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It's summer, and what better time is there for skin spotting? There are gay and gay friendly resorts all over the USA and Canada; I'll be stopping in at some of them and reporting back on the best of the best. In Delaware, there's a resort that has been a gay magnet for a long time and it just keeps getting better. People from all over flock to this exceptionally cute town with a lot to offer the gay traveler - even a few Naked or almost Naked opportunities. Rehoboth Beach was once known as the Nation's Summer Capital because of all the vacationing DC officials. In the 1980s, gays and lesbians discovered and bought into Rehoboth. Today there's a solid gay presence: a Lambda Rising bookstore, a Community Center (www.camprehoboth.com), lots of gay-owned shops and restaurants, several gay bars, and a large gay beach. Gay-friendly places to stay, include the Shore Inn (shoreinn.com) a men's resort that's a favorite not least for its newly expanded, clothing-optional sun deck, 10-man hot tub and, of course, plenty of men to feed your eye-candy habit. It's close to all the gay attractions. The Royal Rose Inn (royalroseinn.com) boasts "the best boy-watching porch" in Rehoboth. The continental breakfast is great but even better are the sundeck and rooftop hot tub. The Lighthouse Inn (lighthouseinn.net), offers a nautical theme and is one-half block from the beach. This month it features Arizona artist Wendy Fallon's beach paintings. The Cabana Gardens B&B (cabanagardens.com) is for those wanting a peaceful retreat away from the ocean. Near Lake Gerar, the Gardens seems a world apart from the hubbub; it has a heated in-ground pool (plenty of skin sightings but no Naked opportunities). The Ramshead (www.theramshead.com), a B&B for men, is surrounded by fields and trees, but it's actually close (by car) to the beach. There's a privacy fence which allows the guests to use the pool, hot tub, and gardens without intrusion. The fitness center permits guests to work out then relax in the sauna. For the Naked Traveler, this is a delight for the senses. Rehoboth boasts lots of restaurants offering most cuisines. Café Zeus may not be located on Mt. Olympus but some of its waiters are really heavenly and the whole staff is attentive. Most of the restaurants in this resort town have help that allows your eyes to feast while you dine on high quality food. Café Zeus runs a Sunday Tea Dance which will keep you in shape after all the good cooking. Gotta keep that Naked figure in condition. The Blue Moon (bluemoonrehoboth.com), still going strong after 25 years, serves not only gourmet meals but some of the best entertainment. It also happens to have a wildly popular bar next door. Sometimes it's barely possible to squeeze between the men making up the buzzing throngs (of course, that can have advantages). And talk about naked delights: you'll have seen or will see most of these men sunbathing on the gay beach. If you want a reservation at this restaurant, I suggest you call before you pack your beach chair. Café Sole is also a find and includes outdoor dining. The Back Porch with its inviting outdoor area is another popular eatery. Gay bars are one of Rehoboth's strong points. Cloud 9 (cloud9restaurant.com) is a popular place which is both a restaurant and bar. Come prepared for lots of talk, good drinks, and men, men, men. The same can be said for the Double L Bar (doublelbar.com) which advertises itself as Delaware's only Leather & Bear Bar. The Double L provides an opportunity any Naked traveler so inclined will want: a private place to stay and play. It offers an apartment with a fully equipped playroom (Dust off your Naked attitude!) for travelers. There's a two-night minimum stay required. Frogg Pond (thefroggpond.com) is a cozy and comfortable place where people of all sorts gather to meet and mingle. The new kid on the block is Partners (partners-bistro.com) but it's already becoming one of the places to go. The Purple Parrot, a really fun place with food and drinks and lots of men to look at, should not be missed. Blue Moon (see above) and Aqua, with a deck and a regular happy hour, round out the collection. The gay beach, affectionately called Poodle Beach, is large. Way at the end of the boardwalk at Prospect St., you'll see the guys strolling back and forth from the beach. Just follow the bare chests and shapely bottoms and you'll find it. And there's volleyball! There's always a bunch of guys hanging around to put together a pick-up game. It's not Naked Volleyball; maybe that's a thought. Hunks diving after the ball, working their muscles to make saves ... uh, what? Oh yes, Rehoboth Beach. Speaking of Volleyball, you won't want to miss the annual Drag Volleyball tournament, around Labor Day each year. It's more than a hoot!  Joe DeMarco's latest projects include The Lavender Raven, an online GLBTQ mystery & more journal, at www.lavenderraven.com, as well as Mysterical-E, www.mystericale.com. Joe's website is www.josephdemarco.com Top |
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