Madison

Andrew Collins
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Madison

Once named the best place to live in America

The regional political ethos here is tolerance, and the city’s role as state capital and home base of the University of Wisconsin informs the community’s attitudes and its styles. About 60 miles due west of Milwaukee, Madison occupies an enviable position along a narrow isthmus between two picturesque lakes, Mendota and Monona. Biking and hiking trails crisscross the city’s gently rolling hills. It’s easy to see why Money magazine once named Madison the best place to live in America.

Other notable rankings – and there have been many – include being one of Outside magazine’s “Dream Towns,” one of Utne Reader’s “Most Enlightened Towns,” and one of Cosmo’s top cities for finding single men – presumably the focus was straight single men, but there are plenty of gay guys here, too. And here’s yet another fact about Madison – it has among the most unified and visible feminist communities of any U.S. city. Women, including quite a few lesbians, occupy influential positions in all walks of city life.

Although regaled mostly for its livability, Madison (population 200,000) makes for a great visit. The museums are excellent, and the University of Wisconsin (UW) lands top-name speakers and performers. The dining scene is on par with any city its size, and while queer nightlife options are few, they’re also convivial and friendly.

Engaging State Street, a transit-and-pedestrian mall, connects Madison’s two most important institutions: the capitol building and the university. If you have time, take a tour of the particularly regal, granite-domed Wisconsin State Capitol, which dazzles visitors with its ornate murals, glass mosaics, and marble detailing.

Up near Capitol Square, State Street is largely the domain of suits and politicos, but closer to the campus of UW you’ll encounter a more collegiate scene – cheap ethnic restaurants, bike racks, coffeehouses, and scads of funky shops. Don’t miss A Room of One’s Own, a capacious, clean, and comfy bookstore with a comprehensive selection of lesbian and feminist titles, local resources, and a considerable gay male section, too. There’s also a coffeehouse.

Also within the parameters of State Street are six museums that constitute Madison’s Museum Mile. The best are the Wisconsin Historical Society Museum, which traces the state’s progressive political history, dairy- farming traditions, and rich ethnic heritage; the Elvehjem Museum of Art, which contains a tremendous range of works, dating as far back as 2300 B.C.; and the Madison Art Center, whose holdings focus chiefly on contemporary works. The Art Center underwent a major expansion in 2005; adjoining it and the Madison Civic Center, with its 2,200-seat performance venue – Overture Hall. Prominent architect Cesar Pelli oversaw the immense project.

In fact, Madison is noted for groundbreaking architectural achievements, most recently the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, completed in 1997 according to the Frank Lloyd Wright’s ambitious blueprints. Take one of the building’s daily tours or head up to the rooftop garden for a free concert and lake view. Additionally, eight Frank Lloyd Wright buildings within a two-hour drive of Madison are open to the public. The must-see is Taliesin, Wright’s sprawling home and studio complex, about 45 minutes away.

Back on State Street, head away from the Capitol to reach the gracious lakefront campus of the University of Wisconsin, the domain of 40,000 students. Start at the Old Red Gym Visitors Center for campus tours and general information. Then drop by the Wisconsin Memorial Union. Out back, overlooking Lake Mendota, is the seductive Memorial Union Terrace, one of the Midwest’s most intellectual pick-up spots, gay or straight.

The Lake Monona Bike Trail Loop is one of several well-maintained trails in this incredibly cyclist-friendly city. Another great option, southwest of downtown, is the UW Arboretum Bike Trail. Pick this up at Henry Vilas Zoo and follow it through the esteemed and quite beautiful UW Arboretum, which has 1,260 acres of trails, forest, prairie, and wetland. Another spot for taking in the outdoors, the Olbrich Botanical Gardens comprises 14 acres of lush plantings, plus a 50-foot-tall pyramidal conservatory.

The presence of a political scene has infused the city with a bounty of excellent restaurants at the high end and what feels like a thousand cheap eats for frugal budgets. Food buffs shouldn’t miss Capitol Square’s delightful Dane County Farmer’s Market (Saturdays and Wednesdays, late April-early November), one of the best in the country. Across the street, you can sample many of those fine ingredients, put to highly creative use, at Harvest restaurant – a standout from the ever-changing menu is oven-roasted wild king salmon with fennel, tomatoes, and rosemary with an olive vinaigrette.

One restaurant turning nearby King Street into a dining destination, Cafe Continental charms patrons with an imported zinc bar and burgundy banquettes. The menu leans toward Mediterranean, with a variety of pizzas, pastas, and grilled meats. The Opera House restaurant also serves exciting regional American fare – typical is maple-glazed Canadian goose breast with walnut bulgur and dried-fruit compote. There are also extensive cheese and wine menus.

For fresh sushi as well as nicely prepared teriyaki, sukiyaki, and tempura dishes, tuck into Wasabi on State Street. Noodle joints are another Madison specialty, a funky favorite being Wah Kee Wonton Noodle. And don’t leave town without stopping by Michael’s Frozen Custard to scarf down a cup of Madison’s favorite dessert – in addition to serving custard so thick you could anchor a flagpole in it, Michael’s serves up fries and juicy burgers.

