Whale Watching in Provincetown

A whale watch tour is ranked as one of the top activities for Cape Cod and Provincetown.  As you depart traveling along the National Seashore you will view the beaches, lighthouses and the very tip of Cape Cod.  A naturalist accompanies every cruise to serve as an interpretive guide to the ecology and natural history of Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bays with emphasis on whales, other marine life and marine birds that passengers are likely to see.  The tours last from 3 to 4 hours.  Each boat has a sundeck, centrally heated /air conditioned cabin and viewing platform on the bow. It can be cool on the water this time of year so be sure to bring warm clothing.

‘Perfect Day’, ‘Great Trip’, and ‘Got a lifetime experience to cherish’ are some of the reviews of the whale watching tours.  This is one Provincetown activity you  can’t miss.  Every guest from our B&B that has taken the tour brings back rave reviews.

The Somerset House Inn has made your whale watching tour even easier.  Book any three-night stay during May, including the Memorial Day Weekend, and the Somerset House Inn will give you a 50% discount on two whale watching tickets.  That’s a $53 value!  Mention ‘Whale Watch’ when making your reservations and we will assist you with your whale watch tour reservations.

Ptown Dan and his partner Bob own the Somerset House Inn, an award winning Provincetown Bed and Breakfast.  Named the Best Bed and Breakfast on Cape Cod for 2018 by Cape Cod Magazine the Somerset House Inn is in the perfect Commercial Street location across the street from the water and walking distance to everything.  Please visit the Somerset House Inn web site to make your reservations.  We look forward to welcoming you to Provincetown.

Purple Roofs LGBT Travel Newsletter: March 26th

Purple Roofs Newsletter. Every day, our LGBT Travel Blog brings you featured LGBT travel articles, as well as tons of news and helpful travel tips, which we summarize here for you every few weeks. And you can also join our Facebook Travel Clubs for our daily discussions and your travel questions (it’s free!):

Gay Travel Club | Lesbian Travel Club | Transgender Travel Club | Bi Travel Club | LGBT Families Travel Club


Arbor House in San Antonio, Texas
Newsletter Sponsor: Arbor House in San Antonio, Texas

Texas at its Finest: Four historic houses that comprise the luxury 7 suite B&B clustered around an exquisite garden oasis, one block from Riverwalk and two blocks from convention center. High ceilings, pine floors, refridgerators, and coffee makers in rooms.

Expanded Listing | Email


Featured Articles: Iceland - DaniICELAND: Dani’s Epic Iceland Road Trip by Dani, Globetrotter Girls After a day filled with waterfalls, geysers and Icelandic horses along Iceland’s Golden Circle, we started day 2 on the actual Ring Road. While we had breakfast, the owner of our lovely Icelandic farmstay came over with a map and showed us a small road just before Vik, a nearby town. It would be worth going in there to see some spectacular rock formations along the coast, she said, and because we were free to do whatever we wanted, we decided to take her up on her advice.

And I am glad I did: The rock formations and cliffs at Dyrholaey were stunning, and seeing the waves furiously hit the shore on this grey and stormy morning turned out to be a memorable start to the day.

(Tip: if you’re planning to drive this part of the ring road yourself and want to stop at Dyrholaey, turn left onto road 218, just before you reach Vik. This is also a popular place to spot puffins, but we weren’t lucky enough to spot any.)



Fethiye boat harbour 2 - AlaturkaTURKEY: Cruising Turkey by Ned at Alaturka Sail the azure waters of the Aegean Sea on a blue cruise in Turkey. Explore the rich history, diverse culture and pristine environment along the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts of the Turkish Riviera.

Istanbul is the capital of the gay community in Turkey, however the seaside is amazing for vacations. For the ultimate holiday experience, whether for relaxation, partying, or exploration, a blue cruise with Alaturka Cruises will ensure you have a breathtaking adventure! Floating along the Turkish coast on your carefully selected gulet-Turkish sailboat- will make you feel like a Greek god and goddess.

Let’s look at just a few of the destinations that are visited during a blue cruise. Although Alaturka Cruises has defined schedules, you are welcome to create your own itinerary.

Bodrum: This vibrant city is the fashionable place to go for Istanbul socialites. Beautiful beaches, spirited nightclubs, and world class cuisine are all found in this former fishing village.



Lula CellarsUSA, CALIFORNIA: Lesbian Travel – Mendocino on My Mind by Teresa Rodriguez, Tango Diva Go north, across the Golden Gate Bridge, past the sleepy coastal pastures, and over the winding roads that lead to the magical town of Mendocino. There, tucked between the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean and the silent giant redwood forest, you’ll find a small slice of heaven.

Mendocino is a rugged place where time stands still and devices like cell phones and Internet access are rarely used. This is great news for those who want to disconnect from civilization and reconnect with nature. Unlike many remote towns that are perched on the jagged cliffs of Northern California, Mendocino has plenty of options when it comes to dining, sleeping, and adventuring.

Mendocino has an impressive wine region and 25% of its vineyards are Certified Organic. Mendocino wine country leads the country in “green wine” production, which mean less toxins in your glass of vino. The region is best known for its full-bodied Pinot Noirs and light sparkling wines.



Brown Street Inn Bed and Breakfast - Donald and RayUSA, IOWA: TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD: Iowa City, Iowa, Part One by Donalt and Ray, the Gay Travelers Iowa City has often been referred to as the “Athens of the Midwest” because of it’s rich cultural and educational offerings. Two of Iowa’s certified cultural and entertainment districts are positioned in the heart of Iowa City.

The University of Iowa campus, intertwined with Downtown, showcases the Old Capitol Museum, the Pentacrest Museums and other cultural attractions throughout their community. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Iowa City as the world’s third City of Literature joining Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia. It is THE only city of Literature in North America!

That designation provides additional international luster to the community and serves to validate the area’s long history of nurturing the literary arts and those who appreciate them. Pound for pound, this area constitutes the most literate community in the world!



