Gay New York Travel Guide: New York is one of the most iconic gay travel destinations in the US. In this Gay New York travel guide, I will share the main gay areas in New York to visit, the best gay bars, club nights, hotels, saunas and gay events; everything you need to plan your trip.
With a rich LGBTQ+ history, including the Stonewall Inn, to the many gay bars in Hell’s Kitchen and one of the largest gay prides in the US, New York has a lot to offer gay travellers.
Every visit to New York has been a truly magical experience. I’m always wowed by its grandeur and palpable buzz, kept super busy, and left wanting more each time – it really is the city that never sleeps.
New York should be on every gay traveler’s bucket list without a doubt.
In this ‘New York Gay Travel Guide,’ I’ll cover everything from where to find the gay areas in New York to the best gay bars in New York, gay hotels, top things to do, and many other helpful travel tips.
Gay New York: Quick Guide
- Best time to visit Gay New York? June (Pride) or Winter (Xmas festivities).
- Is New York gay friendly? Yes, one of the most gay friendly cities in the US.
- Best gay area in New York? Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea.
- Best gay bar in New York? The Stonewall Inn (historic) and The Eagle (busy nightlife).
- Where is the gay nightlife? Spread over Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea and the West Village.
- Best queer rave in New York? Wrecked at Basement in Brooklyn
Is New York Gay Friendly?
Yes, New York is one of the most gay friendly cities in the world.
New York is considered to have one of the most well-established, largest, out-and-proud LGBTQ communities in the world and is home to one of the biggest pride celebrations.
Combined with the LGBTQ+ history of New York (below) it’s easy to see why New York remains a popular gay travel destination.
Why is New York important for LGBTQ+ History?
New York is well known as the birthplace of the gay rights movement – aka the Stonewall Riots.
The Stonewall Riots are considered to be one of the most important events leading to today’s gay liberation movements and for many of the rights we now have (albeit there is still a way to go).
The riots were a series of demonstrations in response to police raids on gay and lesbian bars, and in particular kicked off with a raid on the (now iconic) Stonewall Inn in 1969.
I highly recommend reading up on Marsha P. Johnson or watching the documentary of the same name on Netflix to learn more about this crucial point in time.
In setting the scene for this gay guide to New York, this is a city that will welcome you with open arms and one that I believe we should all learn more about.
Gay Areas in New York (Where to Stay & Go Out)
The main gay areas in New York City are predominantly in Manhattan and Brooklyn, each has a unique vibe to suit different types of travellers.
The main gay areas in New York are:
Hells Kitchen (Best for a Gay Bar Crawl)
Number one is Hells Kitchen. Home to plenty of gay bars (including a favourite of mine, Flaming Saddles) and gay owned businesses and none other than Broadway itself.
Head down 9th Avenue for the highest density of gay bars/places.
Chelsea (Great for nightlife and walking the highline)
The next popular gay neighbourhood in New York is Chelsea.
Here you will also find many gay bars, one of the highest densities of gay couples and the high line which is a lovely walk.
Many of the gay places here can be found specifically on 8th Avenue.
West Village (Best for LGBTQ+ History)
This is where you will find the aforementioned Stonewall Inn, Christopher Street and where the annual pride parade centres around.
Make sure to visit here to learn about the LGBTQ history of New York and like the other areas, visit one of the many gay bars.
East Village (For the Artsy types)
For the more artsy, theatre types check out what’s going on in the East Village.
Bushwick (Queerest Neighbourhood)
Bushwick has become so queer, popular with a younger LGBTQ+ crowd, that the term ‘Bushwick gays’ is now a thing – are you a Bushwick gay?
Park Slope (Best of Brooklyn)
Head across the water to Brooklyn for what is considered to be one of the best gay areas in New York.
Home to Brooklyn Pride, a high density of same-sex households, Prospect Park and plenty of cute shops, it’s worth a day to explore.
Best Gay Bars in New York (By Area)
New York has a great gay bar scene spread out across the city. To say that you are spoilt for choice would be an understatement, there are countless gay bars in New York and the gay scene is booming!
