Fun and safety are two key components that LGBT people take into account when planning their vacations. Not only is a place interesting, fun, and exciting, but is it a place where you can travel and exist with few worries or fears? Nobody wants to worry about safety constantly while on their vacation, so we here at Tripmasters have taken the guesswork out of the equation and present to you, in no particular order, 17 particularly LGBT-friendly travel destinations (and some honorable mentions!) that are well-known in the LGBT community for their history, unique sights, and vibrant nightlife.
New York City — The modern-day LGBT rights movement started on a fateful night in June 1969 at The Stonewall Inn (pictured). The riots at Stonewall reverberated around the world, started movements in other countries, and eventually gave birth to the pride parade. The legendary Stonewall Inn, a bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, is still open today and is a National Historic Landmark. New York City has come a long way in terms of integration and acceptance, today boasting one of the largest LGB populations in the U.S. and the nation’s largest transgender community. More gay and LGBT-friendly bars are located in New York City than anywhere else in the country, and New York City’s Pride celebrations, held in June, are among the largest in the world. Many neighborhoods are known for their LGBT communities, including the aforementioned Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan, and Park Slope and Prospect Heights in Brooklyn. Click here to book your New York City getaway. If you’re visiting during the summer, a legendary vacation spot for gay men in particular is Fire Island, a barrier island off the southern coast of Long Island. Visit The Hamptons page for nearby accommodations.
San Francisco — San Francisco has been welcoming of LGBT people ever since the Gold Rush days when the population of the city was 95% male! By the end of World War I, the modern LGBT community that we know today began to put down roots in San Francisco, and even before Stonewall San Francisco was synonymous with LGBT people. Trailblazers like José Sarria and Harvey Milk helped make San Francisco a better place for all people, and especially their LGBT community. The community was first centered in The Castro neighborhood (Pictured: The rainbow crosswalk at 18th Street and The Castro), although today the community also lives in neighborhoods such as South of Market, The Mission, Bernal Heights, Haight-Ashbury, and Compton’s Transgender District in the Tenderloin, the only transgender district in the world. See our San Francisco page and find the vacation package that’s right for you.
West Hollywood — While West Hollywood wasn’t the first LGBT enclave in Los Angeles (that distinction falls to Silver Lake), it has become its largest and most vibrant, and ever since the 1970s and 1980s it has been a nationwide trendsetter when it comes to the rights of its LGBT citizens. Today, 40% of the population of West Hollywood identifies as LGBT, it was home to the first nationwide LGBT magazine, and it is one of the largest nightlife meccas for the LGBT community in the U.S., ranging from such staples as The Abbey and Micky’s to newer arrivals like TV star Lisa Vanderpump’s Pump Lounge. Los Angeles’s Pride Parade is held in West Hollywood each June, and it brings in nearly half a million revelers from all over the world. If you want a chic and fabulous West Hollywood getaway, pick a package from one of the wonderful ones listed on the Los Angeles page.
Provincetown — Provincetown, a beautiful locale situated at the tip of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, has welcomed LGBT visitors ever since the turn of the 20th century, when the town was well-known as an artists’ colony (Provincetown is still known for this artistic tradition today). Provincetown’s reputation as a gay resort town was cemented by the 1970s, and many hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, shops, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs opened to cater to the demographic that markedly alters the town’s population over the summer months. Now Provincetown is considered the leading LGBT resort town on the East Coast of the U.S., with over 200 businesses affiliated with their local LGBT business guild. Fun fact about Provincetown: The Mayflower landed here before landing at Plymouth Rock, and you can view pilgrim-related memorials in town and at the National Seashore. For more information on Provincetown, see our vacation packages here.
Toronto — Vibrant and buzzing with activity day and night, Toronto is not just the epicenter of Canadian life, it’s also the epicenter of the nation’s LGBT community, and ranks among the most LGBT-friendly cities in the world. For over 60 years the largest community in the country has been centered around the neighborhood of Church and Wellesley, situated between the University of Toronto and the Garden District. There are a large number of historic LGBT-owned bars and businesses located here, and Toronto’s massive Pride Parade and Festival has been held in Church and Wellesley every June since 1981. Other neighborhoods such as Cabbagetown, St. James Town, and Parkdale also have a large number of LGBT residents and should also be visited while you’re in town. Select your favorite Toronto vacation package and get ready to experience pride in the Great White North.
Mexico City — Mexico City’s LGBT community grew in the past 60 years from having to operate underground to boasting one of the largest LGBT enclaves in Latin America. In 1978, Mexico’s first-ever pride parade was held, and it was a watershed moment for LGBT rights in the region. Mexico City’s LGBT pride parade is held each June along the Paseo de la Reforma, which cuts through the 16-block LGBT enclave west of the historic center called the Zona Rosa. (Pictured: The parade end point at the Zócalo.) The Zona Rosa, a charming area with Victorian houses, is also home to dozens of restaurants and many gay bars and nightclubs. Amberes Street in the Zona Rosa is considered the “gayest street in Mexico” and many LGBT-friendly bars, nightclubs and businesses can be found there. Liverpool and Londres Streets are well-known for their shopping. Experience Latin America’s most LGBT-friendly city by taking a vacation in lovely Mexico City.
