Best Queer NYC Hotspots – Once Upon a Journey

Queer NYC

New York City is known as one of the most gay-friendly cities in the U.S. It is where gay rights started after all! It has an amazing gay scene and almost all businesses support the LGBTQ+ community. You will feel welcome pretty much anywhere you go, but there are some areas you definitely can’t miss!

Queer NYC is where modern gay rights began. The Stonewall Riots in June 1969 are widely known as the event that led to the gay rights movement in the United States. The riots occurred after police raided the popular gay bar, The Stonewall Inn, and the people protested. After the riots, gay rights organizations were formed all across the USA and two years later the first pride parades began! Today, the Stonewall Inn is still thriving. It’s one of the most popular gay bars in the city as well as a National Monument! Stonewall is one of our favorite places to hang out, meet other people in the community, and it’s so inspiring to step foot in the place where it all began.

Although NYC is gay all year long, the best time to visit is definitely during Pride Month. Pride Month, also known as LGBTQ history month, is always in June to commemorate the Stonewall Riots. The New York City Pride Parade is usually held the last weekend of the month (check this website for exact dates).

By Gabi & Shanna – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

New York Gay Travel Resources

 

New York State Road Trip – Go Girlfriend

Upstate New York - pixabay

My mom recently moved to New York, but she hasn’t had a chance to explore much of her new state. So when I started planning a New York state road trip upstate, she was really excited not only to travel but to travel with me, her youngest daughter. Mom has not had the opportunity to explore New York State much so I found her excitement about the trip quite rewarding and I hoped that the experience would not let her down.

I highly recommend road trips as a form of travel with your aging parent. It’s a great way to bond – the travel time is great for story-telling, singing and making memories. I also recommend a road trip through Upstate New York for a dose of the outdoors and relaxation, stopping in the towns of Watkins Glen and 1000 Islands. Each destination is an easy road trip from NYC and both are not terribly far apart from each other, making it easy to do hit both in one weekend. For us, beginning in New York’s famous Finger Lakes area, made for a great stomping ground for people of all ages, with a diverse palette of food, activities, and most importantly, a sense of tranquility. Plus, there’s a beautiful scenic drive between them along part of the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, one of the first roads in America to be designated as a National Scenic Byway. You’re very likely to return home refreshed and with new memories to share with your loved one.

If there is time for an extra excursion, Chautauqua is a wonderful choice for a final stop on this trip. It’s located near Jamestown, which is past Buffalo, and has a number of special attractions you can’t see anywhere else including the National Comedy Center and the Lucy-Desi Museum. You won’t laugh nearly as hard anywhere else on this trip, or for days after you arrive back home – totally worth the additional driving.

By Holly Rosen Fink – Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Finger Lakes Gay Travel Resources

 

Hiking the Hudson Valley’s Gertrude’s Nose Trail – Globetrotter Girls

Gertrude’s Nose Trail - Globetrotter Girls

Just a couple of days after returning to New York, I found myself at Grand Central Terminal, ticket in hand and ready to board a train to New Hamburg, a small town on the Hudson River in Upstate New York.

This wasn’t going to be a long trip, but even a couple of days away from the city are enough for me to recharge my batteries, and I was on a mission to clear my head with another great hike, after all the fantastic hikes I did in Tennessee last month.

The Lower Hudson Valley has enough hikes to keep me busy (and in shape!) for the next few years, but somehow I haven’t made it up there one single time since a long day hike last summer.

We consulted our hiking guide book to find a great day hike and finally settled on a trail inside the Minnewaska State Park preserve: the 7-mile Gertrude’s Nose Trail with a detour to Lake Minnewaska.