Check Out These Other Features
Gay Travel Events | Lodging Discounts/Offers | Seattle Sweepstakes
Find Us On Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Google Plus | Pinterest | Our Blog


That’s it for this edition of the Purple Roofs Gay Travel Newsletter! –Mark & Scott Purple Roofs – https://www.purpleroofs.com
PO Box 4666, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 PS: Wanna sponsor this newsletter and reach over 27,000 people? Email us at wheretostay@purpleroofs.com for details. To be removed from this email list, just reply to this email to wheretostay@purpleroofs.com and enter “remove” in the subject line.]]>

Purple Roofs LGBT Travel Newsletter: February 20th

Purple Roofs Newsletter. Every day, our LGBT Travel Blog brings you featured LGBT travel articles, as well as tons of news and helpful travel tips, which we summarize here for you every few weeks. And you can also join our Facebook Travel Clubs for our daily discussions and your travel questions (it’s free!):

Gay Travel Club | Lesbian Travel Club | Transgender Travel Club | Bi Travel Club | LGBT Families Travel Club

VENTURE OUT: Find Your Place in the World!
Newsletter Sponsor: VENTURE OUT: Find Your Place in the World!
Since 1998 Venture Out has operated small-group tours for LGBT travelers around the world. We specialize in high-end, guided vacations for gay and lesbian travelers (and friends). Wherever possible we emphasize unique accommodations and fine dining. Each year brings a new calendar of tours as we introduce new itineraries as well as bring back popular vacations from our repertoire of 18 years. Be sure to check our website for current destinations! Our group sizes are small – usually a maximum of 15. Additionally, there is a Venture Out tour manager to accompany each group.
Expanded Listing | Email

Featured Articles: Donald and RayTRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD: Amazing Indianapolis Part Two by Donald and Ray As we mentioned in our Part One of our adventures in Indianapolis, we were totally surprised and amazed how absolutely wonderful Indianapolis was and is! The people, the Mayor, the restaurants, the downtown that is full of life!, the live theatre, nightclubs and bars and it is just a very special city in so many ways. The historical aspects of the city go way back to the early 1800’s. It is the largest city in Indiana, second largest city in the American Midwest and the 14th largest in the country The downtown’s main attraction is Monument Circle with shops and restaurants located on the streets around it and the famous Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the center which was built in the late 1890’s. We saw a live production of SKYLIGHT at the Theatre On The Square, www.tots.org starring Sarah McGee, Tyler Ostrander and Bill Simmons. We saw it on Broadway in New York City and this production was performed as perfect as on Broadway.
Nomadic BoysThat Time We Almost Got Arrested in Delhi by the Nomadic Boys Don’t get us wrong, we absolutely fell in love with India. But its government just has major problems accepting its LGBT community. A very old law dating back to 1861 (Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code) criminalises gay sex with up to 10 years in prison. This was invalidated by the Delhi High Court in 2009, but in 2013, the Supreme Court reintroduced Article 377. In January 2016, the Supreme Court announced it would review this decision, but until this is done, being gay in India remains a crime. We couldn’t find any evidence of Article 377 being enforced, but its very existence is a symbolic slap in the face to the LGBT community.
Stef-Seb-9-apps-for-gay-travellers-iphone-and-non-iphone9 Mobile Apps for the Gay Traveller by the Nomadic Boys After our 18 months trip in Asia, we put together our 9 favourite mobile apps for gay travellers. They aren’t all gay, but simply the apps we grew to depend on every day whether it was for booking flights, hotels, planning, networking or socialising. Our pink friendly apps for the gay traveller are all available in the iPhone app store and some for non-iPhones, but you can still use the mobile friendly version of their website. Skyscanner is our #1 resource for researching flights and finding the best deals online. They also have a very user friendly app. We like Skyscanner because of all the flight search engines we’ve used, we’ve found it has the widest variety of flight operators, including budget ones like Air Asia and Easyjet, thereby maximising your options.
[caption id="attachment_40361" align="alignleft" width="250"]Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong[/caption] Things to Do in Nassau Near the Cruise Port by Steven Skelley Nassau, Bahamas is a routine stop on many Caribbean cruises. If you’re not in the mood for another visit to the Atlantis complex, here are a few sights that you can walk to within minutes from the cruise ship pier. When you arrive at Prince George Wharf, go into the cruise terminal and grab one of the FREE tourist maps that are available to have a better idea of the local streets and any other sights you may want to add to your walk. Just minutes from the pier across Parliament Street, you will see Rawson Square with a statue of Sir Milo Butler, local hero who was the first Bahamian governor of the islands. After viewing the statue, turn around and at the rear of Rawson Square you will see West Bay Street and Parliament Square with the Queen Victoria Statue. The pink government buildings surrounding the white statue make a picture perfect setting. The buildings reportedly date back to the 1700’s.
gay history in GreeceGay History in Greece Today by Andrew Lear As I am leading a tour of gay history in Greece this spring, people keep asking me what makes a gay history tour different from another tour of Greece. So….I figured it might be nice to post a few examples. Greece is of course one of the great countries for gay history, because some form or forms of same-sex love were customary in the ancient Greek world. And lots of evidence remains—if you know where to look! This stone is a great example. It’s a chunk of a statue base, in a glass case, in the Agora museum in Athens, and if you didn’t know what it was, you wouldn’t give it a second glance. But in fact, it speaks volumes about gay history in Greece. You can’t probably make it out in my lousy snapshot, but when it’s in front of you, you can clearly make out the upper line, which says (in Greek letters, but in this case, they’re close to the Roman letters we use), ARMODIO—most of the name HARMODIOS.
Dani - IcelandThe Most Epic Iceland Road Trip by Dani – Globetrotter Girls The best way to see Iceland? Without a doubt, on a road trip! And since I love road trips, I didn’t have to think about it too long when it came to deciding how we’d spend our week in Iceland: we were going to drive the Ring Road. The Ring Road, or Highway 1, is an 828 miles (1332 kilometers) long road around the country, basically circling the island. It passes everything that Iceland is famous for: stunning waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers and glacier lagoons, geysers, lava fields and geothermal fields, and the country’s incredibly diverse scenery. Since we only had six days (plus one day in Reykjavik, which I didn’t want to skip entirely) we opted for a self-guided driving tour, which was an excellent decision. While I was researching Iceland road trip routes I came across Icelandic Farm Holidays, a local tour operator who offers both self-drive and guided tours of the country. There are several self-driving tours available, depending on how much time you have and what you’re most interested in, and the tour that caught my eye was the ‘Highlights of Iceland’ tour. It would bring us around the island in six days, leaving the seventh day to explore Reykjavik. Perfect!
Malaysia Nomadic BoysThe Nomadic Boys’ Malaysia Gay Travel Video by the Nomadic Boys What’s it like travelling in Malaysia? It’s all about the rasa sayang or Feel the Love! And boy did we have plenty of rasa sayang moments in this awesome country. Our video highlights start with the wildlife of Borneo, especially the orang utans, proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants which we saw in the wild near the Kinabatangan River in Sabbah. You can also see orang utans at the Semenggoh Nature Reserve, proboscis monkeys at the Bako National Park – both near Kuching in Sarawak.
Check Out These Other Features
Gay Travel Events | Lodging Discounts/Offers | Seattle Sweepstakes
Find Us On Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Google Plus | Pinterest | Our Blog