Buenos Aires — If Mexico is considered a leader in LGBT rights in Latin America, Argentina is not far behind, which is unsurprising coming from a country that founded Latin America’s first LGBT rights organization. Argentina is also noteworthy for being the first country in South America to make marriage equality the law nationwide. Buenos Aires’s pride celebrations are among the largest in the Western Hemisphere, and are held each November. Buenos Aires doesn’t have just one LGBT neighborhood, it has three: Barrio Norte, Palermo, and San Telmo are all home to LGBT residents, businesses, and LGBT-focused accommodations. Buenos Aires is also well-known for its nightlife, with bars and nightclubs (and even gay tango bars!) buzzing until the sun rises. To experience electrifying Buenos Aires, visit our page and select one of our vacation packages to get started.
Brighton — Brighton’s LGBT community has been noted in historic texts as far back as the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century, when many men were stationed in Brighton, on England’s southeastern coast, before going off to continental Europe. By the 1930s, the first gay and lesbian bars opened for business, and by the postwar, it became “the UK’s gay capital”. Today 15% of Brighton’s population identifies as LGBT, and it hosts one of the largest pride parades and festivals in Europe, with nearly 500,000 visitors converging on this beautiful seaside resort town each August. (Pictured: Pride Weekend near Brighton Pier.) Just a short walk from Brighton Beach and Pier is the Kemptown neighborhood and St. James’s Street, which is the epicenter of LGBT life in Brighton. If you want a relaxing yet very exciting LGBT vacation by the sea, visit our Brighton page and check out our vacation packages!
Manchester — Manchester is home to one of the most popular LGBT enclaves in Europe, the famed Canal Street in the city center (pictured) that runs along Rochdale Canal. Once a red-light district, today it is the nucleus of LGBT culture and nightlife in northern England. Originally a “hidden gem” with businesses tucked away only for those in the know, the opening of Manto bar in 1990 ushered in a new era of gay-owned businesses being “out and proud” on Canal Street, with other popular bars and nightclubs such as Cruz 101 opening soon afterward. Manchester Pride brings over 200,000 visitors to the city each August and top international musical acts and celebrities routinely make appearances. For more information on this delightful English gem and the vacation packages we offer there, visit our Manchester page.
Madrid — Spain has become one of the most accepting countries in the world when it comes to the rights of LGBT people, with nine out of ten Spanish people acknowledging being accepting of homosexuality in a recent nationwide poll. It was also one of the first countries to give equal rights in employment and other arenas to transgender people. Much of Spain’s progress on LGBT rights can be traced back to Madrid, the site of the first LGBT pride march in the country in 1979. Since that time the LGBT enclave has been located in Chueca (pictured), the area where Madrid Pride has been held every June since then. In Chueca (part of the Justicia neighborhood), many bookstores, shops, cafés, restaurants, bars and nightclubs cater to the city’s sizable community. To experience vibrant Madrid, visit our Madrid page and select one of our great vacation packages; you can’t go wrong!
Barcelona — There can only be one true rival with Madrid for the title of Spain’s most exciting LGBT-friendly city and that city is Barcelona. In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, Catalonia’s gay community flocked to the L’Eixample neighborhood of Barcelona, carving out their own five-block enclave to the south and west of the University of Barcelona called Gaixample (a portmanteau of “Gay” and “L’Eixample”). Carrer de la Diputació in particular is noted for its high concentration of gay and LGBT-friendly businesses, bars, restaurants, and accommodations. Home to Mediterranean Europe’s largest Pride, with over 200,000 participants each year, Barcelona’s massive event happens every June. You can’t get more joyous and…gay…than taking a vacation to Barcelona’s Gaixample; visit our Barcelona page for more information. While you’re in the area, be sure to take a 40-minute drive down the Mediterranean coast to Sitges, which is also well-known for its LGBT community and tourism. (Pictured: The banner “Ens en sortirem!” means “We shall overcome!” in Catalan)
Amsterdam — The Netherlands has long led the world in public perception of acceptance of all people, regardless of ethnicity, orientation, gender, or creed. While Amsterdam on the whole is very accepting of LGBT people, you will find the historic LGBT enclaves in the areas around Zeedijk and Warmoesstraat. Zeedijk is known for LGBT bars and businesses that cater to the overall community, while Warmoesstraat has a reputation as “the Leather Street”, where many fetish bars are located. The entire city of Amsterdam is one big party the first week in August, when over half a million visitors come to Amsterdam for a raucous street (and canal) party. Playing to its strengths, Amsterdam Pride organizers are proud of their floating parade, with hundreds of floats and participants sailing along the canals. Amsterdam‘s a great place to be proud and booking one of our vacation packages is a great way to experience it for yourself and feel the love.
