Where to Go as an LGBT Traveler in 2017
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When it comes to LGBT travel, it’s not always easy to know where to go. You don’t want to end up somewhere hostile, or in many cases, you might prefer to vacation somewhere you’ll be accepted and not stared at. Here are some hot travel destinations for LGBT travel in 2017. A few may even surprise you.
1. Louisville, Kentucky
Okay, Kentucky is often not associated with progressiveness, and there was that homophobic county clerk… But despite the stigma, Louisville is a very gay friendly vacation spot that according to orbitz.com “rolls out the welcome mat for queer tourists along culturally rich Main Street which bustles with cool lodgings like the 21c Museum Hotel, cultural attractions including the Actors Theatre of Louisville and places to swill bourbon.” For gay nightlife, the rambling Bardstown Road area is where to go. Here you’ll discover happening queer joints like Chill Bar, Big Bar and Nowhere Bar.
2. Cape Town, South Africa
The first country in Africa to legalize gay marriage, back in 2006, long before much of the rest of the world’s laws started to change, South Africa is another favorite gay friendly destination. Cape Town is not only the most beautiful city in the world, it’s also one of the more gay friendly. There’s even a gay beach at Clifton, which is the trendiest stretch of sand in town. Pay a visit to South Beach Camps Bay, which is a modern trendy and gay friendly apartment style hotel.
3. Los Angeles, CA
In Los Angeles there are a lot of options for LGBT travelers include DTLA, which is now one of the hottest spots in the city to hang out. Spend some time walking around the funky downtown Arts District, pay a visit to the free Broad Museum and book a room at the gay-friendly Ace Hotel, which has a rooftop pool.
4. Ireland
Ireland shocked the world when they voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in 2015, despite strong Catholic roots. Now a full year into marriage equality in the Emerald Isle, big cities like Dublin and Cork have a lively LGBT scene that includes gay-friendly hotels, nightclubs and saunas. As far as hotels go, in Dublin, check out The Clarence, which is owned by Bono and The Edge and in the trendy Temple Bar neighborhood.
5. Thailand
Thailand has long been a gay friendly vacation destination, known for its ladyboy cabaret shows, gay bars, night clubs, pool parties and saunas from Bangkok to Phuket (where there is a gay beach) to Ko Samui on the other coast. But Thailand also recently passed the Gender Equality Act, which seeks to protect members of the LGBT community and punish discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. In Bangkok, the W Bangkok is one of the top gay friendly hotels in the city.