Shrouded within a vintage redbrick factory warehouse on the east side, bustling Fyfe’s Corner Bistro draws gays and straights for drinks and live music at its circular bar. The menu – black Angus steaks, stir-fried pasta dishes, crab cakes – is unpretentious and eclectic. Monty’s Blue Plate Diner is a fabulous home- style diner serving both tried-and-true and more inventive fare, from roasted- veggie sandwiches to luscious vanilla malts. Near the Capitol, Michelangelo’s Coffee House effectively captures Madison’s boho personality. This elegant, art-filled space has comfy sofas and small tables and draws lots of “family” – you can also get savory veggie wraps bursting with lentils, rice, spinach, and hummus.

Madison’s biggest and most popular gay night spot, Club 5 is a spacious spread offering a little something for everyone: a pulsing video dance bar; a patio, and separate dart and pool lounges for both lesbians and leather-and-Levi’s guys. There’s also a restaurant – the Fabulous Wednesday Fish Fry is a great way to sample Wisconsin’s most famous culinary tradition alongside a room full of dishy queers. On the east side, Ray’s Complex also draws sizable crowds – key amenities are the patio, volleyball court, casual restaurant, and spacious dance floor. Downtown, more guy-oriented locals joints include the Rainbow Room, which has a small dance floor and a cozy fireplace lounge, and the mellower Shamrock, a good old-fashioned drinkin’ and smokin’ bar.

There are several gay-friendly B&Bs here. At Arbor House, innkeepers Cathie and John Imes have turned one of Madison’s oldest houses into a remarkably eco-friendly B&B. There are two buildings, an 1853 stagecoach tavern – with original wood floors and natural-stone fireplaces – and a light-filled contemporary annex outfitted with thick walls made with reused wood and concrete, ceramic tiles fashioned out of recycled glass, and low-toxic building materials. Rooms are quite cushy, the top units with CD-stereos and whirlpool tubs.

Just south of town, the women-owned Hawk’s Nest Resort consists of a pair of beautiful, airy timber-beam cabins that are ideal for groups of friends seeking a getaway. Both units have three bedrooms and can sleep up to eight guests. A tranquil lake is just down the street, and this is a terrific area for biking. You’d never know you’re less than a 20-minute drive from downtown Madison.

Just 5 minutes’ walk from the Wisconsin State Capitol building, Hyatt Place Madison/Downtown boasts several on-site dining options and an indoor pool. Free WiFi access is available, and a 42-inch flat-screen TV is in each room.

Sheraton Hotel Madison is 20 minutes walk from the beach. Overlooking Lake Monona, this Madison hotel features an on-site restaurant and coffee bar. Each guest room features a flat-screen cable TV. The Alliant Energy Center can be reached in 9 minutes’ walk.

On the edge of the Town of Ennis, Montana, where the sweeping Madison River Valley opens wide, you’ll find the Rainbow Valley Lodge. Warm, welcoming hosts, Ed and Jeanne Williams, will make your visit to the Old West Town of Ennis, Montana a special one.

Exploring Santa Fe

Andrew Collins
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Exploring Santa Fe

The city of Santa Fe is ideal for outdoors enthusiasts

Santa Fe sits at 7,000 feet above sea level, clinging to the lower slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and offering an enchanting blend of Rocky Mountain and high desert living. This scenic city is politically progressive, abundant with museums and galleries, renowned for its distinctive adobe architecture, overflowing with sophisticated inns and restaurants, and ideal for outdoors enthusiasts. You won’t find much in the way of gay nightlife, but if you’re planning a romantic vacation with your significant other, Santa Fe may just have everything else you’re seeking.

Even better, if you’re starting to think about retirement options, northern New Mexico’s “City Different” may be worth scouting out as a potential future home. In November 2005, RainbowVision Properties opened a LGBT retirement community on the south side of town, billing itself the first such full-scale endeavor of its kind (the company has plans for additional communities in Palm Springs, the San Francisco suburbs, and Vancouver). The 13-acre compound geared toward the 50-and-over set is worth checking out even if you’re not thinking of buying here – it’s home to the Silver Starlight Lounge and Cabaret, which is open to the public and is Santa Fe’s only gay nightlife option. It’s actually quite popular with folks of all ages, especially for early evening cocktails.

One of the region’s greatest lures is the fantastic, sunny weather – Santa Fe and north-central New Mexico enjoy beautiful weather year-round. Summer tends to be the busiest time for a Santa Fe visit – this is opera season as well as a time when many prominent festivals and art markets take place. But a fall or winter visit yields fewer crowds, cool and crisp temperatures, and still plenty to see and do – plus rates tend to be lower at hotels, which are among the priciest in the Southwest.

