Surprisingly, deep in the heart of George Bush’s world-famous ranch, amid ominous dark clouds, there is a ray of sunshine and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: gay-friendly Dallas, Texas. This vibrant and lively city rightfully boasts the sixth largest gay population in the United States, and once you spend a few days enjoying gay Dallas, this statement is easy to understand. After all, there must be good reasons why openly gay pop singer George Michael now makes Dallas his home.

So what makes Dallas so appealing to the gay traveler? First of all, there is good southern charm mixed with warm hospitality and colorful culture. Second, the GLBT community is comfortably and solidly woven into the fabric of the city. Third, community groups and gay businesses work together to create vitality for this city’s hospitality, entertainment, and retail organizations. In the entire resident gay community, a stranger is almost always immediately recognized and welcomed in the “gay neighborhood.”

There seems to be something always going on in the Dallas GLBT community, so whatever time of the year you visit this city, there are plenty of gay activities to entertain and satisfy your vacation needs. The diverse community of local residents is embedded throughout Dallas and the gay scene is identifiable in several different areas. The heart of gay life can be found in the Oaklawn / Uptown district on and around Cedar Springs Road. But there are also several smaller enclaves like the Bishop Arts District and local neighborhoods like Oakcliff. With roughly thirty gay and lesbian bars, pubs and clubs, plus an equal number of gay and gay-friendly restaurants, this city surely knows how to entertain gay vacationers.

Local community groups include the Dallas Tavern Guild, whose more than twenty member nightclub owners strive to make your “night on the town” a positive and friendly experience. The GLBT North Texas Chamber of Commerce promotes and supports the economic development of the community. Dallas is home to the nation’s largest gay men’s choir, The Turtle Creek Chorale, and the world’s largest gay and lesbian church, the Cathedral of Hope. Each spring, the Texas Gay Rodeo Association hosts the Big D Rodeo in Dallas and since 1984 throughout Texas they have raised approximately $ 2 million and donated it primarily to AIDS-related charities. Annual Pride celebrations take place in mid-September, including the Texas Freedom Parade, the Festival at Lee Park, and the Voice Of Pride talent show.

Without a doubt, these strong organizations are the pulse and heartbeat of this vibrant GLBT population for which Dallas is becoming widely recognized.

If you are interested in arts and culture, the Dallas Arts District is the ideal place to call home. Comprised of a nineteen-block, sixty-eight acre downtown location, it is the largest urban art district in the country. Residents of the area include thirteen facilities and organizations dedicated to the arts. It is also the future site of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts. Here you will find the Nasher Sculpture Center and Garden next to the Dallas Museum of Art. A look and see here will reveal similar exhibits to the recent Matisse: Painter as Sculptor, a combination of paintings, drawings and sculptures by the artists, exhibited between the two galleries.

Completed in October 2003, the $ 70 million structure for the Nasher Sculpture Center and Garden houses the Nasher Collection of more than 300 sculptures plus traveling exhibits. The unique building is surrounded by a glass roof with glass facades that allow the galleries to virtually extend into the garden and the works of art to be viewed in natural light. Indoor and outdoor display space total 72,000 square feet on a 1.4-acre site that is probably the largest facility of its kind in the world. Strolling through the garden is similar to a peaceful sanctuary in the middle of the city where you are surrounded by unique contemporary works of art. Art lover or novitiate, this is a must-see during your stay in this cosmopolitan city.

History buff or not, the Sixth Floor Museum in Dealey Plaza houses an important tribute not to be missed to the life and times of the late President John F. Kennedy, his legacy, and the era of American history to which he It is often referred to as Camelot. Located on the sixth floor of the former Texas school book depository, this is a fascinating educational audiovisual journey back in time to an important part of 1960s history. Even if you are unaware of this particular historical moment, it is an interesting lesson and telling that it will be worth about an hour of your time to experience the Kennedy family’s impact on society yesterday, today, and perhaps tomorrow. Be sure to rent the audio headphones that bring an astonishing reality to this presidential era and the next term.

As you would expect in any large city, the accommodations available in Dallas are many and varied in terms of style, location, and budget considerations.

Major hotel chains include the Westin City Center Hotel and the nearby Adam’s Mark Hotel, each of which proved extremely gay-positive. Both are located in the heart of the city center, at a convenient distance from all the attractions and nightlife.

