30 LGBTQ Destinations To Explore in 2022

LGBTQ travelers have been waiting to get back on the road and discover new destinations as well as reacquaint themselves with some old favorites. The year 2022 is supposed to be when traveling will be back in high gear-if we can all get through the Omicron variant. Here are 30 places that queer travelers should consider spending some time in during the new year.

We lead with Palm Springs, a queer paradise located roughly 100 miles from L.A. It has been an ideal getaway for many years, thanks to its combination of sunny weather, great restaurants, gorgeous mountain views, outdoor activities, culture and fabulous mid-century modern architecture. The area features roughly a dozen clothing-optional men's resorts, with price points all the way from economy to luxury.

The star of western Canada, Vancouver is a cosmopolitan international city with a mix of urban delights and natural paradise. The West End's uber-gay Davie Village is a fun place to shop, eat and visit the clubs, and Vancouver Pride, scheduled for July 31, 2022, means you'll have 80,000 others to celebrate with. In addition to all the big-city frills that Vancouver has to offer, it's surrounded by stunning mountains and ringed by beautiful waterways, giving plenty of outdoor adventure opportunities for queer nature lovers.

Columbia, which legalized same-sex marriage in 2016, has been promoting itself as a queer destination for several years now. Its high-altitude capital city, Bogota, is currently quite popular among the LGBTQ crowd. In fact, Bogota boasts the Americas' largest gay club, Theatron de Pelicula, and the whole Chapinero neighborhood boasts LGBTQ-friendly bars. The city and country are famously inexpensive, and after a night of club hopping, make sure to visit some of Bogota's world-class museums.

While sometimes overshadowed by its high-profile neighbor, Washington, D.C., Baltimore holds its own as a great LGBTQ getaway. From the local gayborhood of Mount Vernon to the very walkable neighborhoods like Remington or the bar-and-restaurant-heavy Fell's Point, there's plenty to see and do. Plus, the city has a fantastic array of museums and attractions, not to mention a burgeoning foodie scene and several food halls.

The Spanish capital, which hosted World Pride in 2017, is a popular gay destination, and with good reason. The city has stunning architecture (both new and old), world-famous museums and parks, eclectic neighborhoods and nightlife that can't be beat. Plus, it's a great jumping-off point to other regional destinations like Lisbon, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.

This dynamic Great Lakes city, which hosted the Gay Games in 2014, has been on the national stage a lot recently, with the NFL Draft and Rock + Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony held here in 2021 and the NBA All Star Game slated for February 2022. Queer visitors will delight in the city's eclectic and progressive neighborhoods like Detroit-Shoreway, Ohio City, Tremont and Coventry. And downtown is very walkable, with surprising architecture, both classic and modern. The city boasts an impressive array of museums and cultural institutions, and next year brings FRONT International 2022, the Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art, which will be held from July 16th to October 2nd.

The City of Angels is headed toward hosting another Summer Olympic Games in 2028, but you don't want to wait that long for a visit. With incredible queer areas like West Hollywood and Silver Lake, endless beaches and Instagrammable vistas at every corner, you can't go wrong. Whether you're looking for the arts, food or nightlife, this region is a great choice for the LGBTQ traveler in 2022.

This fantastic southern Oregon town is known to many as the home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which runs from February to November. But the town also features great outdoor activities from jetboating on the nearby Rogue River to wine tasting at one of the region's many wineries-and iconic Crater Lake National Park is within a couple hours' drive. Ashland hosts Southern Oregon Pride each October, and the downtown area has myriad queer-friendly shops, galleries, bed and breakfasts and restaurants.

Part of the Netherland Antilles, Curacao sits just north of South America with its brethren, Aruba and Bonaire-all out of the normal hurricane tracks. The colorful, pastel-painted buildings here are iconic, and hint at the welcoming nature of the island, thanks to its Dutch heritage. Said to be one of the most LGBTQ-friendly islands in the Caribbean, Curacao boasts plentiful diving, snorkeling and incredible beaches.

Puerto Rico's capital city is a bustling metropolis that offers wonderful cuisine, beaches, history, museums and a thriving gay scene. From clubs like SX to the drag shows at Kweens Klub or lesbian bars like El Cojo, there is something for everyone. Further afield, visitors can sample waterfalls and natural waterslides in El Yunque National Forest, the island's famed rainforest-or kayak into one of the area's bioluminescent bays at nighttime to see this bucket-list-worthy natural wonder.

