When wine, community, and celebration come together, magic happens! For the fourth consecutive year, HipMaps has had the honor of partnering with Out In The Vineyard to design a custom HipMap for Gay Wine Weekend in Sonoma Wine Country.
A Weekend Worth Mapping
Gay Wine Weekend (July 18-20) brings together the LGBTQ+ community for an incredible celebration across the Russian River Valley and Healdsburg. From winemaker dinners and vineyard tours to a twilight T-Dance and drag queen brunch benefit auction, this weekend packs amazing experiences across multiple locations.
Why Multi-Venue Events Need More Than a Schedule
With so many venues, activities, and timing considerations, attendees need more than just a schedule – they need a visual guide that helps them navigate seamlessly between experiences. The Gay Wine Weekend custom-branded map allows attendees to use the HipMaps interactive app where they:
The Power of Connection
Gary and the Out In The Vineyard team understand that great events are about connection – between people, places, and experiences. By providing attendees with a beautiful, functional tool – branded to reflect the weekend's celebratory spirit - that guides them through their weekend, they're removing barriers and creating space for what matters most: community and celebration. Learn more about attending Gay Wine Weekend here!
Planning an event?
Whether you're organizing a wine club celebration, multi-winery progressive event, or regional wine festival, a custom HipMap ensures your guests focus on enjoying the experience rather than worrying about logistics. Let's brainstorm how we can enhance your guests' experience and ensure your event runs smoothly: head to HipMaps.com to set up a Discovery Call and let’s chat!
event planning LGBTQ+ wine events guest experience multi-venue events HipMaps hip maps
The wine industry is made stronger with collaboration, and we love seeing how winery associations – both formal and informal - support each other to create wins for everyone. From a collection of Oregon's Yamhill-Carlton AVA members referring business to each other to Sonoma Valley’s family-owned Little Vineyards sending tasters deeper into their community, we're designing custom HipMaps that showcase how winery partnerships can elevate the entire visitor experience.
A True Community Effort
When groups of wineries use HipMaps to refer business to each other, each participating winery displays their custom branded and styled HipMap prominently in their tasting room, making it very easy for guests to discover other wineries to visit. Visitors simply scan the QR code on the map, download our user-friendly app, and enter an access code specific to that map. Then…
Our Interactive App Makes This Map Experience Special
When guests open the HipMaps app they see their real-time location on the custom map – making it very easy to plan their stay and get to know the region better! In Yamhill-Carlton, each participating winery crafted personalized comments about their winery, sharing tidbits about what makes each stop unique. Whether it's highlighting a winery's stunning view, their specialty varietals, or their dog-friendly patio, these curated recommendations strengthen the connection between visitor and host.
Seamless Planning & Navigation
Guests can easily see where they are in relation to the recommendations on the map, helping them plan their day more effectively and extend their stay in the region. At Little Vineyards, tasting room customers are given an Estate vineyards block map to follow along during their tasting, and on the flip side is Little Vineyards’ HipMap full of personalized recommendations. Their HipMap highlights other wineries they recommend and partner with, their favorite area restaurants and shops, and even spotlights great hiking trails. With direct website links and turn-by-turn directions built right into the app, there are no barriers between interest and action.
The Power of Collaboration
By blending hospitality with technology, forward-thinking organizations are creating something more valuable than any individual marketing effort could achieve. They're not just referring business to each other – they're creating unforgettable experiences that keep visitors coming back and talking about the region as a whole.
Ready to strengthen your winery community? Whether you're part of an AVA association, informal partnership, or ownership group, a HipMap can help you showcase the best of your region while driving longer stays and cross-promotions. Let's brainstorm how we can best help your group create these community wins! Head to HipMaps.com and set up a time for us to brainstorm.
AVA association winery association collaboration hip maps maps wine region marketing cross-referrals
Connect with HipMaps at the Wine Sales Symposium in Santa Rosa on May 14, 2025. Learn about our two innovative mapping solutions specifically designed for wineries seeking to enhance visitor engagement and brand storytelling.
First, custom-designed vineyard maps transform standard tastings into educational, immersive journeys by showcasing unique terroir, AVAs, and wine narratives - elevating brands rather than simply mapping them.
Second, HipMaps, including our interactive app, showcases the best of your region - partner with local wineries and businesses and offer personalized recommendations. Blend your hospitality with our tech to create unforgettable experiences!
These custom-styled visualizations elevate tasting rooms, marketing materials, AVA associations, and collaborative winery partnerships with sophisticated, branded experiences for guests.
