New York City -- where the gay liberation movement got its beginning with the Stonewall riot in Greenwich Village in 1969 -- today is home to a gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community of more than a million strong by some estimates. The highlight of the events calendar is the annual Pride Week, but visitors year-round have plenty to explore in the many gay-owned restaurants, bars, boutiques, bookstores, and art galleries found largely in Manhattan's Greenwich Village and Chelsea neighborhoods. The central bulletin board for meetings, cultural events, and resources in New York City is The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center (tel. 212/620-7310; www.gaycenter.org).

There's more to gay and lesbian life in the Empire State than cruising Chelsea and the Village. Travelers will find thriving networks in upstate, central, and western New York. Outcome Buffalo (www.outcomebuffalo.com), GayBuffalo Online (www.gaybuffalo.org/nfgc), Gay Rochester Online (www.gayrochester.com), and Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Council, Inc. (tel. 518/462-6138; www.cdglcc.org) are great sources of information about nightlife, social groups, news, and links to other gay and lesbian organizations. Sullivan County in the Catskill Mountain region is proudly gay-friendly in tourist matters, and it operates a website with plenty of information for gay and lesbian travelers (tel. 845-747-4449; www.outinthecatskills.com).

The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) (tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses and tour operators.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.