Metropolitan residents fortunate enough to live near natural wonders tend to cherish them, whether that’s the Catskills for New Yorkers or the Hill Country for Austinites. An argument could be made that the Ozarks are as impressive as those oft-hyped areas, but St. Louisans have had a complicated relationship with the wilderness at our southwest…
Escapes
Texas Swing: A Queer Travelers’ Guide to Austin, Texas
So you want to be queer and weird in Austin, Texas? The progressive blue bubble nestled on the eastern edge of Texas hill country has cultivated many reasons for queer travelers from all sides of the rainbow to visit. Much like our beloved river city, Austin is a vibrant intersection of roots and blues music,…
The Misfits Fit in Eureka Springs
Nestled in native limestone is a place some have called the largest open-air asylum in the South. Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is a town that is as much an enigma as its origins. The trees wear hand-crocheted sweaters by local fiber artist Gina Rose Gallina, and they line up brightly to welcome you. Years ago, a…
Need a Quick Break From St. Louis? Elsah Is Right Across the River
When I think “quick weekend getaway,” I often neglect everything across the Mississippi River. That’s a mistake, because for years it meant I overlooked the historic hamlet of Elsah, Illinois, on the Great River Road. A friend and I visited briefly in July. Within five minutes, I found myself plotting to come back for a…