BALTIMORE

Baltimore is a city of contrasts. There is a lot of poverty in and around Baltimore....but there are also amazing parts of the city as well. When I am Baltimore, I usually stay in the Inner Harbor area. This is the tourist area of Baltimore and one of the few places you will not need a car. In fact, when I stay in the Inner Harbor, I usually never get a rental car.

Lining the sides of the harbor itself are a ton of shops and restaurants. You can find anything from the national chains...to restaurants with more of a local flare. Right in the middle of the Inner Harbor is the National Aquarium. Although I have never been inside it myself (why visit it when I have the largest and best aquarium in my hometown of Atlanta!).....but I have been told it is pretty cool inside. Alongside the aquarium are a number of permanently docked US Navy and Coast Guard ships that you can tour. This area also seems to be one of the safest areas of the city as well.

Right next to the Inner Harbor is "Little Italy". This part of Baltimore is filled with one Italian Restaurant after another. On the advice of a local, I went to Sabatino's Italian Restaurant. I was told their house salad dressing was amazing....and their pasta was great as well. I definitely will go back here next time I am in Baltimore. Also....if you like gelato....there are numerous gelato shoppes around "Little Italy".

Since I visited Baltimore last, the city has introduced the downtown/inner harbor "Circulator". This bus system is free and arrives every 10 minutes. There is a north-south line...and an east-west line. The beauty of this system is that the buses are new, very nice, and have GPS systems onboard. These GPS systems let you track (on the Internet) when the next bus will be at your location. Also....most of the bus stops have digital readouts that give you an idea when the next "Circulator" bus will be arriving. Being someone that HATES public transportation (and avoids is like the plague), I actually enjoyed using the Circulator buses.

If you are looking for a gym in the Inner Harbor, there is really only one good option (there used to be two good options...but the Golds Gym at the Inner Harbor closed a month ago). The Maryland Athletic Club (MAC) on President Street is a great new facility. The equipment is all new and the gym is really nice. This is more of a health club than a gym....and the crowd seems pretty metro-sexual (straight).

From talking to gay guys in Baltimore, I get the impression that this is not much of a gay city. Gay guys usually live here because they are in school, work in the city, or have family close by. Most of the guys I talk to would prefer to live in "gayer" cities like DC and NYC....but they are here out of necessity....and not by choice.

MINNEAPOLIS

Although the winters in Minneapolis are brutal, the summer is hard to beat anywhere in the US. With tons of trails for biking, running, and strolling....and beautiful lakes everywhere....it is easy to see why the residents of Minneapolis put up with the miserable winters. My first trip to Minneapolis was in the dead of the winter, and it was so cold that I thought I was going to die that weekend. My body never felt so cold. Now I only visit Minneapolis once the weather gets warmer. With an average summer high in the 70s, Minneapolis becomes an outdoor paradise.

When I am in Minneapolis, I stay close to St.Louis Park. I like this area, because there are a ton of restaurant and gym options within a short drive. I tried staying downtown one weekend, but the downtown area pretty much shuts down during the weekend....and finding restaurants and shops open during the weekend can be challenging.

I have found 2 great gym options in Minneapolis. By far the best is the Lifetime Fitness in St.Louis Park. This huge facility has both great equipment and a ton of hot guys. Although most of the guys are straight there, the gym is known to be very cruisy in the wet areas.

The other option is the LA Fitness in Uptown. Although this gym is only a few months old, a ton of hot metrosexuals and hot gay guys have migrated to this gym. Equipment-wise, this gym can not be beat. The equipment is all new and top-notch. Although I never entered the "wet area" of this gym, it did not seem all that cruisy. I get the impression that guys go to Lifetime Fitness if they want the steam room action, and the LA Fitness if they want a serious workout.

If you are in the mood for some serious shopping, the largest mall in the US is located in Minneapolis. The Mall of America is so large that there is even an amusement park located in the middle of the mall (pictured above).

Minnesota is also the hometown of a number of porn stars including Brandon Wilde, David Dakota and Hayden Chandler.

All in all, I love visiting Minneapolis.....I just avoid it at all costs in the winter.

ATLANTA

After numerous requests, I have decided to finally write about my home city, Atlanta. I moved to Atlanta after graduating from Notre Dame and loved every minute of it. I often get asked when traveling "why Atlanta" and "what is special about Atlanta"? At least for me, Atlanta seems to have a lot of the qualities that I love in a city. Do not get me wrong, there are a number of equally good cities, but few that have as many great qualities as Atlanta possesses.

First of all, Atlanta is a large city (which I prefer), so as a city it possesses all of the qualities that most big cities have (i.e. a huge gay population, a ton of business/work opportunities, the arts, shopping, and lots of great places to eat). Where Atlanta beats most cities is on the cost of living. Compared to places like DC, Chicago, Boston, LA, San Francisco, NYC --- Atlanta is CHEAP! Housing is cheap, food is cheap, and most of the services are cheap as well. So you get to live in a big city without the expense of one.