Many of the city’s attractions are right in the center of town. Here you can take a walk around the Plaza; check out the numerous shops and cafes; admire the city’s adobe-clad Pueblo Revival, Spanish Colonial, and Victorian buildings; or stop by the circa-1610 Palace of the Governors, a state history museum set inside the nation’s oldest public building. There are several museums nearby, dealing mostly with art (such as the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, which has a terrific restaurant).

If you’re a die-hard museum explorer, make the short drive (or bus ride) up the Old Santa Fe Trail to Museum Hill, a complex of outstanding cultural attractions, the highlight being the Museum of International Folk Art. The newer Museum of Spanish Colonial Art is another top draw. If you’d rather spend most of your time outside, saunter up Canyon Road, a narrow, winding lane of historic adobe bungalows containing some of the most prestigious art galleries in the Southwest.

There’s spectacular hiking all around Santa Fe, but if you have time for just one ramble, head to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, which is about a 45-minute drive south of town, toward Albuquerque. This 2-mile, moderately steep hike passes through a narrow, dramatic box canyon and then rises up to a lofty promontory affording panoramic views of the mountains and mesas. The monument is named for the bizarre rock formations that rise high out of one end of the canyon and look a bit like sandstone tepees.

If you’re visiting between December and April, bring your skis with you, or rent some in town. Ski Santa, which is about 15 miles northeast of downtown, offers 44 trails of rugged, beautifully groomed trails. If you have trouble believing New Mexico offers much in the way of winter sports, consider that the ski area receives an average of 240 inches of snowfall annually. This is a first-rate facility, albeit not quite as famous or as demanding as Taos Ski Valley, which is just a two-hour drive north.

However you get your exercise, whether hiking, skiing, or strolling among art galleries, you’re sure to work up an appetite in these parts, especially given the city’s high altitude, which can tax your system if you’re not used to it. Fortunately, this is a city with no shortage of terrific restaurants. Serving some of the most authentic New Mexican fare in town, the Shed is an excellent choice. The setting inside a 1692 adobe is ideal for sampling such local favorites as green-chile stew with pork and potatoes, and red-chile enchiladas. Or drop by Il Vicino, an inexpensive, gay-friendly pizza place serving delicious thin-crust pies topped with gourmet ingredients, microbrewed beers, and a cheerful courtyard.

A favorite spot for brunch is the fabulous Cafe Pasqual’s, where you might sample buttermilk biscuits with sage-bacon gravy, homemade sausage, and poached eggs. More sophisticated and substantial fare appears on the dinner menu – try the organic-chicken mole at dinner. You’ll find a couple of the city’s top restaurants along charming Canyon Road, including such high-end standouts as the Compound and Geronimo, as well as the popular tapas option, El Farol. Also specializing in smaller plates, downtown’s La Boca turns out such exemplary fare as Moroccan-grilled shrimp with sweet-pea-basil puree, and seared ahi tuna with Manchego-white-bean hash.

If you’ve had your fill of New Mexican cuisine, head to the first-rate Kasasoba for exquisite Japanese food. And for casual, affordable, yet creative American chow, don’t miss these two gay favorites, the Cowgirl (great for barbecue, and with a big patio), or Harry’s Roadhouse a short drive south of the city – not terribly far from Silver Starlight Lounge. Harry’s is especially popular for its house-made desserts and potent margaritas.

Santa Fe abounds with appealing accommodations, including a few gay-owned B&Bs and inns. One nice thing about B&Bs in northern New Mexico is that they typically comprise a small compound of casitas (adobe-style cottages) or a cluster of rooms with separate entrances, thereby affording plenty of privacy. Among the longest-running and most enjoyable such properties is the lesbian-owned Triangle Inn, which comprises nine casitas and lies about 15 miles north of downtown. Units have lovely southwestern furnishings, VCRs, CD stereos, and kitchenettes, and many can sleep four.

The Triangle draws mostly gay folks, whereas the other gay-owned B&Bs in Santa Fe cater to a mixed crowd. If you’re looking to stay in the heart of downtown, try El Farolito, a collection of airy casitas with fireplaces, striking Mexican and Southwestern furniture, and original art and photography. The Inn of the Turquoise Bear occupies the rambling Spanish-Pueblo Revival estate of Witter Bynner, a gay poet and socialite of the 1920s and ’30s who threw lavish parties here that drew the likes of Willa Cather, Errol Flynn, W.H. Auden, and Stephen Spender. It’s a warm and inviting inn surrounded by secret gardens and run by friendly hosts.

Among mainstream, luxury accommodations, it’s hard to beat the over-the-top-luxurious Inn of the Five Graces, which is in the heart of the city center and consists of 22 opulently appointed casitas, all done with elaborate Latin American, Middle Eastern, and Asian antiques and decorative arts. Service here is arguably the best in town, and guests can also enjoy lunch at the cozy on-site cafe or dinner at the adjacent Pink Adobe, a famous old Santa Fe restaurant that the Five Graces management bought and refurbished.

