Mar 10, 2006  |  By: TROY PETENBRINK  | COMMENTS     

Many are itching to end their winter hibernation and do some spring traveling. Luckily for all of us, there are some wonderful travel opportunities available to suit nearly any taste.

Atlantis (www.atlantisevents.com) and Olivia (www.olivia.com), two of the biggest players in the gay travel industry, still have availability for their spring offerings.

The male-dominated Atlantis can have you sunbathing on a pristine white sand beach at an all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen, May 6 to 13; sailing by glaciers on an Alaskan cruise (via Vancouver), June 4 to 11; or coming face-to-face with lions on a safari through Kenya, June 11 to 20.

For the ladies, Olivia has Whoopi Goldberg among nearly a dozen other entertainers and special guest Martina-Navratilova for a Caribbean cruise that will include stops in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, April 15 to 22. Also from Olivia, from May 28 to June 2, you can be part of a guided hike along the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.

The starting prices for these packages range from $1,149 to $4,499.

IF YOU ARE looking for a little out of town partying, you can find plenty of options from Florida to California.

New York plays host to the leather-inspired Black Party (www.saintatlarge.com) for its silver anniversary, March 25 and 26. A limited number of rooms are available at the host hotel, Flatotel, for $249 a night; and the gay-friendly Kimpton hotel chain (www.kimptonhotels.com/glbt) has rooms at its newest property, The Muse, starting at $269 a night.

The Lone Star State will be going wild April 13 to 16 for the Houston Jungle Party (www.junglehouston.com) and Dallas’ Purple Party (www.dallaspurpleparty.com), April 28 to 30. Key West’s Tropical Heat (www.tropicalheatkeywest.com) runs May 4 to 7 and includes a dozen events for gay men and lesbians — expect to see lots of flesh.

You can get jiggy with Mickey and the gang in Orlando, May 30 to June 4. It’s sweet 16 for Gay Days (www.gaydays.com), and the anniversary celebration will include exciting day and evening events across Orlando’s many theme parks including Animal Kingdom, SeaWorld, Epcot, MGM Studios and, of course, Magic Kingdom. Don’t forget to wear red.

The folks in Palm Springs, Calif., will play host to two spectacular springtime events.

Dueling producers, Girl Bar (www.dinahshoreweekend.com) and Club Skirts (www.thedinah.com), have put together a star-studded lineup of celebrity guests and entertainers for Dinah Shore Weekend, including Mariel Hemingway, Marget Cho, Taylor Dayne and the Pussycat Dolls. Billed as the "largest lesbian gathering in the world," the event runs March 29 - April 2.

Just two weeks later, April 14 -17, producer extraordinaire Jeffrey Sanker (www.jeffreysankerpresents.com) presents the 2006 White Party. Sanker has pulled out the stops with more than a dozen of the hottest DJs on the circuit, including Abel, Ralphi Rosario and Jose Luis, and live performances by Anastacia, Tiffany and Kim English among the extended weekend of pool parties and dances.

SPRING IS A perfect time to head to the Arizona desert for a little luxury pampering at Coyote Moon (www.coyotemoonresort.com). The gay-owned and operated health resort and spa is located in Tucson on a 30-acre former dude ranch.

Starting at $314 per night for a single guest and $492 for a couple, the resort’s all-inclusive package includes accommodations in one of 16 guest suites, transportation to and from the Tucson airport, a 50-minute spa treatment, all your meals and snacks, fitness and cooking classes and full use of the resort facilities, which include a pool, whirlpool spa, tennis court and fitness center.