Season 1 Episode 19 to 22

 19 & 20 - New York

Often called The Capital of the World, New York City has been the Emerald City for gays & lesbians from all around the world for years… In fact, there is so much to see and do for the LGBT traveler that it took us two episodes to barely scratch the surface. In Part One of our trip to The Big Apple, performer Seth Rudetsky has Shannon jazz stepping through the theater district in search of cheap tickets for the hottest shows on and off Broadway. Next, humorist Kate Clinton treks us around the Upper West Side - a popular "guppie" neighbourhood. In recent years, Chelsea has evolved into a major gay district. Long-time resident Richard Winger gives us his take on this trendy area and how the iconic "Chelsea Muscle Boy" is now getting on in age! For jocks (and their supporters), the Chelsea Piers complex on the west side of Manhattan is home to many gay sports teams. Shannon tries playing with balls for a change - basketball, soccer, golf and baseball, that is! From there we head south and traipse through fabled Greenwich Village with native New Yorker Arthur Strickler, including visits to the legendary Stonewall Inn, where the fight for LGBT civil rights was born, and other popular watering holes in this historic gay quarter. And finally, we join Clare Cavanah of Toys In Babeland, who reveals what a lesbian playground the Lower East Side has become, complete with shops, sex clubs, bars and other attractions for the grrrls! In Part Two, Shannon's off to chat with Sara Cedar Miller of The Central Park Conservancy to get a history lesson on this world-famous park (and to find out where the best cruising spots are). Then we head across the bridge to Park Slope, Brooklyn to find out why this enclave has more lesbian residents than any other zip code in America. Local lesbian and Brooklyn enthusiast, Chris Cuomo takes Shannon on a tour before they attend the biggest lesbian Sunday Brunch this side of the East River. Next, we speak with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Executive Director Tom Viola about their biggest annual theatrical fundraising events, assisting those living with AIDS and HIV. Gay men around the world tune into HBO every week to watch Sex In The City. Out guide Georgette Blau takes us inside some of the au courant eateries, shops and bars that have appeared in the hit series. New York is synonymous with fashion and home to the headquarters of 2(x)-ist Underwear, where we drop by and "examine" why their skivvies are so popular with gay men. And, we come full circle back to Times Square, where gay men used to go in search of underground sex. Tim Tompkins, president of the Time Square Business Improvement District describes how this pulsing crossroads has been scrubbed shiny and clean over the past few years. Want more information? Explore these related links. Return to Season 1 Guide

 21 - Washington, DC

Washington, DC is the US national capital, home to major institutions such as the Pentagon and the Smithsonian Institute. The gay community has had a huge presence here, as the city was the site of four historic marches for gay rights where upwards of a million protesters congregated on the Mall in front of the Capital Building. Bump! starts off this episode touring Washington's gay neighborhoods; Dupont Circle is where the boys hang out, while the lesbians have taken over the Capital Hill district. Next, we get fit at Results, The Gym, a favourite with gay men, and then as a reward we go on a shopping spree for cool clothes, gear and tchotchkes. Washington is a city of landmarks, and we take in some of the major monuments like the Lincoln Memorial and the White House. Patrick Menasco talks about the Cherry Party, a circuit extravaganza that raises more than $100,000 each year for LGBT charities, and Danny Linden invites us to Mid-Atlantic Leather, which started out in 1975 as a cocktail party and has grown into a full weekend of festivities for the leather community. We wrap up this visit with a whirlwind look at some restaurants, bars, clubs and places to stay that roll out the welcome mat for the gay traveler. Want more information? Explore these related links. Return to Season 1 Guide

 22 - Ottawa

Picturesque Ottawa is Canada's national capital, and is renowned for its festivals. We find out about the 3 million bulbs in bloom at the Tulip Festival, the brilliant fireworks of the annual Canada Day Celebration, and Winterlude, where hundreds of thousands don skates and glide down the Rideau Canal. Fitness and nature buffs will be hooked as we go rollerblading on Ottawa's vast network of scenic pathways, and then visit the Gatineau parks, with its hundreds of kilometres of trails for hiking and mountain biking and five pristine lakes where you can canoe and camp. Thrill seekers will get their fix as the Bump! crew hurtles down the Ottawa River with the folks from Owl Rafting. Elaina Martin gives us an overview of The Rock City Women's Fest that takes place every August, celebrating womens' achievements in music and the arts. Then we visit with some notable locals, including activist Bruce Bursey of The Wellness Project, addressing LGBT health concerns, Arthur Jamieson of Act Out, a gay theatre group and artist Carl Stewart, who makes a political statement with his erotic tapestries. Ottawa's gay community continues to grow and develop. Bump! shows viewers some of the many options for the gay tourist, including numerous gay-owned and gay-friendly accommodations, restaurants, shops and boutiques, the new Splash circuit party, and several happening bars and clubs. Want more information? Explore these related links. Return to Season 1 Guide