Another excellent upscale choice, the 57-room Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi sits steps from the Plaza, its rooms outfitted with kiva fireplaces (common in Santa Fe, they’re shaped a bit like beehive ovens), handwoven fabrics, organic toiletries, and four-poster beds. An ambitious makeover has given it a fresh look, and the hotel’s restaurant serves some of the most creative contemporary Southwestern fare in the state. Some additional downtown properties worth checking out include the upscale but well-priced Inn on the Alameda, with bright and airy rooms and a location handy for Canyon Road gallery-hopping; and the mid-priced Inn of the Governors, a rambling hotel two blocks from the Plaza. Many rooms here have wood-burning fireplaces.

Whether you’re alone or with your honey, it’s always fun to end a day of hiking or skiing with a soak in one of the outdoor hot tubs at Ten Thousand Waves, a gay-popular Japanese-style spa in the foothills on the east side of town. It’s a memorable spot for star-gazing. For the ultimate away-from-it-all vacation, book an overnight stay in one of Ten Thousand Waves’ smartly appointed luxury casitas, and watch your stresses melt away.

A Seattle Shopping Spree

Andrew Collins
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A Seattle Shopping Spree

Seattle is truly blessed with fashionable shops and boutiques

Many gay people relate to television’s Frasier because of the show’s witty characters, some of them portrayed by sexually ambiguous or – in the cases of Dan Butler and Edward Hibbert – openly gay actors. But let’s face it, for many of us, the show’s real draw is that fabulous set with those perfectly chosen furnishings. Is real-life Seattle truly blessed with the kind of fashionable shops and boutiques that could keep Niles and Frasier Crane dressing and living so stylishly? The answer is a resounding yes.

Finicky men with snobby tastes, however, are hardly Seattle’s key demographic. True, this is the city that gave us such bastions of yuppiedom as Starbucks, Eddie Bauer, Microsoft, and Nordstrom. But it also gave us grunge. And the demand for eco-friendly products, second-hand clothing, retro furnishings, and left-wing literature is strong here, especially in queer-popular neighborhoods like Capitol Hill and Fremont. Seattle also has one of North America’s most dynamic Asian communities, the International District, which is an exceptional source for fashion, household items, and gourmet goodies from that continent.

Capitol Hill is a great neighborhood for window- shopping. Much of the retail here tends to be edgy and exciting, catering heavily to students and younger types who don’t necessarily have big bucks to burn. Kick things off at the Broadway Market (Update: This is now a QFC food store and many of the stores are gone), which was known for years as Seattle’s unofficial gay shopping mall. Gradually, as the neighborhood has become more varied, so too have the mall’s tenants. But you’re still sure to see plenty of queers sauntering through this three-story hub of typical chain shops like Gap and Urban Outfitters, plus some unusual independent ones.

Related: Exploring Vancouver

Broadway Market Video offers an astounding selection of flicks with gay interest, while Bulldog News is your one- stop for queer papers and mags. You can pick up your very own “Slut” or “Bitch” T-shirt at Rockin’ Betty’s, an irreverent and inexpensive purveyor of gaudy club wear. Yadzi imports Asian women’s wear made of breezy batiks, silks, and other striking materials. This trendy mall also makes a good break for a snack – it’s home to a few hip eateries, including Gravity Bar (fresh-squeezed juices and healthful snacks) and B&O Espresso.

There’s plenty more shopping along Broadway, as well as on the neighborhood’s other main commercial drags, Pike and Pine streets. Let your inner child burst free at Vintage Voola, a way-retro survey of furnishings, music, and clothing from the Gilded Age through the Age of Disco. Been searching for a 78 rpm single of Dinah Shore singing “Mood Indigo”? Look no further. And pick up a rhinestone shoe clip or a Quiet Riot wallet while you’re at it. Nearby at Worldbeads you can not only browse buckets of colorful and shiny beads, you can also sign up for one of the regularly offered workshops on jewelry- making. The Capitol Hill branch of the famous sporting goods store REI is where outdoorsy dykes and fags arm themselves with tents, bikes, hiking boots, and Swiss Army knives.

All the proceeds from sales at the Bra Show go to programs that promote cancer awareness. Not a shop per se, this nonprofit organization regularly holds fashion events where you can buy gorgeous bras created and donated by Seattle artists. The cleverly named Toys in Babeland is practically a Seattle institution. The women- staffed and -owned store offers classes like “Lesbians Tell All: Sex Tips for Straight Guys” and “G-Spot and Female Ejaculation.” There’s a fantastic array of toys, lingerie, and safer-sex gadgets in all shapes, sizes, and colors, plus a helpful staff that can guide you through the ins and outs of dildos, plugs, and vibrators. There’s a “toys for boys” section, too.

Seattleites cherish their bookstores, and even in the home port of Amazon.com, independent shops hold up nicely. Beyond the Closet is a handsome lesbian/gay bookstore with a helpful staff and an unusually vast array of both porn and mainstream periodicals. It’s also one of the city’s leading sources of feminist and lesbian titles, as is Capitol Hill’s long-running general-interest shop, Bailey-Coy Books.

