Friday February 9, 2007 SGN.org |
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Volume 35 Issue 06 |
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Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008
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Out of Town: Great Budget Getaways |
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| Out of Town: Great Budget Getaways | ||
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by Andrew Collins -
SGN A&E Writer People often tell me they haven't gone on a vacation in the past six months or year - sometimes longer - because they can't afford to travel. This is especially true of singles, who anticipate higher costs without a partner to share expenses. True enough, there are a number of cities out there with prohibitively high hotel rates. But there are also quite a few lively and enchanting Gay-popular destinations that can be enjoyed on a relatively tight budget, especially if you visit during slower times of the year. Here's a rundown of 10 terrific destinations for budget-minded Gay travelers. The first five are ideally suited for couples; the next five are great choices if you're unattached. Traveling with your mate? PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS Although Provincetown is a great place to meet singles during the busy and pricey summer high season, the rest of the year is perfect for couples seeking romance. And because prices fall off significantly after Labor Day and even more dramatically in winter, it's a destination that can work for almost any budget. After the summer crowds have subsided, Provincetown is a quiet and low-keyed retreat. Its remote location, seemingly at the end of the earth, imbues this scenic beach town with an air of seclusion. It can be awfully romantic here in the fall, or even winter, when you're cozied up in a quiet inn. Even the most luxurious guesthouses often drop their off-season rates to well below $100 nightly. RUSSIAN RIVER, CALIFORNIA Gay residents of San Francisco and the Bay Area have long favored this snug, woodsy river-resort area in western Sonoma County, midway between the fabled Wine Country and the rugged Pacific Coast. Accommodations tend to be rustic, which fits with the region's verdant setting, and restaurants favor simpler and less expensive fare than what you'll find in the swankier eastern reaches of Sonoma County, where most of the area's wineries are located. If you and your honey love wine-tasting, hiking, and canoeing together, the Russian River is ideal. SALT SPRINGS ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA Salt Spring Island is a stunning, hilly little gem off the east coast of Vancouver Island, within an afternoon's combined ferry/car trip from the cities of Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle. There has long been a strong Lesbian and - and to a somewhat lesser degree - Gay male presence on this island of artist studios, great beaches, and picturesque mountain-biking and kayaking. Several B&Bs here are either Gay-owned or quite Queer-friendly, and it's very easy to find a room for under $100. NORTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO North-Central New Mexico makes for the perfect weeklong romantic adventure. You can divide your time among a tiny, alluring village (Taos), a midsize city with some fun places to dance and eat out (Albuquerque), and a hybrid of the two (Santa Fe) - it takes about 60 minutes to drive between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and 90 minutes between Santa Fe and Taos. Santa Fe is the priciest of the three communities, so you might want to base your overnight operations primarily in Albuquerque and Taos, which each have myriad accommodations under $100 nightly, from Gay-friendly B&Bs to funky retro-hip motels. Even in Santa Fe, however, you can find some appealing places to stay that won't cost you an arm and a leg. There are also scenic campgrounds set around the area and, wherever you awaken, it'll be to views of the region's spectacular Sangre de Cristo and Sandia mountains. Although plenty of fancy upscale restaurants have opened in these parts in recent years, it's still easy to eat cheaply at local - and often excellent - hangouts serving burgers and blue-corn enchiladas. EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS A curious hilltop village in the heart of Arkansas' Ozark Mountains, Eureka Springs is a favorite getaway of both conservative Christians and Gay people. How these two seemingly at-odds factions vacation together so peacefully is anybody's guess, but they do. It helps that most of the Queer folk tend to stay in the historic, renovated, and downright bargain-priced Victorian inns closer to the center of town, while religious groups favor the properties on the main roads leading in and out of the village. The downtown has blossomed in recent years with a growing number of antiques shops and galleries, and the restaurant scene is sophisticated while still providing great value. Despite the many Gay-owned businesses here, this isn't a nightlife mecca. Eureka Springs