Richmond and Charlottesville
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Richmond's vintage riverfront areas, the warehouse district of Shockoe Slip and the neighboring commercial sector of Shockoe Bottom, have been brought dramatically back to life in recent years after floods and disuse blighted these parts of town during much of the previous century. Now you'll find nightclubs, galleries, and restaurants - plus a provocative arts scene. For dinner, try River City Diner, which serves retro contemporary American cuisine, or Pomegranate Euro Bistro, where you can sup on grilled lamb chops over porcini-mushroom risotto, or pan-seared halibut with a broth of littleneck clams and fava beans.

Many gays and lesbians have had a hand in revitalizing the historic Church Hill area, just east of Shockoe Bottom, which abounds with stately Greek Revival, Victorian, and Federal homes. One off-the-beaten-path excursion worth the effort is a visit to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens at Bloemendaal, a few miles northwest of town. Here the estate once owned by Patrick Henry and developed by Ginter, the founder of the American Tobacco Company, now contains the largest public perennial gardens on the East Coast.

Richmond has a well-rounded and friendly nightlife scene. Godfrey's is a lively downtown spot for dancing, with 18-and-over nights and an entertaining drag brunch on Sunday afternoons - it draws the biggest crowds on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Club Colors ranks among the most popular (predominantly) African-American gay nightclubs on the East Coast.

In Carytown, friendly and attractive Barcode draws a mostly male, preppy crowd to watch camp classics and music videos on the TV monitors, sip cocktails on the patio, and shoot pool. Lesbians and more than a few guys (it's more male-oriented on Thursdays) frequent Babe's, a righteously raucous bar and restaurant with a large dance area and some great live-music shows - there's also a volleyball court out back.

Later on weekend evenings, many revelers end up at Fielden's, a BYOB after-hours club (open till 6 a.m.) on the edge of the Fan - it's members only, but visitors are welcome if they pay the $12 membership fee. Z2 is another well-known Carytown option, which has a great reputation for fun cabaret and drag shows.

As for accommodations, if you can swing it financially, stay at the famous Jefferson Hotel, an exceptionally striking turreted building - an amalgam of exotic styles - that dates to 1895 and is a hallmark of Southern grace and gentility. If nothing else, admire the swanky lobby with its 70-foot stained-glass rotunda and grand staircase, or dine in the hotel's chichi Lemaire Restaurant. A bit less expensive, the modern mid-rise Omni Richmond sits in the center of downtown, close to the bars and restaurants of Shockoe Bottom. More intimate is the sumptuous Grace Manor Inn, a gorgeous, gay-friendly property in the Fan containing three opulent suites with large bathrooms and well-chosen antiques. A hearty, multi-course breakfast is included in the rates.
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