That’s it for this edition of the Purple Roofs Gay Travel Newsletter! –Mark & Scott Purple Roofs – https://www.purpleroofs.com PO Box 4666, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 PS: Wanna sponsor this newsletter and reach over 27,000 people? Email us at wheretostay@purpleroofs.com for details. To be removed from this email list, just reply to this email to wheretostay@purpleroofs.com and enter “remove” in the subject line.]]>

Purple Roofs LGBT Travel Round-Up – February 8th

POP CULTURE:
Gay Couple Seek Revenge on Homophobic B&B Owner in New Thriller (Pink News)
A film about a gay couple who plot against a b&b owner who turns them away has found funding.
full story POP CULTURE:
Trailer for Gaycation (Joe.My.God)
VICELAND, VICE’s new TV network, launched the first trailer for GAYCATION, a brand new series hosted by Ellen Page and Ian Daniel.
full story ABU DHABI:
The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi (Keep Calm and Wander)
The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi is where you should stay—if you have the cash to burn. This hotel spells luxury and opulence of the Emirati world. “Everywhere around”, as my brother said, “is pure magnificent!”
full story Alain - Abu Dhabi AUSTRALIA:
Hot Aussies Having Fun In The Sun At Midsumma Festival In Melbourne (Gay Star News)
Midsumma Festival is officially back with a bang.
full story Midsumma DUBAI:
Desert Sunset (Keep Calm and Wander)
Desert sunset is breathtakingly magical. Behind the sea of sand, the orange ball goes down like a ball of fire, leaving an impression that makes us all sigh, hoping to see again the next day.
full story Alain Dubai EUROPE:
8 Best LGBT Events & Festivals in Europe 2016 (Travels of Adam)
February is traditionally the UK’s LGBT History Month. Over the past few years as LGBT individuals have gained more and more equal rights, there’s been a shift in traditional gay culture.
full story Nice-Gay-Carnaval_4725-620x414 FRANCE:
Three reasons to visit Paris in 2016 (Gay Star News)
If you’ve never been to Paris before there is an enormous list of must-do tourist essentials that will easily fill your time during your stay – climb the Eiffel Tower, wander around the Louvre, stroll along the Seine, sit in cafe and look intellectual.
full story ICELAND:
10 Reasons Not to Miss Rainbow Reykjavik (Gay Star News)
It started as an experiment by then-new LGBTI travel company Pink Iceland – with support from Icelandic industry heavy-hitters, including national carrier Icelandair.
full story Rainbow Reykjavik RUSSIA:
Gus Kenworthy and His Boyfriend Weren’t Allowed to Share a Bed in Russia (Towleroad.com)
Gus Kenworthy says that while attending a competition in Russia ahead of the 2014 Sochi Olympics he and his then-boyfriend were denied a room with a double bed by a Russian hotel. Hotel staff reportedly told Kenworthy, “Two guys can’t be in the same bed.”
full story Gus Kenworthy USA, CALIFORNIA:
Dinah’ 2016 Lineup Revealed (LGBT Weekly)
Club Skirts has revealed its entertainment line-up for The Dinah 2016. The Palm Springs, California-based all girl party and music festival will again take place over the span of five days (March 30 through April 3, 2016) at the Hilton Hotel, the PS Convention Center and Zeldaz Nightclub.
full story The Dinah 2016 USA, WASHINGTON:
Inside Starbucks’ Massive Seattle Roasting Facility (Shermans Travel)
Less than two miles away from Starbucks’ original Pike Place Market store sits its latest Seattle location: a 15,000-square-foot-plus café, roastery, and packaging facility perched on Capitol Hill.
full story Exterior-Starbucks-Reserve-and-Roastery]]>

Purple Roofs LGBT Travel Newsletter: February 7th

Purple Roofs Newsletter. Every day, our LGBT Travel Blog brings you featured LGBT travel articles, as well as tons of news and helpful travel tips, which we summarize here for you every few weeks. And you can also join our Facebook Travel Clubs for our daily discussions and your travel questions (it’s free!):

Gay Travel Club | Lesbian Travel Club | Transgender Travel Club | Bi Travel Club | LGBT Families Travel Club


Venture Out
Newsletter Sponsor:
VENTURE OUT – Find Your Place in the World!

Since 1998 Venture Out has operated small-group tours for LGBT travelers around the world. We specialize in high-end, guided vacations for gay and lesbian travelers (and friends). Wherever possible we emphasize unique accommodations and fine dining. Each year brings a new calendar of tours as we introduce new itineraries as well as bring back popular vacations from our repertoire of 18 years. Be sure to check our website for current destinations! Our group sizes are small – usually a maximum of 15. Additionally, there is a Venture Out tour manager to accompany each group. Try us for your next adventure!

