Blessed with sunny beaches and plenty of cultural attractions, San Diego County is a welcome destination for LGBTQ+ travelers. Whether you’re looking for a resort-style getaway or a buzzing downtown weekend, you’ll find plenty of LGBTQ+-friendly options in San Diego by way of hotels, culture, and more. And don’t miss San Diego Pride during the month of July.
LGBTQ+ stays in Hillcrest and beyond
Hillcrest, a retro-hip enclave located northwest of Balboa Park, is San Diego's unquestioned LGBTQ+ hub. This leafy neighborhood is a shopper’s heaven, with distinctive boutiques and plenty of cafes where you can window-shop, dine al fresco, and soak up the great weather.
Dig into classic American comfort foods at Gossip Grill, then dance the night away at The Brass Rail, San Diego’s oldest gay bar. The neighborhood is also home to Hillcrest Brewing Company, a proudly gay brewery and restaurant—some say the nation’s first—with signature pours such as Banana Hammock Scotch Ale and Long & Stout Russian Imperial Stout.
Stay at the historic boutique resort Inn at the Park, on the western edge of Balboa Park, or check in nearby at the Town and County Resort, a charmingly revamped midcentury hotel. There are plenty more hotel suggestionsin the city’s guide to LGBTQ+ Friendly Lodging—like The Sofia Hotel in downtown San Diego, The Pearl in Point Loma, and Paradise Point on Mission Bay.
Dine, bowl, and splash in North Park
A short drive from Hillcrest, North Park is both a magnet for foodies and has plenty of its own LBGTQ+-friendly charms. For starters, see what’s on the schedule at the Diversionary Theatre, first opened in 1986, which tends to showcase LGBTQ+ stories and themes. (Want more great theater? Check the calendars at The Old Globe and La Jolla Playhouse—the latter a frequent launching pad for future Broadway hits.)
You could also easily spend a few nights at North Park’s Lafayette Hotel & Club, the colorful boutique hotel that first reopened in 1946 but got a dramatic makeover in 2023 with its retro pool scene, a sumptuous Lobby Bar inside a glass atrium, and an underground bar and bowling alley. The place has a fun Hollywood backstory too: The original hotel was a hangout for the likes of Ava Gardner and Katharine Hepburn, and its classic pool was designed by Johnny Weissmuller, the famed Olympic swimmer who also played Tarzan in a dozen movies.
Celebrate Pride in San Diego
With its year-round sun, San Diego doesn’t really have a “best” time to visit, but LGBTQ+ travelers might want to aim for San Diego Pride parade and festival, a three-day celebration in July that draws 300,000 people to its rally, parade, block party, and music festival; more than 200 bands typically take to stages set up in Balboa Park. There are specific events geared to teens and young adults, sponsored by Pride Youth, but the entire event is billed as family- and kid-friendly.
Plan your trip
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