Tips for Gay and Lesbian Travelers

The capital of the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, Boston is overall a gay- and lesbian-friendly destination, with a live-and-let-live attitude that long ago replaced the city's legendary Puritanism. The South End, Jamaica Plain, and Cambridge's Porter Square are home to many LGBT residents -- as are plenty of other neighborhoods and suburbs. Pride Week (www.bostonpride.org), in early June, is so popular that it's actually 10 days, ending with a festive parade.

The free weekly Bay Windows (tel. 617/266-6670; www.baywindows.com) covers New England's LGBT community and features extensive entertainment listings. The alternative weekly Boston Phoenix publishes cultural and nightlife listings (www.bostonphoenix.com). A good online resource is Edge Boston (www.edgeboston.com).

An excellent guide to local gay- and lesbian-owned and -friendly businesses is the Pink Pages (www.pinkweb.com/boston.index.html). The website of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.bostonusa.com) has an LGBT Traveler section; click "Visit Boston," then "Boston Insider." The state tourism department has a separate website, www.lgbtmassvacation.com, devoted to information about activities and attractions across Massachusetts. Other useful resources include the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Helpline (tel. 888/340-4528 or 617/267-9001) and the Peer Listening Line, for people 25 and under (tel. 800/399-7337 or 617/267-2535), both operated by Fenway Community Health (www.fenwayhealth.org); the Boston Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth (tel. 617/227-4313; www.bagly.org), which holds a general meeting every Wednesday at 8pm; and the Bisexual Resource Center (tel. 617/424-9595; www.biresource.net).