Starlight Pines B&B – Gay Owned Bed & Breakfast in Flagstaff, Arizona

Starlight Pines B&B - Gay Owned Bed & Breakfast in Flagstaff, Arizona

STARLIGHT PINES B&B: FLAGSTAFF BED & BREAKFAST

Imagine stepping back in time to a place in the Arizona west where crackling fires welcome you, spacious guest room accommodations, and luxurious, claw foot bathtubs await you! Imagine staying at Starlight Pines Bed and Breakfast, a Victorian style house nested among the pines at the foot of Mt. Elden, in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Make us your home base while visiting the Grand Canyon (a bit more than 1 hour from our Inn) and Sedona (40 minutes south of our Inn) and many other area attractions within a 2 hour ride of our Bed and Breakfast!

You’ll love the old-fashioned romance of the antique-filled rooms, Tiffany lamps, complimentary beverages, free Wi-Fi, free parking, the full gourmet breakfast and the friendliness of your hosts, Richard & Michael, and their special Shih Tzu friends, Moo Shu and Taz – and our newest addition, Baxter our Puggle!

See the Starlight Pines Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Flagstaff Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Go Girlfriend’s Arizona Getaway List – Lesbian Sedona

Lesbian Sedona - Scott

Thinking on the destination of lesbian Sedona, Az, my mind floats to a small-town, new-age artsy community nestled as a cross-roads between the dry flats of the hot desert and the stunning red rock mountainsides that surround it. It is a charming long-weekend getaway destination to get you out of the city and surrounded by an unprecedented natural beauty – think girls getaway relaxing with wine on the patio as the sun sets on the mountainsides that just pop deep shades of reds and greys, or a more adventurous let’s-get-out-and-hike-these-mountains-and-see-the-views kinda weekend. Either way, Sedona has got to be on your getaway list!!

Whether you arrive in from Phoenix in the south (2 hours) and drive through the Sonoran desert into the Tonto National Forest area before encountering the rim of red rocks around Oak Creek, or you arrive to Sedona from Flagstaff (1 hour) in the north via the canyonous Highway 89, the drive will make you “ooo and aaah” at the spectacular sights.

Whether you arrive in from Phoenix in the south (2 hours) and drive through the Sonoran desert into the Tonto National Forest area before encountering the rim of red rocks around Oak Creek, or you arrive to Sedona from Flagstaff (1 hour) in the north via the canyonous Highway 89, the drive will make you “ooo and aaah” at the spectacular sights.

What makes the red rocks of Sedona so unique?

The Sedona area was the bottom of an ocean 300+ million years ago. Natural iron oxide infused the limestone base that was created as the waters receded. The picturesque sandstone formations were created from the layering of ancient dunes in such amazing geology and landscape the area that with continued water and wind erosion over the millennia sculpted the harder formations into some of the most fascinating and locally iconic landmarks we know today – Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Butte.

By Stacy Rosien – Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Arizona Gay Travel Resources

Starlight Pines B&B – Flagstaff Gay Bed and Breakfast

Starlight Pines B&B

Imagine stepping back in time to a place in the Arizona west where crackling fires welcome you, spacious guest room accommodations, and luxurious, claw foot bathtubs await you! Imagine staying at Starlight Pines Bed and Breakfast, a Victorian style house nested among the pines at the foot of Mt. Elden, in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Make us your home base while visiting the Grand Canyon (a bit more than 1 hour from our Inn) and Sedona (40 minutes south of our Inn) and many other area attractions within a 2 hour ride of our Bed and Breakfast!

You’ll love the old-fashioned romance of the antique-filled rooms, Tiffany lamps, complimentary beverages, free Wi-Fi, free parking, the full gourmet breakfast and the friendliness of your hosts, Richard & Michael, and their special Shih Tzu friends, Moo Shu and Taz – and our newest addition, Baxter our Puggle!

See the Starlight Pines B&B Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

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

Best Western Plus Inn of Sedona – Sedona Gay Friendly Hotel

Best Western Plus Inn of Sedona - Sedona Gay Friendly Hotel

The Best Western Inn Plus Inn of Sedona is a beautiful home base for your Sedona adventure.

The hotel’s award-winning, terraced design takes full advantage of its ridge top location. With broad promenade decks along both sides of the property, guests can enjoy 360 degree red rock views without leaving the hotel.

Take in the views on the sunrise side as you enjoy a hot breakfast each morning.

In the evening stroll along the west side and take in an amazing red rock sunset right from the deck.

One of the first class amenities included in your stay, the “About Town” shuttle takes all the guesswork out of getting around Sedona. Climb in and relax – our friendly and knowledgeable staff will get you where you want to go in Sedona.

Go ahead, enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. Your ride back to our Sedona hotel is only a phone call away. We are the only hotel in Sedona that offers this service, and at the Best Western PLUS Inn of Sedona, we’re proud to be the leader in red rock hospitality. Many guests park their cars when they arrive and don’t get back into them until after check-out. Now that’s a relaxing vacation!

