Ten LGBTQ+ Friendly Travel Destinations to Escape the Pacific Northwest

Traveling has a number of mental health benefits, and it’s a great way to experience other cultures (and art!). But traveling isn’t always easy for LGBTQ+ folks, who often have to consider how inclusive a destination (including accommodations, historical sites, restaurants, and so on) will be. We polled our Facebook followers on their favorite LGBTQ+ inclusive travel destinations, and got a ton of responses. Below are 10 of the destinations for queer travelers.



Amsterdam, Netherlands

photo of amsterdam and waterway


Amsterdam is filled with queer-friendly spaces, events, and culture. Consider visiting Pink Point, Amsterdam’s own LGBTQ information center located at The Homomonument (a queer World War II monument). For coffee and food, a popular queer cafe is Lunchroom Downtown. Pride Amsterdam is one of the largest pride celebrations on the planet, with events like Drag Queen Olympics. If you’re a fan of queer films, check out the International Queer Migrant Film Festival in December. Amsterdam even has its own queer police force called ‘Roze in Blauw’ (Pink in Blue) to assist in cases of LGBTQ+ discrimination. Vrolijk Gay and Lesbian Bookshop with travel guides, queer-authored novels, and much more.



Bangkok, Thailand

Photo of Bangkok from the sky


One popular queer tourist spot in Bangkok is Playhouse Magical Cabaret where kàthoey (one of four genders commonly recognized in Thailand) perform fantastic numbers in drag. We’ve heard good things about events thrown by LGBTQ collective Trasher. Gay-owned restaurant Somtum Der serves delicious dishes from Northeast Thailand (aka Isam). For the coffee lovers, check out Eureka Nitro Coffee; their signature feature is an egg yolk served over their lattes and brews. Coming up between November and March 2020 is Asia’s largest contemporary LGBTQ+ art exhibition at the Bangkok Art & Cultural Centre.



Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Skyline

With the third-largest LGBTQ+ population of any city in the country, Chicago boasts a huge number of queer-friendly amenities. The queer neighborhood is Boystown, not far from Lincoln Park and a short drive to Kathy Osterman Beach (Chicago’s primary LGBTQ friendly beach). Gerber/Hart Library and Archives features LGBTQ historical and cultural information and the largest LGBTQ library in the Midwest. The Center on Halsted (the Midwest’s most popular LGBTQ Center) is worth visiting, with drop-in volleyball on Monday and Thursday nights for $7, two art galleries, and a handful of other events and programs. Alternatively, The Leather Archives & Museum might be more your speed, containing “original erotic art and artifacts from alternative sex organizations”.



Japan

A street in Tokyo, Japan


While LGBTQ folks can expect safety and general acceptance in Japan, in part due to the concept of Omotenashi or selfless hospitality, PDA and sexual topics are a bit taboo, and the Japanese tend to avoid talking about them or acknowledging it in public. Nevertheless, there are plenty of queer-friendly aspects of Japanese culture to appreciate, including cosplaying/crossplaying, same-sex manga and anime, Kawaii, Taikomochi, and more. The queer district called Ni-Chōme in Tokyo actually has the highest density of gay/queer bars in the world, including FTM Bois Bar. Rainbow Reel Tokyo is a yearly lesbian and gay film festival held in July. One important and famous aspect of Japan’s rich culture is its gardens, so be sure to check out at least one during your visit.



Key West, Florida

Photo of Key West with a large rainbow flag running down a street.

If you’re interested in visiting Key West, consider a stay at the lesbian-owned Southernmost Inn, which is just a block from Duval Street (the main queer neighborhood, though the entire town is filled with LGBTQ folks). If you’re a nature lover, take a tour out to the Key West National Wildlife Refuge or go diving or snorkeling to see some of the magnificent coral reefs. Stop by the Key West AIDS Memorial on your way to Smathers beach, one of the more popular LGBTQ friendly beaches.



New York City, New York

New York City from above.

New York City is so queer-friendly. There is an entire website dedicated to LGBTQ friendly activities and historical sites. From the site of the historic 1969 Stonewall Riots to new sober queer introvert meetups hosted by queeret. New York’s queer scene is constantly changing and growing to accommodate the flux of LGBTQ needs and interests.



Palm Springs, California

A street in Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs is well-known as an LGBTQ mecca, with a plethora of drag shows and a thriving bar and club scene. Cinema Diverse is an LGBTQ film festival held yearly in September, and Greater Palm Springs Pride falls in November.  If you want to escape civilization for a bit, Joshua Tree National Park is a quick ride on the free shuttle to the park from the Palm Springs Transit Center. Be sure to catch brunch at Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill, it’s noted as one of the best in town.



Provincetown, Massachusetts

A street in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

When visiting Provincetown, be sure to visit the Post Office Cafe and Cabaret; it’s one of the most popular restaurants in town, and happens to be an LGBTQ+ cafe with drag performances, burlesque, and cabaret. Herring Cove Beach and Race Point Beach are the two most popular queer beaches in town. There’s a good chance you’ll see some whales (in the spring) or seals from the beach too! If you fancy some art, Commercial Street has at least 40 galleries to see. Alternatively, if you’re wanting some exercise or self-care, you can rent bikes, take a yoga class, or have a spa day. Stop by the LGBTQ welcome center to see what else P-Town has to offer.



Spain

A courtyard in Spain

It’s hard to pick just one place in Spain to visit for LGBTQ tourism since the country is one of the most LGBTQ-friendly nations on the planet, with plenty of cities worth visiting. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to get around the country by train (a high-speed train connects Madrid and Barcelona, with a travel time of around 2 hours 30 minutes). Madrid has one of the world’s largest pride parades and LGBTQ populations, plus a large gay and lesbian film festival. Barcelona has over 4 kilometers of queer-friendly beaches and some amazing parks and architecture. If visiting Barcelona, it’s worth the 30-minute train ride to Sitges (a popular LGBTQ party town) or the roughly hour-long train ride to Figueres to see the Salvador Dali museum. There’s plenty to do in Spain, and much of it is queer-friendly and accessible via train or subway, so if you’re interested in seeing some of Europe, this is a great place to start!



Sydney, Australia

If you need an escape from Seattle’s gloom in the dead of winter, Sydney Australia is a great option! Considering it’s in the southern hemisphere, visiting during our winter will mean experiencing their (hot!) summer. Sydney’s world-famous beaches like Bondi (north Bondi being a popular LGBTQ beach) and Manly beach are all stunning. Their queer Mardi Gras celebration doubles as a pride parade. Three LGBTQ bookshops call Sydney their home. For the nature queers, consider hiking to the figure eight pools in the Royal National Park, The Blue Mountains, or even a trip to Cairns to visit the Great Barrier Reef. Just remember your reef-safe sunscreen!