No. 1 San Francisco
The first iconic rainbow flag was raised here in 1978, and the Castro District has remained, for many, the epicenter of American gay culture.
You can learn more about the movement at the GLBT History Museum, or have some history with your happy hourat the Twin Peaks Tavern, the first “out” gay bar.
Or, just enjoy the fabulous weekly brunch-and-show, “Sunday’s a Drag,” at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel.
No surprise, the city also ranked near the top for its fabulous sense of style.
No. 4 Santa Fe, NM
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The first iconic rainbow flag was raised here in 1978, and the Castro District has remained, for many, the epicenter of American gay culture.
You can learn more about the movement at the GLBT History Museum, or have some history with your happy hourat the Twin Peaks Tavern, the first “out” gay bar. Or, just enjoy the fabulous weekly brunch-and-show, “Sunday’s a Drag,” at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel.
No surprise, the city also ranked near the top for its fabulous sense of style.
No. 2 New Orleans
The arts community, as well as that laissez le bon temps rouler mind-set, has long created a happily unconventional environment in the Crescent City; a calendar that emphasizes festivals, parades, and flamboyant costumes sure doesn’t hurt. While many cities hold their pride weekends in June, New Orleans’ annual Southern Decadence festival (sometimes dubbed “the gay Mardi Gras”) arrives on Labor Day weekend. While the French Quarter and the Marigny may have the most gay bars, the city ranked first in the survey for live music, people-watching, and an overall sense of pride.
No. 3 Minneapolis/St. Paul
The Twin Cities—deemed the cleanest and brainiestmetro area in the reader survey—was early to pass nondiscrimination ordinances, has been called the “gayest city in America” by the Advocate, and has long embraced a casual, hipster vibe. Check out the North Loop neighborhood, which offers dapper shops such as Martin Patrick 3, as well as laid-back bars that appeal to these athletic, outdoorsy locals. Case in point: the Eagle Bolt Bar, a hot spot during the recent Gay Softball World Series.
This southwestern town has a long history as an artists’ colony—attracting the likes of Georgia O’Keeffe, whose work has its own museum here. Today Santa Fe also counts the fifth most same-sex-couple households, according to Census data. Voters loved the city’s rich textures: it won in the categories for cultural getaways and funky little boutiques, and ranked No. 2 for its cool flea markets.
No. 5 New York City
Readers crowned the Big Apple the king of diversity—so much so that the vibrant LGBT community may not be the first thing visitors notice. While the West Village (site of the Stonewall Inn, where riots infamously broke out in 1969) has long been Manhattan’s gay neighborhood, much of the gay community is partying a little farther uptown these days. Hell’s Kitchen offers clubs such as Hardware and XL Nightclub, plus the so-called “straight-friendly” hotel OUT NYC, which has both a spa and wedding spaces. NYC also ranked first for its theaterscene.
No. 6 Providence, RI
This mellow New England town—whose gay former mayor, David Cicilline, now serves in Congress—ranks well with voters for being artsy, offbeat, and safe. In downtown’s multiuse space AS220, you’ll find gay bar The Stable, while a longtime favorite, Mira Bar, recently reopened in a new location on Elbow Street. The city was also voted the No. 1 base for side trips—such as Cape Cod’s Provincetown, which may be America’s most gay-friendly small town and is about two hours away.
No. 7 Portland, OR
The funky Oregon city gets high marks for its progressive culture: it’s No. 1 for being eco-friendly,mass-transit-friendly, and pet-friendly. One way to explore the local gay culture is to step back into the past. The site of the recently opened Crystal Hotel (owned by the local McMenamins group, of microbrewing fame) was once an auto parts store, a subject of a racketeering investigation, and then a raucous gay bar and bathhouse. Today the hotel has 51 rooms, each inspired by a song performed at the Crystal Ballroom across the street.
No. 8 Seattle
Seattle may have a certain “straight-arrow” vibe—it rules the survey for both its techy nerd culture and for the highly caffeinated coffee—but it’s also the home of outspoken gay writer Dan Savage, and was recently the site of singer Jim Nabors’s wedding to his longtime partner. In the Capitol Hill neighborhood, you can find the gay community and get a great cup at Espresso Vivace or Caffé Vita.
No. 9 San Diego
Who doesn’t love a man in uniform? This beach city is a heady combination of strapping military folks, surfers, and sunshine—which likely helped it win the 4th of July category. Hillcrest has traditionally been the gay neighborhood (in 2012 a street there was renamed Harvey Milk), although neighboring restaurant-packed North Park has expanded the terrain. San Diego also has a burgeoning rep as acraft beer mecca; check out the Hillcrest Brewing Co., which bills itself as America’s first gay brewery.
No. 10 Miami
Party town Miami, which ranked near the top for its singles scene, dress-to-impress locals, and wild-weekend potential, is so welcoming to gay travelers that there’s an LGBT Visitor Center in South Beach. For sun-worshippers, there are a number of gay-friendly beaches where you can see why the locals ranked No. 1 for looks. South Beach’s 12th Street Beach is the most famous, but there’s a quieter, and more local, scene 20 minutes to the north at Haulover Beach Park (spoiler alert: you may even seeall of said locals, on the beach’s clothing-optional stretch of sand).
Source: travelandleisure
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