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So much more diverse and multi-faceted these days, gay New York really has blossomed and become a world unto itself in recent years. We assume visitors would enjoy a range of offerings, so we offer a daytime walk as well as dining and nightlife possibilities. While we highlight three Manhattan neighborhoods, for specific weekly nightlife listings, you'll likely want to check HX.com or the free weekly magazines HX and Next found in gay neighborhoods and at bars.

A bit of background: in the two decades following the Stonewall riots, Greenwich Village and specifically Christopher Street were the hub of the gay community. You'll definitely want to see the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Christopher Street, where a small park commemorates the Stonewall riots of the 1960s. Nearby are a number of well-known establishments, the Duplex, the Hangar and Stonewall. But if you're awake during daylight hours, it's worth walking west all the way down Christopher Street. You'll pass well-known establishments such as the Leather Man emporium; the famous Lucille Lortel theatre; the PATH train station with interesting 1930s WPA mural; the Spy Shop; and of course innumerable sex shops as you head to the new park on the Hudson River to sample the eclectic diversity.

In years past, the piers on the Hudson meant cruising and illicit activity; now with outdoor mini-cafés, chairs, tables and grass seating, the piers come alive in summertime. You'll see everyone here: black teenage lesbians from the Bronx; gay boys from New Jersey; Greenwich Village residents reading newspapers and Chelsea boys in their Speedos; older couples strolling with their dogs; and even straight people absorbing the atmosphere and energy. There's even a Water Taxi that can take you to other parts of the city.

After enjoying the waterfront park, you'll head up to Chelsea, where low-rent apartment buildings and a diverse, funky character began to attract gay crowds in the early to mid 1980s. While the neighborhood is now in full flower (and some of Chelsea's original residents have moved further north to Hell's Kitchen due to skyrocketing rents), you'll find the buzzing, vibrant energy to be much different than what you experienced in the Christopher Street area, in particular the stereotypical Chelsea boys, those buff muscled types.

If you've got the energy, make your way north to Chelsea along the Hudson River, or simply take a taxi to your next stop, 10th Avenue between West 15th and 16th Streets, where you will enter the Chelsea Market. Note the elevated railway above: that's going to become America's first overhead park in a few years! Called the High Line, this former railroad bridge connected various businesses back in the day when much freight was shipped in and out by rail. Although there's nothing especially gay here, you've now entered Chelsea proper, and inside this block-long Market have a peek at the gourmet food stores, bakeries and wine store, which do appeal to a certain sort of sensibility! Chef Emeril now films his food show here, and you'll know by the crowds if a taping is going on. After walking through the market to Ninth Avenue, you'll head left and up a block to the new Maritime Hotel, which has dazzling nightlife opportunities in the late evenings, as well as eclectic restaurants to fuel you.

Heading down West 16th Street towards Eighth Avenue (also known as 'Mecca'), you'll pass XL bar, which features rather extraordinary postmodern decor. On Eighth Avenue proper, begin your walk north, noting all the restaurants, stores and bars. In particular, Food Bar stands out as one of Eighth Avenue's original establishments, augmented recently by Diner 24 and designer Karim Rashid's own Nooch, featuring all sorts of noodle dishes and Rashid's bold (dare we say overdesigned?) furnishings. Continue north, noting landmark Viceroy Restaurant, the Joyce Dance Theater, Helen's Cabaret, as well as a host of new sex stores after you pass West 20th Street.

You'll find one of Chelsea's wildest and oldest bars, the Rawhide, right on Eighth Avenue, as well as other neighborhood favorites on the side streets: G, Barracuda, and XES bar a bit further east. Newer restaurants have sprung up, and Ninth and Tenth Avenues feature some great dining choices. Explore the area, and do walk past the famous Chelsea Hotel on 23rd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. In fact, have a closer look at all the plaques out front as well as the clever lobby.

Finally, if you're not exhausted by now, walk or take a taxi up Eighth Avenue to the mid-West 40s, where you'll be overwhelmed by all the new restaurants and bars on Eighth and Ninth Avenues. In fact, it's amazing that you'll find Ethiopian, Indonesian, Thai, American and pizza so near each other! Although the gay bars here previously catered mostly to the theatre crowd (given Broadway's proximity), Barrage, Posh, Vlada and Therapy attract a diverse and young crowd.

You might also explore gay life in the East Village, in particular the innumerable boutiques, the hip restaurants, and trendy bars. There are so many choices, and you'll find a whole different crowd on this side of Manhattan. If you happen to be visiting on August 27 this year, go to Tompkins Square Park between Avenues A and B for the unforgettable experience of Wigstock, a drag extravaganza which is part of the Howl festival. Admission is free!