The newest boutique hotels are found throughout Dallas and also offer a wide range of options in every way. The Belmont Hotel overlooks the city center with a spectacular view of the skyline offering rooms and suites with gardens, lofts or bungalows that reinvent the freshness of the 40s with a mixture of modern luxury. In the Uptown Art District, Hotel Zaza is an elegant property reminiscent of a Mediterranean villa on the outside and dramatically eclectic on the inside. The recently renovated Hotel Palomar, perhaps rebuilt with greater precision, is a structure imbued with a spirit of renewal and is a true urban resort. At this luxury lifestyle boutique hotel, you will discover that art is an integral part of the décor.

Dallas ‘historic restored Grande-Dame hotel is the Warwick Melrose, located adjacent to the gay town of Cedar Springs, where entertainment can be found within a few minutes’ walk of the hotel lobby.

For a Bed & Breakfast experience like a home away from home, the Daisy Polk Inn is also located one block from Cedar Springs Road and offers fully restored antique furniture with comfortable rooms and common areas. Gay owned and operated, you can be sure it will be a perfect vacation home.

Whatever your choice of place to stay, prepare for southern hospitality with a gay twist and a genuine warm welcome.

When it comes to nightlife, Dallas’ gay scene is probably the envy of residents of most North American cities, as this is a true smorgasbord of selection and options to satisfy absolutely every gay desire. of a night in the city. It would be impossible to describe everything in a short story, but the Dallas Tavern Guild website offers extensive listings along with short descriptions of what to expect from each restaurant or bar.

Noteworthy though, in random sequence, are some of the highlights of my nightlife tour: Kaliente Dance and Show Bar with a young and vibrant crowd of the hottest Latinos and Latinas in the community keep this place ablaze. with excellent salsa and Tejano music; Buddies II Womens Nightclub, a very popular place, especially on weekends with good dance music, regular karaoke nights, pool tables and in summer, a swimming pool and beach volleyball courts; Illusions where friendly and welcoming staff make this bar a regular hangout for locals who enjoy darts, karaoke, and female impersonator shows; Alexandres for jazz and blues musicians live every night; Barbara’s Pavilion, near the popular and trendy Bishop Arts district on Oak Cliff, is known for a friendly atmosphere, a large crowd of neighbors, and a tropical courtyard; Phases for karaoke in a neighborhood pub atmosphere.

Dining out in Dallas offers an international flair, but also includes traditional barbecue steak and ribs with famous Texas beef. The gastronomic variety in the center can include the new and modern Stephan Pyles restaurant with its famous culinary style or traditional Texan fashion at Sonny Bryan’s Bar-B-Que for ribs or steak. For a true culinary delight, Uncle Julio’s restaurant will satisfy the most discerning gourmet palate. Breakfast options may include the heart-unhealthy feast at Lucky’s Diner or a light start to the day at Buli Café. Whatever your favorite food, you can be sure that you will find it somewhere in this sophisticated city.

As you can see, variety is the spice of life for one night in this city.

A good source of local information is the weekly newspaper the Dallas Voice publishes every Friday and is available in almost all gay establishments. The 150-page Dallas / Fort Worth Lambda Pages are also a great reference guide for everything gay or gay-friendly in the community. To help you find your way around this great city, be sure to pick up the comprehensive Columbia FunMap, which is packed with helpful tips and local maps. For a broader view of the state of Texas, Red Nightlife or This Week In Texas magazines cover GLBT activities across the state.

If you were a fan of the hit ’80s TV series Dallas, then a short thirty-five minute drive to tour the Ewings-Southfork Mansion and Ranch Museum home could be the highlight of your trip. If this is the case, you probably don’t want to tell the locals that you’ve recently become friends the next time you see them. They will politely tell you that at Cedar Springs Road JR’s Bar and Grill for cowboys or Sue Ellen’s Women’s Club for cowgirls would have been more fun. Instead of a television fantasy, these clubs will make you feel like you know the real Dallas!

When making your travel plans, it’s important to note that the extremely gay-friendly airline, American Airlines, is based here. Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport is a major hub, so it’s easy to think of them as your airline of choice. They provide great sponsorship support to the Dallas GLBT community and deserve consideration in return. They even have a special rainbow website for you to visit.

The motto of the city of Dallas is “Live Big. Think Big” and by the end of this story, you’ve probably guessed that everything is bigger in Texas, which leaves a huge impression on every gay visitor of the misnomer. from Bush Country.