The hike started off fairly easy, on a gravel road, until we turned off the road onto a smaller trail. The entire morning we didn’t see a single other person, and the first sign that we weren’t the only ones in the woods were fresh bear tracks which made me slightly nervous. For the next couple of hours, we followed the path along the edge of steep cliffs, always overlooking the vast forest that was surrounding us. It never ceases to amaze me how close I am to so much untouched nature – just a couple of hours north of New York City.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Hidson River Valley Gay Travel Resources

 

Country Suite B&B – Windham, New York

Country Suite B&B

Two hours from NYC, Country Suite Bed & Breakfast and Barn, is located at the peak of the Great Northern Catskills. Beautifully restored, 5600 sq ft 1865 farmhouse, surrounded by majestic mountain views on 11 landscaped acres, accented by lovely gardens, gazebo, fountain, statuaries, gracious decks and balconies. The crystal clear waterfront of New York State’s protected waterway offers serenity and enjoyment.

The Bed & Breakfast

Country Suite offers five spacious guest suites each with private bath and amenities. Enjoy delicious, complimentary breakfasts served each morning. Pear stuffed French vanilla toast, fresh fruits, vegetable frittatas, locally made pure maple syrup and much more. Indulge in all the comforts of your stay.

Inn the Woods – Hyde Park Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast

Inn the Woods

Welcome to “Inn the Woods” Bed & Breakfast in Hyde Park, New York. Located central to Antiques, Culinary Institute of America, Franklin D. Roosevelt Home & Library, Eleanor Roosevelt’s Valkill and Vanderbilt Mansion and the Hudson Valley Great Estates Region.

Discover our wineries, trails, pick-your-own orchards, Drive-In movies and the Dutchess County Fair. Convenient when visiting area colleges: Bard, C.I.A. Marist and Vassar. Sitting on the balcony amongst the tree tops you hear a creek rushing over rocks, birds chirping and squirrels running through the leaves.

Breathing deeply you smell the smoke of hardwood burning in the fireplace. The smoke rises through the tree tops and you follow it into the darkening evening sky. The moon and stars are brighter than you can remember. You take another deep breath, you realize you’ve forgotten the rigors of the day and let yourself relax.

In the morning you will rise to the rich aroma of fresh brewed “Inn the Woods” special blend coffee. Then making your way to our sunlit dining room, you find your full breakfast elegantly served.

See the Inn the Woods Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Hudson Valley Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Arbor View House B&B – Long Island Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast

Arbor View House B&B - Long Island Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast

Arbor View House B&B is a Long Island Wine Country Bed & Breakfast Inn offering elegant lodging accommodations in a romantic and historic setting.

This North Fork Winery region B&B and spa offers spa services, award winning gourmet breakfast, relaxing gardens, fine linens and accessories and gracious concierge services.

See the Arbor View House B&B Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Long Island Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Barcelona Lakeside Bed and Breakfast – Lake Erie Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast

Barcelona Lakeside Bed and Breakfast - Lake Erie Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast

Enjoy an intimate place to gather with friends, family or an upstate New York romantic getaway just for two.

Our Lake Erie bed and breakfast is less than one mile from Interstate 90, on the shore of beautiful Lake Erie in Westfield, NY, near Erie, Pennsylvania.

See the Barcelona Lakeside Bed and Breakfast Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Chaugauqua-Allegany Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

The Rebirth of Manhattan – Gay Star News

Manhattan - pixabay

New York City’s downtown and financial district is changing: As it inevitably would.

No one who witnessed them can forget the events of 9/11. Since that time, the area around the former World Trade Center towers has been scarred. Sixteen years on, that scar has gone some way to healing.

One World Trade Center

I first came to New York in 2002, just six months after 9/11. The WTC site was still a closed-off scene of devastation. I’ve returned every 2-3 years since. The development and rebirth has been dramatic, but moreso in the last couple of years.

New Yorkers know that life has to move on. The downtown financial district now stands in the shadows of another tower – the new One World Trade Center. The highest building in the Western hemisphere, since its opening in 2014 changes to the local area have picked up speed.

The residential population in Lower Manhattan has more than doubled since 9/11. Some big banking groups have moved out since the financial crash of 2008: all those new residents, and visitors, need places to eat, drink and shop.