The energy of Sedona’s famous vortices and the spectacular natural beauty of Sedona’s red rocks combine to make Sedona, Arizona one the “Top 100 Places to Visit in the World” according to Trip Advisor. But red rocks aren’t the only attraction!

From Jeep tours to swimming tigers, hiking to train rides and of course amazing local art and shopping, there’s something for everyone in Sedona and the Verde Valley. But more than anything, you just have to experience the magical feel of this wonderful place. To show respect for the surroundings, and to help protect their natural beauty, the Best Western PLUS Inn of Sedona is a certified “Green Hotel”.

Are you interested in the famous Vortices? Well, the Airport Mesa Vortex is just across the street.

Want to know more about the history of the area or maybe just find out about the local flora and fauna? The complimentary Concierge Service can assist you in making the most of your time in Sedona, your way.

Whether you’re looking for dinner reservations or want to book a tour in a Pink Jeep, they can help take the hassle out of planning your itinerary. For a customized experience call our Concierge Desk 7 days a week to get personalized service to help you create your dream Sedona vacation.

If you plan on traveling with your best friend, and they happen to have 4 legs, don’t worry, this hotel gives new meaning to the term “pet friendly”. With a welcome gift at check-in and a list of local pet friendly restaurants for your reference, your furry best friend will be sitting pretty.

Sedona’s famous red rocks are waiting! A visit to Sedona can be anything you want to make it. We hope you make it memorable.

See the Best Western Plus Inn of Sedona Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Sedona Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Sedona’s Tlaquepaque

Tlaquepaque entrance

We just spent a few days in Sedona – my first time there since I was about fourteen – and I gotta say, I love this little town. There’s so much art here, both in galleries and shops and out in the public sphere.

Tlaquepaque - Statue

Sedona has two main shopping districts – there’s downtown, which has a few gems but is kinda filled with tourist traps selling t-shirts and cheap pottery.

But there is a great place to find an amazing array of quality souvenirs, from affordable kitchenware up to high-end sculpture and on-canvas art. It’s called Tlaquepaque – say it with me: Tah-Laa-Kwe-Packeee” – and it’s a gorgeous outdoor shopping center on the southern end of town.

Tlaquepaque - Plaza

Tlaquepaque is built in a Spanish Mission style, and it’s a pleasure to just wander the grounds, taking in the art and spending time sitting at the many fountains on a hot day and trailing your hand in the cool water.

Tlaquepaque Plaza

There are so many great places here.

If you get here at lunchtime, start out at the Oak Creek Brewery – the food is good, and the second-floor location offers some gorgeous red rock views through the picture windows.

Tlaquepaque - Oak Creek Brewery

Tlaquepaque - Oak Creek Brewery View

A short list of our favorite stores here: Cucina Sedona (really cool kitchen stuff); Esteban’s Pottery (OMG – we so almost came home with some of their gorgeous work); and The Inner Eye Gallery (just really cool art).

Tlaquepaque - Esteban's
Esteban’s

Tlaquepaque - The Inner Eye Gallery
The Inner Eye Gallery

We spent about an hour at Tlaquepaque, but I could have wandered around all afternoon.

A must-see while you are in Sedona. Here are some more examples of the public art that litters the place, and some of the nice views – enjoy!

 

Tlaquepaque - Art

Tlaquepaque - Art

Tlaquepaque - Art

Tlaquepaque - Art

Tlaquepaque - Art

Coffee Pot Restaurant – An Iconic Sedona Experience

Coffee Pot Restaurant - Sedona

Coffee Pot Restaurant - 101 Omelettes

On our last morning in Sedona, we stopped by the Coffee Pot Restaurant – an iconic breakfast cafe along one of the main highways in town. Opened in the 1950’s, this little cafe still does a brisk business, in part because of its famous menu of 101 omelettes.

There really are a hundred and fifty different choices. My favorite? Jelly, Peanut Butter and Banana. You can see the whole list here.

The restaurant is named for one of the city’s famous red rock formations, of which there are many. You can see part of it here, over the top of the building – it looks like one of those old-fashioned coffee percolators:

Coffee Pot Restaurant - View

The Coffee Pot Restaurant is cute, and it’s filled with lots of great Southwestern art wherever you look. The food is hearty and affordable – I had their Huevos Rancheros (ranch eggs) and they were fantastic.

Coffee Pot Restaurant

Want to take something home with you to remember Sedona by? You can check out any of Sedona’s many great galleries – we’ll cover the Tlaquepaque shopping center in our next post. But if you just want a quick souvenir, stop by the Coffee Pot Restaurant’s gift store for something a little more affordable and kitschy. I found a cyte metal gecko hook that’s now hanging over my desk in our office.

Coffee Pot Restaurant - Gift Shop

The Coffee Pot Restaurant is a great little place to eat, hang out, and shop in Sedona. if you have the time, we recommend having breakfast here at least once while you’re in town!