Venture Out Website | Venture Out Email


Featured Articles: Nomadic BoysGENERAL: Traveling as a Gay Couple in Asia by The Nomadic Boys “Why should I spend my tourist dollars in a country that wants to throw me in jail?!” This was our dilemma before setting off for our big travel adventures in Asia – as a gay couple. If it isn’t illegal (like in Sri Lanka, Singapore, the Maldives, Malaysia, India, Myanmar…), then it’s certainly not truly welcomed (think Indonesia, China or Mongolia). A few (like Nepal and Vietnam) have taken proactive steps to start to protect their LGBT community instead of criminalising them. And some have gone further to not only protect their LGBT community, but to embrace, support them and in addition, actively promote gay tourism: Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and the Philippines. So as a gay traveller, does that mean you shouldn’t visit countries like India or Myanmar? Are you really under any practical danger visiting a country like Malaysia or the Maldives?

Dani - Globetrotter GirlsGENERAL: Evolution of a Nomad by Dani, Globetrotter Girls It’s been almost a year since I looked back on five years of full-time travel, and I thought it was time for an update on how my nomadic life has evolved in the past twelve months. It’s been now over 2,000 days since I switched my London apartment for a life on the road, and quite frankly, I’m tired of being on the road constantly. Over 2,000 days of vagabonding – that’s even longer than I had an apartment in London, or anywhere else I’d lived before. When I started traveling in 2010, I thought it would be a one-year trip around the world. I even had a new employment contract ready for me to sign, and a job waiting for me upon return.. which I obviously never started. In the beginning, I thought I could travel forever, never getting tired of exploring new places, meeting new people, trying new foods. I had an insane amount of energy, my body fueled by new experiences and my mind stimulated by the ever changing scenery around me.

[caption id="attachment_40083" align="alignright" width="250"]Resorts World Bimini pool photo by Steven Skelley Resorts World Bimini pool photo by Steven Skelley[/caption]BAHAMAS: Bimini by Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong Ask just about anyone about Bimini and they will probably say they’ve heard of it but have no idea where it is. Some may know it is in the Bahamas but have no details beyond that. We learned quite a lot about Bimini during our recent visit. These two tiny Bahamian islands have a unique culture, bountiful history, visitors both famous and infamous, and a new focus as a casino hotspot for the rich and famous. Bimini consists of the two main islands named North Bimini Island and South Bimini Island as well as numerous cays or keys. Just 50 miles off of Florida’s eastern coast, Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to the United States. Bimini’s history contains an impressive list of both the famous and infamous. The Lucayan natives who inhabited the islands named them Bimini which means two islands. Within just 50 years after the European explorers arrive in the 1490’s, the Lucayans had all been enslaved and relocated to other islands to work as plantation slaves.

[caption id="attachment_40154" align="alignleft" width="250"]Photo by Dennis Dean Photo by Dennis Dean[/caption]CUBA: Gay Havana by Joseph Pedro In old Havana there is a tree that’s said to be older than the city itself. It was here, though it was very young, when the Taino people would worship, venerate, and respect her as Ancient Mother. It was here too, though a little older now, in 1519 when the Spanish first established a settlement. The land was claimed, right beside her growing roots, as San Cristobal de la Habana. She provided shade for the first mass and bestowed a breeze for the first council meeting. And as she reached toward the heavens, so did a city. Becoming resilient and strong, prosperous and wealthy, devout and ideological-she soon had a home overlooking churches and plazas, statues and mansions that rivaled those of Europe. She felt the breeze of independence and briefly felt it taken away from her. As times changed, though, she witnessed the plight of the Cuban people under a dictatorship and felt the mumblings of revolution brush through her leaves. Then, in 1959, as winter drew to an end she was here still to feel the rumbling of a tank shake her roots to usher in spring and a new hope for her land. More than half a century later, the wind again sways her branches and one of her leaves falls in 2014, twirling like a Sky Dancer, landing flatly on my head.

ind welcomes allUSA, INDIANA: TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD: Amazing Indianapolis by Donald and Ray, the Gay Travelers We had not been to Indianapolis, Indiana in over 35 years and when we went a couple of weeks ago we were totally shocked, amazed and pleasantly surprised how Amazing the city is. The Governor of Indiana, and we will not even mention his name, but The Governor is one of the most homophobic Governors in the country. There are “PENCE MUST GO!” signs and billboards all over the city. However the State Capitol and major city, Indianapolis is one of the most GAY FRIENDLY in the country! As you enter the city there are signs that read, INDY WELCOMES ALL” and signs on many business read, THIS BUSINESS SERVES EVERYONE. The newly elected Mayor of Indianapolis, Joe Hogsett who by the way, won with over 63% of the vote last December is extremely intelligent and pro LGBT. He is loved by the entire city! He had us to the Mayor’s Office so that he could officially welcome the “Gay Travelers” to his city.

Check Out These Other Features
Gay Travel Events | Lodging Discounts/Offers | Seattle Sweepstakes
Find Us On Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Google Plus | Pinterest | Our Blog


That’s it for this edition of the Purple Roofs Gay Travel Newsletter! –Mark & Scott Purple Roofs – https://www.purpleroofs.com
PO Box 4666, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 PS: Wanna sponsor this newsletter and reach over 27,000 people? Email us at wheretostay@purpleroofs.com for details. To be removed from this email list, just reply to this email to wheretostay@purpleroofs.com and enter “remove” in the subject line.]]>

