Updated: 11/24/20 | November 24th, 2020
I’ve added an LGBTQ column to the web site to make it a lot more inclusive and talk about issues that affect some members of our community. In this column, we hear from voices in the LGBTQ community about their experiences on the road, safety tips, events, and overall recommendations for other LGBTQ travelers. Returning this month is our column leader, Adam from travelsofadam.com.
The terrific thing about travel today is that a lot more of the world is easily accessible and open — no matter your sexuality or gender identity. While there have been ups and downs in the political movement for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) equality, major cities still supply the safest and friendliest spots for members of these communities.
I’ve been traveling around the world considering that 2009 and have checked out some of the world’s a lot of popular LGBTQ-friendly destinations along the way. I’ve marched and danced in Gay pride parades from Sydney to Stockholm and been to a lot more queer music festivals than I ever even thought of existed. and as the Orlando Pulse shooting reminded us, clubs are still crucial places to find culture and community.
Many cities really strut their LGBTQ history and queer identity. using some of my favorite LGBTQ travel resources, I’ve compiled this list of 12 terrific gay-friendly destinations. There are, of course, lots of a lot more such hot spots around the world, but these are my favorites because of their history of activism, the number of diverse LGBTQ events they host, and the fact that they’re just really amazing cities.
If you’re a gay, lesbian, bi, trans, or queer traveler trying to find a city that has it all, check out one of these:
1. new York City
New York City is one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the world — and there’s no denying it’s a special place for queer people. It’s the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement, which began in 1969 when the Stonewall Inn was (again) raided by police, and the crowd inside and out rebelled and rioted. located in the West village (part of Greenwich Village), the Stonewall still operates as a bar and club today and was recognized as a national historic landmark, with a plaque and statue honoring its history.
Greenwich village is home to many other LGBTQ venues. While it’s easy and satisfying enough to wander the area on your own, there are several guided excursions that mingle the history and present, including the long-running and popular Oscar Wilde Tours.
Besides the Stonewall, other village gay clubs and hangouts are Julius’ Bar (serving low-cost but tasty bar food), the site of Mattachine society events in the past and present; and Pieces, known for its legendary drag performances.
There are also LGBTQ scenes scattered around the city, with lots of bars located in Hell’s kitchen (near Broadway), Chelsea, and the east Village, as well as other boroughs, including in Astoria (Queens) and Williamsburg (Brooklyn).
Organizations that frequently host LGBTQ special events include the gender-neutral clothing store and event space The Phluid Project, the Leslie Lohman museum of Art, and the city’s LGBTQ community Center. look for LGBTQ events, news, and special things to see and do in the city’s gay newspaper, Metrosource.
When to visit: June is national pride Month in the United States, and nyc hosts the nation’s largest pride event, always during the last weekend of June. Millions of visitors flock to the city for a parade that weaves through Manhattan (always passing by the famous Stonewall Inn) and ends with an outdoor music festival on one of the city piers. Halloween is also an equally queer-friendly time to check out new York City, because there’s a enormous Halloween parade that marches through Greenwich Village. For motion picture lovers, the NewFest queer film festival takes place in October.
2. Berlin
Germany’s capital has a special place in gay history. In the 1920s Weimar era, it was one of Europe’s a lot of liberal cities — home to gaudy cabaret and the site of one of the first gay villages. Today, Berlin’s free-spirited attitude has propelled it to the top of lots of “best of” lists thanks to 24-hour nightlife, a burgeoning art and food scene, and a diverse, international population.
Historically, the gay center of Berlin was around Nollendorfplatz in Schöneberg, an area still popular for its fetish clubs and leather bars, not to mention the legendary Folsom Europe street party each September and a gay history museum. but in today’s Berlin, the new hot spots are found throughout the Kreuzberg and Neukölln neighborhoods, in indie bars and clubs such as SchwuZ, SilverFuture, or Tristeza — all popular spots for drag shows.
Berlin’s legendary nightlife shines through queer parties that are increasingly not just for LGBTQ people — everything from the techno-fueled weekends at Berghain to KitKat Club’S açık ve kabul fetiş atmosferi.
Ne zaman ziyaret edilir: Yaz boyunca Berlin’e göz atın, şehrin birçok festival, açık hava partisi ve queer etkinlikleri ile canlandığı. Yıllık Christopher Street Günü Geçit Töreni (Gay Pride) her Temmuz ayında yüz binlerce yerli ve turist tarafından kutlanıyor.
3. Manchester
Londra hala İngiltere’nin LGBTQ sahnesinde önemli bir yer tutarken, Manchester ülkedeki en büyük ve en iyi queer etkinliğine ev sahipliği yapıyor. Bir zamanlar ünlü eşcinsel kahraman Alan Turing’e ev sahipliği yapan Manchester, 1990’ların TV dizisi Queer sayesinde şehrin eşcinsel mahallesi Canal Street’te ve çevresinde yer alan uluslararası olarak popüler oldu.
