"When you see people coming to town, there are a lot of LGBT people, but also families and young, hip people from the San Francisco Bay Area,"  "They want to find somewhere that's just a little bit on the edgy side, and Guerneville still has a little bit of that edginess."

You don’t have to live in San Francisco very long before you learn about Guerneville’s glory as an LGBT destination. Soon after I moved here in 2010, everyone I met gushed with fondness over the Russian River town.

Rainbow flags will fly high in the streets of Guerneville next week in preparation for LGBT pride festivities that begin Friday and run through the weekend, continuing an intermittent two-decade tradition in Sonoma County thanks to some late-season scrambling.

The centerpiece of the three-day celebration is a Sunday, June 1, morning pride parade down Guerneville's Main Street that almost didn't happen when previous sponsors weren't able to fund and coordinate the event this year.

But members of an ad hoc group that jumped in to rescue the parade and celebration with seven weeks notice said they couldn't let pride season go by without local recognition of the gains and the challenges still facing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community that is so strongly represented in Sonoma County.

In a world of wineries and natural beauty, Napa’s neighbor balances upscale and down-home vibes.

Along the western leg of the Russian River, gay-friendly Guerneville and Monte Rio could pass for mid-20th-century towns, complete with five-and-dimes. They’re packed with small houses that generally are occupied in the festival-happy summers and available for rent in the winter, a fabulous salve for anyone who gets cabin fever (and for those of us who love the cabin experience without the hassle of owning one).

Several years back, we rented a house with a tree growing up the middle of it and a hot tub in the front yard that once had been part of a Jesuit enclave. I can’t imagine that it gets any more California than that.

Upon departing, sated beyond words, we drove past a block-wide, overhanging sign that appeared to date to WPA days. It reads: “Monte Rio awaits your return.”

Not as much as we do

Highlights of the weekend include welcoming receptions and specials at local merchants and restaurants beginning Friday night, a pink Saturday disco dance party, and a full day of celebration on Sunday with the parade down Main Street and the Pride Village that will be located on the town plaza.

Situated along the Russian River, you almost feel time slow down as Monte Rio appears in the midst of towering redwood trees.

Given its proximity to Guerneville, which is sort of the nucleus of gay life in Sonoma County, the fact that Monte Rio is about as gay-friendly a town as you will ever find is almost a given.

My first-ever visit to Guerneville was with a friend old enough to remember the town in what some might call it's "gay heyday" during the ’70s — a time when San Francisco was the gay Mecca and Guerneville was the gay escape from gay Mecca

If you are thinking about a trip to the "River" and you want to know what it will be like... read this excellent article.  It really captures the flavor of the place.

With new floors and seating, when the extraordinary lights are in use (like during a recent concert) and the top-of-the-line sound system is cranking, "fabusous" is too tame a word.

Long a popular gay vacation spot, the Russian River town of Guerneville is now drawing LGBT retirees. Watch out Palm Springs!

Three Gay Days: Russian River

"The River," as San Franciscans call it, is a more rustic summer retreat than other more popular gay-resort destinations. The emphasis at the Russian River is on the great outdoors, with river beaches and towering redwoods as the primary attraction. But the area is close to the heart of California's urbane and stylish wine country, which increases its appeal for those who are less at ease with nature.

It’s Holiday Season at the Russian River. The river towns of Guerneville, Monte Rio and Duncan’s Mills are decorated, the redwoods look fabulous, and the fun is just beginning. Small town Christmas and New Year celebrations are about to take off and the River wants to invite everyone to attend.

Stress-free getaways before the holiday rush
Refresh yourself in the shade of the colossal California redwoods of the Russian River. This rustic retreat inspires repeat visits from nearby San Franciscans who soak up its country charm and re-energize at the many area spas. Simply slow down, relax and let "The River" take you away.