Forty-Eight Hours in Austin, Texas – Globetrotter Girls

Austin - Dani, Globetrotter Girls When I visited Austin for the very first time last year, I didn’t really know what to expect. My plan was to spend a month in the capital of Texas, hoping this would give me a good amount of time to explore the city whose slogan is ‘Keep Austin Weird’. Even though this slogan had me suspect that I’d love the city, I had no idea just how much I’d fall for Austin. With dozens of live music venues, excellent craft beer, countless food trucks, plenty of outdoors activities, especially along the river, and an overall laid-back attitude, the city won me over during my month there. Because I had the advantage of being able to spend four full weeks there, I took my time to explore every nook and cranny of the city, but I know that most people come to Austin for a quick weekend getaway. And while I’ve already shared 33 Things I Love About Austin, I wanted to give you a more structured overview of how to spend a weekend in Austin. Here is my perfect weekend in Austin for you – including places to eat and drink, what to do and what to see on a first-time visit: Friday, 2pm: Welcome to Austin Luckily, nearly all Austin hotels are conveniently located downtown, which makes it easy to explore the city on foot. If you’re not hugely into walking, I recommend you take advantage of Austin’s easy-to-use bike sharing system. The shared bikes, called B-Cycle, have a great ‘Weekender Pass’, which gives you three full days access to the bikes for only $15 and includes an unlimited number of free rides up to 60 minutes (a 24-hour pass is $12).

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Austin Gay Travel Resources

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Gay Dallas in a Different Light

Gay Dallas - Pixabay Adam Shows Us Gay Dallas in a Different Light[/caption] My hometown city is a place I saw surprisingly little of despite living there for 18 years. My wasted youth was spent mostly beside a swimming pool, in an heavily air-conditioned mall or in the local ice cream shop. Can you blame a guy? A brownie fudge sundae for a couple of dollars is hard to resist! The suburban life can be so hard… So, on my most recent trip home (I now live in Berlin, where I write my travel blog Travels of Adam), I decided to finally dive into the deep end of Dallas. Growing up, I never heard much about the gay scene there (but then again, I wasn’t really looking for it either). But, over the years, Dallas has had an increasingly visible presence for its LGBTI locals. Dallas Pride has been running consistently for nearly 30 years, and the gayborhood of Oak Lawn is consistently ranked among the most gay-friendly places in the USA (despite some recent anti-gay attacks in 2015 and 2016).

By Adam Groffman – Full Story at Gay Star News

See Adam’s Site Here

Dallas Gay Travel Resources

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Alain Visits Barcelona's MNAC

MNAC Barcelona To be honest, I never had the chance to take a peek of Catalan Art at MNAC (Museo Nacional d’Art de Catalunya). I arrived at almost 4 in the afternoon on my last day in Barcelona and I simply didn’t have much time. Instead, I went around and admired the museum’s facade. If you look at it from afar, MNAC’s dome looks familiar, right? That’s because it’s modelled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It has the world’s largest collection of Romanesque frescoes. Inside, you’ll find the works of Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso when they were still young – trying to carve a name in the art world.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Barcelona Gay Travel Resources

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Lesbian Ixtapa with Olivia Cruises

lesbian Ixtapa Since Autostraddle’s very first year of existence, I’ve been asking the goddesses — and every ad person we’ve ever worked with — to get me on an Olivia trip. It almost became a running joke, how much I wanted to go on an Olivia trip and how much everybody in my alleged group of supporters was unable to make that shit happen. For a good six months I honed an e-mail draft that I planned to send directly to Olivia, taking matters into my own hands, but never took the plunge, continuing to hold out hope that somebody who knew what they were doing would sweep in, pick me up, and drop me on a cruise ship with thousands of lesbians, barreling towards some beaches or glaciers. Finally, in early 2016, the heavens opened up and bestowed upon then-Business Director Alex Vega an email asking for a meeting — they wanted to work with us on introducing Olivia to a new generation of travelers. Olivia, which began as a record label for women’s music in the early 1970s and later transitioned to a travel company, is the most successful lesbian-owned lesbian-targeted business of all time. Much like Autostraddle birthed A-Camp, Olivia Records birthed Olivia Travel. Since their first cruise in 1990, which sold out in a week, the company has been providing much-needed safe spaces for gay women to have a kickass vacation and connect with other people like them. Which brings me to our trip! In November 2016, Team Autostraddle hopped a plane to a place none of us had ever been before: lesbian Ixtapa, Mexico. Our travel crew included me, our Business/Design Director Sarah Sarwar, and Abby and Kaylah, who’ve both worked at A-Camp. Before we get too deep into this, let’s get this out of the way: Abby was my fiancee when we planned the trip, but as of a week or so prior to the trip, that was no longer the case. So we were definitely setting ourselves up for success! Would we still have a blast? YES. Well, here’s our very true story, as told by me, Sarah and Kaylah.

By Riese – Full Story at Autostraddle

Guerrero, Mexico Gay Travel Resources

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Two Days in Osaka – Keep Calm and Wander

Osaka With its numerous museums, historical attractions, food markets, and interesting culture, Japan’s second largest city is worth even a brief visit. From the bustling streets to the high-end shopping centers, from aquariums to gardens in the sky, Osaka will never fail to amaze you. If you’re planning a weekend in the city, here’s a helpful guide to make your memories of Osaka unforgettable. On your first day, take the glass-covered elevator to the top floor of the Umeda Sky Building and marvel at the city’s panoramic views. From there, head to Ame-Mura, where you’ll experience contemporary Japanese culture at its best. Sit in one of the cafés and watch the young, hip, and trendy locals pass by. From time to time, you’ll spot teenagers participating in cosplay, wearing colorful and unique outfits that will make you smile. With over 3,000 shops in this neighborhood, you might also be tempted to buy something for yourself.

By Japan – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

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