A Gay Hipster Guide to Stockholm

Stockholm - Adam Groffman Listen, I know you hear “Stockholm” and you might first think “cold.” But you’re wrong. Well, you’re not entirely wrong. The city can be cold (it’s Sweden, after all). But it’s also just so very cool. There’s an incredible mix of art, culture & design, world-class shopping & style, plus (perhaps obviously?) beautiful outdoors and adventure activities all easily accessed on the outskirts of the city. Stockholm really has it all. It’s a big city, spread out over 14 islands in the archipelago, but it never really feels like you’re moving far between neighborhoods. And the typical Swedish culture just adds to the allure of the city. Before visiting, it’s good to know that Stockholm really embraces trends. Probably the coolest city in all of Scandinavia, Stockholm seems to get all the latest trends while the news is still hot in Brooklyn. All types of trends. Food, fashion—even music! This is a city of trendsetters (have you ever heard Swedish pop music before?

By Adam Grofman – Full Story at Pink News

Sweden Gay Travel Resources

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Mountain Views in Minca, Colombia – Globetrotter Girls

Minca, Colombia After checking out some of Colombia’s fabulous Caribbean beaches, it was time for a break from the heat. We had heard lovely stories about a nearby mountain village in the Sierra Nevada, which promised coffee plantations (a huge draw for two coffee lovers!), waterfalls, a giant hammock with mountain views, and last but not least: cooler temperatures. We didn’t need much more to convince us to take the detour before returning to the coast. We quickly realized that ‘cooler temperatures’ were a relative term – it was still in the high 80s (around 30°C). The other things the tiny village had promised didn’t disappoint, though: the waterfalls made for wonderfully refreshing hiking destinations, the family-run coffee plantation gave us a great tour to learn how they make the coffee (still with the original over 100 year-old machines!), and the giant hammock?

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Colombia Gay Travel Resources

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Myanmar Excursions

Myanmar Rich in history, culture, and tradition, in Myanmar (formerly Burma), a bygone Asia still endures. In fact, it must be among the few countries in the world still beyond the clutches of McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and ATM machines. But modernity is rapidly encroaching, and ever since the military regime began shifting power to civilian leaders in 2011, business people, diplomats, and eager tourists are flocking to the country with Yangon (formerly Rangoon) poised to become Southeast Asia’s next boomtown. YANGON Dawn stirs like a sepia-toned fantasy with motes of sunlight streaming through the plantation shutters onto the teak floors, as a chorus of birdsong come from the lavender jacaranda and flaming coral trees. Here, the morning unfolds at a measured, languid pace suited to the tropical climate. Under the twirling ceiling fans on the grand veranda dining room of the restored 1902 mansion, now the Belmond Governor’s Residence, one half expects to glance up from the morning paper and spot the likes of Somerset Maugham or Rudyard Kipling taking tea, or if it’s closer to the cocktail hour, perhaps a shot of Mandalay Rum. Golden pagodas, colonial-era buildings, traditional shop houses and moldering jazz-age mansions form a low-rise fabric unique to Asia, the whole stitched together by tree-lined avenues swarming with buses and cars. On Yangon’s bustling riverfront boulevard, Strand Road, stately buildings like the Customs House, the Central Post Office, and the British Embassy bear witness to the city’s turn-of-the-century status as one of the British Empire’s key commercial hubs. A haven of tranquility, the Strand Hotel, among Yangon’s best-preserved colonial edifices, has cosseted globetrotters almost continuously since the Armenian Sarkies Brothers, owners of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, opened it in 1901.

By Bill Strubbe – Full Story at Passport

Myanmar Gay Travel Resources

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Dune Road Rental – Gay Friendly Beach House in West Hampton Dunes, NY

Dune Road Rental Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay.

Rock-star type oceanfront beach house, with endless luxury amenities, in West Hampton Dunes, LI. 2007 construction on nearly 90 feet of oceanfront on prestigious Dune Road (the 600 block, closer to the bridge / town), 4700 square feet. Luxurious vacation rental at your Happy Place! Savvy Hamptons travelers head for Westhampton Dunes: more private, laid back atmosphere, the closest Hampton (least traffic), & the very best sugar white beaches.

See the Dune Road Rental Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals on Long Island

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City Sunday: Ogunquit

city-sundays-ogunquit Hey all, Welcome to our weekly series on the blog and our Facebook travel groups – City Sundays. Each week we’ll select a different LGBT friendly city to talk about, and we’ll invite our innkeeper and travel agent/tour operator friends to come talk with us about it as well. Ogunquit, is a very LGBT friendly city along the Southern coast of Maine. Filled with gay friendly accommodations, restaurants and bars, it’s an easy getaway from all of New England. Have you ever been? What did you do while you were there? Do you wanna go? Let’s chat! Join the conversation here: Gay (Men) Travelers: Gay Travel Club Lesbian Travelers: Lesbian Travel Club Transgender Travelers: Transgender Travel Club Bisexual Travelers: Bi Travel Club LGBT Families: LGBT Families Travel Club Check out our Ogunquit page here: https://www.purpleroofs.com/usa/maine/mesouthcoast.html And our Ogunquit articles on the blog here: https://www.purpleroofs.com/gay-travel-blog/?s=Ogunquit]]>

Ten Favorite Traditional Foods of Japan – Nomadic Boys

Gyoza-Stefan-Kyoto Japanese food is hands down one of the best in the world. Even Sebastien, a very proud Frenchman admitted it was his favourite. But don’t just take our word for it: in December 2013, the Japanese cuisine (called washoko), was added to UNESCO’s list of intangible heritage list. Which other cuisines do you know are UNESCO listed?!! (Sebastien was quick to point out the French cuisine is also in the same UNESCO list). Proud Frenchman aside, after finding a great deal on Skyscanner, we decided to go to Japan for 2 weeks and visited Tokyo, Takayama, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Okinawa. So, get ready for some serious foodporn in our run down of our 10 favourite traditional food of Japan.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

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MIS Moondance – Gay Owned Yacht-Stay in Jersey City

MIS Moondance Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay.

This beautiful 70 foot yacht was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy, and has been beautifully rebuilt down in Florida. MIS Moondance returns to NYC area docking at her yacht club Newport Yacht Club in Jersey City one block from the PATH Train. Across street from mall and theater, as well as walking distance to many restaurants and bars. Tons of NYC skyline views from Lower Manhattan to Midtown.

See the MIS Moondance Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in Northern New Jersey

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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!
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Featured Lesbian Owned Accommodations: Blue Haven 151 Farm and B&B, Roseland, Virginia

Blue Haven 151 Farm and B&B Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay.

Relaxing accommodations surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains on Route 151, Nelson County’s Brew and Wine Trail. Close to Wintergreen Ski Resort, local wineries, breweries, hiking and biking trails, Blue Haven 151 offers year round accommodations welcoming leaf peepers, snow bunnies, vintage camper enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, artists, wedding goers, events, festival goers, writers, porch sitters and everyone in between!

See the Blue Haven 151 Farm and B&B Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in Virginia

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GayVallartaBarHopping in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

IMG_34491 IMG_31711 Explore the Gay Scene in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico’s #1 Gay Destination on Gay Vallarta Bar Hopping tour. Whether visiting for the first time or a repeat visitor, the Top rated tour is a must do tour when visiting the town.  Puerto Vallarta has more gay bars and clubs than many larger LGBT destinations. It is hard to fit it all in in one night, but it is much more fun going on the tour than going alone. Get VIP access to all the bars and clubs, No Lines, No Wait on drinks, and No Cover. Let’s Have Fun!  ]]>