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Ohio! Who'd have thought this Midwestern enclave, home to some of the more nakedly vicious battles over gay rights and freedom of speech, would be a place a naked traveler could find what he's looking for? And what is it with Ohio and the letter "C"? The main cities all start with it. This time we're hot footin' it to Cleveland (we'll save Cincinnati and Columbus for another time). After you see the sights - and Cleveland has a number of them, not least of which is an amazing variety of hot men - you'll want to wander into one of the many gay establishments the city has to offer. There are some surprises. The gay community is spread across different parts of the city; the neighborhoods of Lakewood, Ohio City, Tremont, Coventry and the Detroit Shoreway are where you'll find most of the gay nightlife and culture. You'll definitely have a nakedly good time in some of the bars and clubs. What's one of this Naked Traveler's favorite things? Strippers, go-go boys, male dancers - okay that's three, but it amounts to the same thing: naked flesh on the hoof. Bounce and Union Station Cleveland (both at clevelandcocktails.com) feature strippers on certain nights; plan your visit accordingly, because those are the fun times. At Union Station you can get it all - dinner, drinks, party atmosphere and on Tuesdays, an all-male revue with some of the hottest manflesh the Midwest has to offer. They call it Torso Tuesdays but you'll see a lot more than dancing torsos. If you go, bring those dollar bills and your best naked attitude. Bounce, which some have called Cleveland's slice of South Beach, is a fab place to dance the night away and every third Thursday is Steam night. A steamy time is what you'll have. There's a shower display and, at every Steam party, a different hot, male adult entertainer who spends the night with water dripping over his magnificently muscled flesh. And there's plenty more to see on those nights. At the Grid, Thursdays are Stripper days. Hot, hot men parade their stuff and give you an up-close-and-personal view. The Grid also has theme parties. For those who love a man in uniform, you just missed the Military Ball but I'm sure you'll see a few of the uniformed guys in their naked casuals now that Memorial Day is over. With multiple floors, a basement bar with pool tables, and more, you won't want to spend time off the Grid. Then there's Deco Dance, a wonderful mélange of people and décor, which features strippers on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There are more clubs, like the Leather Stallion Saloon, which every Friday and Saturday sponsors what they call Man Hunting. Who can't relate to that? You may find other places featuring dancers and various flesh-spotting opportunities, so keep your naked eye open. But remember, names and features change. One favorite place, which shall go unnamed, changed its moniker a scant two months ago and got rid of the strippers (all of whom were delicious in the extreme)! Unforgivable in this Naked Traveler's book. If bars are not your thing there are other ways for a Traveler to get his naked fix. Bathhouses are a great way to rest your gaze on male pulchritude, and Cleveland has two of the most gorgeous saunas in the Midwest. Club Cleveland (the-clubs.com/Cleveland) is sleek and beautiful, just like the men who roam its halls and inhabit its rooms. All brand new, it features an up-to-date gym, indoor pool, a solarium and sundeck, whirlpool, steam room, sauna and a media room. The new look is nakedly enticing - lots of cool blues, eye-popping tile work, and interesting lighting. There are, of course, lots of private rooms and lots of men. Every Saturday and Sunday in the spring, overnighters get a free continental breakfast and every Sunday in every season there's a buffet at 6 P.M. What could be more appealing than a group of naked man chowing down? Of course, just when you thought that's all there is, there's more! Flex has placed its flagship bathhouse right in little old Cleveland. In an old Art Deco Greyhound building, the Flex gang has conjured up a bathhouse fantasy that is a Naked Traveler's delight. It's more than a bathhouse, it's a hotel, a 3,000 square foot gym, a restaurant and more, more, more. An indoor pool, an outdoor pool (in good weather), a 20-man whirlpool, a standard sauna, a high temperature Russian sauna (gotta love those cold Russian or Cleveland nights and hot men), a tiered theater complex, a gigantic steam room maze, a video lounge, an entertainment room, two shower areas and more. They made this sprawling complex into something that must be see to be believed. Flex has almost 150 rooms, from the plain old spa cabana to full lavish suites, including one with a grand piano. Imagine the beautiful music you'll make tickling someone's ivories. You can stay here and use it as a base to see the rest of the city, but you may just decide to do all your naked sightseeing right there at Flex. And why not? There's also plenty of parking - enough for two hundred cars. Club Cleveland and Flex are two good reasons to give Cleveland a second look. You are certain to have a great naked time in this Midwest gem.  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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