Florida is gay

The charming island is also known for its white sand, pink shells, humble attitude, and beautiful waterfront homes.

Gulfport

Gulfport is Tampa Bay’s “Gay Margaritaville”. So you see, there is so much awaiting you here.

Many people retire to Florida to enjoy the city’s beautiful beaches and warm weather.

Head over to the Tin Roof on Sundays to cheer on your favorite drag queen during the Battle of the Divas.

For our complete LGBTQ guide to Delray, check out our Gay Florida Road Trip Guide to Delray Beach.

Florida Keys – Key West

The Florida Keys, in general, are “gay-friendly”, however gay transplants have been relocating and vacationing in the island paradise of Key West since the early 1970s.

Not officially sanctioned by Disney, the annual event has attracted a growing number of LGBT families with children.

Mount Dora

This quaint town in Lake County is a rainbow diamond in the rough. This is the closest waterfront neighborhood to downtown.

St. Mount Dora is artsy, beautiful and surprisingly – super gay!

Lakeshore, for example, is a popular “gayborhood.” Or, if closer to downtown is more your thing, the artsy and hip All Saints neighborhood, is quirky, fun and very gay-friendly.

You may have noticed that Tallahassee has a reputation for being particularly “lesbian-friendly”, and that may stem from the fact that between 1905-1947 FSU was a women-only institution, and was one of the largest women-only universities in the country!

Again, Tallahassee is a lone “island of blue” in a sea of red, so please do beware that 15 minutes in any direction outside of the city, attitudes about the LGBT community can change dramatically.

Disclaimer: Most gay-friendly cities in Florida are quite diverse, and neighborhoods can change dramatically in just a few short blocks.

Throughout the year, Gulfport celebrates diversity in all of its colors, shapes and sizes, so it is no surprise that it is home to the most LGBTQ-welcoming residents.

Dunedin

Charming and quaint, Dunedin is a historic, small town with a big-city mindset just north of Clearwater.

Let’s begin.

Lake Worth

This town lies south of another LGBTQ-friendly town, West Palm Beach.

It’s filled with hip shops and on-trend restaurants.

The cost of living, housing prices and tax rates are particularly low in Orlando. Augustine Beach2,5820.46%84Davie35,0960.46%85Bartow6,5340.46%86Apopka17,0030.46%87Seminole8,7790.46%88Hallandale Beach17,5370.44%89Ormond Beach17,9320.41%90Largo37,3270.41%91Cape Coral64,9810.41%92Sunrise31,9090.4%93Tarpon Springs9,6510.39%94New Port Richey7,1130.39%95Naples10,8540.39%96Casselberry11,1450.38%97Ocala22,2450.36%98Daytona Beach28,8170.35%99Parkland9,4200.34%100Lantana4,2380.33%

Florida's Equality Profile

Sexual Orientation

60%

of population
fully protected

Legend

State
Protections
County
Protections
City
Protections
No
Protections
Protections
Banned

County map only shows areas with full protections for sexual orientation (i.e., discrimination prohibited in private employment, housing, and public accommodations)

City and County Numbers:

12 counties out of 67 have an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in private employment, housing, and public accommodations (full protections).

28 cities have an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in private employment, housing, and public accommodations (full protections).

4 municipalities, not including those listed above, have an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in private employment, housing, or public accommodations (only partial protections).

Lake Worth is home to the Compass Gay and Lesbian Community Center for Palm Beach County. This well-educated base has blossomed into a culture of liberal and Democratic voters, and is one of only a few Southern cities known for progressive activism. Having spent years researching and exploring diverse neighborhoods, she specializes in providing insights on LGBTQ-friendly locations across the United States.

For many, Florida is the retirement dream. “Senior Advice”, a website that focuses on senior living, recently ranked Fort Lauderdale the #7 best city for LGBT people to retire in 2019.

If you want to live downtown Fort Lauderdale, then Victoria Park is the neighborhood for you! Naples also a pet-friendly destination.

Central Florida – Orlando, The Villages, Gainesville

Orlando

With 4.1% of the population identifying as LGBTQ, Orlando has a well-established gay community and several popular gentrified neighborhoods such as Winter Park, Lake Eola Heights and Colonialtown.

The ViMi District, more officially known as Virginia-Mills, is one of the city’s most vibrant gay neighborhoods.

In Florida, there are various LGBTQ-friendly places to live. Oakland Park is a “sister city” to Wilton Manors’ north.

The famously “gay beach” Sebastian Street Beach is located in Fort Lauderdale Beach, and is part of the pedestrian-friendly “strip” on a barrier island home to many hotels, shops and restaurants.

Please inform us if you experience discrimination or homophobia while visiting any destination so we can make updates to our recommendations.

Florida is a special place to live, and for many, it is a retirement dream.

After all, who would not want to be surrounded by sun and water for most of the year?

Petersburg is the historic Grand Central District featuring more than 70 GLBT-friendly businesses, including antique stores, home décor galleries, salons, boutiques, bars and restaurants. 17.0% of households in Wilton Manors are gay.

The city in Florida with the most same-sex houesholds is St. With its high end shopping, five-star restaurants, the beach, all while still living in a residential neighborhood that is a tightly-knit and well-organized gay community.

Another hot, “up & coming”, yet affordable LGBT-friendly neighborhood is North Andrews Gardens.

And although still in its infancy, Naples Pride brings together LGBTQ community members and business owners from throughout the region.
An additional

Augustine
About 45 minutes south, you’ll find the intercoastal city of St.