There are too many to list so I have taken a selection of ones I have been to or are the most popular and listed each gay bar by area below:
Gay Bars in Hells Kitchen, New York
Flaming Saddles – one that keeps me coming back, imagine the film Coyote Ugly but GAY hot bartenders dancing along the bar, pouring drinks from the bottle into your mouth (black out warning!), no cover charge and very reasonable drinks prices make this a sure fire bet.
Industry Bar – Dubbed ‘New Yorks Best Gay bar’’, this was more akin to a bar/club being relatively large and with some of the best music I found (to oMy own personal taste, i.e a lot of Ariana). This had a very trendy and attractive crowd and was packed on both my visits. Expect nightly happy hours, drag shows and dancing into the early hours.
Ritz Bar and Lounge – I went here on my first visit and loved it. Ritz is over two floors, with a diverse fun crowd, incredible vibe and great music to dance the night away to – the drinks were very generous here!
Posh – Posh Bar & Lounge is the first and original gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. Each day of the week is a special theme and the bar is open 3pm to 4am every day guaranteed (plus no cover charge!)
Gay Bars in Chelsea, New York
The Eagle NYC – Head to any gay city and you are highly likely to find an Eagle Bar – this is where it all started. Self-described as a dark playground, the dark and cheeky mood exudes Tom of Finland vibes and is popular with the leather community.
Barracuda Bar – If you enjoy a chilled dive bar where you can sit, drink, enjoy a drag show and admire the hot bartenders then this might be for you!
REBAR Chelsea – not just a gay bar, REBAR is a community space where you can meet for happy hour drinks, enjoy a cabaret or drag show, as well as live jazz and pop music any day of the week. REBAR is “the place” to drink, dance and play on the weekends.
Gay Bars in the West Village, New York
The Stonewall Inn – where Pride began and therefore an absolute must for any LGBTQ+ traveller coming to New York. Come to dance, drink, catch up with friends and enjoy the many events and goings on at the Stonewall Inn.
Julius – another bar that holds an important place in LGBTQ+ history in Julius. It is considered to be the oldest gay bar in New York. It’s a chilled place for beer, burgers and catching up with friends.
Maries Crisis Café – if you are a fan of the shows on Broadway then this one might tickle your fancy, self-described as a dive bar that epitomizes a deep love for show tune music, grab a drink and sing your heart out!
Cubby Hole – one for everyone and particularly popular with lesbians.
Gay Bars in the East Village, New York
The Phoenix – originally established as The Bar in 1999 has a strong tradition of catering to a diverse and trendy crowd, and has become a gay institution in the east village. The bar has transformed from “go-to dive” to “be seen at destination”.
Nowhere – queer dive that has been serving the east village since 2003. Low-ceilinged gay bar with a subterranean feel, diverse beer menu and jukebox.
Gay New York Nightlife
If you are looking for huge gay club night events and raves in New York check out the following. For all of these I suggest following them on socials to keep up to date with when their next event will be held:
MEAT NYC Underground Party – Get ready to sweat at NYC’s biggest gay dance parties.
Wrecked NYC – queer techno rave at Basement in Brooklyn. Expect multi rooms, warehouse vibes and dark spaces.
Alegria – Alegria has dominated New York LGBT nightlife with its marathon events that are equal parts theatrical production, dance music summits and family reunions, all fortified with quite the crowd…
Masterbeat – It’s ALL About the Music
Horse Meat Disco – New York – bringing Europe’s top disco collective to New York.
Tiki Disco – looking for a queer daytime rave? This looks like a very fun vibe and is on my list for my next visit.
Gay Friendly Hotels in New York
Whilst there are no exclusively gay hotels in New York, there are lots of gay friendly hotels located in the city’s main gay neighbourhoods.
When I look for gay hotels in New York, I think location is the most important and typically focus on the gay neighbourhoods in New York such as Hells Kitchen or Chelsea.
Here are my recommendations based on where I have stayed plus some extras to consider.
For an extensive list, read my full gay friendly hotels in New York guide.
Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC
This is one of the top gay friendly hotels in New York found in the equally spectacular and trendy Meatpacking District.