Bimini, Bahamas

Bimini, Bahamas  [caption id="attachment_40049" align="alignright" width="250"]Bimini Window photo by Steven Skelley Bimini Window photo by Steven Skelley[/caption] The Bahama playground for the rich and famous By Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong Ask just about anyone about Bimini and they will probably say they’ve heard of it but have no idea where it is. Some may know it is in the Bahamas but have no details beyond that. We learned quite a lot about Bimini during our recent visit. These two tiny Bahamian islands have a unique culture, bountiful history, visitors both famous and infamous, and a new focus as a casino hotspot for the rich and famous. Bimini consists of the two main islands named North Bimini Island and South Bimini Island as well as numerous cays or keys. Just 50 miles off of Florida’s eastern coast, Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to the United States. Bimini’s history contains an impressive list of both the famous and infamous. The Lucayan natives who inhabited the islands named them Bimini which means two islands. Within just 50 years after the European explorers arrive in the 1490’s, the Lucayans had all been enslaved and relocated to other islands to work as plantation slaves. Pirates Pirates Henry Morgan and Edward Teach, also known as the infamous Blackbeard, used Bimini as a base of operations. Bootleggers Bootleggers used Bimini to smuggle rum into the U.S.A. It is said that Bill “The Real” McCoy and Al Capone made millions of dollars through rum running. Celebrities [caption id="attachment_40081" align="alignright" width="250"]Bimini Hemingway sign photo by Steven Skelley Bimini Hemingway sign photo by Steven Skelley[/caption] Ernest Hemingway spent three summers in Bimini. His Royal Highness Prince Edward, The Duke of Windsor and U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt held meetings in Bimini while Edward was Governor of The Bahamas. Prince Wilhelm of Sweden enjoyed fishing in Bimini. Judy Garland, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Lauren Bacall, Martin Luther King Jr., Johnny Cash, Don Johnson, Jimmy Buffett and Walter Peyton all vacationed in Bimini. American Labor leader Jimmy Hoffa visited Bimini. The Bimini Museum displays his Bahamas Immigration card and states that visitors “often ask if he is still here.” More recently, Mariah Carey rented a villa at Resorts World Bimini for a getaway. [caption id="attachment_40082" align="alignright" width="250"]Silence of the Lambs Bimini location photo by Steven Skelley Silence of the Lambs Bimini location photo by Steven Skelley[/caption] The Silence of the Lambs The final scene of the film “The Silence of The Lambs” was filmed on North Bimini. We walked to the site and took photos, of course. Standing there, it is easy to recall Hannibal Lecter saying the words, “I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner. Bye.” LGBT INFO “The Hilton resort welcomes all guests. LGBT visitors are very comfortable here. When going into town LGBT guests should remember to be respectful of local beliefs and customs,” Michelle Malcolm, Resorts World Bimini’s Public Affairs Director told us. The U.S. Department of State offers this advice for LGBT travelers, “There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBT events in The Bahamas,” and “Remember that you are subject to the laws and the judicial process of the country you’re visiting. Avoid excessive physical displays of affection in public, particularly in more conservative countries or regions.” WHERE TO STAY Resorts World Bimini  [caption id="attachment_40083" align="alignright" width="250"]Resorts World Bimini pool photo by Steven Skelley Resorts World Bimini pool photo by Steven Skelley[/caption] We chose to stay at the Resorts World Bimini. The Hilton at Resorts World Bimini sits on 750 beautiful acres of prime waterfront real estate. The Hilton at Resorts World Bimini has a modern and uncluttered décor and very friendly staff. In addition to the 300+ guest rooms and suites in The Hilton at Resorts World Bimini, there are 148, one to three bedroom, fully equipped villas for rent. The villas are perfect for a family friendly stay. Guests can bring their own groceries, cook in the villas and save money. Private Island Home rentals begin at $1400 per night. These four bedroom homes offer guests the asset of docking their boats in back. Michelle Malcolm, Resorts World Bimini’s Public Affair’s Director told us, “We often have special events at Fishermen’s Village like foam parties and private parties. We are busiest during the Summer months. Most of our guests come from Florida for a short getaway. Our Glass Pavilion can hold up to 300 people. It is very popular for weddings. Our marina is the largest in the Bahamas with 200 slips. On a busy weekend, there are so many yachts, it is hard to find an empty slip. We have boats up to 200 feet.” There are a number of attractive dining options at Resort World Bimini. Fishermen’s Village offers Amicci’s Pizzeria & Gelateria, and the Healing Hole Rum Bar. The Aqua Bar & Grill is located at the Infinity Pool which offers a gorgeous view of the ship near the Three Sister’s Rocks made famous in many professional model photography shoots. Near the Sabor Pool, there is Sabor Seafood and Steakhouse restaurant and the Sabor Swim Up Bar. The Sabor Pool offers free cabanas. Inside the casino is the RW Hemingway’s Restaurant which also offers a breakfast buffet. The Paradise Bar & Grill is located at Paradise Beach. Guests can enjoy a beautiful beach, casual dining, cabana and watersport rentals and bands on weekends. We enjoyed two breakfast burritos, a cup of coffee and a diet soda at Amicci’s on-site restaurant in Fishermen’s Village. The bill came to $39.22. For dinner one evening, we tried the Sabor Seafood and Steakhouse restaurant near the Casino. This poolside restaurant has a very upscale décor and menu. The food is both delicious and plated appealingly. We thoroughly enjoyed our ribeye steak and pork chop dinners. Our bill came to $143.00. Resorts World Bimini Casino is “a 10,000 square foot live action casino that features popular table games including blackjack, baccarat, roulette, craps, 169 slot machines and a Spor [caption id="attachment_40079" align="alignright" width="188"]Resorts World Bimini casino photo by Steven Skelley Resorts World Bimini casino photo by Steven Skelley[/caption] ts Book – the only one east of Las Vegas. With floor to ceiling windows, it is the first casino in the world to have panoramic water views, and has a full indoor-outdoor restaurant that sits directly on the mega-yacht marina.” Because the casino is located just feet from the marina, guests can sail almost right up to the casino doors. For more information, visit http://www.rwbimini.com/ Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina The Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina was founded in the 1930’s as an elegant dinner club but has become known as a destination for “top of class sportsmen and their families.” The resort offers watersports, sport fishing and world class diving. For more information, visit www.biggameclubbimini.com Sea Crest Hotel and Marina The Sea Crest Hotel is located in the center of Alice Town in North Bimini. Their website boasts “air conditioning, compact refrigerators and cable TV in all rooms.” The nearest beach is only a few steps away. All rooms have bay and/or ocean views. For more information, visit http://www.seacrestbimini.com/seacrest%20frame.htm Bimini Sands Resort & Marina Bimini Sands Resort & Marina sits “on a private white sandy beach and all condos are Marina Front or Ocean Front.” The resort has 215 one, two and three bedroom condos with full kitchens, washer, dryer, hair dryers, microwave, coffee makers, TV, patios, toiletries. For boaters, the resort offers a 75 slip marina with 30/50 amp, diesel and gas fuel, water and slips for up to 100 foot yachts. Bimini Sands Resort has an ocean front pool and marina pool, restaurants and bars located on property, free airport shuttle and free water shuttle that departs daily to North Bimini for shopping, museums, local attractions and the Casino. For more information, visit www.thebiminisands.com HOW TO GET AROUND Bimini Bus The Bimini Tram provides transportation throughout North Bimini from Alice Town to Porgy Bay. It operates daily, between 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Fare is $3 for adults and $1 for children. Ferries Scheduled ferry service is available between North and South Bimini from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. The fare is $2 each way. Look for the Bimini Government Dock in both Alice Town and South Bimini. Taxis can be hailed on the street and golf carts can be rented around the island. ATTRACTIONS Bimini Museum The Bimini Museum is located on North Bimini in Alice Town on King’s Highway across from the Bimini Craft Center. The museum was started by the Bimini Historical Society to preserve the island’s history. There are pictures, stories, artifacts and relics “that commemorate those who contributed to the development of Bimini, in addition to memorabilia of Bimini’s most famous former resident, Ernest Hemingway.” Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose visit to the island in 1968 had a significant impact on its people. The bronze bust of his image is displayed at the Bimini Craft Center in Alice Town. Straw Markets Everyone enjoys a Caribbean Straw Market. Local vendors have stalls at the Bimini Craft Center in Alice Town and sell a variety of straw creations and other handmade crafts. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Bimini Beaches Bimini might be small at only 7 miles long but it’s got great beaches especially on the west side of North Bimini. Radio Beach, Blister Beach and Spook Hill Beach are three continuous beaches stretching from Alice Town to Bailey Town. Tiki Hut Beach is popular on South Bimini and there are numerous secluded beaches on the Cays to the south. Beachcombers often find whole conch shells, colorful sea glass and hermit crabs the size of baseballs. Conch Graveyards  [caption id="attachment_40080" align="alignright" width="250"]Conch graveyard photo by Steven Skelley Conch graveyard photo by Steven Skelley[/caption] Conch shells everywhere on North Bimini islands because they are a local food staple. Walking along the streets past local eateries, you will view conch graveyards where shells are stacked 6 feet high and 30 feet long. Bimini Nature Trail The Bimini Nature Trail on South Bimini Island allows you to see Bimini’s plants and animals in their natural environment. Shark Lab Tour The Shark Lab Tour includes a boat ride to South Bimini Island from North Bimini. The friendly and entertaining staff share shark research information and allow guests to pet a shark. The tour staff picked coconuts for us to drink milk from and offered us Bahama Bread. [caption id="attachment_40086" align="alignright" width="250"]South Bimini Shark Lab photo by Steven Skelley South Bimini Shark Lab photo by Steven Skelley[/caption] We visited the local Fountain of Youth well. Every participant took a sip. We enjoyed a leisurely stroll on the South Bimini Nature trail learning about local plants and animals and visiting ruins. Make sure you apply generous amounts of mosquito repellent. Our driver joked that a swarm of mosquitoes once lifted him off the ground. Be sure to sample a local canned beverage named Bahama Goombay. It is delightful. For a good laugh, ask the guides to teach you the “One cent, five cent, ten cent, dollar” song and dance. For more information, visit http://www.biminisharklab.com/opportunities/publictours The Healing Hole The Healing Hole pond earned its name because of the healing properties reported by those who swim in it. Accessible by boat only, it is a natural fresh-water spring that pumps up lithium and sulfur inside a salt water swamp in the mangroves of Bonefish Creek. The Bimini Wall or Bimini Road The Bimini Road or Bimini Wall is one-half mile of underwater limestone blocks. Some believe they are a remnant of the legendary Lost City of Atlantis. TRAVELING TO BIMINI By Ferry As of January 10, 2016, Resorts World Bimini ended their three-times-a-week ferry service to Bimini from Miami. By Air Cape Air – https://www.capeair.com/where_we_fly/caribbean.html Silver Airways – www.silverairways.com Tropic Ocean Airways – www.flytropic.com By Sea Since Bimini is just 50 miles from Florida, many local charter boats offer trips on a regular basis from both Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Of course, if you have your own yacht, there are plenty of slips and marinas awaiting your arrival. OUR CONCLUSION The North and South Bimini Islands are a unique blend of old-Bahamas towns and upscale resorts. The turquoise waters are stunning and the beaches are beautiful. We enjoyed our visit and may return someday to explore more of what these often overlooked islands have to offer. Article and photos by Steven Skelley & Thomas Routzong. Copyright 2016 Sunny Harbor Publishing. Contact Us: PO Box 560318, Rockledge, FL 32956. Phone: 321-446-7552. Email: SunnyHarborPublishing@yahoo.com [caption id="attachment_40088" align="alignright" width="179"]Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong[/caption] Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong are a happily married couple who love to travel. They write and photograph to help others see the world and see it in a new way. They have authored multiple travel and positive-themed books. You can learn more about Thomas and Steven at www.SunnyHarborPublishing.org and www.GayTravelersMagazine.com

