Travel with pride: the world's most LGBTQ-friendly cities

Tamara Hinson

Over the last five years, 10 countries, including Cuba, Slovenia, Thailand and Greece, have relaxed their laws against homosexuality and legalised same-sex marriage.

The world's most LGBT-friendly cities © Fergus Coyle - Fotolia.com

These vital changes have opened up certain destinations around the globe, and here we've shared some of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities, from Toronto, with its rainbow-coloured pedestrian crossings and statues of gay icons, to Sydney, home of the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras - the world's largest LGBTQ event.

Palm Springs, California, USA

Palm Springs' tourist board was one of the first to introduce a dedicated website for LGBTQ travellers, VisitGayPalmSprings.com. There's a packed calendar of events, including Greater Palm Springs Pride (November), the Cinema Diverse LGBTQ film festival (September) and, in April, the Dinah Shore Weekend - a festival for the lesbian community.

Palm Springs also has over a dozen dedicated LGBTQ-specific resorts. INNdulge Palm Springs is a hit with solo travellers, thanks to the nightly social hours. When it comes to nightlife, popular bars include Street Bar (Palm Springs' first gay bar) and the wonderfully kitsch Toucans Tiki Lounge.

Weather in Palm Spring

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	55	59	61	66	73	82	91	90	84	75	63	55
Hours of sunshine (daily)	8	8	9	10	10	11	12	11	10	9	8	8
Days with some rainfall	4	4	4	2	1	0	1	1	1	2	3	4

Toronto, Canada

Church and Wellesley is the hub of Toronto's LGBTQ scene - a colourful neighbourhood with rainbow-coloured pedestrian crossings and a statue of LGBTQ campaigner Alexander Wood. At its heart is Out on the Street, a three-storey department store known for its wide range of Pride merchandise and what we'll refer to as adults-only clothing and accessories.

Another retail-related highlight is the Glad Day Bookshop, Canada's first gay bookstore. Church and Wellesley also has some of the city's best restaurants, including Fabarnak, owned and operated by the 519 Community Centre.

Weather in Toronto

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	28	28	39	52	64	75	81	77	70	57	45	32
Hours of sunshine (daily)	3	4	5	6	7	9	9	8	6	5	3	2
Days with some rainfall	12	10	10	11	11	10	9	10	10	11	12	13
Sea temperature °F	37	36	36	37	45	55	66	70	66	57	48	41

Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019. It has always been regarded as one of Asia's most progressive countries, and its Taipei Pride event (Asia's largest) is attended by hundreds of thousands of people from across the region.

One of Taipei's most popular LGBTQ spots is the GinGin store, known for its huge selection of gay literature (Asia's first gay novel was published in Taipei, after all) and LGBTQ-themed art exhibitions. The city's most LGBTQ-friendly neighbourhood is Ximending, and at its centre is the Red House, a building filled with LGBTQ-friendly bars, stores, hair salons and restaurants.

Weather in Taipei

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	63	64	68	75	81	86	90	90	86	79	73	66
Hours of sunshine (daily)	3	3	3	4	4	6	8	7	6	5	4	3
Days with some rainfall	19	19	20	18	21	19	15	17	16	16	17	17

Key West, Florida, USA

In 2000, Key West made its official logo "One Human Family", part of an effort to cement its reputation as America's most LGBTQ-friendly destination. Over 300,000 LGBTQ travellers head here every year, lured by events such as June's Key West Pride and September's Womenfest.

Another draw is the opportunity to learn more about celebrated LGBTQ figures, such as Tennessee Williams - his former home is now the Tennessee Williams Museum - and writer Elizabeth Bishop, whose former home is a designated Literary Landmark.

There are also several dedicated LGBTQ tour operators, including Blu Q Key West, which offers yacht charters, snorkel trips and sunset cruises. One of the city's most popular events is the famous Gay & Lesbian trolley tour.

Weather in Key West

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	75	75	79	82	84	88	90	90	88	84	81	75
Hours of sunshine (daily)	8	9	10	11	11	10	10	10	9	8	8	7
Days with some rainfall	6	6	5	4	8	12	12	15	15	11	7	6
Sea temperature °F	73	72	73	77	81	84	86	86	84	82	79	75

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Netherlands became the first country to legalise gay rights in 2001, and Amsterdam is considered the birthplace of LGBTQ rights - one of the first gay rights organisations was founded here in 1946, and the world's first gay bars opened here. This includes Café't Mandje, which opened in 1927 and remains Amsterdam's most popular gay bar.