If you decide to visit Atlanta, I would recommend staying in the Midtown area. Midtown is the center of gay Atlanta. Midtown is filled with a ton of restaurants, gay owned shopping, gyms, nightlife, and most of the culture/arts for Atlanta. Although most of Midtown is walkable, it is definitely easier if you have a car.

The other option is to stay in Buckhead. Just north of Midtown, the Buckhead area is where you will find all of the best shopping in Atlanta. There are two major malls in Buckhead (across the street from each other).....Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. Lenox Square has more of the traditional mall stores (but in larger formats) and Phipps Plaza has more of the ultra high-end shops.

If you want to workout in Atlanta, there are a number of good options for visitors. The Ansley Mall location of LA Fitness is considered the gay gym in Atlanta (although there is a gym called Gravity Fitness that is also gay....but since this gym is off the beaten path, I would not recommend trying to find it). If you are looking for more of a mixed (gay/straight) gym, then the LA Fitness/Esporta Gym at 5th/Spring or the LA Fitness in Buckhead are also good options as well.

There is a ton of nightlife in Atlanta. If you are looking for more of a cocktail bar, then Blakes (younger crowd) and Burkharts (older crowd) are your best bets. If you are the leather/levi type then there is the Heretic (more levi/leather) or the Eagle (all leather). If you are in the mood to dance, then Jungle is a great option (it is a huge dance club). There are a ton of other options in Atlanta, but that will get you started.

If you like strippers, one of the best stripper bars in the country is in Atlanta. Swinging Richards is one of the few places where the guys get totally nude on stage. And unlike the strippers I have encountered in a lot of cities, these guys are truly hot (although a large percentage of them are straight). It can be a lot of fun to get a lap dance from a hot straight guy!

Atlanta is also home to my porn studio (Jason Sparks Entertainment and ClubJasonSparks.com). When you are there, stop in Brushstrokes (the big gay porn store) and ask to see the Jason Sparks Entertainment section....and say hi to the owners Mark and Tom for me. :)

The one thing you will notice about Atlanta is a ton of hot young guys. Being the center of the southeast, Atlanta attracts all of the young southern boys trying to escape small town southeastern cities. There is continual "fresh meat" moving to the city...and that makes it fun!

BOSTON

Boston in the spring/summer/fall is amazing! Boston in the winter is just harsh! I visit Boston 2 times a year.....and my winter trips are my least favorite. Like a lot of northeastern US large cities, Boston is a walking city. As with any walking city, you can not escape the elements. That walk to the gym in 20 degree weather (with the wind whipping around you) is downright miserable.

When I am in Boston, I usually stay in the Copley Place area or in the Theatre District. Either area is convenient. For those of you that have never been to Boston before, Copley Place is a huge indoor mall that spans a dozen office buildings and hotels. Each part of the mall is connected over street level by 2nd story skywalks. If the weather is bad in Boston, you can literally stay at one of the hotels above the mall and never go outside. There is a gym in the mall, a ton of restaurants, and a lot of shopping too. Just about anything you need you can find in Copley Place.

If the weather is nice outside, I prefer to stay in the Theatre District. Halfway between the South End (the gay area of Boston) and Copley Place, this hotel is within walking distance of just about everything in Boston. One of my favorite places in Boston is the Boston Commons (pictured above). This large park right in the middle of the city is a great place to get away from the hustle and bussel of the city. It is a great place to relax and one of the places that makes Boston special.

Just a few blocks from Boston Commons is Newberry Street. This is Boston's high-end shopping area. Since most of these shops are in old townhouses, it is a very quaint street. There are lots of cool restaurants and a plethora of boutique shops.

As far as gyms go, Boston Sports Club (BSC) dominates this city. With locations everywhere, you are within a 10-15 min walk from one of their locations no matter where you stay in the city. I prefer the South End location. This location is the "gay" gym. I have heard that the showers/sauna is cruisy there....but I have never showered at this gym. When I stay at Copley Place, there are 2 BSC's close by. Once is just across the street from Copley Place...and the other is on Newberry Street. I have been to both of them....and neither seem all that gay. Regardless of which one you go to, all of them have great equipment and you will get a good workout.

One of the things you will notice about Boston is the amount of young, hot gay guys in this city. With a ton of colleges and universities in an around Boston, this city is FILLED with hotties. So...if you like the younger guys....and can take the weather....then this city is definitely for you!

DALLAS

When I think of vacation spots, Dallas is definitely not on the top of that list. What is great about Dallas is that it is a very "livable" city. Its not expensive to live in (in fact, the cost of living in Dallas is relatively cheap!) and there is enough to do that will keep your attention.

I actually like Dallas a lot. It is in my Top-10 list of cities I could move to in a heartbeat. It is centrally located and you can fly just about anywhere from the sprawling DFW airport. There is a HUGE gay population in Dallas and a lot of nightlife. For a big city, it is just an easy place to reside.

When I visit Dallas, I usually stay in the Market Center area of Dallas. Being right on I-35, this area is easy to get all around the city. It is also just minutes from the gay area of Dallas. I prefer to stay at the Renaissance Hotel in the Market Center area. It is centrally located and has great views of the downtown skyline (the picture above was taken from the top of the Renaissance Hotel).