is definitely BYOB - bring your own bedmate. Single and looking? CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Vibrant and friendly low-attitude bars and clubs and a slew of cheap but delicious dining destinations entice impecunious Gay travelers to the nation's third-largest city, a world-class destination by any measure. Beaches, lakeshore parks, and funky budget-friendly neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Bucktown, and Andersonville add to the lure of this easy-on-the-pocket city. Downtown business-oriented hotels can be costly, but you'll find a handful of small, reasonably priced motels, hotels, and inns to the north, in or near the city's Gay-popular Lakeview neighborhood. Chicago's glorious skyline is free to admire. To see even more, the Chicago Transit Authority (www.transitchicago.com) visitor passes provide unlimited CTA transportation for one to five days, allowing you to save your dollars for more meaningful expenses. AUSTIN, TEXAS Queer Austin folks like to say that they live in the "un-Texas" Texas, a land of green rolling hills, beautiful lakes and rivers, a progressive populace, and an urbane alternative arts and music scene. As Austin has boomed with dot-comers and entrepreneurs in recent years, its costs have risen, but it's still a good value, especially when it comes to dining out - Austin has scads of superb restaurants in all price categories. The bar scene is compact and the crowds friendly, and the presence of the University of Texas adds a youthful edge. There's a great Gay swimming and sunning hole, Hippie Hollow, just west of the city - a free and friendly spot to cruise and make new friends. PORTLAND, OREGON Like Austin, funky Portland has received plenty of attention and an influx of newcomers in recent years, but it's still a scaled-down, user-friendly city that offers much of the culture, attitude, and excitement of Seattle and San Francisco at a fraction of the price. The midsize metropolis sits on the pretty Willamette River. Foodies recognize it as one of America's great gourmet bargains, and fans of historic hotels and inns appreciate the reasonable rates offered at several excellent properties within walking distance of the Gay bars along Stark Street. The feminist scene here is one of America's most pronounced, making this a potentially excellent vacation spot if you're a single Lesbian hoping to find a like-minded soul. MONTREAL, QUEBEC For U.S. travelers, Canada is less of a bargain than it was five years ago, as the Canadian dollar has gained considerable strength against U.S. currency. Still, Montreal can be a steal, with numerous Gay-friendly hotels and inns charging as little as $50 or $60 per night. This fun-loving city is a great destination for bar-hoppers - the singles scene is frisky and sexy, and sultry Gay saunas dot the landscape, appealing to guys of all ages and tastes. The city also has dozens of affordable cafes and coffeehouses, many of them in the hip Gay Village. SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA California's underrated capital is, to be frank, a dark-horse candidate as one of the nation's top Gay singles destinations, but keep an open mind. The city is within a two-hour drive of much pricier places, including San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa-Sonoma Wine Country, and yet here you can easily find rooms for under $100 nightly. Sacramento boasts a vibrant (if not particularly conspicuous) Gay community that is remarkably friendly and diverse in age - it's a pretty easy place to meet the locals. The dining scene here is excellent, and accommodations range from the Gay-owned and upscale Inn at Parkside and Hartley House Inn to a slew of cheap and comfortable chain motels right in the center of the city, within walking distance of the several fun bars, coffeehouses, and restaurants. THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK Tourism Information: Austin (866-GO-AUSTIN, www.austintexas.org; for Gay-specific info, www.aglcc.org). Chicago (877-CHICAGO, www.877chicago.com; for Gay-specific info, www.glchamber.org). Eureka Springs (800-6-EUREKA, www.eurekaspringschamber.com; for Gay-specific info, www.eurekapride.com). Montreal (877-BONJOUR, www.tourisme-montreal.org; for Gay-specific info, www.tourisme-montreal.org/Gay). Northern New Mexico (Albuquerque, 800-284-2282, www.itsatrip.org; Santa Fe, 800-777-2489, www.santafe.org; Taos, 800-732-8267, www.taoschamber.com). Portland (877-678-5263, www.pova.org; for Gay-specific info, www.pova.com/glbt). Provincetown (508-487-3424, www.ptownchamber.com; for Gay-specific info, www.ptown.org). Russian River (877-644-9001, www.russianriver.com; for Gay-specific info, www.Gayrussianriver.com). Sacramento (800-292-2334, www.sacramentocvb.org). Salt Spring Island (250-537-4223, www.saltspringtoday.com; for Gay-specific info, www.saltspring.com/glossi). Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA and eight additional travel guides. He can be reached care of this publication or at OutofTown@qsyndicate.com. |
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