Effex Nightclub, the most popular of Albuquerque's gay nightspots

Albuquerque's first genuine "big city" gay nightclub, Effex Nightclub (100 5th St. N.W.) is a spacious, two-level spot just off downtown's main drag, Central Avenue. It comprises a large ground-floor dance floor with bars, a big stage, and a state-of-the-art sound system. Head upstairs and you'll find a similarly huge roofdeck bar that's ideal for chatting (and gazing up at those New Mexico twinkling stars). The owners have further plans to create a VIP lounge and add plenty of other great new features, and already, the crowds (both men and women) have been flocking here. The club is right behind Schlotzsky's Deli and just across Central from another cool spot nearby, the gay-friendly cafe and bar Blackbird Buvette.