Atlanta: San Francisco of the South

Forget about the Southern stereotypes from movies and television and visit the city known as the "San Francisco of the South." Atlanta, Georgia earned this nickname after it became a Mecca for hundreds of thousands of small town gays and lesbians fleeing their rural roots. Fortune 500 corporations made Atlanta their headquarters, which provided the jobs, and urban flight by the heterosexuals provided the affordable inner city homes. ...more
January 24, 2003

Gay Washington by Night

If you're a gay or lesbian visitor, you'll feel welcome, day or night, in virtually any neighborhood where other tourists sightsee, dine, and club-hop. However, a few areas stand out for their concentration of queer-friendly businesses. Much of the activity centers upon Dupont Circle, a courtly neighborhood of upscale businesses and residential buildings. ...more
January 10, 2003

Gay Washington by Day

Given America's spotty gay-rights record, outsiders are sometimes surprised that the nation's capital is among the world's gay-friendliest cities... ...more

January 10, 2003

Gay Dallas by Night

Oak Lawn is for the most part a youthful, heavily gay enclave of professionals, with some students as well. The hub is Cedar Springs Road, which, from the intersection with Oak Lawn Avenue up to about Knight Road, is lined with gay-supported restaurants, bars, and shops (including a super-cruisy Kroger Food store)... ...more
January 02, 2003

Palm Springs.... California's Gay Place for Sun and Fun!

In 1909, Nellie Coffman opened a small hotel, the Desert Inn, in a tiny unincorporated village known as Palm Springs, California. At the time, there was a dirt road, and one (brand new) gas station. Less than thirty years later, when the Village of Palm Springs was officially incorporated, things had changed. ...more
December 15, 2002

But It's A Dry Heat! (or "Why I (especially) Love Palm Springs In The Summer.")

I recently read an article which purported to identify the top ten Summer vacation destinations in the continental United States. And while the article was targeted at "the average American consumer" (whatever that is?!?), I was still not surprised to discover that my own hometown of Palm Springs was not among the selections. ...more
November 23, 2002

Lesbian in the City: Mission District

San Francisco's queer visitors often flock to the famed Castro neighborhood, often mistaking the city's vibrant lesbian district, the Mission, as more of a residential enclave than a genuine attraction. In fact, there's plenty to see and do here... ...more
November 17, 2002

Lesbians in the Country: Northampton

Some years back, the community was dubbed "Lesbianville, USA" in a typically subtle headline run by America's popular tabloid, the "National Enquirer". The article's subtitle, "10,000 cuddling, kissing lesbians" suggested, with near apocalyptic urgency, a town overwhelmed by sapphic swarms of these affectionate, face-sucking creatures. ...more
October 23, 2002

Gay Seattle on a Budget

Of the major U.S. cities, particularly those popular among lesbian and gay travelers, Seattle ranks as one of the easiest to enjoy even if your funds are limited. ...more

October 20, 2002

How did San Francisco become so gay?

Americans who know little else about homosexuality know that San Francisco has a lot of gays; one ice cream shop in the Midwest sells a shake called "the San Francisco" - it's filled with fruits. Some of this reputation is overblown; San Francisco has plenty of straight people, of course. But the political power and unusual visibility of San Francisco's gay and lesbian community is no myth, and deserves explanation. ...more
September 28, 2002

Russian River Renaissance

Guerneville and the Russian River region, just 90 minutes north of the Castro, has long positioned itself as ‘Northern California’s Gay Backyard.’ Is the area still an attraction for gay and lesbian outdoors enthusiasts even after years of nature’s wrath in the form of flooding and mud slides? ...more
September 28, 2002

Sun Drenched South Beach

I have always enjoyed visiting Miami Beach since my first time as a child. There is always something excitingly surreal about a vacation to this ever changing resort town. It is positively exhilarating driving across one of the major causeways connecting mainland Miami to The Beach, watching for those colorfully painted deco silhouettes in the distance signaling your arrival in "SoBe". ...more
September 27, 2002

Los Angeles: A City of Images

This city of neighborhoods is artsy, politically savvy and fun loving. Its gay and lesbian community has always had a penchant for mixing the silly and serious, not an easy process. All of this happens in a sprawling metropolis teaming with culture, show biz and a proximity to the seaside and desert resorts. Visitors will want to explore Hollywood with its connections to the film industry, though this will be mostly a nostalgic sojurn. ...more
September 27, 2002

Key West: A First Encounter

My attention was drawn to the proliferation of Rainbow flags lining the fronts of businesses, a very comfortable and reassuring welcome. I planned to take full advantage of what had been described to me as a typical Key West vacation. One begins with a leisurely breakfast in a tropical setting, followed by a morning of carefree lounging poolside, later perhaps a nap or shopping, and then in the evening off to one of the island's famous bars for drinks and dinner at a popular restaurant. ...more
September 27, 2002

At Russian River, Gay Campers Find They Are Not Alone

This is the sixth summer that Joe Selph and Marty Bracciotti have gone camping together. Over the years they have made the rounds of the traditional spots - the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon - pitching a tent, cooking outdoors, hiking mountain trails. But the two men have decided that Fife's, a 15-acre camping resort in the lower Russian River Valley, a 90-minute drive north of San Francisco, is probably more their kind of place. ...more
August 17, 2002