Martha's Vineyard, Mass. Avoid the crowds at Plymouth by visiting Martha's
Vineyard, where remaining members of the Wampanoag
tribe live. Wampanoag Chief Massasoit signed 1621's
accord with the Pilgrims.
Check in
Gay-owned Lambert's Cove Inn (90 Manaquayak Road, West
Tisbury; 508-693-2298; www.lambertscoveinn.com; from
$165) is a luxurious boutique hideaway with 15 rooms,
Thyme's amenities, 500-thread count Egyptian cotton
linens, and feather beds. Visits are further enhanced by the
70-seat restaurant's outstanding contemporary American menu.
Check, please!
An elegant enclosed courtyard awaits at L'Etoile (22 N.
Water St., Edgartown; 508-627-5187; www.letoile.net;
$35-46), where a well-heeled crowd dines on
exceptional fixed-price dinners.
Check out
The peaceful Mytoi Garden (Dike Road, Chappaquiddick;
508-627-7689; www.thetrustees.org), a 14-acre,
Japanese garden on Chappaquiddick, a tiny island
accessed by ferry from Edgartown.
Santa Fe/Taos, N.M.
Celebrate Thanksgiving by exploring the rich Native
American heritage around Santa Fe/Taos, Taos and
Acoma.
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A mere 10-minute stroll from downtown Santa Fe/Taos, the
Inn of the Turquoise Bear (342 East Buena Vista St.;
505-983-0798; www.turquoisebear.net; from $99) is a
delightful oasis within a historic gay-owned adobe
house.
Check please!
Gay-owned and enthusiastically gay-frequented Geronimo
(730 Canyon Road; 505-982-1500;
www.geronimorestaurant.com; $22-48) offers inventive
takes on Southwestern dishes are delivered to your table by
deliciously handsome, attentive and charming
waitstaff.
Check out
Acoma Pueblo is the oldest continuously inhabited
community in North America. In the high desert, an
hour's drive west of Albuquerque, Sky City is built
atop a sheer 350-foot sandstone bluff. Guided tours
(800-747-0181; www.SkyCity.com) take visitors from the new
cultural center at the foot of the mesa to the old
pueblo up top.
New York City
There's always a reason to give thanks in New York
City, whether for the hot restaurants, thrilling
hotels, bars and clubs full of eye candy or, at this
time of year, the country's biggest Thanksgiving event
-- the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Check in
Trump International Hotel and Towers (One Central Park
West; 212-299-1000; www.trumpintl.com; from $550)
offers perfect parade views from rooms between the
fifth and 15th floors. Despite The Donald's penchant
for glitz, the lobby is small and unassuming and the room
decor is elegant nearly to the point of
understatement.
Check please!
For the best Thanksgiving weekend brunch, head for
lesbian-owned and run Prune (54 E. 1st St.;
212-677-6221; www.prunerestaurant.com; brunch
$11-$19), an upscale slice of East Village bohemia.
Check out
The annual Thanksgiving parade sees more than 2.5
million spectators turn out to watch 10,000 Macy's
employees and friends march down Broadway with floats,
bands and balloons.
London
Give thanks for fabulous fall flight prices to Europe
and retrace the pilgrims' route to England.
Check in
To save money all round, contact lesbian and gay
accommodation agency Outlet (+44-207-287-4244;
www.outlet.co.uk; from US$116) and stay in a gay or
lesbian-owned apartment in the city.
Check please! Feast on produce from the
British Isles and surrounding waters at Amba (The May
Fair, Stratton St.; +44-20-7629-7777; US$24-34), a slick
Fendi-designed room (and the site of a Pink video) round the
corner from the Ritz. Redwood-hued striped leather
banquettes and elegant faux crocodile textures create
the backdrop for a fashionable set to savor perfectly
cooked British lamb cutlets, fresh pea shoots and pumpkin
pearl barley risotto. An attentive but down to earth
staff provides impeccable service.
Check out
Thanksgiving coincides with the turning on of London's
legendary Christmas lights on Bond Street (Nov. 22,
2007) and Regent Street (Nov. 20, 2007). See the
lights, then scamper down a side street to the bars
and clubs of Soho.
Curacao
If you fancy decorating this year's Thanksgiving
dinner with paper cocktail umbrellas, head to the
gay-friendly, gay-marketed and all-round gay-favorite
Curacao.
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A short drive from town, Avila Beach Hotel (Penstraat
130; +599-9-461-4377 or 800-747-8162;
www.avilahotel.com; from $210, suites from $320)
offers the perfect combination of quiet escape and urban
convenience. With two notable restaurants, three bars, and a
gay-friendly, laid-back elegance, it's a prime choice.
Check please!
Bistro Le Clochard (Riffort, Otrabanda; +599-9-462-5666;
www.bistroleclochard.com; $28-$40) offers French dishes in
rooms built into the fort's stone walls. The outdoor
terrace tables are right by the sea; the waiters have
to hop onto the old fort wall to reach the settings,
which they do without hesitation.
Check out
More than 60 snorkeling and scuba diving sites lie just
off the western coast, with shipwrecks, coral forests,
caves, and tropical fish galore. Alice in Wonderland
and the Mushroom Forest are among the most
picturesque.
