LGBTQ+ folks don’t just hit the road in June — we travel year-round, seeking joy, connection, and community wherever we go. That’s why we’ve created this travel series on the best places to eat, play, and stay in some of the most LGBTQ+ inclusive cities across the country.
From Midwestern charm to Southern flair, the tranquil vibes of the Pacific Northwest to the storied streets of the East Coast, there’s something for everyone — and we’re here to help you find it.
Here’s where to stay in some of the most LGBTQ+ inclusive cities across the country. (Photo Credit: @hotelfontenot)
Whether traveling for work or play, you can rest easy at Kimpton. (Photo Credit: @hotelfontenot)
Pride how you Pride at Kimpton.
Whether you’re traveling for Pride, work, or a little R&R, these are the best places to stay in some of America’s most welcoming cities — Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, Portland, and Boston.
Chicago, Illinois
The third largest city in America, Chicago is home to one of the largest Pride Festivals in the nation, with more than 1 million attendees — from all across the Midwest and beyond.
Far beyond the festival, and beyond the month of June, Chicago is a bastion of inclusivity and evergreen Pride, with pride-friendly and pride-centric neighborhoods, omnipresent rainbow flags and pylons, and something for every LGBTQ+ traveler, from tea shops and open-mic nights to lesbian bars and gay-owned restaurants.
When in Chicago, stay at Kimpton Gray Hotel. (Photo Credit: @lettierryan)
The hotel is itself a work of art. (Photo Credit: @tammykim)
Located in the heart of the sky-scraping Financial District, Kimpton Gray Hotel — in the original Midwest headquarters for New York Life Insurance Co. — is an ornate property that combines modern sophistication with architectural legacy.
In addition to its 293 rooms and suites, the hotel boasts restaurants like The Fillmore (named after the Fillmore District in San Francisco), the swanky Vol. 39 cocktail bar, and Boleo, a rooftop restaurant and lounge offering South American snacks and sips like ceviche, empanadas, and pisco sours.
Dallas, Texas
Everything, it turns out, really is bigger in Texas — including the size of its LGBTQIA+ populations and its gay honky-tonks.
Dallas, specifically, boasts the sixth largest LGBTQIA+ population in the country (and the largest in Texas), with a fast-growing community drawn to the city’s inclusive efforts and legislation, its robust Pride celebrations, and its immense gayborhood, Oak Lawn, home to the North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
In Dallas, Kimpton Pittman Hotel is located in the heart of Deep Ellum. (Photo Credit: @chanteallday)
With a heated outdoor pool and fabulous restaurants, you may not even want to leave. (Photo Credit: @designerskj)
Rest up at Kimpton Pittman Hotel, a Beaux Arts beauty in the heart of action-packed Deep Ellum. Guest rooms and suites are designed to make guests feel right at home, while a heated outdoor pool provides an oasis in the midst of downtown Dallas.
On-site restaurants include Elm & Good, offering seasonal American tavern fare (e.g. fried haddock with Texas remoulade, roasted chicken with corn risotto), and Deep End, which offers hush puppies, sandwiches, and cocktails by the pool.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Famed for events like Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, and Southern Decadence, New Orleans is a city that goes hand-in-hand with revelry. A wellspring of arts and culture, it’s a place long frequented by artists and bohemians, where being an “outcast” is a badge of honor, and where homespun cooking is a way of life.
Here, LGBTQ+ history and culture are an omnipresent facet of the community patchwork, from some of the oldest gay bars in the country to immersive art.
In New Orleans, Kimpton Hotel Fontenot is a wellspring of luxury. (Photo Credit: @hotelfontenot)
The hotel is as decadent as the city itself. (Photo Credit: @hotelfontenot)
Southern hospitality shines at Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, a downtown property filled with ornate accents, punch-bowl cocktails, and recurring events like Flash Your Feathers, wherein on the last Friday of every month, guests are encouraged to come clad in their finest headpieces or feather boas — and rewarded with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.
Along with 235 French-inspired guest rooms and suites, the hotel features Gospel Coffee and Boozy Treats, King Brasserie, and the decadent Peacock Room, where guests can sip cocktails in a salon-like space bedecked with mosaic-tiled floors and floral prints.
Portland, Oregon
In Portland, it’s hip to be weird. A city famed for its quirks and characters, The Rose City has all the hallmarks of a pride-friendly mecca, from eccentric bars and whimsical museums to lush outdoor spaces and femme sports pubs.
Regarded as one of the most innately inclusive cities in the country, Portland was the first major US city to elect an openly gay mayor, draws upwards of 100,000 attendees to its annual Pride parade and festival every July, and hosts an annual Red Dress Party, where everyone wears a red dress to raise money for local LGBTQIA+ charities.
Portland is one of the most pride-friendly cities in the nation. (Photo Credit: @drinkseppi)
Take a breath at Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel. (Photo Credit: @roseandsaltsocial)
Downtown, Kimpton Hotel Vintage Portland offers a fun, art-filled abode in a metropolitan setting. Decked out with graffiti-clad cork art and a game lounge, the playful property boasts billiards and booze at Bacchus Bar, as well as breakfast comforts at Il Solito.
For river views, the Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel ticks all the boxes. Situated along a pedestrian river walk, the hotel offers a comfy lodge-like ambience (as well as cottages), and seafood-centric King Tide Fish & Shell.
Boston, Massachusetts
In the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, back in 2004, Boston has always been at the forefront of progress. Home to one of the largest LGBTQIA+ populations on the East Coast, the city features both pride-centric spaces and events, as well as inclusive offerings for every walk of life.
Boston Pride For The People is the main Pride festival and parade, held in June, but loud-and-proud parties can be found year-round, from drag brunches to get-togethers at intersectional bookstores and LGBTQ+ karaoke.
At Kimpton Marlowe Hotel, gaze out upon Cambridge and Boston. (Photo Credit: @5thandmagnolia)
And don’t forget that the fur babies are always welcome. (Photo Credit: @kimptonmarlowehotel)
Perched on the Charles River in Cambridge, the Kimpton Marlowe Hotel boasts views as beautiful as its decor, including a massive sculpture in the courtyard called Celeste.
The hotel offers kayak and paddleboard rentals for anyone itching to hit the water, as well as a lobby bar and Bambara Kitchen & Bar, which specializes in New American cuisine with global influences — like chicken wings with green garlic ranch, filet mignon with potato-feta skordalia, and grilled salmon with green tahini sauce.
This post is Part Three in our Pride Travel series on Where to Eat, Stay, and Play. Check out the full series now!
