America

[wrestlingobsessed]

Ive always wanted to visit or live in America, where are the best cities to go regarding weather, gay friendly etc. All opinions expressed would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[BostonPirate]

Boston.

It's where the whole thing began

 

[BearMagus]

Atlanta, Ga., San Francisco, CA., Seattle, WA. Houston, TX., New York, NY., Orlando, FL., Nashville, TN., Las Vegas, NV.

 

[vacancy3]

dude i wouldnt come here on a bet...murder every fuckin day everywhere you go

 

[swerve]

Atlanta, Ga., San Francisco, CA., Seattle, WA. Houston, TX., New York, NY., Orlando, FL., Nashville, TN., Las Vegas, NV.

I would leave out Houston -- and add Portland, OR and Minneapolis, MN...

A GREAT list though!!!

 

[BostonPirate]

it's true, you literally can't walk down a single street in America without stepping over dead corpses because the murder rates are so high off the charts.

lol

me too!

Just tripped over one on the way to the packie.

 

[HunterM]

it's true, you literally can't walk down a single street in America without stepping over dead corpses because the murder rates are so high off the charts.

We are a nation of zombies.

 

[frankfrank]

I would leave out Houston -- and add Portland, OR and Minneapolis, MN...

A GREAT list though!!!

List ends up as thus: Atlanta, Ga., San Francisco, CA., Seattle, WA., New York, NY., Orlando, FL., Nashville, TN., Las Vegas, NV., Portland, OR and Minneapolis, MN

What would I change? I'd leave in Las Vegas but I'd also add Reno. Las Vegas is rather plastic and fake, built in a part of the desert where no city should be, but it is probably the "most different" experience one can possibly get in any US or Canadian city. (I'd put Orlando in second place "different" behind it, but not at all in the same way, but both Orlando and LV are ultra-heavy-duty oriented to tourists.) Reno is a "real" city that actually feels like home. Keep in mind, too, that these different cities provide different opportunities. I would definitely add a few to the list: Chicago IL, Ann Arbor MI, Pittsburgh PA, Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill NC, Denver CO, Providence RI. (As a bonus, Boston/Providence/New York NY are all reasonably close to each other.) And throwing Canada into the mix, I'd add Toronto and Vancouver before I'd add ANY of the ones I just added/changed.

CLIMATE-WISE, I consider Seattle and Portland (and, in Canada, Vancouver) to be the all-around winners. Neither too hot nor too cold but, because all of these places have sort of a monsoon season in the cooler parts of the year, few people would agree with me about their climates.

In Canada, great side destinations not to be missed would inclide Halifax NS, Quebec City (but knowing your French is VERY helpful there...as well as in the eastern and northern parts of Montreal), and Victoria BC. I consider Victoria possibly the most beautiful North American major city. And, as a whole, I consider British Columbia to be more beautiful than any other Province or State.

the Grand Canyon in Arizona is a must-see, and reasonably close if you visit Las Vegas, but don't even think there's anything to *DO* there. Abvout all you can do is LOOK and enjoy the view.

Oh, and Los Angeles!! That city is in a desert, too, but it has evolved into a more well-rounded and complete metropolitan area than Las Vegas.

And don't underestimate New Jersey...NOT AT ALL. I love it there, and always know that when I'm heading there, I'm going to have a great time. It's actually on my list of potential retirement places, and from a lifetime of traveling I'm "going into" that list very well-informed.

 

[BostonPirate]

Somewhere Snooki and J-Wow are very unhappy

lol

There are lots of great safe places to visit in America. I would suggest that anyone who wants to know what the USA is all about visit or investigate any city on the East coast, the west coast, the gulf coast, and the great lakes region. They are all distinctly different and there's something there for everyone. IF you are coming in the winter head to the gulf coast or east coast, Tampa, Orlando, New Orleans.. San Francisco or Las Vegas even. Be careful to stay away from states that are hostile to gay people... that is mostly the deep south and parts of the great plain states.

If you are coming for the summer? Boston, New York, Jersey Shore, Chicago, Seattle... possible options.