As far as gyms go, there are a few options I have tried in Dallas. There is a new LA Fitness about 5 minutes from Market Center. Since this gym is new, it is still relatively dead....so if you want eye candy then you are at the wrong place. If you want a quiet, nice gym then this is a great option for you. Also, if you are looking to swim, this gym has a great indoor pool.

The next option is the 24-Hour Fitness downtown. Built on top of a parking deck in the center of downtown, this gym is about half gay....but does not have the eye candy vibe I prefer at a gym. This gym does have a co-ed steam/sauna/hot tub....and I have heard they can get cruisy as well.

There is an Equinox intown in Dallas. I have not been to this gym....but I heard it is nice but small.

Finally is the Golds Gym on McKinney. This gym is AMAZING! It is half gay/half straight.....and FILLED with hotties!!!! If you are the type that gets intimidated at the gym, then this is definitely not the gym for you. It is all VERY HOT metrosexual straight guys and VERY HOT gay guys. Definitely the pretty boy gym. The equipment here is second to none as well. The gym is new, clean, and nice. But....if you are looking for cruisy....then this is NOT the gym for you. This is more of the stand-and-pose crowd....and not cruisy at all. This is definitely my gym of choice in Dallas.

If you get in the mood for some nude swimming, then Club Dallas is a great option. They have a nice outdoor clothing-optional pool where you can relax and get that all-over tan. Nighttime skinny-dipping is my favorite! They also have a pretty nice gym as well....so you can workout and tan nude all in one afternoon.

All in all, I would say Dallas is a great place to live it. There is everything you need in a big city....all without the cost and hassle of other large cities.

SPRINGFIELD, MASS

As many of you know, I travel the country all the time. This time I decided to take a driving tour of the Northeastern USA. Two of the cities on my list were Hartford,CT and Albany,NY. Looking at the map I noticed that I would have to drive right thru Springfield. Since I had never been there before, I decided to try a new city and spent 2 nights there.

It was definitely an interesting city. On one hand, there are some amazing architectural elements in the city including some cool ornate bridges and some really neat buildings. The building pictured above is the symphony hall and it is stunning. There are a number of cool buildings in Springfield.

The other thing I noticed about this city is the fact that a large part of the area is depressed. According to the locals I spoke with, the city used to be a big manufacturing area; and when they factories closed the area went down and has never fully recovered.

The other thing I have learned from my travels is that you can learn a lot about a city from what the locals think of it. In large part, most of the locals here that I met say they would prefer to live elsewhere, but their job keeps them here. That is a telling sign that the city itself needs work.

There are a few cool things I found in the city. The Basketball Hall of Fame is located downtown in Springfield....and the Dr. Seuss Museum is located here as well (Dr. Seuss is from Springfield). The city sits right on the Connecticut River, and there are walking trails all along the riverfront.

I went to an amazing LA Fitness in Springfield. It is one of the largest ones I have been to and it is right on the river. All of the cardio face the river so the going to this gym can be quite relaxing. The equipment here is amazing and I was very impressed with this gym. It has a full sized pool and basketball courts as well. I was there on a weekend and it was not very busy...but amazingly it was mostly gay guys when I was there.

On Saturday night I decided to leave my hotel and head out. I had been told about a stripper bar called Club Xstatic. I thought it would be fun to check it out for myself. The general manager of the bar recognized me from my porn work and proceeded to give me shots. Although I am not much of a drinker, I took them anyway. By the end of the night, I had a number of the strippers giving me lap dances. It was a LOT of fun to say the least! Oh...and in this strip bar, the dancers get totally naked....so that was a plus as well!

All in all, I had a great time in Springfield.

PORTLAND

Portland, Oregon sits in one of the most scenic parts of the United States. Resting between towering mountains and quaint hills, the setting is unbelievable (see picture above). Since the climate is not as extreme as the rest if the northern USA, the trees are green even in the winter. This adds to the year-round charm of the city.

Portland is also one of the "greenest" cities in the USA. The city prides itself on its stewardship of the environment. With everything from recycling everywhere (including in each hotel room --- which is rare)...to bike trails throughout the city...to an amazing public transportation system (which is nice, clean, and FREE in most parts of the city), Portland is all about the environment.

When I am in Portland, I always stay downtown. Since everything is within walking distance, I never get a rental car in Portland. Even if you want to another part of the city, there is a streetcar line close by to take you there. And....as I mentioned before....a good part of the streetcar system is FREE!!! As an added bonus, the streetcars go where you actually WANT to go (unlike a lot of cities....where you still need a car to get around).

If you get a wild hair, there is a bathhouse in Portland called STEAM. Although I have never been there, I am told it is quite nice. STEAM is located just outside of downtown and you can either cab it there or find your way on the streetcars. All of the gay bars are located downtown as well....so you have everything you need close by.

If you are looking for a great gym, the 24-Hour Fitness in the Pearl District is the place I like most. It is a mix of gay and straight...and there are always a ton of hotties working out. With eye-candy everywhere and great equipment too, this is a great choice of gyms.

