Yosemite and the Sierras
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You weren't seriously hoping to find a gay bar in this part of the world, were you? Indeed, the area is bereft of gay hangouts, but you will find some funky and fun saloons drawing an eclectic bunch. Downtown Sonora's lovably raffish and weird Servente's is the kind of place where groovy hippies and rowdy bikers knock back cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon. In tiny Groveland, the nearest community to Yosemite, check out the Iron Door, which is the oldest continuously operated saloon in the state, drawing as diverse a crowd as any joint in Tuolumne County.

There are a number of hotels and B&Bs in these parts that enthusiastically court the gay market. For sheer romance, it's hard to beat the McCaffrey House, a beautifully furnished, contemporary (and pet-friendly) mountain home with eight elegant but unfussy rooms decorated with Amish quilts, well-chosen antiques, and pine and iron beds. Super-friendly, well-traveled innkeepers Stephanie and Michael serve a lavish breakfast each morning. In downtown Sonora, the handsomely restored Gunn House contains 12 reasonably priced, nicely kept rooms with period antiques. Perks include a substantial breakfast and use of a heated pool, and downtown shops and restaurants are a short walk away.

Just a 25-mile drive west of Yosemite's Big Oak Flat Entrance in the charming village for which it is named, the Groveland Hotel is the only Monterey Colonial-style building in the Sierras, an adobe structure built in 1849 and meticulously restored by engaging owners Peggy and Grover Mosley in 1990. Opt for Room 15 if you'd like a chance to visit with a resident ghost, Lyle (all of the warmly furnished rooms are named for quirky and mostly local characters). The Groveland's intimate Victorian Room restaurant is another of the Sierras' truly great dining destinations, with a superb wine list and well-crafted contemporary fare - try the mixed grill with venison, quail, duck-and-foie-gras sausage, and a blueberry-balsamic glaze). Another gay-friendly option in the same village, the Hotel Charlotte has simple but pleasant, moderately priced rooms.

For sheer opulence, it's hard to beat Yosemite's famed Ahwahnee Hotel, which was built in the late 1920s and contains 99 plush rooms (plus another 24 adjacent cottage units) with Native American-inspired decor. Many rooms take in classic Yosemite views, from Half Dome to Yosemite Falls, but keep in mind that you'll pay more than $400 nightly to stay here. Just outside Yosemite's western boundary, for as little as one-fourth the price, you can stay at one of the region's better-kept secrets, the secluded Evergreen Lodge, a pine-shrouded, 15-acre compound consisting of 70 rustic but casually chic cabins set around a rambling 1920s restaurant and tavern serving very good food. New, enthusiastic young owners poured $10 million into a major renovation in the early 2000s, but the real draw here is the friendly, knowledgeable staff, who can set up every imaginable type of adventure, from guided bike trips to fly-fishing lessons. Evergreen even offers a "custom-camping" experience - one to four guests get their own sprawling, mesh tent with comfy air-beds, linens, and a full slate of amenities (plus use of all resort facilities). It's the perfect way to gaze at the stars over Yosemite, even if you're a bit squeamish about encounters with nature.

Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA and as well as numerous other guidebook.