Bugün, Canal Street hala barlar, kulüpler ve diğer eşcinsellere ait hizmetlerle doludur-güzel ve gösterişli Richmond çay odalarından G-A-Y gibi popüler gece kulüplerine ve Manchester aracılığıyla. Şehrin kuzey çeyreği, moda barları, yeraltı kaya kulüpleri ve küçük indie sanat galerileri ile, twinky, tank doldurulmuş kanal caddesinden biraz da çıkarılan queer dostu bir sıcak nokta haline geldi.
Ne Zaman Ziyaret Edilir: Manchester Pride Her Eylül İngiltere’nin en büyük, ancak Temmuz ayında trans odaklı Sparkle Festivali ve her Şubat ayında queer İletişim Sanatları ve Tiyatro Festivali gibi diğer queer etkinlikleri.
4. Dallas
Belki de Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nde düşündüğünüz ilk LGBTQ dostu yer değil, ancak Dallas, Teksas, son on yılda sıcak bir yer haline geldi. Oak Lawn mahallesi, Cedar Springs Yolu’nda ve yakındaki Piskopos Sanatlar Bölgesi’nde çok sayıda eşcinsel bar ve LGBTQ’ya ait hizmetler ile queer kültürünün merkez üssüdür.
İstasyon 4 ve The Round-Up Saloon gibi efsanevi gece hayatı mekanları, sürükleme şovları, kare dans ve diğer özel etkinliklerle her hafta sonu büyük kalabalıklar çekiyor. Ve biraz daha sıra dışı seyahat maceraları bulmaya çalışanlar için, yakındaki Wildcatter Ranch eşcinsel dostu bir kovboy tesisidir.
Fort Worth şehri (trafikte gerçekten şanslı olursanız Dallas’tan sadece 35 dakikalık bir arabayla), Dallas’ta bulacağınız farklı “gayborhood” olmadan bir avuç LGBTQ bar ve mekana da ev sahipliği yapıyor.
Ne zaman ziyaret edilir: Dallas Pride her Eylül’de gerçekleşir, ancak Oak Lawn mahallesi de canlandırılır, renk ve kostümlerle dolu, yıllık Oak Lawn Cadılar Bayramı Blok Partisi için her Cadılar Bayramı.
5. Los Angeles
Görünüşte sınırsız sıcak havası, güneş ışığı ve iyice bakımlı nüfusu ile Los Angeles, uzun zamandır Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nin eşcinsel dostu şehirlerinden biri olmuştur. Öyle ki, 1969’da şehirde, dünyadaki diğer organizasyonlardan çok daha fazla tuhaf insana hizmet veren bir LGBT merkezi var. Ayrıca, tarihi eserleri, yayınları ve tanıklıkları koruyarak LGBTQ geçmişini kaydetmekle görevli One Archives Foundation’ı da bulacaksınız.
Sonra West Hollywood’un eşcinsel kulüpleri ve barlar gibi kalabalık favoriler The Abbey ve Rocco’lar gibi gece hayatı var. “Weho” nun “eşcinsel gettosunun” yanı sıra, Silver Lake de popüler bir sıcak nokta. Orada, ABD’de ilk belgelenmiş LGBTQ sivil haklar gösterisinin ve şimdi popüler bir brunch mekânının sitesini bulacaksınız. Silver Lake’deki gece hayatı için Akbar, küçük dans partileriyle sakallı hipster kalabalığını çiziyor.
Ne Zaman Ziyaret Edilir: LA Pride Müzik Festivali ve Geçit Töreni her Haziran ayında yüz binlerce seyirciyle Batı Hollywood’da gerçekleşir. Ancak yaz zamanı çok sıcaksa, yılın en büyük eşcinsel partisi, Santa Monica Bulvarı’ndaki bir sokak partisi olan ücretsiz Cadılar Bayramı Karnavalı.
6. Tel Aviv
Orta Doğu’nun çok canlı ve misafirperver şehirlerinden biri olan Tel Aviv, özellikle yaz aylarında popüler bir LGBTQ seyahat hedefine dönüştü. Tel Aviv Pride, Avrupalılar ve Amerikalılar için popülerdir, her Haziran ayında yüz binlerce ziyaretçiyi plaj partileri, sokak fuarları ve ünlü katılımcılarla kapsayıcı bir geçit töreni ile çeker. Meir Park’ta bulunan Tel Aviv Belediye LGBTQ Merkezi, yerliler için küçük topluluk etkinliklerine ev sahipliği yapıyor (bazen uluslararası dillerde de).