Speaking of the Pearl District, this part of downtown is all old 2-4 story brick warehouses that have all been converted into a uber-cool hip area to live. With stunning lofts, cool art galleries, and great restaurants, the Pearl District is a must see when in Portland.

NASHVILLE

With all of the traveling I do, people are constantly surprised when I mention that Nashville is one of my favorite cities to visit. Considering its size, Nashville has a lot of the features you would find in a much larger city. Home to country music, this city has a ton of bars downtown where you can watch live bands.

I usually stay close to Vanderbilt University in the West End area of Nashville. In addition to being close to downtown and the university, it is also the area with the 2 main gay bars. Tribe is the main gay video bar in Nashville and great for cocktails. PLAY is next door and is a great dance club. Since they are next to each other, you can make a night of fun without driving all over the city. I do not go out to bars much when I travel, but I make a point of going out to PLAY every time I am in Nashville.

Also in the West End/Vanderbilt area is Centennial Park. In the middle of this park is a full-scale reconstruction of the original Greek Parthenon (see picture above). Its a pretty cool sight right in the middle of the city.

The gym situation in Nashville is rough. The best place to workout in Nashville (by FAR) is the YMCA. But, they have recently instituted a new policy at the Nashville area YMCA's where you can not buy a day pass anymore. If you are not a member of another YMCA in another city, then you are out of luck. I have worked out at the Urban Active gyms in Nashville, and although they have great equipment, the crowd is not all that great. But, if you just want a good workout and do not want eye-candy, then Urban Active is a good alternative to the YMCA. But, if you can find a way to get into the YMCA, that is definitely the place to go.

SEATTLE

If you have never been to Seattle, the first thing you will notice is the scenery. The city itself sits between the mountains and the water. The setting is amazing. The only negative to this part of the country is the weather. It seems to rain every day. Unlike most cities that pour down rain for a while and then clear up, the rain in Seattle is like a fine mist/drissle all the time. For the sun-worshipers, it can be depressing...but it does add character to the city.

I always stay downtown in Seattle. There are numerous nice hotels downtown and everything you would need is within walking distance. If you stay downtown, you are also close to the tourist attractions including the Space Needle. If you have the time, I would highly recommend a trip to the top of the Space Needle (pictured above). Towering above the city, you get great views of the entire area from the top of the Space Needle.

If you are looking for a great gym in downtown Seattle, then the 24-Hour Fitness on Yale Avenue is a great option. In addition to this gyms reputation for being a very gay gym, it also has great equipment as well. Also, since it is within a few blocks of most of the downtown hotels, it is in a very convenient location as well.

PALM SPRINGS

Sometimes you just want to get away and relax. One of my favorite places to do that is Palm Springs. Located in the desert about 90 miles west of Los Angeles, Palm Springs is a city built on relaxation. From the many golf courses to the clothing-optional resorts, Palm Springs has a wide variety of options.

One thing I like about Palm Springs is the setting. Sitting in the middle of the desert, the city itself is flat; but rising from the sides of the city are towering mountains. The view is picturesque. Another cool thing about Palm Springs is the drive into the city. Right as you are about to enter the city, you come across a HUGE windmill farm (pictured above). Hundreds of windmills line the valley and mountainside and it is a really cool site to see.

When I visit Palm Springs, I usually stay in one of the many gay clothing-optional resorts. The city has a bunch of them and in my opinion they are the best places to stay. For me, there is nothing better than relaxing naked in a hot tub at midnight before I head to bed. In the past, I have always stayed at Inn Exile. Although this resort is very relaxing, it is also a pretty quiet place.....great if you are visiting with a boyfriend. This past trip I stayed at All Worlds Resort. Since All Worlds sells day and night passes, there are always a new mix of people hanging out at the resort. Since there is not a ton of stuff to do in Palm Springs, this new mix of people keeps it from getting boring. My advice is to choose your resort wisely before going to Palm Springs. Decide what is most important to you and stay at the resort that best fits your needs.

If you decide to hit the gym while in Palm Springs, World Gym is the place to go. The equipment is great and the guys that run the gym are first rate. The crowd is older (much like the city itself) and I have been told the wet area is very cruisy.....but since I have never showered there I can not independently confirm that. I like the gym because the equipment is first rate.

Downtown Palm Springs has a quaint village-like feel to it. The main downtown street is lined with cool local shops and restaurants. On my last trip I found a neat local chocolate shop. Since I am addicted to chocolate I was in heaven!! Probably not the healthiest thing you can eat....but chocolate is my vice (although I guess it is better than most vices).

SALT LAKE CITY

The Mormon's had it right when they picked Salt Lake City to be their "holy-land". Although the city itself is mostly flat (it is in the valley), there are towering mountains on both sides of the city (see picture of SLC downtown above). It is a beautiful sight! It adds a character to the city that few cities can match. Being right between 2 mountains also has the advantage that skiing is close by. At the top of the mountain (only a 30 minute drive from downtown SLC) is Park City,Utah. Downtown Park City looks just like an old mining town. It is very quaint and a great place to get away. Park City is also surrounded by ski slopes (in fact, one of the ski slopes ends right in the middle of downtown!). If you visit Salt Lake City, I would strongly suggest heading up the mountain to Park City. It is definitely worth the trip!!!