They offer beautiful spacious rooms and suites, with amazing New York City views. One of their core ‘pillars’ is tech so meet you in room virtual concierge with the Google Nest Hub or work out privately with their in-room fitness partner, Mirror Workout Companion.
You can also enjoy exclusive access to the year-round heated pool or partake in the vibrant nightlife at their rooftop bar and lounge. We also ate at their American bistro, The Chester, and then enjoyed breakfast at Coffee + Cocktails which is penned as a chic way to start or end your day.
NoMo SoHo
My jaw dropped a little when I walked into my suite. With floor to ceiling windows including in the shower the views here are some of the best I have encountered – I could not get out the shower!
Inspired by the neighborhood, NoMo represents an intrigue for the nostalgic and modern. Their building is a curated collection of vintage and contemporary art, illustrating the eclectic mix of those who made SoHo what it is today.
Highly recommended!
Moxy Times Square
Moxy is a great brand for LGBTQ+ friendly hotel stays. I stayed in Moxy Times square when it was brand new and loved it.
The rooms are all boutique style, very trendy and there are loads of cool, playful touches around the hotel.
It also has a great bar and as the name suggests is a great location. There are two more Moxy Hotels in New York, one in Chelsea and one in the East Village.
Gay Pride and Events in New York
New York is host to many gay events over the year. Some of the most popular gay events in New York include:
NYC Pride – expect one of the biggest and best MONTH long pride celebrations during June each year culminating with the parade itself normally on the final weekend in June.
Folsom Street East (June) – Since 1997, the Folsom Street East festival has been an annual highlight of the global gay calendar.
HOT (July – August) – HOT began in 1992 as the first month-long comprehensive LGBTQ+ festival of theater, dance, music, literature for the whole family. It remains the longest running festival of its kind in the world.
DragCon NYC – RuPaul’s DragCon is a multi-day convention where fans of pop culture and Drag Race can meet their favorite queens and celebrities, see insightful panels, and watch epic performances.
Gay Shops in New York
If you are looking for gay shops in New York catering to the (predominantly) gay male market, check out:
- Chelsea Exclusive – for clothing, fetishwear and underwear.
- The Leather Man – the clue is in the name, if anything naughty comes to mind you will find it here.
- Parke and Ronen – focusing on clothing, apparel, swim and accessories.
- Rainbow Station – for a little bit of everything, clothing, toys, DVDs and much more (use your imagination).
Gay Area of Central Park
The gay area of Central Park is Sheep’s Meadow. Easiest found via the 67th Street entrance of Central Park.
No visit to New York is complete without spending time in Central Park.
Like any major park in a gay hotspot, when the sun comes out the gays come out and more often than not, set up camp in the same spot to sunbathe.
Head to Sheep’s Meadow during summer and you’ll be sure to find that this is where all the gays hang out.
For those looking to explore the area further ‘the Ramble’ area is a well-known meeting area.
Gay Tours of New York
With so much important gay history in New York, it’s a great idea to go on a gay tour of New York and see the city whilst learning about its rich history.
There are a few companies specialising in gay tours around New York including:
Gay Saunas and Bathhouses in New York
There is only one gay sauna in New York. For more information, read my seperate guide on gay saunas in New York.
East Side Club
East Side Club is known as New Yorks premier social relaxation club for gay and bisexual men.
Body By Brooklyn – ConTEAnental
Body By Brooklyn becomes a gay sauna for huge gay party called ConTEAnental which happens every now and again. One half of the venue is set up like a dance floor and the other half where the sauna and steam room is becomes an extra curricular area….have fun (for the next one look at this page on Instagram).
Top things to do in New York for Gay Travellers
Without a doubt, NYC is up there as one of the best cities in the world for sightseeing.
Its incredible seeing all the iconic landmarks, buildings and monuments with your own eyes after years of seeing them on TV and in movies.
I have split this section into ‘paid’ and ‘free’ activities to do in New York:
Must do Activities in New York (Paid)
First things first, get yourself a New York City Explorer Pass in advance.
You can choose the number of activities you want your pass to cover and choose from 85+ activities as you go.
