Gay Ogunquit: Beach town bliss

If Maine had an official gay neighborhood, it would be Ogunquit. Known internationally as a gay resort town, Ogunquit does its best to match up to nearby P'town. Unlike the latter, Ogunquit is far less tucked away but rather smack on busy Route One. That's the downside. The upside is that it's much closer to Boston, Portland, Albany, Worcester than its counterpart – and much less expensive. The town also has just enough bars and restaurants to keep visitors happy after they spend the day at the famed Ogunquit Beach.

At only four square miles, it is one of the most walkable cities in the US. Ogunquit is made up of two areas -- the Village, where most of the gay bars are, and Perkins Cove, a quaint little New England area with shops and restaurants. The high season in Ogunquit is from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the town can get crowded so make your reservations early. If coming on the off-season, make sure to call ahead as many places have different hours, prices, or may be closed depending on the time of year. There are plenty of beautiful places to stroll, and a trolley runs through town to make getting around even easier. There is three miles of beach, and you will find the gay section by heading about 200 yards north on the beach. The locals here are super friendly and helpful, and even the cops are known to be gay-friendly.