White Oak Inn – Gay Friendly Danville, Ohio B&B

White Oak Inn - Danville, Ohio

Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:

Welcome to the perfect getaway – White Oak Inn sits on a quiet country road in the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country. Our Ohio inn has been consistently voted by our guests as one of the top bed and breakfast country inns in the US.

The White Oak Inn is known for its great service, wonderful food and top-notch accommodations.

Whether you’d rather relax and do nothing, or enjoy an adventure-packed weekend, you can find it here. Enjoy that book you’ve been planning to read on the front porch swings while you watch the hummingbirds and butterflies. Ortake part in one of our murder mysteries!

There’s also canoeing, golfing, cycling or fishing for the more adventurous. Or you can take a drive around the countryside and discover wineries, shops, antiques, auctions and many other great local attractions.

The White Oak Inn is in the heart of Ohio, just a short drive from Columbus or Cleveland, near to Kenyon College, the whimsical Longaberger Basket headquarters and the historic Roscoe Village.

You’ll also find the the Kokosing Gap Trail Mohican Valley Trail in nearby Danville.

The inn boasts fourteen private acres where you can relax, enjoy nature or socialize. Our two luxury log-cabin cottages (“The Acorns”), and our rooms with fireplaces and Jacuzzi style whirlpool tubs are perfect for honeymoons and anniversaries.

We also welcome well-behaved pets in two of our guest house rooms. Our indoor cat, Rascal, likes to snooze on the window seat on the staircase. Our outdoor cat, Bijoux will snuggle with you on the front porch gliders. The barn is home to our two pet sheep, Buster and Butterfly, our four barn cats, Eenie, Meenie, Miney and Mo and an assortment of pigeons.

Looking for the perfect getaway for your next vacation? Come stay with us at the White Oak Inn in Danville, Ohio.

See the White Oak Inn Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in Ohio

The Pyramids of the Louvre – Keep Calm and Wander

Pyramids of the Louvre

The Pyramids of the Louvre Museum are Photogenic at Night – so forget about Monalisa. There are only few people visiting the famed museum in Paris at night and you can get all the selfies you want. Seeing Monalisa? Ha! Good luck getting a good view and a selfie with her.

The Louvre Pyramid is also a beauty during the day. But, I didn’t have that same feeling of awe while visiting it at night. It’s really a good thing that on my first night in Paris, I went here and boy, I was flabbergasted. It’s a postcard perfect view wherever you’ll be and whichever angle you’ll take.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Paris Gay Travel Resources

Lesbian Tacoma – Globetrotter Girls

lesbian Tacoma

I knew that during my month in Seattle, I wanted to explore Washington beyond the ‘Emerald City’ and the first place on my list was lesbian Tacoma, which shares the international airport SEA-TAC with Seattle. The cities do not only share an airport, but a stunning location right on the shores of Puget Sound, one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the Pacific Northwest.

While I found that most Seattleites tend to look down on Tacoma, I found the city to be surprisingly charming with lots of things to offer visitors – so many that I returned several times. So if you are visiting Seattle or the surrounding region, or road tripping around the Pacific Northwest, I’d recommend stopping in Tacoma. And since Tacoma is less than one hour from downtown Seattle, you may even consider booking your accommodation here – hotels in Tacoma are much cheaper than a Seattle hotel.

Here are five reasons why Tacoma is well worth a visit:

1 THE BRIDGE OF GLASS AND GLASS ART

What Tacoma is best known for is its glass art, and if you are not a fan of glass art already, you will be after a visit to the Museum of Glass. The famous glass sculptor Dale Chihuly was born here, and his remarkable glass blown sculptures can be seen all over the world. If you are planning to visit the Chihuly Gardens in Seattle, you also have to add the Tacoma Museum of Glass to your itinerary. In addition to installations by Chihuly, glass blown pieces from other glass artists around the world are displayed here, and there is a glassblowing studio on site.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Tacoma Gay Travel Resources

Gay Bogota – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Bogota

Ever been to a club with 8,000 other gay boys with 13 rooms spread across 5 floors?

Neither had we, until we went to Theatron club in Colombia’s capital city, gay Bogota. The gay scene here is all about this infamous mega club, which is the largest in Latin America. It’s like no other place we’ve ever been to and certainly the largest gay club we’ve visited.

