Whether visiting for the first or the fifteenth time, Boston imbues visitors and residents alike with a patriotic spirit and a sense of American enchantment. It’s one of the few big cities where GLBTs are offered equal rights as first class citizens and live relatively hassle free from bigotry and bullshit. While the nerds hit the books and the heretics hit the “packies” (liquor stores), Boston’s more seasoned, post-pubescent residents revel in the city’s endless choices for kick-ass dining, adult-style binge drinking, and those “wicked pisser” nights. Below are the best places to party like a rock star in summer 2010 (before the 2am curfew quells your fun)!

28 Degrees - Named after the ideal temperature for martinis, 28 degrees is a sexy South End bar, trendy enough for the muscle hotties but not so pretentious that is scares away the lesbos. The true “gay night” of this bar and restaurant combo is Thursdays before going to Estate, but all other nights of the week the crowd is mixed and pleasant, with a VJ spinning pop favorites via ubiquitous TV screens. In spring and summer, prepare to claw another queen’s eyes out to get a seat on the front patio, an ideal spot for enjoying the super strong cocktails and talking shit about the people passing by. www.28degrees-boston.com

Club Cafe - Probably the most popular gay bar in Boston, Club Café has been packing the house since the mid1990s and shows no signs of stopping. Recently renovated in February 2010, Club Café is looking to for a sixth win as “Best of Boston Gay Bar.” The mediocre restaurant at the front of the complex boasts a cozy bar, popular seven nights a week. On the weekends, the Club part of Club Café opens up, with two expansive back rooms blasting pop music and bringing together Boston’s cutest nerds, seaside rough trade, and middle aged professionals. To avoid the new $5 cover and ridiculous lines on Fridays and Saturdays, simply get a membership card from their website. A must try on any visit to Boston.

dbar - Boston’s latest “Best of Boston” winner flaunts its coveted honor in full glory steadily crowded seven nights a week. In the heart of Boston’s new Dorchester gayborhood (in Fields Corner), dbar is cool without pretense and the most talked about gay bar in Boston. The food and drinks are equally awesome, offering an amazing wine selection and kick ass, yummy cocktails. Show Tunes Tuesdays cannot be missed and all self-respecting gay men should venture to Dot Ave on Friday or Saturday to be seen at dbar. www.dbarboston.com

Epic Saturdays at House of Blues - The live music venue transforms into a gay dance hall late Saturday nights, with a shirts off, high-energy throw down. Occupying the space of the former nightclub, Avalon, Epic Saturdays brings the gays back to Lansdowne Street. Reclaiming the Saturday night Buzz and Roxy crowd, the House of Blues is the best place to dance your ass off on Saturday night and meet a hot, sweaty guy in the process.

Glamlife Thursdays @ the Estate - The fabulous, double story Estate nightclub hosts Glamlife Thursdays, the favorite of Boston’s trendy crowd, fashionistas, and plentiful college students. The incredible sound system penetrates through your body and the young (sometimes virginal) crowd is eager to impress and to flirt. The cover charge can be avoided by arriving before 11 or getting a free entrance pass from the bar 28 degrees (most important for broke college boys so they don’t have to resort to porn to pay for their heretic ways). www.theestateboston.com

Guerrilla Queer Bar Movement - Following in the footsteps of other big cities, the Guerilla Queer Bar (GQB) movement arrives in Boston. Just days before the first Friday of each month, the movement’s leaders announce a straight venue (via their website) for a hostile homo take-over. The bar’s reaction is often as intriguing as the crowd itself. www.bostonguerrilla.com

Jacque's Cabaret - Once you get past the misplaced apostrophe, Jacque’s Cabaret is the ultimate in Boston drag entertainment. For decades, the cabaret bar has hosted Boston’s finest and most tragic ladies seven nights a week. Many come for nightly shows and performances, but it’s also possible just to hang out and have a drink with your favorite gender illusionists around the bar. Jacque’s is also popular with the straights, especially for bachelorette parties, and those young Bostonians having their first “I’m in a gay bar, I’m so cool” experience. Boston divas and showstoppers, Mizery and Kris Knievel, often host the evening at Jacque’s. There is admission fee 7 nights a week - $10 Friday & Saturday, $6 Sunday to Thursday.

Ramrod - Like most Ramrods, Boston’s outpost caters to the hardcore leather scene, looking for musky, hairy men in rawhide, and perhaps a hot pair of chaps. The once strictly enforced leather policy has been loosened a bit, leaving the hardcore Ramrodders disappointed while pleasing the leather “light” crowd. This is the kind of Police Academy Blue Oyster Bar, YMCA hangout that several college fraternities use as a hazing ground, pushing young freshmen to spend a night at the bar and have their picture taken with the bartender (another example the soft-core homoerotica of the whole frat hazing process, but I digress.) Overall, Ramrod still attempts to stay true to its core – no bullshit, real men looking for real men, and all the body fluids that come with a real man.

The Liberty Hotel and Nine Zero are two exceptionally gay friendly hotels, close to all the Boston action.
The full skinny on Boston bars and clubs and other major international cities can be found at www.out.com (look for Out City Guides) or downloading Out Iphone/Itouch “on the go” city guides for free at www.out.com/iphone or directly from your Iphone.