Hi, I’m Kayla. I plan trips with way too many tabs open. I’m queer, I travel solo a lot, and I get nervous the night before a new place. So I tested a bunch of gay travel guides on real trips. Some were great. Some… kinda clunky. Here’s the tea, and a few side notes from the road.
If you want the full behind-the-scenes rundown, I break it all down in this deep dive on how I road-tested four gay travel guides across six cities.
Quick snapshot: where I used them
- Madrid (Chueca during Pride)
- Mexico City (Zona Rosa, plus Roma/Condesa)
- Taipei (Ximen Red House)
- Lisbon (Príncipe Real)
- Savannah (old town and Club One)
- Cape Town (De Waterkant and Clifton 3rd Beach)
For a zoomed-out look at the places I keep returning to, check out my go-to gay-friendly places to travel and how they actually felt.
You know what? A guide can calm your shoulders. Or waste your time. Let me explain.
Spartacus Gay Guide (app) — my fast “what’s open now?” buddy
I leaned on Spartacus in Madrid and Lisbon. Picture me at 11:30 p.m., phone at 8%, trying to find a bar near Plaza de Pedro Zerolo that still had a line worth waiting for.
If you haven’t tried it, the Spartacus International Gay Guide basically drops a live queer radar onto your map and updates as the night shifts.
What worked for me:
- Live map with opening hours felt real. In Chueca, it steered me to LL Bar when another place shut early.
- Tags helped. “Mixed crowd,” “drag shows,” “women-friendly” saved me time.
- Event notes during MADO (Madrid Pride) were on point. I found a pop-up party two streets from Fulanita de Tal.
What made me sigh:
- Some listings were dusty. One club in Lisbon was still in the app but had moved months before.
- Filters felt fussy on my small phone.
- The paid tier teased extra reviews. I paid, but I grumbled.
Best moment: I used Spartacus to hop from drinks in Príncipe Real to Trumps, and then somehow ended up at Finalmente. It felt like the app knew my feet were tired.
Damron Women’s Traveller (print + Kindle) — old school, but it saved my Savannah night
Yes, I still pack a book. Weird? Maybe. But in smaller U.S. cities, the Damron Women’s guide hits different.
The paperback version of the Damron Women’s Traveller logs thousands of lesbian-friendly stays, cafés, and events across North America and beyond, so it earns the backpack real estate.
How it helped:
- I used it to find a chill spot near Forsyth Park. The staff didn’t blink at two women checking in late.
- It flagged Club One as welcoming. The drag show there was pure joy. I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt.
- The notes on neighborhoods felt steady, not loud.
Where it missed:
- It can’t update fast, of course. A café listed as queer-friendly was closed for “renovation” with no date.
- The layout is… text-heavy. Not cute on a tiny screen.
Why I still bring it: I like having a guide that lives outside my phone. When a Lyft driver talked too much about my “husband,” the book gave me another plan without me staring at a glowing screen.
Mr Hudson (site) — polished picks for when I want a chic weekend
I used Mr Hudson in Cape Town and Lisbon. It felt like a friend with taste. A bit fancy, sure. But also useful.
Good stuff:
- The Cape Town guide pointed me to De Waterkant. I stayed near shops and walked to Pink Panther Social Club.
- It suggested Clifton 3rd Beach for a mellow sun day. People smiled, no weird looks. Salt on my skin, wind in my hair, done.
- In Lisbon, the picks around Príncipe Real were walkable and pretty. Dinner. Then Finally… Finally.
Not so good:
- Prices ran high. Great for a splurge; not great for a Tuesday.
- Fewer listings. It’s curated, which is nice, but sometimes I wanted more options.
If you like clean design and you want “one nice thing” each day, this guide lands well. And while you’re already eyeing southern Africa, my on-the-ground pieces on Namibia gay travel and Botswana gay travel can help you decide if you want to tack on a desert detour.
Nomadic Boys (blog) — clear on laws and vibes, even when the tone skews male
I’m not a boy. But their destination pages helped a lot with pre-trip safety checks. I used them for Taipei.
What I liked:
- Straight talk on local laws and general comfort level.
- Tips around Ximen Red House were spot on. I ended up at a patio near the plaza, with lantern light and easy chatter. No stress.
- Food notes helped too. I grabbed dumplings before a late show and felt like a pro.
What bugged me a bit:
- Lots of ads on mobile.
- The voice can feel very couple-trip, very male. Still, the info holds.
It’s great “homework” before you book, then pair it with another tool on the ground. If South America is calling your name, I’ve got honest, heartfelt notes on gay travel in Ecuador that line up safety tips with plenty of joy.
If you need a broader LGBTQ resource beyond travel specifics, the nonprofit site OutProud curates up-to-date safety info and community support that can anchor you before you even pack a bag.
Small sidekick tools that mattered
- HER app Events: In Mexico City, it showed a low-key meet-up in Roma. We played trivia. I learned new slang and found a brunch spot for the next day.
- Google Maps lists: I made a “Safe + Fun” list per city. Drag brunch? Add it. Late café? Add it.
- GeoSure: Quick read on street feel by neighborhood. Not perfect, but it eased my nerves.
- Snapchat warm-ups: Before a trip I sometimes join queer city groups or add bar hosts on Snapchat to feel out the vibe. If you’re newer to sending spicy snaps without it turning messy, this no-judgment walkthrough on Snapchat sexting lays out consent tips, disappearing-photo settings, and screenshot alerts so you can flirt safely before you land.
- Bay Area layover hack: If you ever get stuck overnight near SFO or find yourself on the Peninsula with time to kill, a quick browse through OneNightAffair’s Backpage Millbrae can uncover queer-friendly pop-up socials, last-minute drink invites, and after-hours events—turning an unexpected stopover into a mini adventure packed with local vibes.
Craving beach-town sparkle after the big city? My take on Puerto Vallarta as a gay traveler covers everything from margaritas to mellow mariachis. And if you’d rather let someone else handle the logistics, here’s how I tried the best gay travel companies — plus who actually delivered.
I know these aren’t “guides,” but together they fill the gaps.
Real nights these guides made better
- Madrid Pride: Spartacus got me to a plaza show on time, then to LL Bar’s late drag set. I danced with strangers. We all knew the chorus.
- Taipei: Nomadic Boys prepped me on norms. At Red House, I sat outside with a spritz, listened to pop, and felt soft and safe.
- Savannah: Damron pointed me to Club One on a rainy night. The host winked, the queen read a tourist, and I went to bed smiling.
- Cape Town: Mr Hudson’s picks kept me near De Waterkant. I walked to dinner, then hopped a quick ride to Clifton 3rd in the morning. Simple. Bright.
If you want more inspiration beyond these moments, I laid out gay-friendly travel destinations I’ve actually loved and why plus [an honest list of the spots I adored — and a few I didn’t](https://www.outproud.org/my-honest-take-on-gay-travel-destinations-ive-loved-and-a-few-i-did