When I am in Salt Lake City, I always stay downtown. It is convenient to everything in the city and the hotels are reasonably priced as well. If you drive around downtown, you will see the HUGE Mormon temple. A good chuck of the downtown area is owned by the Mormon church and they seem to continually invest in the area to make it nice. I have been in SLC around Christmas time in the past, and boy those Mormons know how to decorate! Lights everywhere!

Although the Mormon Church dominates Utah, Salt Lake City actually has a lot of non-Mormons as well. I think it is something like 50/50 in Salt Lake City itself....whereas the rest of the state is like 99.9% Mormon. The one thing you will notice is that Mormon guy are HOT! I am not sure why (I have been told it is because of their ancestry), but you will notice a lot of VERY hot guys in Salt Lake City....and they are usually Mormon as well.

There also seems to be a lot of gay guys in SLC as well....although a lot of them are Mormon and closeted. If you are in the mood to workout, I would definitely recommend the 24-Hour Fitness in Sugar House. Sugar House is a young trendy area of SLC and filled with hotties! The 24-Hour Fitness there is known locally as the "gay" gym....although by NYC/LA/SF standards it is more of a mixed (straight/gay) gym. But, regardless if they are gay or straight, there are a lot of very HOT guys at that gym. Although I never shower at that gym, there are always hot guys coming into the locker room from the pool at the gym in just a towel....so I have a feeling the showers are a sight to be seen! Nothing better than a hot shower scene!!!!

The Mormon Church also has the largest ancestry database in the world. There are a few places you can go in both Salt Lake City and Park City to find out about your ancestors. I was told the Mormon Church provides this search for free, but I did not check it out while there (although I did see one of their ancestry stores when I was in Park City).

TAMPA & ST. PETERSBURG

Although Tampa and St. Petersburg (St. Pete) are only separated by a 5 mile bridge over Tampa Bay, they could not be more different. On the Gulf of Mexico side is St. Petersburg/Clearwater. Life seems to be slower here on this side of the bridge. This is where most of the beaches are....and everything just seems more laid-back in St. Pete. When visiting the St. Pete/Clearwater area, I usually stay close to the St. Pete/Clearwater airport. There are a ton of hotels here and restaurants everywhere. The other benefit to this area is that it is convenient to both St. Pete, Clearwater, and to the bridge back to Tampa. The airport in this area is small, so unless you are flying in on Allegiant Air, you will probably touch down at Tampa/St. Petersburg International Airport on the other side of the bridge in Tampa.

When I am in St. Pete/Clearwater, I usually alternate between 2 gyms. The first gym I went to is the LA Fitness in Clearwater. Although the equipment is very new and nice, it is not what I would call the eye-candy gym. But...if you want a great workout and want great equipment....this is definitely a great option. The second gym I tried is the Gold's Gym on 38th Avenue in St. Petersburg. I was told this was the "gay" gym....but I found that to be far from the truth. In fact, I do not think I saw one gay boy at the gym the times I went there. The one thing I did find: HOT straight muscle boys. If you are looking for eye-candy and like hot straight guys, then this is the gym for you!!!

Now for the other side of the bridge. Tampa is more of the fast-paced city that you would expect from a large metro area. I usually stay in the Westshore area of Tampa. I prefer this area because it is close to the International Airport, a lot of nice hotels, 2 major malls, and a lot of restaurants. Whenever possible, I like to stay at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza. This is not only a very nice mall; but the hotel is just steps away from a ton of great dining (and fast food) options as well. Even when I do not stay at the mall, I always stay close by so I can take advantage of the dining options at the mall.

If you decide to workout in Tampa, you may be on your own. I always workout at the Gold's Gym in Tampa just because it is easy and convenient. This gym is what I would consider adequate. It is not fancy and is pretty basic. It is never really packed either. There are a few hot straight guys that work out there, but I would not go out of my way to go to this gym. I was told there is a "gay" gym closer to downtown Tampa...but....considering my experience with gay gyms in St. Pete, I was apprehensive to drive across town to try another gym. The one gym I would tell you to definitely avoid is the Bally Total Fitness just north of the airport. This gym is a DUMP!!!! All I can say is STAY AWAY!!!

If you are looking for nightlife, Ybor City is the area to go. On a previous trip, I was taken to a gay nightclub in Ybor City and has a BLAST!!!

One day I will have to go to Tampa/St. Pete with a local and maybe I can find the right places to go, see, and do. Although I have been to Tampa many times now, I just have not seem to be able to get the groove that excites me about a city.

KANSAS CITY

The city of fountains, Kansas City has more fountains than any city in the world except Rome, Italy. The beauty of Kansas City was something I never expected when I ventured there for the first time. Instead of city streets running throughout the city, there are wide boulevards with parks and fountains running down the middle of the streets.

One of the main areas of Kansas City is Country Club Plaza. Country Club Plaza was built in the 1920's as the nations first suburban shopping district. It is built in the Spanish architectural style and the plaza area is filled with fountains, sculptures, and murals (the picture above is one of the fountains in the plaza). When I visit Kansas City, this is the area I prefer to stay. In addition to great shopping and restaurants, the plaza area is filled with a ton of hotels. Basically everything you need is within walking distance of your hotel.

