Gay and Lesbian Travel Tips

 Auckland, New Zealand

• Ponsonby is a gay mecca in Auckland and Ponsonby Rd has plenty of Gay & Lesbian friendly cafés and restaurants
• Dorothy's Sister is a wonderfully camp bar/café on Ponsonby Rd
• SPQR is the most famous Gay & Lesbian restaurant on Ponsonby Rd
• For nightlife, Karangahape Rd (K' Rd for short) is where the G&L action is.
• Venues to look out for:
  • Family (younger/pop)
  • Finale and Caluzzi (both drag cabaret)
  • Kiss Bar (Friday and Saturday nights, 9pm – very late. See www.myspace.com/fluffy_nz)
  • Urge (bear/leather bar for the men and brave boys)
• Neighbourhood Gay & Lesbian friendly cafés:
  • Dizengoff, Ponsonby
  • Garnet Station, Westmere (Lesbian owned)

  • Occam, Grey Lynn

Sydney, Australia

Bars and Clubs

• Trademark Hotel -  1 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross, Sundays Fantastic Mix of music and people (different nights ie GAZE and Pink Bits)
• Phoenix  - 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, Night and Dayclub http://www.risingdayclub.com.au/  www.myspace.com/dirtyatphoenix
• The Midnight Shift  http://www.themidnightshift.com/
• Flinders Hotel  - 63 Flinders St, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst
• Stonewall Hotel - 175 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
• Arq - 16 Flinders St , Darlinghurst http://www.arqsydney.com.au/
• Slide Bar Cabaret Club - 41 Oxford St, Darlinghurst  http://www.slide.com.au/
• Mr Mary's - 106 George St, Redfern  http://www.mrmarys.com/ (camp)
• Columbian Hotel  - 117 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
• Mars Lounge - 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills
• Bank Hotel - 324 King St ,Newtown (Lesbian)
• Palms (High Camp)
• Oxford Hotel (Blokey)

Events  (one night a month)

• Toybox and Luminere parties  http://www.luminereparty.com.au/ (Dance Party – Trance)
• Homesexual at Home Nightclub http://www.homesexual.com.au/
• Fag Tag and DTPM http://www.fagtag.com.au/ (Turn straight pubs gay for one night and DTPM at Tank nightclub)
• Bitch (girls' night every Friday) http://www.bitchnews.com.au/ (all lesbian DJ's)
• Ruby http://www.rubydance.com.au/ (House and Trance)
• Manacle http://www.manacle.com.au/ (mens space)
• Action at  Phoenix www.myspace.com/actionsydney
• Indulgence at Midnight Shift
• Inquisition http://www.sydneyleatherpride.org/ leather/fetish party
• EL Mojito at Morgans Hotel - 304 Victoria St , Darlinghurst, Café/Restaurant with events

Other Stuff

• Check http://www.gay4play.com.au/
• LOTL (Lesbians on the Loose) http://www.lotl.com/ Lesbian Mag
• What happening around the Australian states: http://www.gaydestination.net.au/
• Sydney Star Observer GAY Mag http://www.ssonet.com.au/
• SX http://www.sxnews.e-p.net.au/
• Great Contact on Facebook under the group of 'Sydney Gay Dance Parties' lists all the DJ's and their various nights etc. A great way to keep in touch with whats going on.
• Mardi Gras and Sleaze Ball http://www.mardigras.org.au/