The largest gay resort in the U.S. Southwest has new owners. Los Angeles-based Alternatives Resorts has bought the 170-room Habana Inn in Oklahoma County. The property sold for $2.4 million.
Alternatives Resorts spokesman Arnold Greenspan says the hotel will be renamed as Hotel Habana and the first phase of renovations will start in the fall.
By Juergen T. Steinmetz – Full Story at eTurboNews
There are a lot of cities in the country that for some reason or another, travelers just don’t think about. Omaha, Nebraska might be one of those cities however it is a very vibrant and live city where the arts and culture as well as many other things of full of places to visit.
One is the Joslyn Art Museum. It is located just south of downtown at 5200 Dodge Street. The galleries begin with the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque artists, and continues with 18th and 19th Century works by British and French painters and concludes with Impressionism and Modernism. You will also fine sculptures, photography as well as a large variety of art at the Museum. One of our favorites is a wonderful oil painting by the British born Artist, J. G. Brown who later moved to New York City and became famous for his depictions of street urchins found on the streets (bootblacks, street musicians, posy sellers, newsboys, etc).
They are open everyday but Mondays. In keeping with the tradition of a lot of other art museums around the country there is no admission fee. Check out their website at http://www.joslyn.org/visit/
While there be sure and visit the Museum’s Peter Kiewit Foundation Sculpture Garden which is open all year from 7 AM to 11 PM and again that admission is also free.
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is certainly something that you do not want to miss. It is ranked one of the world’s finest zoos with over 130 acres. It is the home to the world’s largest indoor desert and the largest indoor rainforest in North American. You can explore exotic locations and underground caves to see thousands of animals from around the world in their natural habitant with more than 7 acres of indoor exhibits! The Zoo is located at 3701 South 10th St. and their website is: http://www.omahazoo.com. Plan on spending the entire day there.
Omaha sits right on the Missouri so simply drive over the bridge into Council Bluffs, Iowa and visit Casinos if you are into that.
Downtown Omaha is alive and well and unlike so many other cities, It is all happening right downtown. They do have a very vibrant nightlife there. The MAX, 1417 Jackson St, in the Old Market District has been around for years. They have different levels and rooms and there is always something for everyone. Flixx Video Bar, 1019 South 10th Street is a music video bar. Omaha Mining Company, 1715 Leavenworth St. is more of a neighborhood bar and we have been going there for years. As in most cities in today’s world, Gays and Lesbians are welcomed anywhere and that is certainly so in Omaha.
Always 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/
In our travels we always enjoy visiting all types of Museums. We were recently in Oklahoma City and visited the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum which houses the largest collection of Cowboy memorabilia in the country. Actually they have over 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts including the world’s most extensive collection of rodeo photographs, barbed wire, saddlery and early rodeo trophies.
It was established in 1955 and has involved into what it is now. The museum has more than 200,00 square feet of display space. Their collection includes of 2,000 works of western art including landscapes, portraits, still lives and sculptures by 19th and 20th Century artists with more than 200 by Charles Russell, Frederic Remington, Albert Bierstadt, Solo Borglum, Thurmond Restuettenhall, Robert Longhead and Charles Schreyvogel.
The museum has an authentic late 1800’s Western town where you can stroll the streets and look into store windows and walk into some of the furnished building. You will actually think that you are REALLY there back in the day! The town is called Prosperity Junction and is 14,000 square feet of space. There are three separate ‘Halls of Fame’ at the museum. One is for the Rodeo Hall of Fame, another for the Hall of Great Western Performers from the movies and the Hall of Great Westerners for actual people who lived through the frontier times.
There are many different galleries and one of our favorites was the American Cowboy Gallery which dealt with the life of working cowboys living and working on their ranches. It shows how they really lived. Outside, beautifully landscaped gardens flank the Children’s Cowboy Corral and other children’s spaces.
More than 10 million visitors from around the world have visited the Museum to gain better understanding of the West, a region and history that permeates our national culture. It will take several hours to see and do everything at the Museum so plan your day well.
The Museum is located just to the north of downtown a few miles with plenty of free parking. Their address is 1700 Northeast 63rd St. which is just off Interstate 44. Their website is: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/ They are open Monday thru Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and on Sunday from noon to 5 PM. Before going to Oklahoma City, check out https://www.visitokc.com/ for more places to visit and things to do.
For those that are REALLY into western songs, check out this Willie Nelson song which is a song about Gay Cowboys:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u4CXlIYjyE
Always 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/