7 trips every gay guy should take with his best gal pal

Gay men and straight women go together like peanut butter and jelly; like thunder and lighting; and like Will and Grace (um, duh). So what happens when she’s in one city and you’re in another? You take a friendcation! These 7 hotspots are the perfect place for a gay guy and his fave gal pal to sashay away to for a weekend escape.

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The future of the South is Louisville! Don’t believe us? Check out how seamlessly integrated the gay bars are along energetic Bardstown Road. Get your Grindr groove on at Chill Bar and Nowhere, but also hit up hetero hangouts like Bambi Bar and LouVino (straights and gays are welcome all around). Later, make a dash through the ground floor of the 21c Museum Hotel, where the Snap stories practically create themselves (you’ll see), and challenge your livers with an afternoon along the famed Bourbon Trail. For additional sightseeing, take a riverboat cruise aboard the Belle of Louisville and argue over which of you is the Belle!

Prada Marfa | Flickr photo by Nan Palmero

Marfa, TX
One word: Prada! This speck of a West Texas town is a dry and dusty outpost whose claim to fame is that it’s an artist’s mecca—including a full-sized installation of a Prada store that will make you both Insta famous. There’s no scene—gay or straight—in this speck of a hamlet, but it’s a true best friends’ getaway oozing galleries, eateries and oddities (like the Food Shark Museum of Electronic Wonders and Late Night Grilled Cheese Parlour), plus close access to Big Bend National Park, the McDonald Observatory and Wild West Alpine. Bonus: The stargazing out here is simply unreal!

St. Pete Beach
A Gulf Coast charmer, this slim city is really just a spindly barrier island oozing old Florida charm including boxy resorts, cheap and cheerful eateries, tacky souvenir shops (welcome to Florida!) and, importantly, great beaches. While in St. Pete, be sure to bike to teensy Pass-a-Grille for brekkie at the charming Sea Horse restaurant; spend the day sizzling on the beach; and at night motor into Ybor City (in Tampa) to partake of perfectly mixed gay/straight nightlife shenanigans. Also in the area is gay-friendly Dunedin (boasting LGBTQ nightclub Blur), Tarpon Springs (Greeks and sponges!) and lively St. Petersburg whose tempting attractions include the Dali Museum, the excellent food hall Locale Market and rooftop drinks at the Birchwood Hotel.

High Roller Las Vegas | Flickr photo by Tony Webster

Las Vegas, NV
Despite its bro-ish bent, the glittery Strip is a magnet for gay men and their gal pals (just try and find a Vegas bachelorette party that doesn’t include at least one gay dude). Best bets (pun intended!) for you two include a sugar fix at downtown’s Donut Bar, gawking at hot guys in skimpy Speedos at Temptations Sundays at the Luxor, porpoise-ful morning yoga with dolphins at the Mirage, a ride aboard the High Roller and a triple threat of artful explorations including the Neon Museum, “Akhob” at Louis Vuitton City Center and the photogenic “Seven Magic Mountains.” Make your base of operations the swanky Cosmopolitan, which boasts sugary cocktails at Chandelier, Instagrammable edibles at eggslut and easy access to Britney Spears at nearby Planet Hollywood.

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Downtown Bisbee

Bisbee, AZ
We gays can be kind of wary when it comes to small towns (especially in conservative states like Arizona), but this irresistible and sun-drenched border hamlet throws down the red—make that pink!—carpet in a big way. It hosts an annual Pride in June and in 2013 bucked state trends by passing a city ordinance legalizing civil unions. Its points of interest scream gay double entendre, including nightly accommodations at the Copper Queen Hotel, countryside explorations via Lavender Jeep Tours and drinks (in nearby Naco) at the Gay ’90s (not a queer bar). Don’t miss nearby ghost town, Tombstone.

San Juan, PR
A sizzling Caribbean capital sans the extra hassle of a passport or foreign currency, lively and historic San Juan is one of the easiest trips a couple of beach-bound besties can take together. Wander the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan (preferably after the cruise ship crowds have gone) and duck into charming St. Germain for a bite before hitting up the beaches in Condado. Do happy hour at the Atlantic Beach Hotel, where gays and straights happily mix and mingle, and stay at Acacia Boutique Hotel—a lodging full of color and local flavor and in close proximity to Condado nightlife. Have an off-the-beaten-path day adventure in Vieques or an off-off-off day of idyll at Flamenco Beach in remote Culebra.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas | Flickr photo by Alfredo Carrillo

Eureka Springs, AR
An Ozarks mountain town, Eureka Springs is beloved by gays, hippies and evangelicals alike (we’re not at all kidding). A queer mecca in the heart of the Bible Belt, you’ll both love it for its quirky charms, including its boastful locals, charming downtown and twisty streets (not a single right-angled street exists). Snap a pic of kitschy Christ of the Ozarks overlooking the city, admire the glassy Thorncrown Chapel, wander the slanted downtown and imbibe at gay-friendly bars like Henri’s Just One More. A honeymooner mecca, some hotels have in-room hot tubs—bring your ‘kinis!

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Tagged: Arizona, California, Florida, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico, Southwest, Texas