Hilton Beach, erkeklerin (ve bazen kadınların) günlerini plaj voleybolu veya yerel favori spor maktotu (tenis veya ping pong’un plaj versiyonu) oynayarak geçiren şehrin birincil eşcinsel plajıdır. Yakındaki Frishman Plajı ve tüm sahil kenarındaki restoranlar, barlar ve kafeler çok misafirperver.
Tel Aviv’in en büyük tatilcinin cazibesi olan Carmel Pazarı’ndan (Shuk Hacarmel) hemen aşağıya doğru popüler LGBTQ Bar ve Café Shpagat. Gündüz bir kafe ve küçük restoran olarak faaliyet gösteren, geceleri tarihler veya ara sıra dans (genellikle önden kaldırıma dökülme) için müthiş canlı bir çubuğa dönüşür. Diğer bar ve gece hayatı mekanları arasında Lima Lima Bar (harika bir açık alanla), hipster Kuli Alma Sanat ve Kulüp Alanı ve Uganda Bar (Kudüs’te bulunuyor).
Ne Zaman Ziyaret Yapılır: Parti plajları ile mükemmel mutfak SCEne, and rich history, Tel Aviv is one of the hottest cities in the middle East, and as a result it’s often a summer destination. Tel Aviv pride takes place in mid-June annually and is without question the gayest time of year to visit, but the city’s lots of other attractions, temperate climate, and occasional LGBTQ events make it worthwhile checking out in the spring and autumn as well. be mindful of the Jewish high holidays (in September) and spring holidays, which affect opening hours and access to transportation.
7. Buenos Aires
Argentina was the first South American country to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption rights, putting the country at the forefront of LGBTQ equality considering that 2010. The capital Buenos Aires has benefited, with a large and lively queer culture.
The areas of Recoleta, Palermo, and San Telmo are where you’ll find the largest concentration of gay bars and nightlife. Palermo, with trendy bars, cafés, shops, and restaurants in its Soho district, uses a lot of amazing things to see and do — from the Latin pop and drag at Jolie Club (Fiesta Jolie) every Wednesday to the video bar Peuteo Palermo in Soho.
The gay community in Buenos Aires is relatively out and open, but the culture is a lot more suppressed than other over-the-top gay destinations. but you’ll still find LGBTQ life fairly well integrated in society, with lots of tango bars and clubs even using queer tango lessons and dance nights.
When to visit: Buenos Aires pride takes place in November, at the beginning of the southern hemisphere’s summer season.
8. Bangkok
A longtime favorite for LGBTQ tourists, Bangkok has a lot to offer, making it one of Asia’s a lot of popular gay destinations. The fun and friendly gay scene is centered around the Silom neighborhood, specifically the streets known as Soi 2 and Soi 4.
Bangkok’s best gay nightlife is at DJ station every weekend, specifically the midnight drag shows each Friday. Telephone Pub on Soi 4 serves as an early evening hangout with drag shows and pub food, while G.O.D. (Guys on Display) draws the after-hour crowds when all the other gay bars close down for the night (so it’s best after 2 a.m.). Also, look out for gay events at Bangkok’s luxury hotels such as the Sofitel So, which runs regular gay parties on its rooftop bar and pool lounge.
While Thailand hasn’t recognized lots of LGBTQ rights, lots of tourists will find the city surprisingly open-minded. (In summer 2020, though, a bill was introduced to legalize same-sex marriage.) and while you’ll find some seedy sex clubs throughout the city, Bangkok’s legendary shopping and culinary scenes make it equally interesting for travelers with a lot more discerning tastes.
When to visit: one of the greatest and best events in Bangkok is the annual Songkran water festival in April, with the largest circuit party, called gCircuit, in Silom — with all the trappings of every other international circuit party (think: hunky shirtless people and lots of electronic music raging day and night).
9. Stockholm
Famous for cold winters, sunny summers, and trendsetting Swedes all year long, Stockholm has an eclectic mix of art, fashion, culture, and design — and one of Scandinavia’s best queer scenes. Sweden is also one of the most progressive countries in the world when it pertains to queer and women’s rights.
The gay scene is spread throughout the city. From the relaxing Chokladkoppen café (with rainbow flags out front) to the kitschy ABBA Museum, there’s something for everyone. open only during the summer months, the Mälarpaviljongen restaurant (located on a set of floating docks) hosts a number of LGBTQ events, fundraisers, and parties.
When to visit: Stockholm pride each August is the greatest gay event of the year, with big music acts, parties, and public seminars on everything from fetish training to human rights.
10. Madrid
Spain has a long history as an accepting country and is typically considered one of the most gay-friendly in the world. much of Spanish literature, film, and culture includes references to queer life d