Gay Bogota - StefanThere is of course more to the big city than Theatron club, with many different gay places to hang out. We’ve put together our detailed guide to the best gay bars and clubs in Bogota, the best gay friendly places to stay and our favourite sightseeing things to do.

Gay Bogota Bars

Gay Bogota has a really large gay scene, with many many gay bars. The majority are based around Carrera 9 street between Calles 58 to 60 in the Chapinero neighbourhood. There are far too many to list them all here, so we’ve highlighted the ones we visited and loved:

El Recreo de Adan: one of the coolest gay bars we’ve been to with a seating area where you can play classic boardgames like Connect Four and Uno with your friends. We love the atmosphere here, made sweeter by the super cute charming waiters. As a bonus, there’s not one, but two El Recreo de Adans, one in Chapinero on Carrera 9A #59-85 (open everyday from 5pm), the other in the Zona Rosa neighbourhood on Carrera 12A #79-45 (open Tues-Sun from 5pm).

Estacion: this is a more intimate gay bar in Bogota and ideal to come for a few cocktails before heading to the almighty Theatron! Estacion has a cover charge of 6,000 pesos ($2) and is open everyday till 3am, located at Calle 62 #7-13.

Brokeback Mountain: one of the popular karaoke gay bars of Bogota and a fun place to hang out with friends. Brokeback Mountain is open everyday till late and is located at Calle 60 on the second floor of #9-28.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Colombia Gay Travel Resources

TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD: Overlook Farm on the Mississippi

Overlook Farm

Sometimes we want to go someplace and relax and we do mean REALLY relax.  Earlier this month we drove to the Overlook Farm located in Clarksville, Missouri right on the Mississippi River about 75 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri.  It is a 327 acre working farm.

Fish to fowl to honey, or eggs to herbs, their vast farm offerings are cultivated following organic practices.  Animals are raised on a renewable feast of fresh grass and are in wide open spaces.  They have 26 ‘hoop houses’ and 5 greenhouses where a huge variety of produce is grown year round.  They even have tomatoes in January!

Under the professional and very caring guidance of the fifth generation owner, Nathalie Pettus, the “Farm” now includes award-wining Inns, farm to table restaurants and premier event venues.   It is all nestled into the pastures and hillsides of the operating farm.

Cedarcrest ManorFor lodging we stayed in the magnificent Cedarcrest Manor which is an Antebellum estate.  It was built by Captain Benjamin Clifford who was a prominent riverboat captain.  Cedarcrest Manor began it’s life as a plantation home and soon became the archetype for a number of houses built in the Mississippi River Valley.

Cedarcrest ManorIt is a grand Manor estate and has lovingly been restored by the owner. Oversized Jacuzzi tubs and plush , comfy bathrobes are a feature in every room, offering the utmost in relaxation.  In-suite coffee makers provide instant access to a morning pick-me-up.

Cedarcrest ManorThey have a huge swimming pool and the gardens are everywhere.

Other guests stay in the Rackheath House just  just down the road. It was built in 1860 and completely restored in 2006.  it is Greek revival-style manor featuring sprawling ground, a spacious veranda and a flourishing garden filled with walking paths.

Other guests might want to stay at the Avalon House which is fully furnished with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a kitchen and a wrap-around-deck.  It has the most breath-taking views on the property overlooking the Mississippi River.   You can rent the entire house for a family gathering or business retreat.  There is also a Bridal Cottage which provides an intimate space for couples to get away for the weekend.  It is perched above the meadow, surrounded by rolling hills and has spectacular views of the sunrise and sunsets.  It has a  full kitchen.

The farm itself is a place to roam around and see how things are really meant to be… the orchards of fruits, hogs, cattle, chickens.  And you can purchase eggs, meat and fruits, etc. right there !

You can check out their website at: www.overlookfarmmo.com and you can call them at 573.242.3838.  You can also email them at  info@overllookfarmmo.com

Owner Nathalie Pettus has truly done a fabulous job in restoring this magnificent farm and keeping it updated.  It is truly a lifetime experience that will be in your memory forever!  Their staff is extremely professional and friendly.

Clarksville, Missouri is a very small town.  Actually the population is only about 430 people.   From downtown on the banks of the Mississippi River you can see the locks which controls the flow for barges.  A very interesting place to visit in downtown Clarksville is the 1845 Historic Elgin/Cottrell House Museum at 209 South First Street.  Owner Richard Cottrell has filled this two story house with the finest of the fine antiques!  Every room is filled from top to bottom with extraordinary antiques and from the Victorian era.  This is a ‘must see’ for anyone in the area.  It really is remarkable!