A short drive north of Capitol Hill or Downtown, Seattle’s funky Fremont neighborhood is a neo-hippie enclave that remains happily off-kilter despite a recent tidal wave of gentrification. Here you’ll find quirky home-furnishing and clothing shops galore. Notables include Enexile, which carries Anna Sui, BCBG, and other haute fashion labels. Dandelion calls itself “a natural apothecary” – the shelves are lined with bundles of sage incense; little jars of birch bark oil, rhubarb root, and wild indigo; and thousands of elixirs, lotions, and potions.

Check out Portage Bay Goods’ environmentally friendly furnishings and housewares, many of them fashioned out of recycled materials. And every Sunday local vendors hawk crafts, antiques, and objets d’art at the Fremont Market, a two-block plot of land just off Fremont Avenue. For sustenance, stop by Simply Desserts, where confections such as chocolate cognac torte await you.

There are both more and less exciting shopping districts in America, but downtown Seattle does have one truly remarkable thing going for it: Pike Place Market. To think that during the 1960s urban planners lobbied to tear it down! Seattleites voted to protect it as a historic site, and so today this sprawling 1907 market continues to buzz with fishmongers and food stalls of every ilk. There’s also an organic market held Wednesday through Sunday from mid-June through October. Pike Place sort of tumbles down a hillside toward Elliott Bay, and there’s a fascinating assortment of book, clothing, gift, crafts, and antiques shops occupying the lower floors and adjacent buildings.

The hippest shopping center downtown is Pacific Place, where Stars Bar and Dining (a branch of Jeremiah Towers’ famed San Francisco restaurant) competes with several other fine eateries. The shopping pedigree here is impressive – Cartier, Tiffany, Nicole Miller, Coach, J. Jill, Pavo Real. There’s also an 11-screen cinema with those ever-trendy loveseats that are such fun to curl up in. Among department stores, everybody in Seattle adores Bon Marche. Known affectionately as “the Bon,” this venerable grande dame has been selling fine clothing and furnishings for a century. If you’re in town during one of the store’s amazing one-day sales (up to 75 percent off), expect to battle some fierce crowds.

Finally, be sure to explore the neighborhoods fringing downtown, such as Pioneer Square to the south and hip Belltown up north. With more than 60 dealers, the massive Pioneer Square Antiques Mall is one of that neighborhood’s shopping highlights. The nearby International District is dominated by an immense Japanese department store, Uwajimaya, which is the definitive shopping source for everything Asian – including foods from Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines. There’s also a huge housewares section, a Hello Kitty shrine, and distinctive cosmetics, clothing, and jewelry. In Belltown, anybody hoping to jazz things up in the bedroom should check out Great Jones Home, which carries a fabulous assortment of shabby-chic quilts, bed frames, cushions, and dressers – plus lovely upholstered chairs and sofas, painted-wood tables, and more.

Summer is by far the most popular time to visit this city that’s rather infamous for its gray and wet weather the rest of the year. But in the sunny months you’ll also pay dearly for a hotel and spend much of your time jostling with fellow visitors. Instead, consider timing your retail adventure in Seattle with the so-called rainy reason.

Related: Gay Seattle

Eat and Play in Milwaukee

Andrew Collins
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Eat and Play in Milwaukee

Milwaukee has one of the most vibrant gay scenes in the Midwest

The largest city in a state that’s long enjoyed a favorable political and social reputation among gays and lesbians, Milwaukee hugs the shoreline of Lake Michigan and lies just 90 miles east of the hip, LGBT-popular college town and capital city of Madison. Milwaukee has one of the most vibrant gay scenes in the Midwest, and also one of the friendliest. The city has been enjoying a notable renaissance of late, with once downcast neighborhoods seeing an infusion of new residents, who have fixed up historic homes and moved into snazzy new condos. Noteworthy restaurants, coffeehouses, galleries, and boutiques have followed, many of them developing loyal followings among local gay folks.

Low-keyed Milwaukee lies just under two hours north of Chicago by car, situated dramatically overlooking Lake Michigan. Historically, outsiders have been quick to associate Milwaukee with bowling, Laverne & Shirley, and kitschy German restaurants with dirndl-clad waitresses and bucket-size beer steins. While these stereotypes hold true to a certain extent, they overlook the degree to which the city has become significantly more sophisticated of late. For instance, Milwaukee has quietly emerged as one of the Midwest’s leading centers of the visual and performing arts – with a highly acclaimed ballet and symphony, two opera companies, countless theaters, and a world-class art museum. Milwaukee also has dozens of lesbian and gay social and political groups, and the June PrideFest celebration ranks among one of the largest such gatherings anywhere.

