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From DallasVoice.com Travel
But there are some enchanting towns and small cities that make for terrific vacations that don't fit into these stereotypes. These communities are typically known for their funky arts scenes, hip dining and shopping opportunities, scenic settings and progressive, gay-friendly politics. Here's the scoop on five particularly alluring off-beat destinations that merit consideration the next time you're looking for a place to get away from it all. Eureka Springs A somewhat unlikely gay getaway given its rural location in northwest Arkansas' Ozark Mountains, funky Eureka Springs became popular with hippies and liberals in the 1960s and has cultivated a significant queer following ever since. The nationally acclaimed Opera of the Ozarks, a two-month-long school of opera (performances run from late June to late July), has brought gay performers through town, and the esteemed Eureka Theatre Company also has quite a "family" following (it performs three productions annually). More recently, the community has become an increasingly popular venue both for New Age and holistic-health enthusiasts and for couples planning commitment ceremonies. (Contact the local Metropolitan Community Church of the Living Spring for advice on the latter.) The region's appeal lies in its remarkable natural beauty, which you can explore simply by hopping into your car and driving 15 miles in any direction countless ridgeline, mountaintop and lakeside vistas await. Where to Stay: High on a bluff overlooking part of downtown and miles of rolling hills and sharp ridges, the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa has been whimsically refurbished in a hip yet folksy style. Try to get a room on an upper floor for a view that'll blow you away. There's also a full health and body spa. Distances by car: Four hours from Oklahoma City, five hours from Kansas City. Flagstaff The largest city on Interstate 40 between Los Angeles and Albuquerque, Flagstaff enjoys a youthful, bohemian personality that's enhanced by the thousands of students who attend Northern Arizona University and the many outdoorsy types who have settled here from smoggier and more crowded parts of the world. The gay scene is subtle but there are several lively bars that draw a mixed crowd. Activity in Flagstaff centers on the picturesque downtown, which is full of Victorian and early 20th-century redbrick buildings that date to the city's years as an Old West railroad hub. Reaching around the city on almost every side, Coconino National Forest contains the largest concentration of ponderosa pine trees in the world. There are many places within the forest where you can hike or mountain-bike. Just 15 miles northwest of town, the Arizona Snowbowl draws winter skiers to its 30 downhill runs. Where to Stay: A beautifully decorated B&B, the nine-room Inn at 410 dates to 1907 and is operated by knowledgeable and friendly owners. Rooms have canopied beds, local southwestern and Indian arts and crafts, and fine original woodworking. Distances by car: Two hours from Phoenix, four hours from Albuquerque and Las Vegas. Natchitoches Although much of Louisiana took devastating blows from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the historic, artsy community of Natchitoches emerged unscathed, in part because it sits well inland. It's a bit less than a five-hour drive from Dallas to reach Natchitoches (pronounced "nack-ah-tish"), which was founded in 1714, making it the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. A lot of people know it these days because it was the setting and film location for the play and movie "Steel Magnolias," based on a true story and written by local resident Robert Harling (the brother of the woman on whom the character Shelby is based). The gay-popular and beautifully filmed movie has heightened the "family" interest in this utterly picturesque town noted for its 33-block historic district and plethora of quirky shops and galleries. Where to Stay: The five-guest-room Judge Porter House is a grand Queen Anne-style home with a two-story wraparound gallery porch and tall windows facing out over lushly landscaped grounds. An elaborate breakfast, served by candlelight, is included each morning. Distances by car: Four-and-a-half hours from New Orleans and Dallas, five hours from Houston.
Athens may be the gayest city its size (population roughly 100,000) in the Southeast. The University of Georgia fosters an open-minded, tolerant population, as do the edgy arts, theater and live-music scenes, which have cultivated such homo-popular music acts as the B-52's and R.E.M. (Michael Stipe lives here). "Vegetarian Times" has called Athens one of the country's best cities for non-carnivores. And every April, Athens hosts the Boybutante Ball, an AIDS benefit with drag fetes, concerts, a women's dance and a campy gala held at the famed 40 Watt Club. This is the gayest event in a city that hosts countless fun gatherings, from AthFest Music and Arts Festival in June to the Taste of Athens food celebration in February. Beautiful gardens and a terrific art museum round out the community's many intriguing diversions. Where to Stay: The Foundry Park Inn and Spa offers the coolest downtown accommodations this old motor lodge has been converted into a stylish boutique hotel with a full-service spa and an exceptional restaurant serving modern takes on regional American fare. Distances by car: Ninety minutes from Atlanta, three-and-a-half hours from Charlotte, five hours from Nashville. Woodstock A neatly preened village in the heart of famously gay-friendly and progressive Vermont, upscale Woodstock is rich with meticulously preserved Federal and Georgian colonial houses, many of them containing fine antiques shops, art galleries and attractive inns. As long as you avoid the messy and muddy months of April and May, Woodstock offers beautiful scenery and plenty to see and do hiking and biking in summer, taking in the brilliant colors of the leaves in fall, and skiing and snowshoeing in winter. The world-famous ski slopes of Killington Resort are a short drive to the west. The Rockefeller family has been instrumental in preserving this delightful town, whose leading attraction is the 500-acre Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, which maintains some of New England's most pristine and scenic forest and farmland. In winter, be sure to stop by Sugarbush Farm, which makes its own syrup, drawn from the sap of the 5,000 maple trees on the property. The nearby town of Quechee, which is pierced by the Ottauquechee River, is home to the 165-foot-deep Quechee Gorge, an excellent spot to picnic and take photos. Where to Stay: With several homey, antiques-filled rooms, the centrally located Village Inn of Woodstock also offers some of the area's finest dining in its casual but elegant restaurant. Distances by car: two-and-a-half hours from Boston, three-and-a-half hours from Montreal, four-and-a-half hours from New York City. Andrew Collins is the author of "Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA" and nine other travel guides. E-mail: OutofTown@qsyndicate.com WILLIAMS SETS SAIL ON RSVP
Some performers dream of having their name pulled out of an envelope at read at the Academy Awards. Some fantasize about seeing their name in lights on Broadway. Paul J. Williams always wanted to be known as "Julie, Your Cruise Director." Well, maybe not that exactly. But Williams a multi-talented comedian and actor has long wanted to fulfill his destiny as an entertainer on a cruise ship. That wish has been granted. Williams has been tapped by RSVP Vacations, the gay cruise and travel company, to serve as their resident host and M.C. "This is what I was born to do," Williams says. "I nearly cried the day they called." Williams begins his stint with three cruises, starting Feb. 26. Williams will perform aboard the 2000-passenger Holland America Westerdam for two Caribbean cruises, then take the hosting reins on an elegant 200-passenger clipper ship touring Barbados and nearby islands. (This summer, he'll also do four riverboat trips on the Danube.) "I have wanted this job for years," Williams says. "Being on a gay cruise is like a floating Provincetown. You're surrounded by gay people and there's something to do every day. It's just a plum job." © Copyright by DallasVoice.com |