I chose a 5-activity pass and opted to go up the Empire State, Top of the Rock, Central Park Bike Hire, 9/11 Museum and the Hop on/off Sightseeing bus – normally you can save up to 54% compared to doing these individually.
Empire State Building
Perhaps one of the most iconic building in New York – a visit and trip to the top of the Empire State Building is a must.
I suggest doing this one at night time to see the whole city lit up (and then do the Rockefeller during the day).
Top of The Rock – Rockefeller Center
The Rockefeller Center itself is full of shops to check out but the main attraction here is going to the Top of The Rock.
The views from the top are incredible, I suggest this one for the daytime as it overlooks Central Park and you can get great views of the Empire State building here.
Rockefeller Center Ice rink
One for the winter, head to the Rockefeller Ice Rink for an hour or so of skating at the base of the tower – if this does not put you in the holiday spirit nothing will!
I suggest going for a combo of dinner and skating at the on-site restaurant.
9/11 Museum
Devastating but incredibly important and pertinent during a trip to New York – learn about the events of 9/11 in detail at the 9/11 Museum and see the memorial of where the twin towers once stood.
Watch a show on Broadway!
Another absolute must during a visit to New York is to book a show on Broadway.
I have seen Wicked and The Lion King, both of which were excellent!
Must do Activities in New York (Free)
Explore Central Park
Central Park is huge spanning 4km between 59th and 110th Street.
It is one of the most well-known Urban Parks in the world and hosts free concerts, two ice skating rinks, a zoo, a large art gallery, lakes, rivers, cafes and even a castle!
Magical in the winter when covered deep in snow, perfect for a picnic and sunbathing in summer, you can easily spend hours getting lost here.
Statue of Liberty using the Staten Island ferry
This is a free commuter ferry departing from the Southern tip of Manhattan.
The journey takes about 25 minutes each way. I took the ferry there, got off, got on the next one and came back.
The ferry goes directly past the Statue of Liberty. Granted, not as close as actual excursions would, but close enough to see and get some good photos.
Walk the High Line
Since you will head to the gay area of Chelsea make sure to check out and walk the High Line.
The High Line is NYCs only elevated park, and is built along old rail tracks. It’s just short of a 2-mile walk, taking you through areas of greenery and lots of outside modern art. And as it’s elevated, it offers some awesome views.
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
I would definitely recommend doing this at sunset.
If you don’t want to walk back and forth on the bridge, then pay $2.75 to use the subway to the nearest station in Brooklyn, and then walk back across the bridge towards Manhattan.
Views of Brooklyn aren’t overly impressive, but walking towards the NYC skyline at sunset, the views are just breath-taking.
How to get to and around New York
New York is pretty big and while we are all for walking, sometimes I take the easy option and use public transport.
JFK Airport to New York City:
- Yellow cabs: These are the most expensive option. All yellow cabs have a set rate depending on the airport. We landed into JFK, the rate is $52 plus tolls and any applicable surcharges, such as rush hour surcharges. This would probably have been $60+, and we would have needed 2.
- Uber: Great if there was one available. We were a group of 6 and we found an Uber XL for $90, $15 each. Great price but the Uber was miles away at the time we needed!
- Shuttle bus: The prices of these vary, depending on the company. We asked quite a few upon arrival at the arrival, but the cheapest we found was $20.
So in the end, I chose to use the Air Train and the Subway! This was the best price point.
The air train is really well signposted upon clearing customs in JFK airport. Take the train to Jamaica Station. Then, a subway from JFK to most of Manhattans major stations.
Getting around New York
For getting from A – B on an average day, New Yorks subway system is easy to use.
You can purchase a Metrocard for unlimited journeys over a 7 day period.
I much preferred to walk, and so knew that in 4 days I would only take a few journeys. Therefore, I opted to just pay as and when.
If you have the time (and energy) just WALK! I really love to walk wherever possible; for no other reason than you see so much more!
Gay New York truly lives up to it’s reputation and hype for being one of the best cities for gay travellers in the US. Whether you are here for LGBTQ+ history, for pride or to simply experience the city, there is something for everyone.
For more on New York and other US destinations, check out my:
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