Kansas City is known for its barbecue. Some of the best BBQ in the country can be found in Kansas City. This last trip I went to Gates BBQ. The BBQ here is amazing! I cleaned my plate and was stuffed for the rest of the night!!!

If you are looking for a great gym, then the 24-Hour Fitness on Ward Parkway is the ticket. Not only is it a nice gym....but it is packed with HOT HOT hotties!!! It is a mixture of straight and gay guys....and well worth the drive. In fact, it can be difficult to concentrate on your workout with all of the hot guys around you.

Last time I visited Kansas City, I hung out with porn star hottie Scott Campbell. He is one of a few porn stars that call Kansas City home.

If you ever get the opportunity to visit Kansas City, it is definitely worth the trip. You will be surprised at what you see there....I definitely was.

SAINT LOUIS

Growing up in a small town in southern Illinois, my ex-boyfriend used to refer to St.Louis as the "big city". He would fondly tell me of his overnight trips to the bars (and bathhouse) in St.Louis. Since there was not much going on in his small town, trips to STL were very exciting.

What I found was a city in transition. At one point, the city was filled with industry. Since a lot of that industry has left the city, there are a lot of cool loft-style building that are abandoned and boarded up. In the downtown area, a number of these old brick buildings have been converted into some really cool structures. One of my trips to STL I stayed at the Westin Hotel downtown. The Westin is in one of those old converted warehouses...and what they were able to accomplish was simple amazing. It was reuse at its best! Unfortunately, there are still a lot of abandoned buildings throughout the city that have not yet received the same attention.

Although I have stayed downtown in the past, I prefer to stay in the Galleria area of St.Louis. In addition to a very nice mall, there are also a ton of great hotel and restaurant options in this part town. Also....unlike downtown....parking is easy!

In the Galleria area, there are 2 notable gyms. The first is the Bally Total Fitness in Clayton. If you want a basic gym, this is not terrible (but it is not great either). I stopped going there a few years ago because the gym was in major need of a renovation. It is entirely possible that the Bally's has been renovated....but highly unlikely (considering the financial condition of the entire chain).

My gym of preference in STL is the 24-Hour Fitness in Kirkwood. It is about a 5-10 min drive from the Galleria. Although it is not one of the larger 24-Hour Fitness gyms, it has everything you need. Also, the gym is very clean. The guys at this gym are totally straight....but HOT!!! If you like a gym with hot straight jocks, then this is your gym!!!!

St.Louis is also the hometown of a bunch of porn stars. Scottie Brooks and Raging Stallion Exclusives Ryan Raz and Austin Wilde are some of the porn stars that are originally from St.Louis.

No visit to St.Louis is complete without a visit to the Gateway Arch (see the picture above). The Arch towers over the downtown skyline and is visible for miles around. Underground (below the arch) is a visitors museum where you can watch a movie showing the construction of the arch. Having a degree in Civil Engineering, building projects like this fascinate and excite me. Although most people might find it a tad boring, I was glued to my seat during the video presentation of the building of the arch. You can also take a elevator (it looks more like an amusement park ride) to the top of the arch. There you can look out over the city. It is definitely one amazing monument!

AUSTIN

For anyone that has never been to Austin....all I can say is one thing....GO!!! Austin is definitely worth the trip. Although the state of Texas is definitely conservative, the city of Austin is a very liberal place. This may be due to the presence of the University of Texas (one of the largest universities in the country)....or possibly due to the large number of high-tech companies with offices or headquarters in Austin. Whatever it is due to, Austin is very liberal and very gay friendly (and very gay as well for that matter).

Austin is in the hill country of Texas. The city itself is built around the UT campus with a downtown right on the Colorado River. Right in the heart of downtown is 6th Street. Although the gay bars are spread out throughout the downtown area, 6th Street is almost like a mini Bourbon Street with a ton of straight bars and hangouts. The music scene is huge in Austin with live bands playing at the local bars all the time. There are also a lot of cool places to eat downtown as well....especially around 6th Street.

Right between downtown and the UT campus is the state capitol building. The capitol building in Austin is architecturally impressive and worth seeing. Just beyond the capitol is the UT campus (and lots of fratboy hotties!).

If you find yourself wanting to workout, the best gym I have found is the 24-Hour Fitness at Hancock Center. Being close to the UT campus, a lot of students work out here. The facility is nice, but the eye candy is even better! Since this gym is a Lance Armstrong Sports Club, the gym is filled with Lance Armstrong related stuff everywhere (including bikes he rode, jerseys he wore, and awards he won). It is actually pretty cool. They even have a see-thru locker for him in the guys locker room with all of his workout clothes inside.