Beautiful Sedona – Our Favorite Red Rock Photos

Beautiful Sedona

We just visited Sedona, and took some great photos of the local red rock formations. Sedona is a truly beautiful place that’s surrounded by natural red rock formations, the remnants of sea sediment that was raised up and then slowly eroded over time.

So here are our favorite pics from the trip.

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Beautiful Sedona

Sedona Arts Center – Sedona, Arizona

Sedona Arts Center Sign

We just got back from a two day visit to Sedona, Arizona. It’s the first time for me since I was about 15, when I went there to visit my then girlfriend Becky. Yeha, you read that right.

Things have changed, both in Sedona and in my own life.

One thing that hasn’t changed – Sedona is full of art galleries. We wandered through many of them, but one of our favorites is the Sedona Arts Center.

Sedona Arts Center Entry

Located on the northern side of Sedona’s old town area, the Sedona Arts Center has been a part of the Sedona community for almost 60 years. It started in what’s now called The Barn:

Sedona Arts Center The Barn

…which is now used for classes and rotating exhibits. The day we were there, a local artist was working with a group of kids for an art summer camp. The Sedona Arts Center offers more than 200 classes and workshops annually, including development classes for artists. They also have a couple on-site studios.

Sedona Arts Center Gallery

Sedona Arts Center Gallery

Sedona Arts Center Gallery

Sedona Arts Center Gallery

They were kind enough to let us take some photos for the blog. One of the artists was there on sales duty – Miro Fitzgerald – I quite like her geometric paintings. That’s hers on the right.

Sedona Arts Center Miro Fitzgerald

The group is a collective of artists, and the main gallery up front offers a great selection of their wares, something for just about every budget. There’s sculpture, paintings, stained glass, fabric art, and much more.

We initially arrived at the gallery too late to see the inside, but there are also a number of beautiful public works outside for your viewing pleasure:

Sedona Arts Center Outside

Sedona Arts Center Outside

Sedona Arts Center Outside

 

Sedona Arts Center Outside

Sedona Arts Center Outside

We liked them so much that we came back the next day to see more. You can find them here:

Sedona Arts Center Website

Sedona Gay Travel Resources

 

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Downtown Flagstaff

downtown-flagstaff

We just got back from a trip to Flagstaff and Sedona. I had a family reunion in Flag, and the day after, we checked out downtown Flagstaff.

Flagstaff is home to Northern Arizona University (NAU). It’s a beautiful campus, and it sits right on the edge of downtown, so Flagstaff boasts a lot of youthful energy, especially at night. We saw this in action when we went to the pride after party drag show – there was music on the streets and in venues up and down the downtown streets, and even a big outdoor movie screening in the heart of town.

While we were only in town for a couple hours, we did find a few cool things.

For lunch or dinner, we recommend the Lumberyard Brewing Company. It’s just across the railroad tracks from downtown, and has a comfortable industrial ambiance.

Downtown Flagstaff - Lumberyard

The food was really good too, and the service friendly. We recommend the hummus – it comes in two flavors, a black bean version and an edamame one, and the presentation is Southwest Awesome:

Downtown Flagstaff - Hummus

For shopping, check out the Old Town Shops, a collection of ten locally owned shops and restaurants, including the Flagstaff Chocolate Company to satisfy your sweet tooth.

My favorite store there? The Black Hound Gallerie – a super queer friendly store with tons of cool stuff.

Downtown Flagstaff Black Hound Gallerie

The staff is friendly (and queer) and they offer some of the following merchandise:

Downtown Flagstaff Black Hound Gallerie

Downtown Flagstaff Black Hound Gallerie

Downtown Flagstaff Black Hound Gallerie

Downtown Flagstaff Black Hound Gallerie

Also, be sure to check out the old-timey phone booth, where you can hear poems recorded by a local artist.

Downtown Flagstaff Telepoem Booth

We had a great time during our brief visit to Flagstaff, and plan to return in the future for more exploration.

Flagstaff Gay Travel Resources

FLAGSTAFF: It’s So Raven

Raven - Flagstaff

Flagstaff Pride After PartyHey all… we just got back from a short trip to Flagstaff and Sedona, Arizona. My Family Reunion was over the weekend, but we snuck out to see Flagstaff’s Pride in the Pine’s After Party.

The venue – the Orpheum Theater – is a little odd. The stage and the seats are separated by a standing/dancing area. We got there early and got good seats in the third row with a good view of the stage.

Then the show started, and everyone in front of us got up to watch the show standing, and I kid you nbot, five or six guys that were at least 6′ 2″ tall stood in front of our seats.

So we got up too.

The show featured one of RuPaul’s girls – Raven – and she and some of the others cane out into the crowd to see all of us. That’s when I snapped the shot above.

While it was amazing to see Raven – and so close! – the standout of the show was China Collins. She should be on the Drag Race – she killed it with her lip synch.

China Collins - Flagstaff

We had a great time, and will be reporting on more parts of Flagstaff and Sedona over the next several weeks.

–Scott & Mark