Japan's largest city is home to one of the largest queer communities in all of Asia. And the city of 14 million residents has plenty of excitement to offer, with culture, food, history and sightseeing topping the list for most visitors. The Shinjuku Ni-chrome neighborhood is considered one of the top LGBTQ areas, with numerous clubs and lounges to sample, but also great shopping, bookstores, coffee shops and more to see during the daylight hours.

Hawaii's most populated island is most LGBTQ-centric, thanks to the population center of Honolulu. Queer travelers will love the island's beaches as well as its nightlife, and Oahu offers something for everyone, from the somber memorials of Pearl Harbor to the quiet, 1950s vibe of the North Shore. Honolulu has a fantastic food scene, and you can later burn off those calories climbing Diamond Head or by taking some surfing lessons on Waikiki Beach.

While Denmark's capital city might not be on the radar of some queer travelers the way that Barcelona, New York or Miami are, this Nordic gem is considered one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the world. Wander the cobbled streets and admire the colorful architecture here, or come for numerous annual events like Winter Pride in February, Pride Week in August or MIX Copenhagen LGBTQ Film Festival in October.

While U.S. travelers have been flocking to nearby San Miguel de Allende for years, the state capital of Guanajuato City is a treasure not to overlook. The city ebbs and flows over this scenic mountain valley, and it feels like Spain or Italy in places. Guanajuato is extremely LGBTQ friendly, as evidenced by the ubiquitous rainbow flags that say, "Somas Capital Incluyente," which means, "We are the inclusive capital."

Tel Aviv's weeklong Pride celebration each June (which boasts a quarter-million attendees) has already made it an attractive destination for queer travelers, but the whole country of Israel offers unique places to visit-from religious sites to gorgeous port cities like Haifa to the amazing Dead Sea. Israel is the most progressive country in the Middle East on LGBTQ rights, and it is said that 25 percent of Tel Aviv's population identifies as LGBTQ, making it one of the queerest cities in the world.

Balmy Lisbon is an ever-more-popular queer destination, with loads of culture, museums, fantastic architecture, some wonderful nearby beaches and eminently wanderable hilly streets. Gay marriage became legal in Portugal in 2010, and although it is a predominantly Catholic country, the people here are welcoming and accepting. Gayborhoods to explore in town include Principe Real, Chiado and Bairro Alto.

For more than 50 years, queer Philadelphia has centered around the blocks between Chestnut and Pine Streets and 11th and Broad Streets. Today, the city's gayborhood is full of rainbow street signs and a popular stop for LGBTQ visitors. But the city has much more to offer tourists, including world-class museums, a great deal of history and a fantastic food scene. You can also visit the country's longest-running queer bookstore and see the Edith Windsor historical marker, commemorating this local woman whose lawsuit helped dismantle the Defense of Marriage Act in 2013.

Long overlooked in the center of this midwestern state, Columbus has gotten a lot of attention with its epic Pride celebrations in recent years, often attracting crowds of 300,000 and up. The city's Short North Arts District is a terrific place to focus on, with plenty of queer-friendly and queer-owned businesses. Plan to spend time in lovely German Village and also explore the up-and-coming Franklinton neighborhood, with its breweries and artist studios.

Taiwan made headlines in 2019 when it legalized same-sex marriage, the first country in Asia to do so. The island nation also has hosted a large Pride event each fall, and Taipei boasts a large gay scene. Check out The Red House in Taipei, a large complex that contains bars, shops, performance spaces and more. LGBTQ tourists will also enjoy the country's restaurant scene, shopping and stunning national parks.

South Africa's brilliant "Mother City" is like the San Francisco of the continent-uber-gay, awash in picture-perfect views, home to many of the country's creative-types. It also has that whitewashed Mediterranean look in places and is an hour's drive from fantastic wine country, to boot. You'll be charmed by this city's progressive nature as well as the haunting fog that creeps over Table Mountain on some mornings.

This southeast Asian stunner of a country is known for its LGBTQ-friendliness, not to mention its great affordability, leading some Americans to extend their vacations here permanently. LGBTQ travelers can find endless city bustle in cosmopolitan Bangkok, visit elaborate Buddist temples up north in Chiang Mai or head south to Phuket, where some of the planet's most stunning beaches await.