Related: Madison

This is terrific city for strolling. Downtown, you can walk along State Street through the impressive Theater District, or admire the dignified 19th-century cast-iron buildings that line Old World 3rd Street. Attractive promenades run along downtown’s Milwaukee River, passing beside trendy restaurants and bars with waterfront terraces. River tour boats depart regularly from Pere Marquette Park, where concerts and events are staged.

The city’s most celebrated attraction, the Milwaukee Art Museum, lies east of downtown along the pastoral lakefront (also a fine spot for wandering on foot, as well as such outdoor activities as bicycling and kayaking). The museum’s Eero Saarinen-designed building made headlines in 2002 when celebrated Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava created a magnificent addition, which has become one of the Midwest’s most talked about structures.

Venture north along Prospect Avenue to discover some of Milwaukee’s most charming neighborhoods, including the Brady Street district, with its eclectic mix of quirky shops and restaurants. Nearby is a fine example of Edwardian architecture and decor, the Charles Allis Art Museum – especially notable here are the collections of Barbizon and Hudson River School paintings.

Head south of downtown to reach the Historic Third Ward, a patch of imposing 19th-century warehouses that’s undergone a major gentrification and now contain restaurants, art galleries, and antiques shops, as well as the handsomely renovated Milwaukee Public Market. Billed as Milwaukee’s “Off Broadway,” the district is also home to several experimental theaters. A visual-arts highlight is the Eisner Museum of Advertising and Design, a cool exhibit space (with a great gift shop); it’s affiliated with the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, whose students design many of the wares sold here.

Drive a couple of miles farther south, through the gay-bar district of Walker’s Point, to reach what has become the city’s most visible LGBT residential neighborhood, Bay View (aka “Gay View”), which not only has plenty of attractive old homes but also a lively commercial strip along South Kinnickinnic Avenue. Here you’ll find several noteworthy cafes and shops, including the feminist/lesbian bookstore, Broad Vocabulary.

Milwaukee’s dining scene is up-and-coming, but one restaurant, Sanford, has been a culinary wonder for years – typically creative fare here includes the char-grilled elk loin with cremini mushrooms, rutabaga dumplings, and a pear-and-red-wine sauce. The same owners also run a more casual bistro, Coquette Cafe, in a converted loft in the Historic Third Ward. An early catalyst of the Brady Street renaissance, Mimma’s trattoria is owned by a woman who often treks back to Italy in search of new recipes – it’s always a great bet for a romantic dinner. The Hi Hat Lounge is another favorite in this neighborhood – it’s known for its terrific Sunday brunch and happy-hour martini specials. Also in this area, gay-popular Bosley on Brady serves inventive, elegantly crafted Key West-inspired cuisine.

A slick spot with cute waiters and stylish patrons to match, Sake Tumi is a trendy place serving contemporary Japanese and Korean fare – it’s along downtown’s bustling Milwaukee Street “restaurant row,” which also includes such see-and-be-seen spots as Cubanitas (for modern Latin fare) and Zarletti (well-regarded for its sophisticated Italian cuisine).

In a vintage brick building in the Historic Third Ward, gay-popular Bella is a warm and inviting coffeehouse that’s perfect for hanging out with a good book or munching on decadent desserts. In a vintage foundry just across the Milwaukee River, Alterra brews potent, flavorful coffee and serves light fare; there are several other branches around town, including a beautiful space set inside a converted pumping station near the lakeshore. A charming spot for lunch or dinner – and maybe some post-dining shopping – Barclay Gallery & Garden Cafe comprises a gallery selling whimsical crafts and artwork from more than 300 artisans, and a restaurant serving reasonably priced, globally inspired fare.

Steps from several of the gay bars of Walkers Point is the sophisticated and romantic Spanish tapas restaurant, Don Quijote, a good bet for hearty paella. Nearby Jacques is a cute creperie and French bistro that’s perfect for a glass of wine and a spinach-roquefort crepe before venturing out to the bars. On the eastern edge of Walker’s Point, in the city’s small but lively Latin Quarter, La Perla serves delicious, authentic Mexican food. In warm weather, dine on the deck out back. Retro-funky Cafe Lulu is a good bet in the trendy Bay View neighborhood for eclectic, casual fare – burgers, falafel, Moroccan chicken sandwiches – and Sunday brunch.

It should come as no surprise that the city that organized the nation’s first gay softball teams and bowling league has a highly popular queer sports bar, the Ballgame. The guys here definitely know the score and don’t hesitate to express their allegiances during televised games. Milwaukee also has a saucy leather scene, and Boot Camp is a main player. It’s dark in here (duh) and packed on weekends. For a breath of air, or to get a better look at your suitors, head for the patio. Similarly popular with the leather crowd are the Harbor Room and Kruz, which opened in 2006 and has become a local favorite.