Read more

Purple Roofs LGBT Travel Round-Up – January 29th

GENERAL:
Gay Travel Radar: Our Top 5 Discoveries for January (Towleroad.com)
Our travel radar helps you find your gay way in this big world with gay and gay-friendly discoveries from the four corners.
full story Radar_CinqetSept GENERAL:
Caitlyn Jenner and Friends Call for End to TSA ‘Horror Stories’ (The Advocate)
The transgender reality star and her costars shared their experiences of traveling while trans, and called on allies to demand better treatment.
full story AUSTRALIA:
LGBTI Tourism in Australia Gets a Rebrand (Gay Star News)
Gay and Lesbian Tourism Australia (GALTA) has revealed a new initiative, ‘Visit Gay Australia’, in an effort to attract more queer tourists to the country.
full story AUSTRALIA:
17 Shots Of Hot Aussies Having Fun In The Sun At Midsumma Festival In Melbourne (Gay Star News)
Midsumma Festival is officially back with a bang.
full story Midsumma Festival DUBAI:
Dubai Sunset (Keep Calm and Wander)
You really don’t have to worry where to take photos of Dubai skyline anywhere in the city. The only thing is that—you’ve got to drive your own car if wanna see it from a distance. Or hire / take a taxi if you’re just visiting the city. Best time to do that is early morning and late afternoon.
full story Alain - Dubai ICELAND:
10 Reasons Not To Miss Rainbow Reykjavik (Gay Star News)
It started as an experiment by then-new LGBTI travel company Pink Iceland – with support Icelandic industry heavy-hitters, including national carrier Icelandair. And next month, the fully grown Rainbow Reykjavik Winter Pride Festival returns for another outing.
full story Rainbow Reykjavik INDONESIA:
Where Does Bali Stand on LGBT Travel? (Bali Discovery)
A witch hunt is now underway on the Island of Bali that when viewed on a certain level seems highly hypocritical and inconsistent. Many ranking officials in Bali are in an uproar, adopting poses of righteous indignation over pictures posted on Facebook of several same-sex weddings taking place in Bali.
full story IRELAND:
Visiting a New Autumn in Ireland (The Advocate)
So many Americans — nearly 40 million — claim Irish ancestry that it’s little wonder it’s an incredibly friendly place for stateside visitors.
full story USA, CALIFORNIA:
11 Things To Do In San Francisco With Your GBFFs (Gay Cities)
San Francisco offers much more than just a vibrant bar club scene. The City by the Bay has unique activities lurking in every inch of its seven square miles every day of the week, so grab your friends and head out to these fabulous alternatives to cruising the bars–so you can cruise outside of bars!
full story]]>

Purple Roofs LGBT Travel Newsletter: January 23rd

Purple Roofs Newsletter. Every day, our LGBT Travel Blog brings you featured LGBT travel articles, as well as tons of news and helpful travel tips, which we summarize here for you every few weeks. And you can also join our Facebook Travel Clubs for our daily discussions and your travel questions (it’s free!):

Gay Travel Club | Lesbian Travel Club | Transgender Travel Club | Bi Travel Club | LGBT Families Travel Club


Williams River House - Chester, Vermont
Newsletter Sponsor: Williams River House – Chester, Vermont

Just the Best! Vermont Gay Owned/Operated Inn: The Williams River House bed and breakfast has established itself as one of the most beautiful and charming gay owned country inns in Vermont. Built in 1780 this historic guesthouse is set on 46 secluded and private acres conveniently located in southern/central Vermont. The perfect getaway! Come relax and be yourself. You’ll come back again and again, we promise.

Expanded Listing | Email


Featured Articles: pet travel oneTRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD: Traveling With Pets by Donald and Ray – The Gay Travelers When making travel decisions, choose what is safest and most comfortable to you pet. For instance, unless you’ll be able to spend a lot of time with your dog, he’ll probably be happier at home than tagging along on your trip. As a rule, cats are almost always better off in their own home. But if you have decided it’s best to bring your pet along, follow our tips for a safe and low-stress trip. The safest way for your dog to travel in the car is in a crate that has been anchored to the vehicle using a seatbelt or other secure means. Dog restraints or seat belts are useful for preventing your dog from roaming around the car and being a distraction to the driver, but they haven’t been reliably shown to protect dogs during a crash. Most cats aren’t comfortable traveling in cars, so for their safety as well as yours, keep them in a carrier. It’s important to restrain these carriers in the car so that they don’t bounce around and hurt your cat. Do this by securing a seat belt around the front of the carrier.

Yanchep kangaroosAUSTRALIA: Wandering Wives – Kangaroo Spotting by the Wandering Wives Driving north on a day trip from Perth, there are two outstanding national parks well worth a visit. Both of the naturally beautiful parks are great places to relax and visitors should easily manage to spot a Kangaroo or two. If you set off early enough, you could see them both in one day. Nambung national park is around two hours’ drive from Perth and Yanchep national park is less than hour from the city. It is hard to believe the equally stunning parks are so close to each other as they are set in very different environments. Yanchep feels like a Victorian country park with historic buildings, gardens and a boating lake. We spent a day strolling around the lush green lawns and enjoying the beauty of the park. To us, it felt a lot like the parks in England, except of course for the Koala board-walk and the kangaroos.

Cartenega - Dani, Globetrotter GirlsCOLOMBIA: Cartenega by Dani – Globetrotter Girls I made it to Colombia! I can’t believe that after all these years, I’m finally here. To give you a bit more background: when I (we) started traveling in 2010, I started in the U.S. and made my way south through Mexico and Central America. The goal was to go all the way down to Tierra del Fuego, taking a catamaran from Panama to Colombia via the San Blas Islands, which is supposed to be a beautiful trip (proven by the photos I’ve linked to!). However, by the time we made it to Panama, we had been traveling through Latin America for 9 months and were ready for a change of scenery & culture. So we hopped on a plane to Europe instead of a catamaran. When we returned to South America, we timed it so that we’d be in Argentina and Chile for their summer and flew into Buenos Aires. And never made it further north than Peru.

Nomadic BoysINDONESIA: Gay Life in Indonesia by Stefan Arestis – Nomadic Boys “OMG careful you don’t get caned for being gay over there you two!” We did of course point out to our concerned friends and family back home that Sharia Law is only in place in one small part of Indonesia in the Northern Aceh province. If the rainbow flag gets out of control in Aceh, you risk being convicted by the Sharia police to 10-150 lashes in public for being gay. And yes, this now applies to foreigners too! But we don’t go around waving rainbow flags. Nor do we have any interest in getting publicly canned in Aceh (our caning adventures at the Komodo National Park were more then enough).