If you want to get away and relax, definitely take a trip to Lake Travis. The drive alone to Lake Travis through the hill country is beautiful. High above Lake Travis is the Oasis Restaurant. With stunning views of the lake, the sunset on the huge outdoor deck is something not to miss. If you are in a more daring mood, head down the hill to the public lake area known as Hippie Hollow. Hippie Hollow is a clothing-optional public area of the lake. Since the lake itself was formed by a dam, the shores of the lake are basically the sides of what used to be large hills. So if you are looking for a traditional beach, you are in the wrong place. It is basically paved paths on the side of the hill. You can walk down from the paths to get some sun on the large boulders that line in the lake. It is an experience though, and one worth going to. The picture above is of the sign that is posted at the entrance to Hippie Hollow. I have always thought it is ironic that one of the most conservative states has a nude swimming hole. But then Austin is not like the rest of Texas.

ASHEVILLE

I have been traveling around the world continuously for the last 4 years now, and at this point most cities do not excite me. Been there, done that for the most part. Since this was my first trip to Asheville, North Carolina, I was looking forward to something new. Living in Atlanta, I had heard a lot about Asheville, but I had never considered going there. I had my opportunity a few weeks ago.

Asheville is a small city in the middle of the mountains (see the picture above). It reminded me of a quaint college town. The big difference was that (at least at this point), Asheville is mostly mom-and-pop stores. Although I heard rumors that some major chains were trying to come to Asheville (Urban Outfitters, Apple Store, etc), none had made it there yet. I have a feeling local opposition is strong to keep these stores out of town.

Driving through downtown was not what I expected at all. It kinda felt like a hippie-town. All sorts of "earthy" stores and a very eclectic mix of people walking around. For such a small town, there seems to be a lot of gay and lesbians as well. It is definitely not what you would expect from a small mountain town in North Carolina.

The scenery in Asheville is amazing. Everywhere you look you see hills and mountains. When I was there the leaves were changing color, and it was absolutely beautiful. Asheville is best known for the Biltmore House. The Biltmore House is the largest house in America and is only a few miles from downtown Asheville. Unfortunately, I did not have time to take the tour of the house; but I was told by everyone that is is truly amazing. If you do decide to visit the Biltmore House, you need to spend at least 4-6 hours to see it all. It is that big!

When I was in Asheville, I stayed downtown. This was very convenient and made walking around the city easier. The downtown area is very walkable. For those of you big-city types, it is similar to the Castro in San Francisco.

In the city itself there are not a lot of gym options. I worked out at the YMCA downtown. I had to sweet-talk my way in....since the YMCA downtown does not sell day-passes. I was told a few of the hotels are negotiating deals with the YMCA, but that had not happened when I was there. As far as the actual gym itself, I would call it adequate, but nothing to write home about. It is basically like a large hotel gym (and if you travel a lot, you know that hotel gyms are not that great).

I was told that Rush Fitness on Hendersonville Road is a good gym with great equipment, but I was not able to independently verify that. Since the YMCA downtown is not that great, you may want to try Rush Fitness.

If you decide to go to Asheville, I would recommend going with a date/boyfriend. It definitely seemed like a great city to get-away and relax with someone special. I would highly recommend Asheville....it met and surpassed all of my expectations!

CHARLOTTE

Charlotte is known as the "Queen City". It is named after Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg - the queen consort of King George III - hence the nickname Queen City. Being a major banking center (with the headquarters of both Bank of America and Wachovia), there are definitely other reasons to call it the queen city! A lot of big banks seem to attract the gay boys, and Charlotte is filled with the shirt and tie corporate gay boy types.

Charlotte has the feel of a small version of Atlanta. The downtown is full of public art and the buildings are well designed. The Bank of America headquarters building towers over the rest of downtown. Charlotte is just finishing building the NASCAR Hall of Fame (see picture above). The area around Charlotte is NASCAR country.

When I visit Charlotte, I stay close to South Park Mall. Not only are there a ton of nice hotels in the area, but there are restaurants everywhere as well. The mall itself has pretty much anything you would want.

As far as gyms go, the YMCA is definitely the place to be. I used to go to the YMCA in the Wachovia headquarters building downtown. The lunch crowd at this location is HOT HOT HOT! Although they are all straight, they line up to shower in the open shower room before going back to their offices. All I can say is YUM!!!! If you are looking for more of the gay-boy gym, the Dowd YMCA (just outside of downtown) is both a very nice facility, and filled with homos (although most are closeted).

Charlotte is also home to AEBN. For those of you that do not watch much porn, AEBN is the largest streaming porn site on the Internet. AEBN also owns Raging Stallion and a ton of smaller studios.

CHICAGO

Chicago is truly one of the best cities in the USA. Although it is a huge city, Chicago does not feel overwhelming at all. From a vibrant downtown to quaint neighborhoods, Chicago has a little bit for everyone. The only negative that Chicago has is its miserable winters. The Windy City's winters can be unbearable with wind that cuts right through your body. The other 3 seasons (especially spring and fall), Chicago weather is great.

Chicago is an easy city to get around. With the above-ground trains (called the "L") to the walkable streets, Chicago is a great city for those that like the convenience of a big city. Being on Lake Michigan, Chicago also has a ton of outdoor activities centered on and near the lake. Chicago was designed and planned with beautiful linear parks that front the lake.

