Thursday, Sep. 10, 2009

post-labor day vacay

For many, the Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer - your last big chance for summer vacay. But with an economy in the toilet, post-Labor Day vacations may mean added discounts as accommodations and attractions clamor for more business, not to mention cooler temps and fewer crowds. In addition, for many living in tourist-laden areas such as Myrtle Beach, the ability to take a vacation during the summer months is nearly impossible. So if you're looking to take a break after the summer madness, there are several options for gay and lesbian travelers. First on the list are some great travel opportunities in the Carolinas. September is Pride season for our state capital, Columbia, and the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. While events have been going on during the past week as Columbia celebrates its LGBT population, the main Pride parade and festival kicks off at noon Saturday along Main Street in downtown Columbia. Ongina, star of "RuPaul's Drag Race" on the LOGO Network (available on Channel 146, Time Warner Cable) will serve as this year's celebrity Grand Marshal and the parade will be broadcast live on WXRY 99.3 FM in Columbia. Following the parade, the festival will take place at Finlay Park featuring '80s pop star, Tiffany, performing her hit song "I Think We're Alone Now" along with "American Idol" contestant and Broadway sensation, Frenchie Davis. Admission to the park and parade is free. The park will also be full with food vendors, local musicians and drag entertainers. For a complete list of events, visit www.scpride.org. For accommodations specials, check out the Columbia Marriott, located at 1200 Hampton Street. It serves as Pride's host hotel and is offering $99 a night room rates for festival-goers. The hotel offers many amenities, is within walking distance of the festival and overlooks Main Street and the parade route. For reservations call 803-771-7000.

Need some more pride to carry you through the cooler months of winter? N.C. Pride Fest & Parade is on Saturday, Sept. 26, in downtown Durham. The festival takes place on Duke University's East Campus from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with speeches at noon and a parade through the area. Three hotels are offering special accommodations in the Triangle. Visitors looking to stay in Raleigh can check out Sheraton Raleigh Hotel in the center of downtown. Serving as the official Pride hotel for Raleigh, it is conveniently located three blocks from Hargett Street where the official Pride parties are held each year at Legends and Capital Corral nightclubs. For more information, call 919-834-9900. Homewood Suites by Hilton in Durham is offering $86-a-night N.C. Pride Fest room rates, including breakfast. The hotel is at 4603 Central Park Drive. For more information, call 919-474-9900. And finally, for those true-Carolina Blue participants, the Hampton Inn in Chapel Hill is offering a N.C. Pride rate of $79. The hotel is located in the suburban area on the north end of Chapel Hill, within two miles from UNC and eight miles from the Duke University campus.

Now if you're looking to venture out of the Carolinas after Pride is over, there are several vacation spots in Georgia and Florida that are within a day's drive. Savannah, Ga. has long been a favorite among LGBT travelers. The city that boasts a scandalous history, mysterious haunts and glorious mansions - not to mention Lady Chablis - is perfect in the fall. The hot Southern summers of south Georgia have tamed a bit and the city is filled with a renewed artistic energy as new students of the local art school, SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), nearly take over the downtown area. For LGBT travelers, check out travel sites such as www.purpleroofs.com for a listing of gay-owned and gay-friendly B&Bs. Places like the gay-owned Galloway House at 107 E. 35th St. offer private apartments with fully equipped kitchens. They also allow you to bring along your pooch, so pack up Fido along for the ride. Check out www.thegallowayhouse.com for more information. Also there's gay-owned Under the Rainbow B&B at 106 W. 38th St. and several other LGBT-friendly accommodations to make sure your stay in Savannah is filled with the Southern hospitality the area is so well known for. The Halloween weekend in Savannah is always a huge party, but there's another big highlight this fall for LGBT visitors. The inaugural Savannah LGBT Film Festival kicks off Oct. 23 at the Telfair's Jepson Center for the Arts in historic downtown. For more information, visit www.savannahgaylesbianfilmsociety.com.

Heading a little further south, Florida has always been a gay man's paradise. The state boasts warm weather all year long, gay resort towns such as Ft. Lauderdale that hosts a plethora of LGBT activities, the glamour of Miami, and weekends at the infamous Parliament House. Or you can venture over to the Gulf Coast side of the state and visit the all-new Flamingo, GLBT Resort. I visited the Flamingo over the Labor Day weekend and had a blast. The resort offers 130 newly renovated rooms, a restaurant, two indoor bars, one outdoor tiki bar, huge pool deck and nightly entertainment followed by some great dance music in the main club area. The area has plenty to offer as well, but it's always nice to be able to just walk upstairs after a night out on the town, instead of adding cab-fare to your party budget. And with a nightly crowd well into the hundreds the place is never boring.

So here's to fall travels. In previous years, I've focused more on fall and winter trip guides heading to see the changing of the leaves and places like the Biltmore House that have classic charm. This year - my motto is: let summer never end. It's been a rough year for many of us, so pack your bags and get out there to enjoy some fun at some still-fairly warm places this fall. Go ahead - pack the swim suit. You may just need it, after all.

Out & About

Monday, Sept. 14 - Time Out! starts its annual bowling league Monday at Waccamaw Bowling Lanes, 101 Gray Drive (the U.S. 501 feeder road, west of Bob Evans restaurant). The league is open to anyone interested and teams will be "4 mixed," which means in non-bowling terms that it will be teams of four, with men and women. There is a $17 sanction fee and $15 per week dues. To sign up, you need to be at Waccamaw Bowling Lanes no later than 6 p.m. Monday. For more info, send an e-mail to sandsetter@aol.com.

Till next week, have fun and be safe.