Femmineillo PrideITALY: Femminiello Pride by Danielle Oteri Irpinia contradicts everything you expect about Southern Italy. The rainy climate and green mountains have more in common with the Pacific Northwest than the Amalfi Coast, just 40 miles away. Instead of Roman ruins like those at Pompeii, stones remain from the Osci, the native Campanian tribe known for their salacious festivals. The spiritual center of the region is the famously hard-to-reach church at Montevergine. Pilgrims arrive after long bus rides over highways that span seemingly bottomless gorges. Irpinia’s landscape is foreboding, which is why the Montevergine pilgrimage has always required strong and focused devotion. The thin air is hard to breathe. The damp stone from the mountain’s peaks perfume the air with ancient minerals.

Dolly TravelsMEXICO: ¡Hola, De Puerto Vallarta by Dolly Goolsby Now I must switch to English. I have exhausted my Spanish vocabulary. Frank and I decided we needed another vacation; therefore, we flew down to Puerto Vallarta on Friday. We arrived at our hotel around 6:00 p.m., after spending almost 2 hours going through Immigration and Customs. The lines were long, but progressed smoothly. No one seemed to be upset or angry. Eventually, we retrieved our bags, ran the gauntlet through time share salesmen and found our taxi. We arrived here, at Club Regina, in time for Happy Hour. Our timing is impeccable. The hotel sits among lush green gardens, palm trees and swimming pools. At the western edge of the property is the Pacific Ocean. The setting is so peaceful and relaxing, although the buildings are painted white with bubble-gum pink accents, interspersed with bright yellow accents. I think that design is to keep the guests from getting too bored.

Stockholm - Curve MagSWEDEN: Affordable Stockholm – Lesbian Travel by Andre Landeros Michel It is a well-known fact that Stockholm is an open-minded and progressive city but some say that Stockholm is also expensive. What is lesser known is that the city offers an abundance of gems that provide great value for your money. With the strong US dollar and with the low-cost carrier Norwegian adding Las Vegas to their growing repertoire of gateways, there has never been a better time to visit the Swedish capital. That is why a number of American travel agents and journalists set out to discover the hidden treasures of tolerant Stockholm. Over the course of four days, the travelers got to experience many sides of Sweden – from the traditional to the new and modern. Between hotel inspections and museum visits, there was plenty of time to shop innovative Swedish design and experience a traditional Lucia celebration.

Palm BeachUSA, FLORIDA: What’s New in Palm Beach by Jimmy Im In Palm Beach, Florida, there is a relatively new adage that’s defined the destination for more than a decade: “Palm Beach is like the gay 90s: all the women are 90 and all the men are gay.” It’s not entirely untrue considering more than half the residents are over 65 years old, many businesses are gay owned, gossip among locals is better than a season of Real Housewives, and a typical night out is a fabulous dinner party in a million-dollar home. Sprawling a short 17 miles, Palm Beach (about an hour north of Miami) has always served as a rather exclusive stomping ground for old-money tycoons and wealthy entrepreneurs who only dabble with the finer things in life. The skyscraper-free town is chockablock with fancy restaurants where dinner jackets are still often required, luxury name-brand retailers like Gucci and Neiman Marcus are ubiquitous, and members-only country clubs are decades strong. It’s not unusual to see locals dressed to the nines for a trip to the bank or parking lots packed with only Bentleys and Porsches. There’s an air of sophistication, and a touch of harmless elitism, you’re hard-pressed to find in other parts of Florida–the local Publix even has valet parking.

Check Out These Other Features
Gay Travel Events | Lodging Discounts/Offers | Seattle Sweepstakes
Find Us On Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Google Plus | Pinterest | Our Blog


That’s it for this edition of the Purple Roofs Gay Travel Newsletter! –Mark & Scott Purple Roofs – https://www.purpleroofs.com
PO Box 4666, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 PS: Wanna sponsor this newsletter and reach over 27,000 people? Email us at wheretostay@purpleroofs.com for details. To be removed from this email list, just reply to this email to wheretostay@purpleroofs.com and enter “remove” in the subject line.]]>

Purple Roofs LGBT Travel Round-Up – January 21st

GENERAL:
R Family Vacations teams with Olivia (Dallas Voice)
For the first time, R Family is teaming with the premiere lesbian-specific travel company, Olivia.
full story INTERNATIONAL:
5 Blockbuster Gay Hot Spots For 2016 (That Aren’T London, Sydney Or Nyc) (Gay Star News)
We’re spotlighting five mega-gay world cities that are sometimes overlooked in favor of their bigger gay brothers.
full story DENMARK:
An Art Weekend Trip to Copenhagen & Malmö (Travels of Adam)
Recently, I met more than a few travelers who enjoy going to places but purposefully skip museums and art galleries. I respect them; but for me, art has always been a reason to visit a place, a city, a country.
full story Travels of Adam - Denmark ICELAND:
Why the Hottest Honeymoons This Year Are in Iceland (Take Part)
Gay and lesbian couples looking for a honeymoon or destination wedding spot have a slew of options these days—and the stakes are high when it comes to getting a share of the $140 billion global gay and lesbian tourism market.
full story SAUDI ARABIA:
How To Transport Camels in Saudi Arabia (Keep Calm and Wander)
Last weekend, while on our way for our weekend shopping, we saw these camels being transported in a Toyota pick-up. As you can see, there are three of them and they seem to be well-behaved camels.
full story Camel-on-Toyota-4 UAE:
The Robot at Yas Mall (Keep Calm and Wander)
This robot at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi didn’t fail to amaze me. I don’t usually blog stuff like this but this one is an exemption. Not because it’s a Transformer robot but because…
full story Yas-Mall-8 USVI:
St. Croix: What to Do While in Port (Shermans Travel)
Cruise ships often bypass St. Croix in favor of St. Thomas, but if you’re lucky enough to set sail for the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, you’re in for a treat. The quiet island offers authentic culture and some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Here’s where to go when you’re in port.
full story UK:
Smirnoff Winter Pride Music Festival In London: Details Revealed (Gay Star News)
The Smirnoff Winter Pride Music Festival, in partnership with Pride in London, will take place on Saturday 30 January, it has been confirmed.
full story Smirnoff Winter Pride Music Festival London]]>