What's it really like?
Bronzed bodies, bulging biceps, and speedos. That’s Miami in a nutshell. A popular destination for gay travelers, if you haven’t been to Miami yet, what’s stopping you?
Beautiful beaches, sunny days that feel like they’ll never end, and non-stop entertainment await you.
Miami is an interesting city geographically. While the downtown area of Miami and its surrounding suburbs are on the mainland. Miami Beach is actually an island off the coast, created in the 1920s as a landfill by dredging Biscayne Bay. It’s connected to the mainland by three road bridges.
The downtown area of Miami on the mainland is the business district. Most travelers prefer to stay on Miami Beach, with Atlantic Ocean views being the biggest draw.
Plan your trip during Spring and join Miami’s 2-month festival, Rainbow Spring. It starts in March with the Winter Festival, a week of music, dance, and community building. The middle of April is the Miami Pride weekend, including pool parties, a parade, and a music festival. The OUTshine film festival at the end of the month follows this.
Don’t worry; outside these months, there’s plenty of gay entertainment on the beach, with many hotels, bars, and restaurants holding nightly events.
Are you considering a gay wedding in Miami? Many options include historic mansions, exotic gardens, or even a boat.
When organizing your trip to Miami or any of the other gay destinations in Florida, keep in mind that the region has an extended hurricane season from June to November. While prices drop significantly across the city, there are dangers whenever they are about.
Most gay-friendly hotels are on Miami Beach island, including the three gay-owned and operated ones. There are also some well-known chain hotels located downtown.
Gay men are welcome at every hotel in Miami, and every hotelier knows the power of the pink dollar. Our tip is to stay at South Beach; why not stay in the heart of the gay action?
Due to its location and popularity, Miami is one of the most expensive cities in the US to stay in. In the past few years, average hotel room prices have hovered around $200 a night. Just like in Key West and Fort Lauderdale — Florida’s other gay areas — Miami has seasonal pricing. You’ll save on your room rate if you want to brave it and visit during hurricane season.
Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Florida since June 26, 2003, and gay marriage since January 6, 2015. Discriminating against sexual orientation or gender identity regarding employment, housing, and public accommodation is illegal in many counties, including Miami.
Keep in mind that Miami has a massive urban sprawl. Staying and partying in the gayborhood of South Beach makes more sense than going to the other areas.
The University of Miami Health Service is a one-stop shop for everything related to STIs. You can get tested for a variety of STIs, including HIV. If you need PrEP or PEP, they can arrange that for you, too. The testing centers are conveniently located at every Walgreens in Miami.
South Beach, nicknamed ‘SoBe’ by locals, is the main gayborhood of Miami. Right on the beach facing the Atlantic Ocean, this district has the highest concentration of gay-friendly bars, restaurants, hotels, and attractions. In fact, South Beach has one of the world’s largest LGBTQI+ communities.
Most of the bars, including Twist, Score, and the Palace, can be found along Washington Avenue between 10th and 15th Streets. However, Gaythering’s hotel, bar, and sauna are on the island’s western side, facing the downtown area on the mainland.
Azucar Nightclub and Club Aqua sauna are on the mainland in the Coral Gables district southwest of downtown. Gramps is a Miami institution offering live bands, DJs, and drag bingo; it’s located in the Wynwood creative arts neighborhood north of downtown.
Surprisingly, the three gay massage venues aren’t in South Beach. Alexspot24 is in the downtown area, with the other two, Muscletech Body Works and Massage by Eric, further north.
Culture vultures, you’ll find the Miami Design District, which is located on the mainland just before the Julia Tuttle Causeway, the main connector to Miami Beach. The Institute of Contemporary Art, the de la Cruz Collection, and the David Castillo Art Gallery are all within walking distance from each other.
While visiting Miami, you must try a cookie from gay-owned Night Owl Cookies. Andrew Gonzalez’s late-night comfort food stores have five locations across Miami, including one in South Beach.
Shoppers! Creative Male and OUTfair are two exclusively gay men’s clothing stores in Miami. Creative Male is open daily, but OUTfair is only open Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 am to 6 pm.
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