One thing nice about gay Chicago is how close everything is to each other. Although there are gay bars spread out throughout a number of the neighborhoods, the center of gay Chicago is Boystown. Halsted Street runs right through the center of Boystown and is the location of many of the popular gay bars. On Halsted Street you will find SideTrack (a great video bar!), Spin (Dance and Cocktails), and Hydrate (Dance). There is also a huge bathhouse in the center of Boystown (Steamworks) right next to all of the gay bars. The one thing that is different about Chicago is the type of guy that goes to Steamworks. In most cities, bathhouses are something everyone goes to....but no one admits (or talks about). In Chicago, Steamworks fills up with the hotties after the bars close....and everyone talks about going there. They come in groups....and hang out together. Going to Steamworks is more like an after-bar hangout for the hot guys (as opposed to a place to get laid).

The one night I went out in Chicago, I met up with my Porn Star friend Scottie Brooks. Since he works as a bartender at Spin, we started there. After a few drinks, we made our way to SideTrack. SideTrack is always packed and the night we went was no exception.

When I visit Chicago, I prefer to stay in Boystown. The hotels in the area are more like neighborhood inns, but it makes a bar night easier when you are staying closeby. There are a ton of gyms in Chicago, but when I stay in Boystown I usually work out at either Bally Total Fitness (not that great....but a lot of the hotels offer free day passes) or Fitness Formula (nice gym in the middle of Halsted Street). There is a new Lakeshore Athletic Club on Broadway that opened recently and I was told this is the new "place to be" in Boystown...but I have not tried it out yet.

Now for the picture at the top of this post. These towers (with the colors of the gay flag) line the street in Boystown. Once you see these towers, you know you have arrived at the center of gay Chicago.

SOUTH BEND & UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

South Bend developed around heavy industry (led by Studebaker) and education (led by the University of Notre Dame). With the decline of industry in South Bend (and a lot of the rust-belt for that matter), South Bend now relies heavily on its proximity to Notre Dame. Education is now the driving force around South Bend. Although Notre Dame itself is separate from South Bend, you see traces of the university everywhere in South Bend. The interesting thing is that Notre Dame pretty much keeps to itself; and unlike a lot of other colleges, it owns all of the property surrounding the campus to give it a "buffer" from the rest of South Bend.

When I was in South Bend last week, I stayed downtown. Since I was basically just in South Bend to visit Notre Dame, I wanted to stay close to campus....and downtown South Bend is just 5 minutes from campus. Unlike downtown Ann Arbor (see prior post), downtown South Bend is not the quaint downtown you would expect near a major university. I would suspect that is because the Notre Dame campus is pretty much self-contained and there is no need for a traditional college town downtown area.

A far as gyms go, I was hoping to workout at the Notre Dame campus gym....but even as an alumni I could not get in. I was able to find a pretty nice gym to work out at in the South Bend area. Pinnacle Athletic Club is about 5 minutes from downtown South Bend in the city of Mishawaka. Although the gym is currently under renovation, it has great equipment and I am told the locker room and other facilities will be nice as well once the renovation is completed.

If you go to South Bend, you definitely need to venture over to the Notre Dame campus and walk around. Although I an somewhat biased (since I graduated from Notre Dame), I think the Notre Dame campus is one of the most beautiful of any university in the country. One thing you will also notice is how hot the guys are at Notre Dame. Since the university only admits well-rounded students, the type of guy this usually attracts is the high school student-athlete. So when you walk around campus, you will notice a lot of hot A&F-type college boys.

For those of you that do not recognize the picture at the top of this post, that is the Golden Dome. It rises above the main administration building in the center of the Notre Dame campus.

ANN ARBOR

Ann Arbor is a quaint college town on the outskirts of Detroit. You can get from downtown Detroit to downtown Ann Arbor in about 45 min. Although they are close geographically, they are worlds apart when it comes to the setting and feel of the city. Ann Arbor is the ultimate college town. The downtown is lined with a cool mixture of restaurants, shops, and bars. It is just what you would expect a small-town college town to look and feel like.

University 0f Michigan is definitely the dominate force in Ann Arbor. Not only do you see their buildings and signs everywhere, but a large part of this city is connected in one way or another to the university.

When I am in Ann Arbor, I usually stay close to Briarwood Mall. There are a lot of hotels close to the mall and just about anything you would want to eat close by as well. If you want to head downtown to eat, one of my favorite places is BD's Mongolian Grill. If you have never had Mongolian BBQ before, you are in for a real treat!

The gym situation is not as good as I would like (at least for visitors). There used to be an amazing Gold's Gym in Ann Arbor; but this gym has apparently closed. The only other options I have found are the Bally Total Fitness (old, run-down, tired equipment) and One-On-One Athletic Club. You can get a basic workout at One-On-One, but I would not expect much. The gym needs a serious renovation and new equipment. You also will not see many students at any of these gyms. Just like any university, the students probably have an on-campus gym. Unfortunately, being a visitor to Ann Arbor, I have to use the non-campus gyms.

If you have the opportunity, drive around Ann Arbor (especially the campus areas and downtown), and you will see how quaint this college town really is.