Wine Sales Symposium attendees who visit the HipMaps booth will learn how these award-winning mapping solutions boost engagement and sales, and can enter to win a free HipMap and receive a show discount. Hope to see you there!
wine sales symposium hipmaps hip maps maps visitor engagement brand storytelling
HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy had a great time on TheWineProPodcast with Christine Fife and Bronwen Hanes of Selling Wine Strategies – have a listen as we talk wine tasting, how maps help wineries bring their brand story to life & enhance wine tastings, swap some stories, and share laughs!
https://www.sellingwinestrategies.com/podcast
WineProPodcast wine podcast wine maps tasting room maps hipmaps hip maps
Heading to the Direct To Consumer Wine Symposium in Monterey, California from January 21st to 23rd?
We gathered Monterey locals’ favorites - restaurants, libations, and fun things to do - to help you have the best experience while you're in the area! Monterey has an overwhelming number of great choices and we highlight the best of the best.
Check out these spotlights by entering access code DTCWS in the HipMaps app. In the app you will see your real-time location on our map, read the locals' inside scoop on each place, link to websites, and get directions!
Head to HipMaps.com for app download links and more info - and be sure to come by our booth in the DTCWS trade show to enter to win a free HipMap!
DTCWS DTCWS2025 Monterey DTC Direct to Consumer HipMaps HipMap
During tastings, your guests engage their senses of smell and taste of the wine as well as hearing your tasting room staff educate them on the wines. Now imagine enhancing that sensory journey with a stunning visual story – a beautifully crafted map of your vineyard locations with AVAs, or of your estate vineyard blocks. More than just a decorative piece, a custom-designed map transforms the tasting experience into an immersive journey.
Your map is a wonderful way to increase your customer’s appreciation of your vineyards and wines. You can include whatever information is important to your wines - elevation, varietals, age of vines, clones, etc. – to convey the info in an easy-to-understand and visually pleasing way. A true enhancement to how your staff is educating.
When an out-of-town visitor who is not familiar with the geography of the area struggles to grasp why locations matter – such as why the Pinot Noir vineyard is in a totally different location than the Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard – your branded map will provide the missing link. They'll discover why certain varietals thrive in specific locations and how the interplay of hills, valleys, and climate creates the perfect conditions for your wines. A well-designed map provides your customers with a greater understanding of and appreciation for the sense of place that makes your wines unique.
Your map will be delivered as an image file so it can be used in your tasting room, during virtual tastings, on your website, social media, in marketing materials, by your sales reps, and printed on merchandise for gift or for sale. It's more than a map; it's a visual storytelling tool that strengthens your brand and deepens customer connections.
Connect with us to chat about your map ideas and let’s see if HipMaps is a good fit to design your perfect map! Head here to set up a Discovery Call with HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy.
custom map tasting experience vineyards map winery map engage guests Hip Maps
Is your AVA Association, Winery Association, or group of winery partners looking for an affordable way to refer customers to one another? HipMaps offers a solution that engages visitors of all generations: a custom, personalized map of your group’s members that can both be printed and used in the HipMaps interactive app.
In the HipMaps app, guests see their real time location right on your map, read your curated comments about each winery on your map (“Specializing in Rhone varietals, they have a lovely view from their tasting room”), link directly to websites, and get directions.
Millennials, and younger generations in general, prefer digital solutions over paper. On the other hand, older generations often still appreciate paper brochures, maps and other materials. HipMaps makes all the generations happy by offering custom maps that are accessible both on our user-friendly HipMaps app and in print.
A HipMap is the perfect tool for promoting awareness of the wineries in your group, easily referring business and creating memorable experiences for your visitors!
Affordable, Effective Marketing For Winery Groups
An investment of $1950 for your HipMap is an unbeatable marketing investment: since a HipMap can spotlight up to 30 different wineries or locations, splitting the cost of a HipMap among 30 members makes each $65 share an exceptional value!
Personalized Maps Tailored To Your Needs
Every HipMap starts out as a blank slate. Your unique HipMap includes the wineries and highlights YOU choose, exactly what you would like to say about each location, and is designed in your style and branding. No two HipMaps are the same!
A HipMap’s versatility makes it ideal for winery associations, AVA associations, informal groups (e.g. boutique wineries in a particular area), and wineries within the same ownership group. We design maps all over the world.
Explore A Sample HipMap Winery Association Map
Ready to see HipMaps in action? Check out our sample map of a pretend winery association – featuring real wineries that we love! Scan the QR code on the HipMap below or go to Apple’s App Store or Google Play. Download the HipMaps app, allow access to your location while using the app, and enter the access code HipMaps
If you are in the Sonoma/Napa area you will see your real-time location (the ‘little blue dot’) on our map. Click on the bottom of the app “Click here for list and directions“ to bring up the list of wineries on the map, our comment about each one, and then click their website button or the directions button.
Let’s Chat!
Interested in brainstorming to see if this is a good fit for you and your group? Head here to set up a Discovery Call with HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy and let’s brainstorm on how we can best help!
