Why go?
The largest lesbian and gay holiday resort in the USA is surprisingly a whaling village at the tip of Cape Cod. Provincetown is definitely the place to be for gays and lesbians wanting a bit of sun, sea, sand and whale watching! This historically bohemian town has one of the oldest continuous arts communities in the USA. Eugene O`Neill and Tennessee Williams both wrote while in the town. John Waters was a bookstore clerk while Divine sold kitchenware on the other side of town. Since the establishment of the Cape Code School of Art in 1899, Provincetown has also been a haven for visual arts. Jackson Pollock is amongst the innumerable artists that painted the town red and lots of other colours besides. On Friday evenings there is a gallery hop, where artists and galleries open their doors to meet and greet the public. So if painting floats your boat then float that boat to Provincetown!

When`s the best time to go?
The Autumn, Spring and Winter are definitely for romantic trysts. The streets are quiet, the evenings are foggy and the mood is mellow. A visit in September also allows you to take in the splendid sight of the famous New England Autumnal foliage. Summer can expect temperatures around 25 - 30o C if you`re fortunate. Throughout the entire year there are organised events almost every weekend ranging from poetry festivals to leather weekends to the must see whale watching down on MacMillan Wharf. Lesbian and Gay Pride is in June, with an additional carnival in August and in October. Be warned that the weather is unpredictable, so make sure you pack T-shirts and wellies. At it`s best you can expect warm days and cooler nights (unless you want hot nights but that`s another story....).

Is it worth getting out of bed before sunset?
The summer in Provincetown is for the beach lovers. Head for Herring Cove and turn left. For the women, you can take your top off (if you have adequate sun screen) but be warned if you see a cop, cover up because they`ll give you a ticket for flashing your jewels! Another piece of sage advice is to leave your socks on if you are want to get frisky in the sand dunes because that sand gets white hot. After the beach, you can go to a tea dance, do some shopping (most shops are open till 11pm during the summer), do some people watching on busy Commercial Street while sipping coffee at one of the pavement cafes, or save your energy to go strut your stuff at one of the bars.

What about the night life & restaurants?
For dining out head on down to Commercial Street, known for its Galleries, Portuguese bakeries and restaurants catering to a wide variety of tastes. A few places worth a visit are The Chatham Squire, a classic lower Cape establishment, with an atmosphere unchanged for the last 20 years, a pool table in the off-season, a non-stop jukebox, and great food. The Reef Cafe for light acoustic entertainment, or The Governor Bradford, a great atmosphere with pool tables, backgammon, and lots of local colour. Once the bars close, if you have any strength left, you can catch a slice of pizza and a milkshake at Spiritus, then cruise the streets which don`t empty until about 4am.

Can I spend, spend, spend??
For the best shopping facilities it`s best to ease on down Cape Cod to some of the adjoining towns such as Wellfleet, Eastham or Barnstable. From the traditionally tasteful to the wildly offbeat, Cape Cod`s merchants and craftspeople have something for everyone. Enjoy!

Can I get a cheap deal?
Finding somewhere to stay is not an issue in Provincetown as the town boasts the largest gay-owned guest house community in the world. Getting there is easy too, you can use Cape Air to get there in 20 minutes from Boston`s Logan Airport. Or alternatively use the ferry from Boston (foot passengers only), the bus from New York, Boston or Providence, or travel by car - although parking is difficult once you reach the town. Driving takes 2 hours from Boston or Providence and 6 hours from New York. Once in Provincetown the easiest way to get around is by bicycle, which is a perfect excuse to frighten people with your spandex cycle shorts!

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