Columbus, Ohio has won the NewNowNext
Travel Award for gay travel destination of the year.
Ohio's most populous city and home of
The Ohio State University was
voted the best travel destination from six alternatives by
NewNowNext.com readers.
Columbus fended off Baku, Azerbaijan,
Cartagena, Colombia, Floriandopolis, Brazil, Istanbul, Turkey and St.
Petersburg, Russia to take home the coveted travel title.
In a Meet the Nominees item, NewNowNext
editors described Columbus as a thriving metropolis.
“Yes, Baku, Cartagena … Columbus.
But really! It's a major and thriving college town, a center to
big-time business like Abercrombie & Fitch, it's got a rollicking
bar scene, and a burgeoningly hipsteriffic arts and cultural
community. Seriously, it's delivering a lot of innovative and
welcoming perks that make for a killer weekend. Hello, Columbus!”
Indeed, Columbus is home to one of the
largest gay populations per capita. Gay shops, bars and lively
restaurants line both sides of High Street between downtown and The
Ohio State University – an area called The Short North. German
Village is of equal interest to the gay traveler. An estimated
100,000 revelers participate in the city's annual Gay Pride Parade
and Festival.