One of the friendlier bars in town, Fluid is a mirrored cocktail lounge with a lively bar in front and lounge seating in back. You’re sure to see Milwaukee’s die-hard clubbers and stand-and-model scenesters at the LaCage, which comprises four different bars along with one of the city’s larger dance floors. M’s is a casual but elegantly decorated, mixed-gender, neighborhood bar that’s especially popular during the early evenings for happy hour, and for Sunday brunch. Lesbian-owned Walker’s Pint is a cool, super-friendly tavern with an attractive interior and a wide selection of brews – a big plus is the beer garden. Lesbians also make up much of the clientele at the amusingly named Kathy’s Nut Hut, a low-keyed locals bar in the southern end of Walker’s Point.

Around the corner from Cathedral Square, This Is It is Milwaukee’s only downtown gay bar, with a retro-hip interior that resembles a 1960s airport cocktail lounge. The crowd is eclectic and at times eccentric, the drinks cheap and stiff. A relatively popular cruise and video bar in Walker’s Point, the Triangle is a homey tavern with a plant-filled patio. And last but not least, Club Boom is a super-cruisy place that sometimes hosts performers from the adult-film industry; the guys here usually show up with one thing on their mind, making it a likely spot to end a night of bar-crawling. Speaking of which, Midtowne Spa is the city’s quite popular gay bathhouse.

Milwaukee has several excellent, gay-friendly lodging options. A sophisticated all-suite hotel in a converted 1930s downtown building, Hotel Metro has touches of Art Deco in the large, open rooms outfitted with down comforters and spacious, slate-floor bathrooms.

Also consider the luxe InterContinental Milwaukee, which sits right along the riverfront, close to area theaters, and has some of the fanciest rooms in town.

Hotel of the Arts – Days Inn and Suites is located just outside downtown Milwaukee, only one kilometer from the Bradley Center. The hotel openly supports the LGBT community and Community Center and offers completely non-smoking guest rooms with original artwork.

County Clare is a distinctive boutique inn with reasonable rates. The beautifully appointed rooms have four-poster beds, free Wi-Fi, and double whirlpool tubs. Quaff a pint of Guinness in the Irish pub on the ground floor, which is a terrific place to get a first-hand sense of the friendly demeanor that so defines this up-and-coming Midwest city.

Related: Chicago’s Lakeview Neighborhood

Upscale and Gay in Tampa Bay

Andrew Collins
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Upscale and Gay in Tampa Bay

Tampa has grown into a sophisticated, prosperous, and modern metropolis

When it comes to tourism, especially with the gay and lesbian crowd, Florida’s Gulf Coast receives less attention than Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Miami, and even Orlando. Hey, there’s a lot of competition in a state with year-round sunshine and warmth, oodles of glitzy resorts, and miles of coastline. But Tampa has plenty to offer lesbian and gay travelers: acclaimed fine- and performing-arts venues, a slick upscale-shopping scene, excellent value, and that same fabulous weather enjoyed elsewhere in the state.

A boomtown throughout the 1990s, Tampa has grown into a sophisticated, prosperous, and modern metropolis. Disney-esque amusements, such as Busch Gardens and a popular zoo and aquarium, help account for the city’s visitor appeal, but Tampa feels a bit more corporate than many Florida cities. It’s a popular base for Fortune 500 companies, and it claims the busiest port in the Southeast, as well as a high-tech, intelligently designed airport that’s amazingly user-friendly and very convenient to downtown.

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This city of about 315,000 has a large gay community. According to Census 2000, downtown Tampa’s 33602 zip code is Florida’s 10th-gayest district, and it’s the gayest of any zip code on the state’s Gulf Coast. The gay scene is younger than in some of the state’s retirement-oriented towns, meaning that the 25-to-40 age group is well represented. The city has a lively gay nightlife, some first-rate restaurants, and a restored arts-and-entertainment district fashioned out of what used to be the nation’s leading cigar-manufacturing center, Ybor City. And St. Petersburg and the beach communities, about an hour west of Tampa, make a nice day trip.

Downtown Tampa, especially around the waterfront, has seen a dramatic renaissance recently. Much of the action is centered around Channelside at Garrison Seaport Center, which contains cinemas, restaurants, upscale shops, and nightclubs. Another fairly new development has been the introduction of an electric-streetcar system, which runs among downtown attractions and out to Ybor City. Locals are justifiably proud of downtown’s Florida Aquarium, the highlight of which is a 60-foot-deep coral reef teeming with marine life. The Tampa Museum of Art, with the top collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities in the Southeast, also deserves a look.

A growing number of yuppies – along with plenty of guppies – populate South Tampa. The most exclusive section of this attractive neighborhood, Hyde Park, gleams with palm-lined avenues, neatly manicured estates, and a potpourri of Gothic-, Tudor-, Spanish Colonial-, and Moorish-influenced mansions – most of them dating from the city’s original heyday, which lasted from about the 1890s to the end of the 1920s. And spend a few hours wandering through the redbrick complex of shops and cafes known as Olde Hyde Park Village if you’re looking for an excuse to spend money.

