GayCation Destinations
It’s mid-July and temperatures are rising almost as fast as the humidity levels. Summer in the city is, well, sometimes, unbearable. Not to mention, it’s the season ingrained in all of us since kindergarten that these three months are for relaxing, playing, and adventuring.
So call in sick for a short getaway or make a quick plan ahead and get yourself out of the city. And maybe into some water like your still twelve years old, but luckily without that who puberty things.
Rehomo aka Rehoboth Beach:
If you’ve lived in DC for longer than five minutes, you already know of Delaware’s super gay beach. There’s a boardwalk (rides included), crazy little shops, and lots of LGBT-owned business, including nine, yes NINE queer bars and clubs. Expect them to be filled with an eclectic mix of mullet-toting lesbians, and pretty DC gay boys.
Why you should go: It’s close, you can make it cheap (camping abounds), and you get to sit on a beach all day and drink all night.
50 miles from Manhattan this is possibly the gayest of gay beaches--specifically Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove. Besides being gay it's a great place to be outside, so if you're the active type maybe this is the place to be. Surfing, hiking, fishing, clamming (come on! What queer girl doesn't want to go clamming?!). It's 32 miles long, but be warned, other Fire Island communities are less gay so maybe stick to Pines and Cherry Grove if you're really seeking out a gay-cation.
A map of Fire Island
Unique facts- it's car-free, and according to one site Grove is "famous for its drag performers. Dancing is available until the wee hours. A wonderful mix of men and women, people of color, young and old, gay and straight, drag and leather make the Grove an interesting, colorful and fun place to visit for all." However, it seems to be a bit higher gay male to queer woman ratio.
LA:
The WeHo Party to be at
Right now Virgin Airlines has some decent flights straight into LA from Dulles. So book a flight, head to WeHo, and find out just what the Real L Word is all about. The drinks are pricey but you can hobnob with the likes of lezzies drinking fruity cocktails and maybe even run into Portia on a girls night out. A third of the WeHo's population is LGBT, and the area is filled with destinations perfect for any art, design or architecture lover. Specifically, spend your day-time hours checking out the Pacific Design Center on Melrose.
City side-note: The only full-time Lezzie bar is The Palms, but the place to be (like most metropolitan cities) are the specialty girl nights and mix crowds.
Provincetown:
As I type this Girl Splash 2012 is going on RIGHT NOW in P-Town, and it's honestly not too late to get up there. Events run through late Saturday night and they sound lady-tastic with clambakes (c'mon!) and a Wet Party on Friday and Pool/Beach parties throughout Saturday leading up to the ever-classic lezzie party theme: The White Party. You know the drill - wear white.
Literally, this place is so gay that the town's tourism website has an entire page for Gay & Lesbian. Located in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this beach town houses over 280 queer-owned businesses, and is the home of yearly events like Women of Color Weekend and Single Women's Weekend. But this town is so cool even Marc Jacobs wants to hang out here!
Richmond:
I know. Who’d a guess? But the capital of Virginia actually happens to have a thriving lesbian/queer scene. The Carytown neighborhood is overflowing with cool, kitchy shops, a vintage movie theater that's open every day of the year (shows are actually $1.99/person), and an endless list of eatable restaurants. Don't forget, Richmond is also the home of Virgina's Museum of Fine Art. And if you happen to plan a visit for the first Friday in August (or any first Friday) you can make your way through the city's First Fridays Art Walk.
Places to dance like there's no tomorrow: Balliceaux's BEARD - a monthly Queer Dance Party (supposedly becoming Richmond's #1 queer party), and Babe's of Carytown is the Lezzie bar of the city.
Hard French July, photo by Shot in the City
Well duh, did you have to even think about that one? If you want a break from the heat the city by the bay is always a safe bet. It's also the queer mecca of the U.S. During the day head to Dolores Park --after stopping a Ritual for coffee and maybe Bi-Rite Market for picnic snacks. The Lex(ington) - San Francisco's Lesbian bar - is only a few blocks away for a post-park-pick-me-up. And queer girl parties abound. Try Q Bar on Tuesdays and Sundays, Hard French, Ships in the Night (if you're travelin to Oakland), and Stay Gold, and that's just the beginning. There's also great art, great food, and great parks. Plus you can always jump on the M train and head to the beach.
Warning: San Francisco does not feel like summer. Remember your layers.
Don't forget:
Brooklyn (NY), Asheville (NC), and New Hope(PA) are great near-by spots as well. So get your travel on before summer ends, and you go back to feeling like an adult.
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Cindy Phillips
Sarah is a fiction writer who moonlights as a freelance journalist. She’s been the Transgender Relationship Examiner for Examiner.com since May of 2009, and she helps keep DC classy via Meets Obsession Magazine. She can also be found at SarahMarloff.com. In the rare moments when she’s not writing she’s dancing, dying her hair, singing with her headphones on, or possibly climbing trees. She’d like to remind you all: only boring people are bored.