The annual ArtBasel event also occurs in Miami each winter and draws in a very gay-friendly and LGBTQ crowd to the many parties and art events that make the festival so famous. The biggest LGBTQ events of the year in Miami include the White Party in November (an annual fundraiser for AIDS under the guise of a circuit party), Winter Party in March (an annual fundraiser for the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force), Miami Beach Pride in April, and AquaGirl in October (an event catered by and for LGBTQ women). It's especially popular with tourists in the winter from "sunbirds"-those that live further north who escape to Miami and South Florida to take advantage of the warmer weather and sunshine. In South Florida, Miami is a fantastic year-round destination thanks to its tropical weather and plentiful sunshine. This strip of sand is dominated by gay men, who come here to see, be seen, and catch up on gossip from the night before. While not nearly as gay-centric as South Beach, Coral Gables is a cute neighborhood with trendy restaurants, shops, and a couple of lesbian and gay nightclubs. In South Beach, the gay beach is located between 12th Street and Ocean Drive. Side note: Madonna called this pocket of Miami home for many years! Coconut Grove is home to the famous Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, which has hosted the annual White Party on occasion. The neighborhood still maintains its reputation as a gay-friendly area of Miami, just 10 minutes south of downtown on Biscayne Bay. Swanky meets sexy on the sun-splashed playground.Ĭoconut Grove was once the epicenter of gay and lesbian life in South Florida before South Beach took the wheel. South Beach is home to the largest concentration of gay-friendly businesses and hotels in Miami and is the hotspot for nightlife and fabulous dining. The gayborhood is flanked by the ocean on one side and a rainbow of pastel-colored hotels, restaurants, and bars on the other side. South Beach, or SoBe, is the heart of gay Miami. Think “The Birdcage” with hot, tan bodies everywhere. The Atlantic Ocean borders South Beach to the East, Alton Road to the West, Sixth Street to the South, and Dade Boulevard to the North. Here you’ll find a diverse blend of tourists, giving it an International flair. The city has still maintained its reputation as the hotspot gay playground. When you’re in town, don’t skip gay-friendly South Beach. Miami is the “Gay Riviera” of the United States East Coast. Enjoy a margarita and soak up the sun at Miami’s gay beach near Ocean Drive. When night falls, dance the night away at one of the city’s amazing gay and lesbian nightclubs.