A Small Town Pride in Guerneville, CA

One Gay -->

We decided to celebrate my completing 3 of my 6 months chemotherapy regiment by taking a short, local 3-day vacation. This was going to be the first getaway since I started my chemo cycle. We had to cancel previously planned vacations to NYC and a month long summer hiking trip to England and Wales.

With a little research of local vacation spots, my husband discovered that Guerneville, up on the Russian River, north of San Francisco was hosting Sonoma County Pride (May 30-June1).  We booked a room at the R3 Hotel, a gay and lesbian hotel just off the main drag in Guerneville. This fun resort has simple, clean rooms around a pool, sundeck, garden and bar. It also has a nice onsite restaurant for dinner (5pm-9pm).

Tom Orr

We had Friday night dinner at the restaurant and then went next door to Buck’s River Mill Dinner Theater to see Tom Orr’s first show in Guerneville since moving there the first of the year. Tom Orr is an incredibility talented actor and cabaret performer.  He is probably best known for his award winning show “Dirty Little Showtunes,” a Bay Area Critics Circle Award multi-winner. That night he presented “Best Little Orr House in Guerneville!” It was hilarious.

Tora Hymen

The weather the whole weekend was gorgeous, sunny and in the high 70s- low 80s. We spent all day Saturday sitting on the sun deck around the pool. A DJ played while we read and enjoyed the view of all the sexy men around and in the pool. That night we were back to Buck’s to see a local drag show featuring Tora Hymen and her Backwoods Barbies. The headliner was Pandora Boxx from RuPaul’s Drag Race. The local drag queens were fantastic while Pandora Boxx must have had a bad night because she really bombed. Her performance was a big disappointment and second rate compared to the local queens.

Pandora Boxx

Sunday morning found us at the local MCC pancake breakfast fundraiser at the Odd Fellows Hall. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee, juice and cut fruit. From there we scouted out a viewing location along the 3-block parade route through downtown Guerneville. The 45-minute parade was fabulously gay: Rainbow floats, bedazzled drag queens, dykes on bikes, speedo bois, a marching band and a DJ lead street dance at the end. Later that afternoon found us back at the pool at the R3 Hotel enjoying the sights and listening to the music.

Street dance party after the pride parade.

A few more shots of charming Guerneville.

Bucks River Mill Dinner Theatre, across from R3 Hotel

Flying the Pride flag

Quaint downtown Guerneville

Guys around the R3 Hotel pool

Canoes at Johnson's Beach in Guerneville