The Little Black Book of Gay Travel - Damron's Men's Travel Guide
Written: Jul 13 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: One of the most comprehensive guides for gay men
Cons: none really (I guess a heterosexual wouldn't have much use for it)
The Bottom Line: An indispensable guide for any gay man, Damron’s Men’s Travel Guide is a must-have for anyone traveling who wants to gay life wherever you go
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| jps246's Full Review: Damron Men's Travel Guide Books |
Billed by the New York Times as the “little black book of gay travel,” Damron’s Men’s Travel Guide is one of the most comprehensive guides for gay men traveling throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and western Europe (though the European section generally focuses on only one city in each country, instead of the extensive coverage provided for the United States and Canada).
Layout
Broken down by State (or Province) and then by city, the Men’s Travel Guide provides basic information on services, dining, and attractions that are of interest to gay men.
Each entry is coded and the codes are described in the very beginning of the book. The codes are quite extensive (everything from gay-owned and operated to neighborhood bar) and you’ll find yourself flipping back and forth from the guide’s entry to the code page to understand them all at first.
Each city entry includes information on:
Info Lines & Services
You’ll find information on services provided by a city’s gay center, social and/or support groups, state tourism information and other services that aren’t covered in the other portions of the city guide.
Accommodations
Looking to stay in a certain city and want a gay friendly stay? This is where you’ll find out the basics for these hotels, bed and breakfasts and more. By looking at the codes you’ll find what kind of clientele that the accommodation caters to, whether it’s gay-owned and operated, whether it’s popular and many other basic facts about the property. You’ll also find contact information – generally a phone number, address and a web address if it is available.
Bars & Nightclubs
Want to spend a night out in a strange city, with the Men’s Travel Guide that prospect isn’t so overwhelming. Each city’s Bars & Nightclubs section includes information on the clubs’ popularity, its clientele, cover charges, climate and more. No matter if you want to sing karaoke or if are looking for the young collegiate types, then you’ll find it all right here.
Restaurants
Know where the hippest gay and gay-friendly restaurants are right here. From the food served, to the type of crowd that frequents the restaurant, you’ll find out everything you need to know before you start looking to eat.
Cafes
If you’re looking more for a cup of a coffee than a meal, check out the Men’s Travel Guide section on cafes in each city section.
Entertainment & Recreation
Not an extensive guide to everything there is to do in each city, but more a guide to something slightly touristy or kitschy, but definitely unusual or commonly overlooked. You might just find a really cool place that you can tell all of your friends about.
You’ll also find information on gay bookstores or retail stores, if there are any in your selected city.
Publications
Just about every city nowadays has its own gay publication for nightlife, news and more. If it’s available in the city, the Men’s Travel Guide will give you the lowdown.
Gyms
I guess some of us can’t work out in a mixed gym, so in this section you’ll find gyms that cater to the gay community. You’ll also find information on other major gyms in the city, just in case you don’t mind working out with a straight guy.
Men’s Clubs
We’ve all got guilty pleasures and you’ll find information on sex clubs, bathouses and sex orientated services here.
Men’s Services
You’ll generally find local telephone dating services in the various cities in this section.
Cruisy Areas
Probably the “shadiest” part of the Men’s Travel Guide (but something that a portion of our community enjoys), this section talks about areas where men are likely to find other men. Just read the information and warnings before you try anything out. Remember George Michael in the bathroom?
Other Areas
Where applicable, the Men’s Travel Guide also includes information on events that occur annually or more often if applicable.
There’s also a quick section on tour guide operators with descriptions of the various tours and their scheduled upcoming tours.
There are advertisements scattered throughout the Men’s Travel Guide and there are also advertisements from some of the business listed in the guide. The major advertising is kept to the front of the back of the book, before the actual guide information, but the advertisements from business included in the guide is found within those city sections of the guide.
Experiences
I’ve never really been one to need a guide to gay life, but my boyfriend had picked this one up for me and I’ve got to say that it was an eye-opening experience for me. I of course flipped to local towns and cities that I’ve been familiar with and almost right away I was like “I didn’t know that was there!” or “I’ve never seen or heard of that!”
The information contained in the Men’s Travel Guide is extensive and it seems like if there’s something gay out there, then Damron will have found it and included in the Men’s Travel Guide. Seriously, down to the Inn at Maplewood Farm in Hillsboro, New Hampshire – if it’s out there, you will find it in the this guidebook.
The timid amongst us will probably blush at some of the advertisements for some of the racier bars and the private ‘clubs,’ but I found that the Men’s Travel Guide has become an indispensable quick-reference guide to everything gay no matter where my boyfriend and I travel to.
I know that there have been trips where we never end up visiting a single place mentioned, but it’s a great start when you’re considering traveling and want to know what’s available to you. The Men’s Travel Guide is also a great reference for people living in a big city – you’re never going to know every single place out there and the guidebook can help you discover a wonder that was just under your nose that you never noticed.
While updated and re-published yearly, even older copies of the Men’s Travel Guide are useful reference guides. While businesses may come and go, even the older guides give you a good idea of what is around and you should always be calling ahead anyway – and then you’ll find out if it’s still there. We get a new copy about every three years – and I’ve compared the newer ones to older ones and 90% of the information is the same – only a few places have either been added or dropped in the newer guides.
At about $18, the Men’s Travel Guide isn’t cheap – but like I said, a single edition should last you for a couple of years and it does provide one-of-a-kind information on gay life throughout the Americas and Europe. If you’re looking to save a few bucks, you can usually find the prior year’s edition in the discount bin and it should serve you as well as the newest edition.
Final Thoughts
An indispensable book for any gay man, Damron’s Men’s Travel Guide is a must-have for anyone traveling who wants to gay life wherever you go. You might think you need a guide for that, but the Men’s Travel Guide provides useful information in a easy-to-read and easily accessible format that once you get, you’ll wonder why you never had it before.
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