Road gay
Initially, we decided to take the scenic route to New England where I grew up, but we wound up extending our trip far longer than anticipated, taking us into another country and to numerous cities, towns, states and regions. π A Road Trip Turns Romantic in This Heartwarming Gay Short Film οΈπThree young men cross paths on an open road, leading to an unexpected journey of love.
Once we made it to New England, it afforded me the first time to really explore my roots as an adult. Along with a lineup of elaborate riverside murals, the museum helped earn Paducah its UNESCO designation, and rightfully so, considering the sheer array of bejeweled fiber art on display here, from a bedazzled saltwater crocodile to extremely detailed depictions of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
The Ultimate Gay Road
Along with my husband, I took gay huge leap this past summer into a life of semi-nomadism. Also, for the first time in nearly 20 years, I celebrated my birthday where I grew up, with my family. Being recently back in O. C, incidentally road before the election, I look back on our Big Gay Road Trip with so much fondness and Pride, and most importantly, much hope for our great big complicated country.
We spiffed up our home in Oklahoma City to list on Airbnballowing us to travel more freely. Unintentionally, our road trip felt like a campaign blitz, but instead of wooing voters, we were doing something far more authentic: connecting with our community far and wide, in places new and old.
Planning a gay road trip can be an exciting and liberating experience, allowing you to explore new places, meet new road, and create unforgettable memories. Our first stop after leaving O. C and ugly crying in our doorway was Paducah, a small city on the western edge of Kentucky, where the Tennessee River meets the Ohio, and where the folk art scene is so rich that it earned elite distinction as one of only nine UNESCO Creative Cities in the U.
Intrigued by its arts, and the fact that Paducah has held its own Pride festivals, it exemplified our quest for queer gay in unexpected places. We stayed at gay-owned InnBuffaloa historic Victorian mansion in tree-lined Elmwood Village, which had big Agatha Christie murder mystery vibes in the best way possible and shopped for wine at lesbian-owned bottle shop Paradise Wine.
True to form, for a town of less than 30, Paducah is an apt reminder of the power of the arts, and how these expressive communities are often sanctuaries for queer residents and travelers alike, even in infamously red states.
We stayed at the gay-owned Hotela lofty abode right in the historic riverfront district, and shopped for Pride merch at queer-friendly Bricolage Art Collective down the block. We visited Tremont Loungea relaxed, pub-like gay bar as old as I am, with friendly clientele and a mercifully low-volume playlist.
As a kid, I hated it. Before we left, we hit up Parable Coffeea Black- and queer-owned cafe and wine bar, with pastries, potables and vibes for days. How to Plan a Gay Road Trip Across the Country β Are you a member of the LGBTQ+ community looking to embark on an epic adventure across the country?
The Big Gay Road Trip, from rural West Virginia or South Carolina, to the rainbow-clad gayborhoods of Philadelphia and Louisville. And what could be unintentionally gayer than the National Quilt Museum? Rust Belt cities, admittedly, are a blind spot for me, but there is absolutely nothing rusty about Buffalo β a city where well-preserved history stands proudly alongside splashy new developments like the psychiatric hospital-turned-Richardson Hotelenvelope-pushing restaurants like Southern Junctionwhere Texas-style barbecue meets Indian influenceand the coolest gayborhood I had never heard of, Allentown.
In Maine, we bopped around Ogunquit, a town that my sister tipped me off as a particularly gay-friendly destination β and a fact quickly confirmed by its rainbow crosswalks, a gay section of Ogunquit Beach and a sprawling gay bar, Maine Street.
From there, we went to a much bigger city that I had been to, yet one that still feels somehow underrated. We also rented flamingo paddle boats at pastoral Hoyt Lake, in Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Delaware Park, which just felt inherently gay as hell.
25 Must Visit LGBTQ
It turns out criss-crossing the country on a multi-state road trip in the midst of a heated election cycle was a rather surreal experience. Aptly nicknamed the Queen City, our gaydar drew us in and it impressed at every turn. Turns out, we happened to be there during a recurring meet-up among local gays, so we fit right in.
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise on our Big Gay Road Trip was a city that neither of us had been to: Buffalo.