Gay bars near middletown ny

Living in the Hudson Valley? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which part of this profile doesn't fit. The problem is that I, along with thousands of other gay men and women, truly love living in the Hudson Valley. A cultural mecca it's not, but for many of us, the Hudson Valley has it all.

Mountain views like no other. There's no better color palette than the Catskills in the fall.

Out and about in the Hudson Valley

A hike along the trails at Mohonk can be a great cardio workout. Or if sweat doesn't look good on you, then relax and take it all in. We've got rivers, lakes and streams that have possibility all year 'round. Swim, nap by the water, fish or capture the opportunity to show off the new tangerine square-cut Speedo you bought on sale last year.

There are plenty of bars and clubs that do a fair job of answering the call of the wild you might feel on a Friday or Saturday night. We've got a fantastic variety of major retailers, specialty stores and charming little boutiques if you're willing to travel a bit. Oh yeah, let's not forget that there are more great places to eat in the area than Cher's made trips to the plastic surgeon.

This isn't New York City or San Francisco, where the streets are humming with hot guys talking about what happened on last week's "Queer as Folk. What's missing is the drama! You witness it when you walk down the streets of Provincetown in July and become giddy with the sensation produced by the fantastic fashions, hot music, laughter and, let's face it, near bodies!

Here's a little advice, Hudson Valley: Snap out of it! Just because our middletown are not adorned with pink triangles or rainbow flags doesn't mean you can't enjoy being gay here. Platinum military haircuts and vinyl pants aren't among the most common trends in our communities, but there are a variety of local "hot spots" that appreciate their gay and lesbian clientele.

Personally, I'm grateful for the more subtle "gay-friendly" bar. Gay vacation spots, like P-town, Montreal, South Beach or Key West are in no short supply, but who wants to work that hard every day? Hair gel. Nail file. More moisturizer. Personally, Gay prefer it a little lower key. It's refreshing to go out for the first time and have your date look at you instead of everything that walks by.

OK, so you're gay, single and looking for a comfortable and intimate place to take a date. You're fortunate to be in an area where there are tons of gay-owned, -operated and -friendly restaurants, bars and clubs.