By David Hudson – Full Story at Gay Star News

Manhattan Gay Travel Resources

Manhattan Day Trip – Dolly Travels

Manhattan Day Trips - Dolly Travels

I love to travel…everyone who knows me, knows that. How has it happened that I had never visited New York City?

Well, yesterday (Thursday, November 9), I got to enjoy a day in the Big City.

Frank and I are staying at a hotel on Long Island, as that is where all the activities around the Cradle of Aviation and the gala on Saturday night are happening.

From the advice of the hotel people and our new friends from the Museum, we took a taxi to the Westbury Station; one of the stations of the Long Island Rail Road. The train trip took about 45 minutes, letting us out at Penn Station in Downtown Manhattan.

When we emerged from the train, I was amazed at how large Penn Station is. All those trains carrying people to all the boroughs of New York. We exited the station right into the thick of things..panhandlers, myriad salespeople for the different bus trips, boat trips, different activities in the city. The tall buildings and moving billboards on the buildings. We walked along 7th Avenue, with me, looking at everything, just like a kid.

Crossing that first intersection, I had a good view of the Empire State Building. We debated about going up to the top of that building, since it was only two blocks away, but decided against that, as we had tickets for a matinee performance at one of the theaters near Broadway.

The weather was a bit nippy, but tolerable. I enjoyed the walk, seeing all the tall buildings, the Macy’s store that took up an entire block.

Who needs a newspaper? Just sit at a table in Times Square and read the news in Large Print.

Finally, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant near the theater. We had planned to have dinner later, after the performance. I just enjoyed “people watching” along the way.

We arrived at the Majestic Theater in plenty of time to find our places.

We had very good seats. This was the only photo I got of the stage. Soon, the cell phone police (the ushers) came along, pointing at cell phone offenders, to ensure that no one would photograph any of the actors or scenes.

The production was amazingly wonderful. The voices of the actors, the stage settings, all were magnificent, where we felt transported to that opera theater in Paris all those years ago.

Now, Frank and I both have the music still running through our heads.

“Just love me, that’s all I ask of you.” Or, “Music of the NIght”. Now you can have the music running through your heads, also.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable day. When we got back to Penn Station, night had fallen, but the city was definitely not dark.

That was my day in Manhattan. It was certainly a day I will remember.

Now we are back on Long Island, and we will be going to the Gala dinner and reception at the “Cradle of Aviation Museum” this evening.

I will tell you about that tomorrow.

Until then,
Ciao for now,
Dolly

Casa De Lhasa – Catskills Gay Friendly Vacation Rental

Casa De Lhasa - Catskills Gay Friendly Vacation Rental

One-of-a-kind Artist Gem, 5 acres, stream, heated pool, pet friendly, 5 min to Woodstock NY

A soulful 100-year-old house w/all the modern conveniences, Casa de Lhasa is your ideal vacation home in the Catskills. It’s on 5.5 acres with woods, lawn, mature plantings and stream by which there is seating where you can relax with your drink as you watch nature do its thing. May to September: Heated saltwater pool! And there is an outdoor fire pit to enjoy any time of the year.

The house has a fully equipped kitchen and an awesome/one of a kind dining room that can seat eight. The outside deck is furnished with large table for perfect al fresco vino ‘n mangia. There is a gas barbecue on the deck for your grilling pleasure.

The den has wood burning fireplace with a full-size sofa bed and a TV. The living room has French doors opening up to the lawn and pool. Off the living room is a study and the entrance to a fenced in yard for your two house-trained small dogs or one house-trained medium/large dog.

The three bedrooms are located upstairs. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and jetted bath tub, the South Bedroom and the Blue Bedroom with a private balcony. In all, the bedrooms can sleep up to six persons. Upstairs has AC.

Make this well-appointed, tastefully decorated house in a magical setting your happy home in the country while you enjoy the delights that Woodstock and its environs have to offer.

See the Casa De Lhasa Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

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