Visit their website at http://myoldhistorichouse.blogspot.com/

Don and RayAlways remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone!

TRAVELING IN OUR FABULOUS GAY WORLD is written by Donald Pile and Ray Williams, Award-winning, Celebrity travel columnists who write for gay publications from coast to coast (And now legally married).

Proud members of the IGLTA. You can email them at gaytravelers@aol.com and visit their website at http://gaytravelersataol.blogspot.com/

Missouri Gay Travel Resources

Cabin Collinwood – Gay Guesthouse in Festus, Missouri

Cabin Collinwood

Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:

Built log-by-log in 1982 by the proprietor’s late father, The Cabin Collinwood guesthouse is a country home with modern amenities! From its dovetail corners and creaky wood floors, to the natural wildlife and birds—the effect is that of living in a tree-house!

Nestled in the heart of the countryside a quick 35-mile drive from downtown St. Louis via I-55, The Cabin Collinwood is perfectly located for weekend breaks or leisurely mid-week getaways, with nearby antique & flea markets, shopping, wineries, country adventures, fishing, rivers and floating, swimming, camping, hiking, or perhaps a quick trip south to historic St. Genevieve. Twenty minutes away, you’ll find the quaint Mississippi River town of Kimmswick, replete with specialty shops, restaurants, and festivals that draw people from all over the country and region.

A little closer—the “Twin Cities” of Festus and Crystal City, where you’ll find eateries, pharmacies, grocery stores, banks/ATM’s, and “Richard’s Fresh Produce” market. Don’t forget to check out “Main & Mill” for a great burger and some of their micro-brewery craft beers! And just under five miles to the west: a stop at Wild Sun Winery where you’ll experience some of Missouri’s finest wines as part of your Jefferson County memories!

Get away from everything for that hike in the woods in some of the best parks in the nation, visit nearby rivers, relax with a huge library of in-house movies, and take some great naps! If you can’t quite “cut the cord” during your stay, our free Wi-Fi will help to keep you connected. The Cabin Collinwood is all about casual comfort on a heavily-wooded lot in a small private subdivision. It’s a great place to experience both country and city living whether you head south to get even further away from it all (and to some great historic areas), or head to the city for all that St. Louis has to offer! Should you wish, we’ll even help plan your itinerary start to finish!

Meet Me In St. Louis!

When you’re ready for the tourist attractions that make St. Louis unique, a quick ride from The Cabin Collinwood delivers you to the St. Louis Zoo for the day (still free), the Gateway Arch, St. Louis Art Museum, Forest Park and the legendary outdoor Muny Opera, City Museum, Ted Drewe’s famous frozen custard, Crown Candy Kitchen, Anheuser-Busch brewery tours, Grant’s Farm, Six Flags, the historic Soulard neighborhood with its blend of restaurants, the nightlife of University City and Chuck Berry’s “Blueberry Hill” and the St. Louis Walk of Fame, world-famous Italian restaurants in “The Hill” neighborhood, old-town Central West End, or maybe a Cardinals baseball game! These are but a few of the things to see and do, and you’ll find it all in St. Louis!

At day’s end, come “home” to The Cabin Collinwood to relax. You’ll have private bedrooms and semi-private baths, and shared common areas including the kitchen, living room, and two covered porches. See our web site for complete details and booking info.

See the Cabin Collinwood Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in Missouri

The Eiffel Tower – Keep Calm and Wander

Eiffel Tower - Alain

There’s no doubt that the magnificent Eiffel Tower is France’s most photographed and most visited attraction. You’ve never been to Paris if you’ve never seen or visited the Eiffel Tower. And when you’re in font of the towering structure, what would you do?

Strike a pose. Take a selfie. Ask a stranger to take a photo of you. Or in my case, set up the tripod and click the timer. Then pose, like nobody is watching.

The magnificent Eiffel Tower needs no introduction. We all know what it is and we all dream to conquer it one day. Whether you look at it from afar or stand at the bottom of it, this masterpiece will sweep off your feet away. Boy, it did to me! Can you imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower? I can’t.