Reguliersdwarsstraat is the heart of the gay LGBT community in Amsterdam © Wiskerke - Alamy Stock Photo

Museums such as the Rijksmuseum regularly offer so-called Pink Tours focusing on exhibits with a connection to Holland's LGBTQ history, and the city's Pride event is one of the world's largest.

The city's most LGBTQ-friendly areas include Amstel, home to De Lellebel, Holland's only drag queen café, and Kerkstraat, known for its LGBTQ-friendly hotels and hostels.

Weather in Amsterdam

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	41	41	46	54	61	66	70	70	64	57	48	43
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	3	4	5	7	7	6	6	4	3	2	1
Days with some rainfall	19	13	18	13	14	14	14	14	16	17	20	19

Bisbee, Arizona, USA

The closure of Bisbee's mine turned it into a ghost town, but decades later, a handful of free-thinking, art-loving Americans arrived and transformed it into Arizona's most progressive city.

Head to its centre and you'll find a fantastic selection of LGBTQ bars and clubs and a vibrant arts scene. One of the city's most popular events is its gay rodeo, and there's a spectacular rainbow-coloured pedestrian crossing.

The city became the first municipality in Arizona to pass a Civil Union Ordinance, and in 2008 the 54-tonne AIDS Memorial Quilt, created in San Francisco in 1985, was brought here. There are dozens of LGBTQ-friendly hotels but the most famous one is the Silver King Hotel, where you'll find the Room 4 Bar - Arizona's smallest bar.

Weather in Bisbee

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	59	63	68	75	84	93	91	90	86	77	68	59
Hours of sunshine (daily)	8	8	9	11	12	12	11	10	10	9	8	7
Days with some rainfall	7	6	8	5	4	3	12	11	7	5	5	7

Sydney, Australia

Sydney's Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, in February, is one of the world's largest LGBTQ events, and the city has one of the world's largest LGBTQ communities. Then again, this is the place which brought us Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Speedos and gay rights activist and Olympic swimmer, Ian Thorpe.

Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is massive - photo courtesy of Destination NSW, Australia

Darlinghurst is the most LGBTQ-friendly neighbourhood, home to properties like the LGBTQ-friendly Medusa boutique hotel, along with fantastic shops, including the Bookshop Darlinghurst, Australia's oldest LGBTQ bookstore.

However, you'll find LGBTQ-friendly bars, restaurants and clubs throughout the city. Make sure you visit the art-deco Imperial Erskineville, which had a starring role in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Head to the basement for its legendary drag shows.

Weather in Sydney

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	79	79	77	73	68	64	63	64	68	72	75	79
Hours of sunshine (daily)	7	7	7	7	6	6	7	7	7	8	8	8
Days with some rainfall	12	12	13	11	11	11	8	10	10	11	12	10
Sea temperature °F	72	73	73	72	68	66	64	63	64	64	66	70

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Puerto Vallarta might technically be a town, but it's certainly worthy of inclusion. To start with, it's the reason Mexico's Pacific coast is the country's most LGBTQ-friendly destination.

Accommodation options here include the LGBTQ-friendly, adults-only Villa Mercedes and the Casa Cupula Gay Hotel Boutique Guesthouse and, if you can forgive the cringe-worthy name, you can sign up for the Wet & Wild Gay Cruise (AKA "Puerto Vallarta's sexiest cruise").

Alternatively, head to Los Muertos Beach, more specifically, the section in front of Blue Chairs - the town's most popular LGBTQ-friendly hotel. You'll find it in the Zona Romantica, an area which can be explored on the Gay Vallarta Bar Hopping Tour.

Weather in Puerto Vallarta

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F	84	84	86	90	91	91	91	91	90	90	88	84
Hours of sunshine (daily)	7	8	8	8	8	7	6	6	6	7	7	6
Days with some rainfall	1	1	1	0	1	11	19	18	17	8	1	2
Sea temperature °F	75	75	73	75	77	82	84	86	84	84	81	77

Planning an LGBTQ-friendly getaway? Check out the latest deals on flights, holidays and hotels, and get booking today.

Tamara Hinson

Tamara Hinson is a freelance travel writer who loves getting off the beaten path. Specialising in adventure travel, she often covers outdoor activities such as snowboarding, mountain biking and scuba diving. Tamara's work features regularly in newspapers such as The Telegraph and The Independent along with numerous travel websites.

Article updated on Monday 6th January 2025 in: Asia Caribbean City Culture Europe Festival North America Oceania