AVA map winery map wineries map wineries marketing AVA marketing map hip map
Millennials, and younger generations in general, prefer digital solutions over paper. On the other hand, older generations often still appreciate paper brochures, maps and other materials. HipMaps makes all the generations happy by offering custom maps that are accessible both on our user-friendly HipMaps app and in print.
In the HipMaps app, guests see their real time location right on your map, read your curated comments about each place that you highlight, link to directly websites, and get directions.
Personalized Maps Tailored To Your Needs
Every HipMap starts as a blank slate and is versatile to meet your goals. Your unique HipMap includes locations and highlights YOU choose, exactly what you would like to say about each location, and is designed in your style and branding. No two HipMaps are the same!
Because of HipMaps’ versatility, they are great for winery associations, AVA associations, informal groups (e.g. boutique wineries in a particular area), wineries within the same ownership group, or other clusters of partners and collaborators. We design maps all over the world.
A HipMap is the perfect tool for promoting awareness of your winery and winery partners and creating memorable experiences for your guests!
Affordable, Effective Marketing For Winery Groups
When you split the $1,950 cost of a HipMap among members of your group, it offers an unbeatable value. A HipMap can spotlight up to 30 different locations, so that $65 share of the cost becomes the best $65 marketing investment each winery could spend!
Explore A Sample HipMap Winery Association Map
Ready to see HipMaps in action? Check out our sample map of a pretend winery association – featuring real wineries that we love! Scan the QR code on the HipMap below or go to Apple’s App Store or Google Play. Download the HipMaps app, allow access to your location while using the app, and enter the access code HipMaps
If you are in the Sonoma/Napa area you will see your real-time location (the ‘little blue dot’) on our map. Click on the bottom of the app “Click here for list and directions “ to bring up the list of wineries on the map, our comment about each one, and then click their website button or the directions button.
Let’s Chat!
Interested in brainstorming to see if this is a good fit for you and your group? Head here to set up a Discovery Call with HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy and let’s brainstorm on how we can best help!
wine association winery association wine marketing winery partners guest experience wine-marketing map hipmaps
Selected from more than 350 submissions across five criteria groups, HipMaps has been named a 2024 Skift IDEA Award Finalist in the Creative Design category.
As the smallest organization among the six finalists, HipMaps joins the ranks of prestigious names such as New York City Tourism + Conventions, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
“HipMaps' recognition is a win for all small businesses” said Rachel LeRoy, founder and CEO of HipMaps. “Yes, our companies may be much smaller but we can stand shoulder to shoulder with industry giants.”
Now in its sixth year, the Skift IDEA Awards celebrate excellence in design, creativity, and innovation within the travel industry. “The sixth edition of Skift IDEA Awards has been our biggest to date, and solidifies its standing as the travel industry’s most coveted achievement for excellence in design, creativity and innovation” the organization stated. Finalists and award recipients are selected by an independent panel of judges. (More information about this year’s short list can be found here.)
HipMaps designs custom maps that are both printable and used in their interactive app. Each map is tailored specifically to its target audience, displaying places that the host wants to highlight for guests and visitors, and designed using the host's style and branding.
“We have evolved in the three years since HipMaps was launched,” LeRoy said. “We initially focused on helping the meetings and events industry provide their guests with an elevated experience. We still do that, but we also serve the travel and tourism industry – hotels and vacation rentals, visitors bureaus, and municipalities. Our maps and app are quite versatile, and we help hosts meet their goals in a wide range of situations."
In 2023 HipMaps was awarded the BizBash Event Experience Award for the Best New Event Product/Service. LeRoy was named one of the 2023 Trendsetters by Meetings Today magazine; she was also named one of the BizBash 2023 Industry Innovators Top Ten in Event Tech.
“Our maps are designed to function like a personal 24/7 concierge,” LeRoy said. “By combining usefulness, versatility, personalization, and technology, we foster a deeper connection between the host, the location, and the visitor. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
The final results of the Skift IDEA Awards will be announced in August.
hipmaps skift skift award tourism award maps creative design hip maps
Custom maps with a modern twist, we design maps that inform, fascinate, and delight. We design maps for use in tasting rooms and marketing materials, displaying your vineyards, AVAs, and other attributes that are important to your wines.
We also help you engage the younger generations via a HipMap: your personal recommendations in the area, designed in your branding and style, which can be printed as well as used in the HipMaps app where guests will see their location on your map, read your curated comments about each place you are highlighting, link to websites and get directions. A great way to engage and connect with customers as well as spread the love to your partners in the area!
We start every map as a blank slate, including the information that is important to you, in your branding and style. Based in Sonoma, California, we design maps anywhere in the world. Head to HipMaps.com, set up a Discovery Call, and let's brainstorm how we can best help!
Title | Name | Phone | Extension | |
---|---|---|---|---|
No contacts found |
Locations | Address | State | Country | Zip Code |
---|---|---|---|---|
HipMaps | P.O. Box 2211, Sonoma | CA | United States of America | 95476 |