By Alain – Full Story at keep Calm and Wander

Paris Gay Travel Resources

Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romantica

Zona Romantica Puerto Vallarta

There are few locations in Latin America that can legitimately claim to offer a true gay village—which makes Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romantica a notable standout. As you can probably guess, the Mexican city’s area means “romantic zone” or “district of romance,” and that signifies it is a place for romance to be enjoyed by everyone.

This is an equal-opportunity romance zone, and local residents and businesses take pride in being inclusive and supportive of everyone, including the LGBT community. This section of town is home to many hotels, restaurants and other attractions that are owned and/or managed by those in the LGBT community, and these and other local hotspots make it a priority to express their support of LGBT residents and visitors.

This welcoming stance may not be surprising, given the community’s proud affiliations and memberships related to organizations such as the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association. The local business community is also openly supportive of groups such as GLAAD, HMI and the GMHC.

By Bobbi Dempsey – Full Story at Travel Pulse

Puerto Vallarta – Zona Romantica Gay Travel Resources

Other Gay Travel Events

Old Caledonian Bed & Breakfast – Gay Friendly Caledonia B&B

Old Caledonian Bed & Breakfast

Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:

Welcome to the Old Caledonian Bed & Breakfast, located just 80 minutes south of St. Louis in the Village of Caledonia, Missouri.

The Old Caledonian B&B is on the National Register of Historic places, and is in the Ruggles-Evans-Dent House built in 1849. We offer vintage luxury, outstanding cuisine and incredible local destinations to make your stay a memorable experience for which we hope you will wish to return again and again.

Each guest room has a private bath and incredible, top-of-the-line linens and bedding. The house, with its beautifully preserved brick and woodwork, makes for a lovely setting to enjoy the spacious seating areas, dining room and library. Our four acres of manicured grounds are a great escape from life’s hustle and bustle. Our stately gazebo, peaceful koi pond, private patio and lovely gardens are country relaxation at its finest.

Our amazing breakfasts, included in your stay, are prepared by one of our owners who was an executive chef for 25 years. We often include house made sausages, hams and bacons in our morning meals; in addition to locally sourced produce, vegetables from our own garden, homemade breads and signature dishes. Also, our afternoon teatime, served between 4-6:00 pm is included, and features a wide selection of teas, and an assortment of sweet and savory treats all served on antique china. We can also prepare three-course dinners by prior arrangement, which win raves from our guests. Please see our website for more info, and call or email to arrange your dinner! We also offer a great selection of wine and beer.

We are located right on Caledonia’s Main Street, and within a short drive of several of Missouri’s most popular state parks, historic sites and attractions including Johnson Shut-Ins State Park, Elephant Rocks State Park, Washington State Park and the Battle of Pilot Knob Historic Site. We also have opportunities for great antiquing in our immediate area.

Whether it’s a quick weekend getaway or a quiet, relaxing retreat, we here at the Old Caledonian Bed & Breakfast are looking forward to having you as our guests. Please check out our website, read our outstanding reviews, and come visit us here in Caledonia. Cheers!

See the PROPERTY Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in AREA

Forty Eight Hours in Gay Bangkok

Gay Bangkok

Last year some 21.47 million people descended on Bangkok; officially the most-visited city in the world. And I was one of them. I think my senses are still heightened from the experience. I remember my first, stiflingly hot evening like it was yesterday. On a chaotic street near the backpackers’ paradise of Khao San Road, my friendly guide, saw me admiring bundles of fresh jasmine for sale. Unbeknownst to me, he bought me some.

When, moments later, he presented them to me, I found the act so unexpected and generous (indeed, Thai people are known for such qualities) that, in my jet-lagged state, I got quite emotional. Then, when I inhaled the thick, perfumey scent, my eyes actually glassed over. I know, I know. Embarrassing, right?

Amid the blare of traffic, the swarms of people, the clusters of black wire hanging like crawling roots above me, I discovered a fleeting inner peace. This, of course, was swiftly interrupted by a stray moped, or colorful tuk tuk, or some such distraction. For me, this moment epitomises the intense, meandering energy of the Thai capital, founded in 1782. A staggering metropolis of 8.2 million people, it has a vibrancy and unpredictability that provokes strong emotions. And emotion hangs heavy in the air here, since the death last year of the exalted King Bhumibol Adulyadej after a 70-year reign.

By Jamie Tabberer – Full Story at Gay Star News

Thailand Gay Travel Resources