LGBT Destinations

My first gay moment in Savannah, Georgia, wasn’t at a gay bar or networking event. It wasn’t cruising at notorious Forsyth Park or firing up Grindr on my iPhone. In fact, it wasn’t even gay themed at all. After a long afternoon of touring, I ambled into a dive-y bar called McDonough’s, an Irish pub opened in 1987 and a regular haunt for locals as it’s just outside the tourist perimeter.

Locals and tourists alike are being encouraged to explore the city’s 14 unique enclaves that border downtown through the Philadelphia Neighborhoods Campaign.

Finally I get to spend a night out in Madrid and discover the gay scene. It's been over 10 years since I visited the gay night life of Madrid and it's great to be back. I really do Like the city and people are so open about homosexuality - it's great. So many gay couples walk hand-in-hand in the street.

Could gays of the 1980s imagine what it would be like to be gay in 2013 From the Supreme Court pondering marriage equality to NFL players weighing how best to come out, the way we're gay today is nothing like it's ever been before.  And for that modern gay man, West Hollywood may not be the mecca it once was. Instead, young gays are flocking to Silver Lake and other low-key Eastside neighborhoods.

Dating back to 1670, Charleston is filled with historical charm and major cultural events, but there are plenty of activities to explore that won’t cost a dime.

When I got a call from my boss a few months ago that I was going to get to go to Dinah Shore Weekend, I was absolutely ecstatic.

While gay tourism grows every year in steady numbers, the LGBT community has been visible for decades. Mark Young, owner of three restaurants in the burgeoning gay county of Calistoga, a region in Napa, is from the area and he tells me: “I’ve seen it all,” recalling his position as a maitre d’ at the fancy Auberge Du Soleil Resort when a four-course dinner was $42 (it’s more than triple that now and quite worth it considering the restaurant’s prime valley views and top-notch Michelin-fronted American dishes). The valley wasn’t really discovered yet, which is why celebrities like Edward Kennedy and Barbra Streisand liked it here. The tradition still remains strong.

And we are back in New York, after spending two AMAZING weeks in Thailand, planning and producing Rubin Singer's Fashion Shows in Bangkok and Koh Samui.