As recently as the late ’80s, Ybor City (pronounced ee-bor), one of only a few historic districts in Florida, was dilapidated and crime-infested. This chunk of hulking redbrick warehouses, balustrade balconies, and cobblestone streets – a short drive northeast of downtown – formed the hub of America’s cigar-manufacturing industry from about the late 19th century through the 1940s. Production slowed following World War II, and beginning with the U.S. embargo on Cuban products in 1959, the neighborhood plummeted.

Entrepreneurs, many of them artists and gallery owners, began snapping up the dramatic buildings in the ’80s. Now it’s a thriving entertainment district; a couple of clubs hold gay nights once or twice weekly, though the discos have become increasingly straight and rowdy in years. Much of the retail and dining action is centered around one former factory, Ybor Square. You can examine the neighborhood’s rich history at the Ybor City Museum State Park.

The busy, Africa-themed Busch Gardens is Tampa’s direct competitor to Disney World. More rides await you at nearby Adventure Island, a 30-acre water park, which is also run by the Anheuser-Busch group (combo tickets are available). Also above downtown, the Lowry Park Zoo is one of the best zoos in the Southeast; of particular note is the manatee and aquatic center.

Many of Tampa’s hottest, and in many cases queerest, restaurants are set along South Howard Avenue in South Tampa, the most famous being Bern’s, which is known not merely for its organically grown and raised vegetables, beef, and seafood, but for a wine list almost as long as War and Peace. It’s not an especially gay venue, but just about any food lover is likely to enjoy a highly memorable meal here. Tropics offers some of the best food of any of the city’s predominantly gay restaurants. Wild game, such as rabbit, elk, and ostrich, are specialties.

What began as a no-frills commissary for Ybor City’s cigar workers, The Columbia has grown into an 11-dining-room compound that can seat about 1,700 patrons. A bona fide tourist attraction, The Columbia is not exactly intimate, but elaborate mosaic murals do impart plenty of character. Also in Ybor City, trendy Dish uses an innovative concept: you select a sauce and meat, veggie, or seafood ingredients, pile them into a bowl, and then take your concoction over to the grill, where it’s sauteed before your eyes. A 10-minute drive south of downtown leads to trendy Cellini, an Italian restaurant with superb pasta and pizzas.

Snazzy Mise en Place is known for cutting-edge contemporary American fare, such as lavender-rubbed grilled salmon with American sturgeon caviar, wild basmati rice, green-lentil pilaf, and fennel-orange salad. A lively little queer-popular spot for a quick bite, Off the Eaten Path specializes in subs, barbecue sandwiches, salads, soups, and other lunch fare (it’s not open for dinner). Get your dose of coffeehouse culture at Sacred Grounds, a groovy and ultra-gay java place that’s open till at least 1 a.m. most nights.

This is one part of the state where you’re never too far from a gay-friendly nightspot – in fact, it’s not easy to pare down the long list of clubs and bars to just a handful of particularly noteworthy hangouts. Metropolis, which presents go-go dancers nightly and cultivates a cruisy, somewhat stand-and-model following, is one of the hottest full-time gay bars in the region. In Ybor City, stunning Flirt Nightclub, a sexy and hip space, is Tampa’s top venue for lesbians. There’s a spacious dance floor and a show bar featuring buxom performers with flirty names like Apple Love and Felicity Lane. Nearby, the pulsing Castle nightclub is gayest on Mondays and Thursdays.

Tunnel is a Friday-night fete at a huge disco (The Underground) on the southern fringes of Downtown with a high-tech industrial ambience. At the 2606 leather club, there’s no formal dress code, but preppy or dressy attire is frowned upon. A trip to the john can be a true adventure at this super-cruisy place. Ki Ki Ki Lounge, with strings of blinking lights and retro furnishings, is a long-running queer cocktail lounge. Older professional guys, many of them in suits, favor Baxter’s, a gentlemen’s bar with diverting dancers.

Offering a year-round outdoor pool and sun terrace, the Flamingo Resort is an all-gay resort situated in St. Petersburg – just a 30 minute drive from Tampa. Guests can enjoy 6 themed bars, a dance club, and restaurant.

The GayStPete House, built in 1929, is another option in nearby St. Petersburg and offers a tropical stay for the LGBT community. Pools and hot tubs are accompanied by beer/wine/soda served by the waterside. Clothing is optional.

Ybor Resort and Spa is Tampa Bay’s largest all-gay owned-and-operated Private Mens Club, Resort and Bathhouse.

Among mainstream properties, consider the Embassy Suites Hotel-Tampa Airport/Westshore. Friends traveling together appreciate this all-suites property near the airport and Tampa Bay. All rooms have kitchenettes, and the health club is top-notch.

La Quinta Inn is a fine budget option. This cheerfully decorated and efficiently run motel is east of Ybor City, not more than a 15-minute drive from South Tampa nightlife and dining.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay is a first-rate luxury option. The location on the western edge of the city is quiet and secluded. Rooms are sumptuous with pastel hues and balconies, many of them looking directly over Tampa Bay and a neighboring 35-acre nature preserve.

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