Oh Bar, Albany, New York

Among the handful of gay bars in New York's capital city, Albany, cheerful Oh Bar (304 Lark St., 508-463-9004) is one of the friendliest and arguably the most popular. It's along Lark Street, in close proximity to most of the city's other gay hangouts as well as some very good restaurants. And the amenities include a pool table and dartboard, and a lovely patio that's open year-round (although the "lovely" part applies mostly to the warmer months). The crowd is a catch-all of characters - a mix of women and men of all ages.