America really does have fifty states with very different cultures, but some share regional similarities. Figure out what you like, when you are coming, and go from there

Local tourist associations can give you tips on how to stay safe. There are dangerous neighborhoods in every urban area on the globe, not just the USA.

good luck!

- - - Updated - - -

HAHA @ frank!

I guess we think alike

you hit the send button four mins before me...

Love it!

 

[JayHawk]

Well besides the obvious places listed above... i would offer a few unique places...

Go to Hot Springs, Arkansas for a day of the artist and the city... make sure you take a dip in the springs

Go to New Orleans, LA for a weekend but make sure it isn't during any sort of festival or crowd attractor to the city... stroll the French Quarter making sure to have beignets and strong black coffee with chicory at Cafe Du Monde (P.S. inhale before the beignet gets anywhere near your mouth), eat in a different four or five star restaurant every evening and go during spring so you can see all of the gardened terraces in full bloom

Stop by Seattle and have a coffee at a place you have never heard of, make sure you swing by the Fish Market to see the sights and then have dinner down there as you probably wouldn't be buying stuff to cook with later.

Book a few nights at a Durango, Colorado ski resort and spend a few days being inspired by the amazing moutains and never ending slopes.

Make sure to slot some time for Hawaii, take in a luau and have some Kaluhua pig then make it to the east side of the island and find the waterfall trail, hike the trail up and through the waterfall then after that day take a water tour of Oahu while headed eventually to the big Island where you can hike for either four or eleven days around Kilaeua and see the volcano...


Finally, save enough for all of this and take me with you.

 

[frankfrank]

I should add that Chicago has a world-class gay scene, such that there are a few ENTIRE POSTAL CODES which are considered to be "gay."

I was talking to somebody last night who was telling me, for example, that a single friend of his, who lives in Zip Code 60657, is having trouble getting insurance because he's 57 years old and "single." All the insurance companies assume that he's gay and therefore in elevated danger of contracting HIV/AIDS. Never mind that he's lived with his girlfriend for more than 15 years, but the insurance company doesn't ask THAT question.

[EDIT] wow, just wow...two GREAT posts after my first one!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic advice from BostonPirate, and some fantastic destinations from JayHawk [READ: skip Starbucks in Seattle and go local] that I left out. How in the bloody hell did I forget New Orleans (mentioned by both)????? I will mention, though, that parts of New Orleans can be somewhat dangerous, but there's no place in the world that's truly safe. I know somebody who was mugged in Osaka, and in general Japan is EXTREMELY safe.

 

[Essex Boy]

Nobody has mentioned Austin, Texas yet. We hear it's 'weird' and gay-friendly. Does it live up to its reputation?

 

[BostonPirate]

Texas may not be a great place right now for a bunch of reasons. One mostly being that they are anti gay and xenophobic due to bad experiences with their shared border with Mexico.

It's a beautiful historic place, but I would urge you to learn their laws well.

Austin... ehhhh . I think Galveston may be a better option if you are looking for a Texas locale. It's not the land that's a problem there, its the state gov't vs gays and outsiders that make people squeamish. They just put two mentally retarded people to death a week or two back.

 

[refujiunderground]

Just stay away from New Jersey.

someone had to say it.

 

[ZmercTheDuke]

Austin TX, is pretty cool city as for living. Its mostly people in their 20s to 30s, due to all university in the area and all new software/video game studios there. Has amazing live music, there's someone playing live music all over 6th street.

I grew up Philadelphia, so thats next on my list. great Italian and other food, cheaper then NYC to live.

 

[JayHawk]

Oh Austin is wonderful... especially for a Chicken Hawk.... err um... jayHawk

If you go to Austin try out 6th street and look for the Coppertank... they have great music and on Thrusdays it is dollar pint night... Plus if you could time travel back to 1998 the front end clerk at Residence Inn provide full service to all blonde military members... oh the memories....

 

[Telstra]

.
where do you stay for nice and cheap rent ?

 

[wrestlingobsessed]

Thanks for all the options guys, Chicago is a city that is standing out to me if I ever get the balls to up and go.