Gay and Lesbian Travelers

Gay and lesbian travelers will find Washington as open-minded as it is beautiful. It’s home to a populous LGBT community, particularly in the Seattle [1] metropolitan area. Even in most rural parts of the state, gay and lesbians will feel safe and accepted by Washingtonians.

While there’s not really any kind of “lavender line” in Seattle, much of the LGBT nightlife and cultural pulse is centered around the colorful Capitol Hill [2] neighborhood. Here you’ll find a wide variety of gay and lesbian bars, as well as the Seattle LGBT Center (1122 East Pike St., 206/323-5428, www.seattlelgbt.org [3]), a community center that frequently holds cultural events and whose volunteers are quite willing to offer referrals and other information about the city and region to area visitors.

Seattle is also home to one of the largest Pride (www.seattlepride.org [4]) parades in the West. Held each June, the parade typically winds through downtown along 4th Avenue.