Lesbians for Refugees

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Land of the free, home of the brave perhaps, but what is clear is that the United States is no one thing from sea to shining sea. Spread over some 3.8 million square miles, the states stretch from Alaska and the Hawaiian archipelago in the West to Maine and the Florida Keys in the East. And in between is a rich mix of imported influences that takes pride in the heterogeneity that defines it, a diversity reflected as much in the variety of its geography and culture as its cuisine and people. In such a big place, LGBTQ visitors will not be want for options: beautiful coasts, great lakes and plains, snow-capped mountains, deep canyons, quaint towns and iconic cities.

And in the United States, LGBTQ culture runs deep, with same-sex relationships dating back to the Native American Two-Spirit People (having both male and female spirits within them) and reports of gay men in the Union Army. It wasn't until the 1940s and the publication of Alfred Kinsey's Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, however, that discussions about homosexuality became a bit more mainstream.

The sexual revolution of the 1960s and the Stonewall riots in New York City in 1969 then blew the top off of most of the founding Puritan mores and issued in a modern gay civil rights era with Gay liberation at the forefront. Ten years later, the first gay rights March took place in Washington D.C. and in 2015, the latest milestone was reached with the recognition of marriage equality throughout the 50 states.

So what are the best destinations for LGBTQ travelers in the United States? Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Washington D.C., Key West, Fort Lauderdale, Portland, Palm Springs, Seattle, Savannah, Provincetown, New Orleans, Boston, Austin, Atlanta, Santa Fe, Las Vegas - Take your pick.

Be inspired

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, United States

Metropolitan Museum of Art

New York City, United States

Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the "Met", has more than 2 million works of art in its enormous building on 5th Avenue.  As it would be impossible to see everything...
  • 4.8
  • 2
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, United States

Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco, United States

A truly stunning structure, the Golden Gate Bridge has been named one of the seven wonders of the modern world, and it's art-deco design is a triumph of form and...
Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite

About four hours from San Francisco is Yosemite National Park, set in the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains and home to some of the best waterfalls in North America. The...
  • 5
  • 1
The Stonewall Inn, New York City, United States

The Stonewall Inn

New York City, United States

Perhaps the most famous gay bar in America, The Stonewall Inn was the site of the 1969 riots that ushered in a new era for gay rights in America.  Though it's...
  • 3.9
  • 2
Everglades National Park, Miami, United States

Everglades National Park

Miami, United States

Covering 1.5 million acres (over 6,000 square kilometers), Everglades National Park is a World Heritage Site and home to the American crocodile, the West Indian manatee,...
Disneyland, Los Angeles, United States

Disneyland

Los Angeles, United States

You may have visited Disney theme parks in Paris, Florida, Japan or Hong Kong, but there's nothing like the mother ship, the only park that Walt personally designed back...
Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs, United States

Joshua Tree National Park

Palm Springs, United States

Joshua Tree National Park - where two deserts meet - is a 800,000-acre (over 3,000 sq. km) wilderness where the two distinct ecosystems of "high" desert (Mojave) and...
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, United States

Alcatraz Island

San Francisco, United States

Perhaps the most infamous prison in America, Alcatraz Island--or "The Rock"--is a must-see for any San Francisco tourist. Your visit is audio-guided, narrated in part by...
  • 4.5
  • 2
Times Square, New York City, United States

Times Square

New York City, United States

Times Square, "The Great White Way" of neon and LED bill boards, is not a square at all but more like two triangles stretching north and south of West 45th Street as...
  • 4.6
  • 4
Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

Northwestern Arizona

The Grand Canyon, one of the world's natural wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a mile (1.6 km) deep, 18 miles wide (29km) and 277 river miles...
  • 5
  • 1
GLBT History Museum, San Francisco, United States

GLBT History Museum

San Francisco, United States

Also known as the "Queer Smithsonian," the GLBT History Museum is the first stand-alone museum to celebrate and document the evolution of the modern queer experience....
Balboa Park, San Diego, United States

Balboa Park

San Diego, United States

Balboa Park, a green space set aside in 1835 and site of several international expositions, covers 1,200 acres (490 ha) with gardens, walking space, green belts,...
  • 5
  • 1
Pike Place Market, Seattle, United States

Pike Place Market

Seattle, United States

Founded in 1907 and built on a steep hill overlooking Elliot Bay, Pike Place Market is one of the oldest continuously operating public farmers' markets in the United...
  • 4.5
  • 2

34 community reviews / United States

General impression
Excellent
LGBT-friendly
Good