Just 30 miles north of Miami's international bustle, Fort Lauderdale boasts one of the highest concentrations of same-sex couples in the country. Travelers will find it easy to get to, with many inexpensive flights, and once there, they'll come across endless beaches, myriad gay clubs and fine restaurants. Haulover Nude Beach is a popular LGBTQ hangout. And even if you run out of things to do, fabulous South Beach is a short drive away!

Southern California's nearly perfect climate, combined with San Diego's endless stretches of idyllic beaches make this a go-to for LGBTQ visitors-and the area's large queer population is an added draw. A trip here can mean plenty of relaxation time on the sand, or you can wander the progressive Hillcrest neighborhood, shop and dine in the quaint Gaslamp Quarter or check out the bars in North Park. There are also plenty of recreational opportunities on the water, from kayaking to sportfishing.

The queer community in London is one of the most established in all of Europe, with an extravagant nighttime scene and the main gayborhood centered in Soho in the West End. The Soho area boasts numerous gay and lesbian clubs, bars, shops and cafes and would make for a fine trip all in itself. But don't fear exploring other parts of London-the city has greatly expanded its queer-friendly neighborhoods, and today, you'll find rainbow flags clustered in areas like Camden, Vauxhall, Clapham, Islington and Hampstead.

The City by the Bay is a great 2022 destination, whether it's to come and re-explore the Castro, wander North Beach looking for the perfect café or sample the city's endless array of to-die-for restaurants. Plus, there's so much to do within a short day trip: Muir Woods, Napa or Sonoma for wineries, shopping in upscale Walnut Creek or lovely Monterey. Or you can simply get out on the water and take in the endless views of the city, the bridges, the hills and the Pacific.

Keep Austin Weird has been a mantra for this funky city for many years, and despite the huge influx of population over the last two decades, the locals have mostly been able to keep that spirit alive. And the Texas capital has also been one of the most gay-friendly cities in the country, regularly scoring a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index. Whether you're jogging or boating on Lady Bird Lake, catching incredible live music on 6th Street or sampling cuisine from vegan to Tex-Mex, Austin will keep you coming back for more.

This glamourous town has long been on the queer radar, with fabulous resorts and even more fabulous bodies situated at seemingly every hotel pool happy hour. Shows are an attraction here, and queer audiences will enjoy many of the sexy offerings, such as the Atomic Saloon Show at The Venetian, RuPaul's Drag Race: Live! at the Flamingo Las Vegas or Thunder Down Under at Sahara Las Vegas. Plus, the city's endless shopping, world-class restaurants, and-oh, yeah-the gambling is sure to keep even the most jaded traveler smiling.

While Montreal gets a lot of press as a great queer destination, historic and scenic Quebec City, located 150 miles to the northeast, is worth a serious look, too. This French-speaking city with a decidedly European feel is the perfect place for romance, with quaint shops, narrow streets, cozy bistros, river cruises and even hot air balloon rides. Walk down the rue Saint-Jean in the city's colorful Saint-Jean-Baptiste neighborhood, and you'll feel surrounded by love, with Pride flags flying all around you. Fall brings the city's multi-day Fête Arc-en-Ciel Pride festival.

Phoenix's famous suburb is a place to shop, relax, party or just be pampered. Scottsdale is home to some of the country's best resorts and enjoys brilliant sunshine year-round. Old Town is home to shopping, dining, art galleries and iconic architecture and is superb for people watching. And the year-round ArtWalk on Thursday evenings is a must-see, as is nearby Taliesin West for architecture fans. Did we mention the endless hiking opportunities, too? In 2022, the nearby Phoenix Pride Festival is on tap for October 15-16.

This underrated Midwestern city that is awash in great bars and German restaurants also boasts a lovely stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline, punctuated by parks and the iconic, Santiago Calatrava-designed Milwaukee Art Museum. The city is constantly rated as one of the country's friendliest, and summertime brings with it the magic of Summerfest, an annual three-weekend festival that includes numerous concert performances. The 2022 dates are June 23-July 9. Check out 2nd Street in the city's Walker's Point neighborhood and visit the queer LVL Complex for bars, food, dancing and drag shows.