Some of the most popular hubs for LGBTQ+ culture in the USA are usually large cities like New York, Los Angeles, Denver, and Chicago, but smaller cities and towns in America also offer thriving LGBTQ+ scenes, queer-friendly businesses, and progressive thinking. Here are five of the best LGBTQ+ friendly small towns and cities to visit in the USA right now.
If you want to know what makes Eureka Springs such a unique and exciting place to live and visit, ask a local. The LGBTQ+ population here has grown over the decades, creating a welcoming destination for visitors. In the 1970s, the town was known as a hippie hub and a sanctuary for nonconformists. The town is famous for its haunted hotel, cute and kitschy shops, drag contests, pub crawls, amazing wedding venues, and much more.
This small town, known as a great weekend getaway for city dwellers, has been uniquely LGBTQ+ friendly since the early 2000s. Hudson has a swanky main street, perfect for shopping, LGBTQ+ owned businesses, and a large population of queer people young and old. Surrounding Hudson Valley towns like New Paltz (which is famous for marrying gay couples before it was legal) and Kingston, have also seen an increase in LGBTQ+ owned businesses, events, and community initiatives.
A study from Clever found that in Hartford only 11 percent of residents are opposed to marriage equality, this was the lowest percentage in the study which focused on small metro areas. Hartford celebrates Pride on the second Saturday of September every year, bringing together business owners, allies, and LGBTQ+ community members to celebrate love. Throughout the year, Hartford Pride hosts events to celebrate achievements, foster inclusion, and create awareness on issues impacting the LGBTQI+ community.
Lexington is home to a vibrant LGBTQ+ community where visitors can explore the “Fruit Loop,” an LGBTQ+ neighborhood where bars, clubs, and businesses are queer-owned and proud. Learn about the city’s history with a self-guided 1-mile walking tour on Lexington’s LGBTQ+ history, strut over rainbow crosswalks, say a little prayer under a three-story-tall mural of local trans icon, Sweet Evening Breeze, and book your stay during June so you can join 50,000 people in a march for Pride.
Ogunquit is home to many queer-owned businesses that offer a plethora of things to do, see, taste, and eperience. Ogunquit is a perfect coastal getaway, full of restaurants, galleries, hotels and natural beauty. Each year, the town hosts a pride celebration (June 6-8, 2025) featuring a Pride flag raising, a park picnic with live entertainment and LGBTQ+ vendors, and plenty of events throughout the weekend including local businesses, live music, and entertainment, films, and food.
