Believe it or not, we’re only thinking of you. Booking early with Brand g has distinct advantages: Early Booking Discounts These $500 per person discounts are only offered for the first few weeks or months after a trip is announced. And since we announce our vacations 12-18 months out, it pays to plan in advance.…
Sure, you’ve been to Europe – but have you been to Europe during the holiday season? Western Europe in December looks like a snow globe exploded, sprinkling everything in glitter and fairy dust. Between the gorgeous street decorations, the crazy cute kiosks selling all manner of holiday baubles, and the stupid hot German and Austrian…
Sure, it’s a SWEEPING generalization, but the Irish are known to have an affinity for beer and falling down. (Don’t a lot of us.) But there’s MUCH more to Ireland than just hanging out in pubs, as entertaining as that can be. The Emerald Isle is a place of extraordinary beauty – it’s like God…
Sure, when you go to Peru, you wanna get your spiritual on. Machu Picchu is an utterly amazing and unforgettable experience. But there’s more to Peru than Incan ruins and bitch-slapping each other over an alpaca sweater sale bin. Lima – the country’s capital – has a stellar foodie scene; probably the best in South…
Asia is, for us at Brand g, one of our favorite destinations, and one that gets some of the best reviews of all the places we travel to across the world. “Life-changing” and “Best trip of our lives” are phrases we hear a lot, along with “my skin was dewy fresh” (what can we say,…
Back when I took my first few gay vacations, I always referred to the higher cost as the “gay markup” – the extra fee gay tour operators added on because they could. And I would give a big, dramatic gay sigh. (I’m good at those, just ask my husband.) But I wasn’t aware that there…
As a company, we don’t believe that behaving like rock stars trashing a hotel room is the most enlightened way to see the world. The planet is a fragile place, and travelers (and travel companies) who treat foreign destinations and communities like they’re there to be used and abused leave a lot to be desired.…
[Neuschwanstein Castle] “Why the hell would I want to go to Germany and Austria in December?” Two words: Christmas Markets. Europe during the holiday season is an absolutely magical place. You’ll wanna take that dollar store tiara with you, because you’ll feel like you’re in a fairy tale. Between the festively decorated city streets (Europeans…
You be the judge: It’s the largest gay pride in Europe, with roughly 1.5 million (In fact, Madrid hosted WorldPride in 2017.) There are theme parties at all the city’s best venues. (And these are some fairly fantastic venues.) They host Mr. Gay Spain. Madrid (Spain’s capital, for those who flunked geography) has a vibrant…
Warning: you’ll wanna stuff one in your man bag. Spending time with the families of gorillas in Rwanda is an otherworldly experience. You’ll absolutely fall in love with these furry creatures as they eat and play and behave for all the world like humans who haven’t quite boned up on their social conventions. (They may…
Budapest is home to some of the grandest working bathhouses in the world. Of course, these aren’t “wander around in a towel looking for love” bathhouses – they’re “take a soak in healing mineral waters and people-watch” bathhouses. With that said – ain’t nothin’ wrong with people-watching some hot dudes! Budapest was named the “spa…
Going on safari in Tanzania is like driving a jeep through the world’s most heavily populated zoo. Except there are no walls or glass enclosures or churro stands. In some countries within Africa, there can be great viewing of a particular species or two – say, elephants and rhinos – but in Tanzania’s Serengeti, there…
Terraced vineyards on mountainsides. Moorish alleyways. Portuguese guys who look like they just stepped out of a Dolce & Gabbana underwear ad. It’s kinda hard not to love Portugal. Between the scenery – which includes some of the most breathtaking vistas in Europe – and the culture of wine and music, there’s something for every…
Toddlers vomiting into the aisle. A guy watching bondage porn on his laptop next to you. Sitting bolt upright for 12 hours like a Guantanamo Bay interrogation suspect. These are the joys of an international flight in coach. Who wouldn’t want to escape the hoi polloi and travel in comfort up front? The trouble is,…
When most of us think of Europe, we picture frescoes, ruins and hot guys with accents. So, who knew you could get a dose of incredible nature on the Danube? Most people take Danube cruises because of the sophisticated, world-class cities that line the river, like Vienna and Budapest. But there’s another great reason: just…
At nearly 4 million square feet, Bucharest’s Parliament is the largest and most expensive government building in the world, and a testament to the ego and excess of the Communist regime of Nicholae Ceausescu. ‘Cause nothing says “one for all and all for one” like a $4 billion palace. As you know if you’ve visited…
Everyone has this perception that taking a transatlantic flight on a low-cost carrier means wrapping your legs around your ears and dodging chickens running up and down the aisle (and not the good kind of chicken). I did, too. And then I took Norwegian Air to Europe. I booked this carrier because: Friends had taken…
Who doesn’t love Italian men sightseeing? Naples, on the southern coast, is the gateway to some of Italy’s best, with the world-class historical site of Pompeii and the jet-set island of Capri just a few minutes away. If you’re taking Brand g’s Pearls of the Adriatic cruise in September, we’ll be visiting Naples. And if…
My Wish List: Win the Powerball and go into the Witness Protection Program Accidentally walk in on Channing Tatum taking a shower Go on an African safari Somehow, the third one seems the most attainable. But to be honest, I was never sure what – outside of seeing and photographing big game – an African…
The Vietnam War. Bombings. Airlifts. Not exactly the kind of mental images that make you think, “Fabulous vacation!” But America’s venture in anti-communism ended 45 years ago, and a LOT has since changed in southeast Asia. Today, Vietnam and Cambodia are booming. [Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon] These two beautiful countries both still have…
Dear Brand g friends and supporters: Tis the season to reflect on what we are thankful for. Having just completed our second Mekong River Cruise of 2017, we wanted to share a story of giving that is far from over. Earlier this year, and again last month, we had the privilege of visiting a school…
Game of Thrones is one of the (physically) largest TV productions in history. And its fan base borders on hysterical is wildly enthusiastic. Although Dubrovnik was already one of the top destinations in the Mediterranean, more than 250,000 tourists have flocked to the city solely because it serves as the set for multiple GOT locations.…
Taking your first river cruise tends to be a rite of passage for gay travelers. Most people’s first all-gay vacation is an ocean cruise, which can be a lot of fun; but because of the size of ocean vessels (3,000-6,000 passengers these days), you eventually tire of waiting in lines like a Communist waiting…
Most of us couldn’t even point out Nepal and Bhutan on a map. But these compact little countries that sit high in the Himalayas (and run along India’s northern border) are voted tops with travelers for their incredible historical sights and extravagant natural beauty. Best of all, given these countries’ remote location, there are still…