Berlin — Before the rise of the Nazis, Berlin was one of the world’s first gay meccas, with the Schöneberg district comprising the heart of not just gay Germany, but also gay Europe. In the 1970s the gayborhood we know today blossomed again in Schöneberg, and in the 1980s opened the first museum in the world dedicated to gay history. Berlin Pride is one of the largest pride parades in the world, with nearly a million people each year participating in the march from Schöneberg to the Brandenburg Gate in Mitte (pictured). Befitting such a historically open city, Berlin’s LGBT enclaves have multiplied and are now also present in Prenzlauer Berg in Pankow district and Kreuzberg in Mitte. Berlin’s rich history has become inclusive of everyone, so take some time and visit our Berlin page and see our numerous vacation packages which include Germany’s beautiful capital.
Mykonos — It was Jackie Kennedy Onassis who helped popularize Mykonos with gay men in the 1970s, as many of her personal friends spread the word to their friends about the breathtaking Greek island where people live and let live. By the 1980s, Mykonos, one of Greece’s Cyclades Islands, became one of the top gay-friendly destinations in Europe. Today, Mykonos is a favorite not just for gay male travelers but for everyone on the LGBT spectrum, and it is noteworthy as one of the most safe travel destinations in Europe for transgender people. Super Paradise Beach was the original gay party beach, and still draws sizable crowds today, as does Elia Beach. Mykonos was a trendsetter in the Balkan region, and its open-door, open-arms policy helped Greece become an LGBT-accommodating travel destination in general. See for yourself why the LGBT community has loved Mykonos for over 50 years; visit our Mykonos Island page and book your vacation package today! (Pictured: Agios Ioannis Beach)
Tel Aviv — Tel Aviv might be one of the largest LGBT cities you’ll find in the world, with over a quarter of the city’s population identifying as LGBT. The first gay bar in Israel was opened here in the late 1960s, and since the late 1980s and early 1990s, Tel Aviv was held up as a shining beacon of inclusivity and diversity in the Middle East region, and that of course included the large LGBT community which was on a quest for equality. Today LGBT people are so widely accepted in Tel Aviv that there is no “LGBT enclave”; businesses tailored to the community can be found everywhere in the city, although there is a decent cluster of nightlife around Sderot Rothschild near the Great Synagogue. The city hosts Tel Aviv Pride every June with 250,000 people in attendance each year; it is the largest pride celebration in the Middle East. You just need to check out Tel Aviv for yourself; click here to view our vacation packages for Israel’s premier beachside resort.
Taipei — Taiwan has led the way on LGBT rights and issues for Asia, although the country’s evolution on these human rights issues happened a little later than in the West. Taipei Pride began in 2003, quickly becoming the largest pride parade in Asia after Tel Aviv. Once considered taboo topics in Taiwanese society, lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender men and women have now been welcomed into mainstream society, and in 2019 Taiwan became the first East Asian country to legalize marriage equality. Taipei’s LGBT community is centered around the Ximending district (pictured), which is also Taipei’s fashion district. It’s a popular shopping area during the day and at night it is abuzz with sounds of joy and music from the various LGBT-friendly (and straight) bars and nightclubs in the area. Look around the Red House for LGBT-owned businesses as there are many clustered there. Who doesn’t want to experience Pride in Asia? It’s just as easy as visiting our Taipei page and booking one of our exciting vacation packages.
Sydney — Australia’s LGBT community started fighting for its rights in the 1970s, and by the 1980s the place to be if you were LGBT in Sydney, or if you were a traveler there, was the famed Oxford Street (pictured), which connects the central business district to the suburbs of Paddington and Darlinghurst. Today quite a few LGBT-owned businesses, such as bookshops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and hotels are located on the stretch of Oxford Street between the M1 Motorway (Eastern Distributor) and Wentworth Avenue. Sydney’s famous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is held each February and is one of the largest LGBT pride parades and festivals in the world, and will host WorldPride in 2023! Celebrate your pride while down under by booking your own perfect Australian vacation; visit our Sydney page for more information.
Honorable Mentions — After having to cancel Pride celebrations throughout the world during the pandemic, more and more cities across the world are fast at work organizing their next in-person parade and festival. Some other cities around the world that are very friendly to LGBT visitors that also boast large Pride parades include São Paulo, Brazil (every June); Cologne, Germany (late August through early September); London, England (typically June and July, held in September in 2021); Chicago, Illinois (June, with Market Days in August); Rome, Italy (mid-June); Paris, France (late June); Houston, Texas (late June); Boston, Massachusetts (mid-June); and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (late August or early September). (Pictured: A couple holding hands in Sydney Harbour.)
For more inspiration on travel destinations from around the world, please visit the Tripmasters website and book your dream LGBT getaway today!
