Each one has its own unique character and style. Other gay-friendly neighborhoods to check out are Clarksville and South Congress. In the downtown warehouse area You’ll also find the 4th Street Gay District that has a concentration of gay bars and nightclubs. As festivals are a popular reason to visit, beware as these large events limit availability and the price of accommodations skyrocket.Īs a whole, Texas is a very LGBT-friendly city however, the main gay neighborhood is East Austin, which is located near downtown. Winter is overall quite mild and dry with highs in the low-mid 60s. This is due to the very hot Texan summers (June-August) that can see daytime highs well over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, the best time to visit Austin is during the shoulder seasons, spring (March-May) and fall (September-November).
So pack your bags, even just for the weekend, and find out for yourself what makes Austin a weird and fabulous gay destination. With the entire city boasting a gay-friendly culture, there’s no shortage of LGBT events, gay bars, clubs and attractions. The city has long attracted artists and musicians making it also the live music capital of the world and you can find live music almost everywhere.
As the capital of the Lone Star state, Austin has a rich historical past, an innovative food scene, art and culture and countless outdoor activities, attractions and venues. The city has been put on the map by hosting national events like Austin City Limits Festival and South by Southwest (SXSW). Throughout the mid-20th century, Austin had several gay bars, long before its LGBT movement began.Although a visit to the great state of Texas may not be on your list of gay-friendly destinations, Austin should definitely be at the top with its eclectic mix of cowboys, hipsters and a colorful LGBT-scene. These included Apartment, Cabaret, Insomnia Club, Manhattan Club, Pearl Street Warehouse, and Red River Lounge. The LGBT movement in Austin began in 1970, shortly after the Stonewall riots that sparked LGBT movements across the U.S. This first public meeting was only attended by 25 individuals at University Y. In 1970, Austin also became home to a chapter of the Gay Liberation Front, and local newspapers such as The Rag began supporting the movement. These early organizations were subjected to homophobic backlash In 1975, an Austin Lesbian Organization party was raided by the University of Texas Silver Spurs, and pride floats built for Round Up Weekend were vandalized into the 1980s.Īn event organized by the Gay People of Austin was held in 1974 at Shoal Creek Park and the Student Union Ballroom, which about 300 people attended.īy 1974, the Austin Lesbian Organization and the Gay People of Austin had been established. In 1976, Mayor Jeff Friedman established a Gay Pride Week to take place annually in June, which included a pride and march to the Texas State Capitol. In response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic which began in Austin in 1983, the pride marches to the capitol building expanded in attendance to about 25,000 people.