|
Dallas Gay Travel Guide
Everything is bigger in Texas, they say. Dallas may not be its capital, nor is it the largest city. But it certainly feels like both! An oil and commerce city, Dallas sits nudged up against cow-town Fort Worth, and each offers a unique experience to the gay traveler. But before you pop a beer and start two-steppin’ you should check out the Dallas Museum of Art and the monstrous dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History. Ft. Worth offers world-class museums in the Amon Carter, the Kimbell Art Museum, the Museum of Science and History, and the Modern. If you’re a J.R. Ewing fan, you can visit Southfork, the ranch where the TV series Dallas was filmed. If you like thrills, Six Flags Over Texas, the very first in the chain of popular amusement parks, beckons with its roller coasters. The Sixth Floor Museum is housed in the Texas Schoolbook Depository from where (most believe) JFK was shot, but before that fateful event, his motorcade passed right down the central street of Dallas’ gay district, Oaklawn! Located a few miles north of downtown at the intersection of Oaklawn Avenue and Cedar Springs, Dallas’ “Gayborhood” is compact and easy to explore. A few popular spots are further a-field, including some in Ft. Worth. Public transit is not an effective way to navigate the massive metropolitan area, so get yourself a car, baby! And with Dallas’ thirst for decadence, might we suggest something German and terribly expensive? It’s either that or a pickup. (Or, the best of both worlds, a Hummer! Dallas is home to the world’s largest dealership.)
Gay Dallas Bars, Restaurants and Clubs
JR’s is the cornerstone of the Dallas gay scene, with two levels of bars and a balcony from which to ogle the passersby. Sue Ellen’s is where the lesbians hang out (and a good number of guys, too.) The Rose Room is the local drag venue. The Round-Up Saloon is popular with cowboys and two-steppers , and is a popular karaoke spot during the week. A few blocks west on Maple Avenue, a handful of bars hide, including Buddies II, a laid-back alternative for lesbians, and The Grapevine a nifty joint that attracts a young, edgy crowd. East of Oaklawn in the Knox-Henderson district, a few gay bars have clustered, including The Hideaway, a piano bar with a killer patio and a friendly, older crowd, Zippers with its go-go boys, and the Crews Inn, a darker dive. The trendiest gay boys brave the ghettos of Dallas Fair Park to visit Minc with its chic décor and pricey martinis. Dallas’ leather scene flocks to The Hidden Door or to the slightly tamer Dallas Eagle. Over in Ft. Worth, Magnolia Station offers a bizarre mix of country and techno, and a friendly crowd just as varied. The Corral Club is a cruisier joint.
Dallas’ premier gay dance club is Station 4, a brand-new venue with two cavernous dance floors and outdoor terraces galore. Right underneath it is The Mining Co., with a darker, industrial feel, heavier music, but friendlier patrons. A few blocks away, The Brick caters to the sweaty muscle crowd, while Bamboleo’s draws Latinos and their admirers. In Ft. Worth, Club Vivid is a mixed crowd, with many young gay college boys who don’t want to drive all the way to Dallas.
The word on the street is that Dallas has more restaurants per capita than New York City. Some gay favorites are Hunky’s, a burger joint in the middle of Oaklawn, Panda’s for late-night Chinese, Café Brazil for round-the-clock breakfasts with South American flair, and Buli, a chic coffeeshop that serves gourmet paninis in campy Betty Boop lunchboxes. You might try The Bronx, a lesbian-owned restaurant with an American menu, or Monica’s Aca Y Alla, owned by a post-op transsexual chef from Mexico City. With its eclectic Mexican fusion menu and 50-cent-margarita Wednesdays, the place is packed with gay boys.
Gay Friendly and Gay Dallas Hotels
The Melrose is not gay-owned, but as it is the only hotel within several miles of Oaklawn, it has unwittingly become gay-operated and gay-patronized. A self-proclaimed “character hotel,” the historic property is luxurious and well-attended by cute, lisping gay workers. You can stumble the two blocks home from the bars without having to take a cab, and the staff will look the other way when they see the cute stranger hanging onto your elbow (though they’ll undoubtedly know exactly who he is!)
Call an edirp.com gay travel specialist at 1-888-EDIRP-EZ (1-888-334-7739) or (214) 520-0345 (U.S.) to book any of the hotels mentioned above. Any hotels with links may be booked via our secure online booking system.
Dallas Gay Pride and other Gay Events
Dallas usually takes place last weekend September, to commemorate local victory Gay Rights movement. It corresponds an unofficial “Gay Day” at Six Flags, when roller coasters are taken over by screaming drag queens cookie-boys bleached hair. Dallas typically celebrates traditional June Pride with rest nation in the form of Razzle Dazzle Dallas, a massive circuit party and fundraising event.
Travel guide by Benjamin Starr, a travel writer who claims the entire world as his home. When he's not at home, he can sometimes be found at a residence in Dallas, Texas. To contact Ben, email him at benjaminstarr@sbcglobal.net.
|
