive research collection of LGBT literature, whose mass sum equals over 100,000 volumes and 300 archival collections. Highlights include works by "pivotal LGBT artists and cultural figures" such as William Burroughs, W. H. Auden, Virgina Woolf, and Charles Ludlum.

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Celebrate Equality by Getting Married for Free in Central Park

June 30, 2011 at 12:40 PM | by | Comments (0)

As you're probably well aware by now, NY State has legalized same-sex marriage. Governor Cuomo signed the bill into law last weekend, and 30 days from that signature the nuptials are green lit to begin. Thus, in true New York quick-quick style, a pop-up chapel in Central Park is scheduled for July 30.

And guess what—it'll be FREE! According to Gothamist:

We provide the wedding! And the photographer! And the officiant! And witnesses! And cupcakes! And music! And everything you’ve always dreamed of! A free and legal wedding... We will perform your wedding ceremony, sign your license, and process the paperwork.

Gothamist also notes that you can go snag yourself one of those coveted marriage licenses as soon as July 5, but you must wait until the end of July to actually do the deed for it to be legal and binding.

If you're interested in being one of the lucky couples to enjoy a free wedding on a historial weekend in the middle of Central Park, hit up the organizers of the event with your story by emailing them at info@popupchapel.com. And, you know, follow them on Twitter, @popupchapel.

[Photo: asterix611]

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The Five Gayest Places to Get Married in New York City

June 27, 2011 at 9:30 AM | by | Comments (0)

Where were you on Friday night when the Same-Sex Marriage Law passed in the New York State Senate? We were in the melee that was New York City when something amazing happens, as locals poured into the street, honked their car horns and threw spontaneous parties, regardless of sexual orientation, to celebrate another step in the fight for equality.

It's been a whirlwind weekend with the news and the Pride Parade all rolled into one, but this excitement is nothing compared to what will happen less than 30 days from now, when the law Governor Cuomo signed takes effect and gay couples can hold in their hands their marriage license.

Now everyone can be hitched in New York City, and maybe even choose one of these Five Gayest Places in New York to Get Married:

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Weinergate of the Past: Where is the Senator Larry Craig Stall at Minneapolis Airport?

June 14, 2011 at 8:57 AM | by | Comments (0)

In the midst of all the Weinergate 2011 talk, it's important to step back and realize that America has a fine history of sexual political intrigue, and that sometimes we come closer to the history of it than we expect. Take, for example, the infamous Senator Larry Craig bathroom at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport.

It's been almost four years to the date (June 11, 2007) when Idaho Senator Craig was arrested for "lewd behavior" after making the foot-tapping signals to initiate a gay sex encounter in one of the numerous men's restrooms at the airport. As the story goes, the man he was signalling to was actually an undercover cop, and Larry was cuffed and booked.

The bathroom still exists just as it was, and just this morning was watched as travelers unwittingly passed by or through it. If you'd not like to miss out on the chance to note this odd little landmark in American Political History, we'll help you find it:

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Transsexuals Given the Freedom to Be Flight Attendants with a Thai Airline

January 28, 2011 at 9:36 AM | by | Comments (0)


Thanyarat Jiraphatpakorn, a transsexual beauty queen and your next PC Air flight attendant

It's one small step for a transsexual, but one giant leap for alternative sexuality-kind. Thailand's PC Air (yeah, we've never heard of them either), has begun openly recruiting for transsexual flight attendants, hiring a former beauty pageant queen as one of their first "third sex" trolly dollies.

This comes at a time when US Passport forms have finally caught on to gay parenting by removing gender specifications and airlines are actively filling their flights—bringing on special performers or having a gay marriage in flight—with travelers paying with the "pink dollar." Just don't get us started on that term, one now being used by the travel industry to refer to the spending power of gay travelers. It's all money! Ah, but we digress.

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Minneapolis is the Gayest City in the United States

January 17, 2011 at 5:51 PM | by | Comments (3)

We've recently been introduced to the gayest country to travel to, which, oddly, is Nepal, but what about the gayest US city? We use the superlative as it relates to the most gay-friendly city, as judged by The Advocate magazine using the most highly scientific criteria:

For each city, The Advocate added up numbers for Gay.com profiles, listed officiants for gay weddings within a 50-mile radius, openly gay elected officials, performances by lesbian sisters musical duo Tegan and Sara over the past five years, lesbian bars, gay and gay-friendly religious congregations and entries in YellowPages.com with "gay" in the business name or description.

And the winner of Gayest City to Visit in the USA is...Minneapolis, Minnesota! Congratulations, MN—you beat out other apparent shoe-ins, like New York City, Portland, Provincetown, and San Francisco. Time to put up some celebratory street signs!

[Photo: jimmywayne]

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