The 'Hottest US Gay Beach' Is A Thriving Florida Paradise Blending Relaxation And Recreation

Fan out your Pride flag towels across the hot sand at this Florida beach destination that's just minutes from Wilton Manors, one of the most LGBTQ-friendly small towns in America. The neighboring big city of Fort Lauderdale, one of the Sunshine State's most popular getaways, has the Pride community flocking to its sparkling coastline of Sebastian Street Beach. With its picturesque palm trees, salty air, and crystal-blue waters, it's been hailed as the "Hottest U.S. Gay Beach" by Out Traveler, outranking Fire Island in New York — a place known to be a safe space for queer identities since the 1920s.

Here, relaxation shakes hands with recreation, as you get the serene shoreline on one side of the road and a strip of bars and restaurants across the way. You can spend all day sinking your toes in the sand, splashing about in the ocean, and grabbing a bite with an ice-cold cocktail. Steps away from the beach lies the Ritz Carlton, so you don't even have to leave the area. Fort Lauderdale has been outshining Miami Beach, and while Fire Island will always be a crowd favorite, the South Florida city has been coming up (or shall we say, coming out).

To understand why Sebastian Street Beach gained popularity with the LGBTQ+ population is to understand the rise of the gay community in Fort Lauderdale, a thriving city that boasts the phrase "love is love." Its emergence dates to 1935, when Fort Lauderdale's first gay bar, Club Ha-Ha, opened. However, the impact of the queer society didn't make its mark until the 1970s, around the same time Tea Dances surfaced in Key West. Now, there is Wilton Manors, a predominantly queer neighborhood, and plenty of LGBTQ-friendly bars, shops, and restaurants. The small town is about 20 minutes from Sebastian Street Beach, so it only makes sense that the community found another slice of heaven at which to gather and enjoy each other's company.

The city of Fort Lauderdale throws an annual Pride Festival celebration in June, with local vendors lining the streets and people dancing along the sidewalks. Around town, you can also find museums, like Stonewall National Museum & Archives and the World AIDS Museum, which teach the history of the LGBTQ+ community. The city even changed its tagline in 2022 to "Everyone Under the Sun," expressing inclusivity for all.

The party begins while facing Sebastian Street Beach. From Rock Bar Day Club to Cafe Ibiza, you can enjoy jumbo margaritas and live music along the water. There are lounges, dive bars, and fancy rooftops overlooking Sebastian Street Beach, so you'll feel like you're in paradise no matter where you go. Aside from partying, there are also delicious restaurants, like Casablanca Cafe, serving a multicultural blend of Italian and Greek food. In fact, Sebastian Street Beach is the perfect alternative to Elia Beach, one of Greece's LGBTQ-friendly party paradises in Mykonos, as you don't even need a passport.

On the beach, you can soak in some Vitamin D or go for a swim in the ocean blue. Rent paddleboards and paddle far out to sea or go snorkeling and see the marine life below the surface. The beach is said to have a larger male population, but this low-key, peaceful escape is open to — as they say in Fort Lauderdale — "everyone under the sun."