gay cruise in houston

Houston (H-Town) Gay Cruising (Cruise) Bars

A listing of gay cruising (cruise) bars and nightclubs located in Houston (H-Town), Texas

HOUSTON (H-TOWN) GAY CRUISING (CRUISE) BARS

EAGLE HOUSTON

611 HYDE PARK BLVD, 77006 (STANFORD ST & HOPKINS ST)

715 FAIRVIEW ST, 77006 (CROCKER ST & STANFORD ST)

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Cruise Bars in Houston

Eagle Houston

Eagle Leather and Levi Gay Bar Guide

Let us know if you have a favorite you’d like to add.

Atlanta Eagle Leather Bar 306 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta GA •  404.873.2453 Leather, Levi or come as you are. Discover the hottest men of the South. Cheapest Drinks in Town. Never a cover. If you’re looking for friends or a quick hot encounter, you’ll find locals and visitors always stop at the Eagle. Check online website for new DJ Podcasts. Check out website and sign-up for email.

Boston Eagle Leather Bar 520 Tremont Street, Boston MA 02116 •  617.542.4494 Sometimes called “the Gay Cheers,” this is South End’s leather and levi bar. Comfy friendly place. Drinks are strong. Prices are cheap. Favored as a “last stop” for quick midnight hookup.

Baltimore Eagle Cruise Bar 2022 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD Top cruise bar in Baltimore. You’ll find hot looking leather men amd levi studs at events like “Full Moon” and “Blackout Parties.” The sign says, “It’s where to go for a stiff one.”

Columbus Eagle Bar & Dance Club 232 North Third Street, Columbus OH 43215 •  614.228.2804 More youth oriented and nightclub feel than a levi/leather bar. But you’ll see plenty of leather. Come and enjoy drag queens and leather boys. See some of the hottest X-rated porn stars drop by for guest spots. Sign says, “most uninhibited and unpretentious dance club in town.”

Dallas Eagle Leather Bar 5740 Maple Ave, Dallas TX 75235  214.357.4375 Hot men. Throbbing dance floor. Industrial patio. Serious cruising.

DC Eagle Bar 3701 Benning Road NE Washington DC 20019 •  202.347.6025 Classic leather bar known for it’s original Spartan history. Became early Eagle bar setting traditions of “Hanging Club Colors,” Club Mugs, Helmet Drinks, Blackout Nights and more. Check website. “Enter, if You Are Man Enough.”

Denver Eagle 1475 36th St, Denver CO 80205 •  303.291.0250 Denver’s premier Levi/Leather/Bear Cruise Bar. Wide range of men and boys. Center of party and fun. Leather and levi mix with with Fun modern and inviting atmosphere. Chic meets bad boy. Never a dress code. [email protected]

Houston Eagle 611 Hyde Park Blvd., Houston, TX 77006 Houston’s premier bar for masculine men and the spot for serious cruising. Home of the Houston Bears, and the center of the party! Visit Eagle Trading Co. inside the bar – carrying such brands as Tribal Son, Mr S Leather, Nasty Pig and Eagle-branded items. Monday-Friday, 4p-2a; Saturday & Sunday, noon-2a. DJs on the weekend with the dance floor open – The Officer’s Club upstairs is open on the weekends.

Los Angeles Eagle Leather Bar 4219 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90029 •  323.669.9472 LA’s newest Levi and Leather bar. Always upholding the ethics of Leather, Uniform and Fetish. The Hottest Men. The Hottest Music. The Hottest Scene. Valet parking. Get on the mailing list. This is a party you don’t want to miss.

New York City Eagle Bar 554 W 28th Street, New York NY (between 10th & 11th Ave) •  646.473.1866 New York’s premiere leather bar continues it’s tradition of having the hottest men, great pool tables and searious cruising. Voted Best Leather Bar by New York Magazine.

New Orleans Eagle 941 Elysian Fields, New Orleans, LA 504.945.9264 Known worldwide for its “anything goes” atmosphere, the Eagle is at the center of decadent New Orleans. Dark corners and a “twisted” bar staff are there to ensure that your every need is met. Located upstairs from the Phoenix.

New Orleans Phoenix 941 Elysian Fields, New Orleans, LA 504.945.9264 The Phoenix/Eagle Bar is situated in the historic Fauborg Marigny neighborhood on the outskirts of the French Quarter. Opened in 1983, the Phoenix continues to proudly serve the New Orleans neighborhood and Gay Leather/Levi community. The downstairs Phoenix bar is a mix of both local clientele and international visitors. Reasonably priced drinks, friendly bartenders and helpful locals make the Phoenix a favorite for visitors to New Orleans.

Palm Springs Barracks Leather Bar 167-625 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City CA 760.321.9688 The Barracks caters to an eclectic adult patronage. If you’re into leather, bondage, discipline, spanking, boots, uniforms, military action, latex, rubber, bears, musclemen, cigars, water sports, pumping, handballing, body piercing, tattoos, or most any fetish, or if you just like cruising HOT MEN, The Barracks is the place for you.

San Francisco Eagle 398 12th Street, San Fransisco CA World famous Eagle. San Francisco’s Gay Heart! Bears, Leather, Dykes, Bikers, Drag. The Patio. Sunday Beer Bust. Thursday Night Live (bands). If it’s a big gay party it’s here.

Seattle Eagle Leather Bar 314 E Pike Street, Seattle WA 206.621.7591 Seattle’s Premier Leather Levi Bar. Hot sounds and Hot DJs. Uniform, Camoflage and Bondage are plentiful. Back deck and upstairs catwalk with sling for fun and cruising the studs ad bears of great Northwest. Upstairs pool table always busy. Look for weekly bareback bar specials plus jockstrap and underware nights.

Tulsa Eagle 1338 East Third, Tulsa OK 74120 918.592.1188 Find your own Oklahoma farmboy in levis or real man leather dad, male dancers included. Hot bar mixes them all. Underground electronic dance music. WI-FI hotspot to cruise, surf, and chat online. TV games and shows. Patio, pool table, darts, video games, karaoke and live bands. This bar has it all.

Minneapolis Eagle Bar 515 Washington Ave South, Minneapolis MN Come in for a stiff one. For top cruising in Minneapolis from Happy Hour with Hot Dogs, Bingo and serious leather/levi man action check out special events, Leather Club Night, Bear Bar Night, Storm Patrol Leather Club Night.

The Eagle Portland 835 N Lombard, Portland OR 503.283.9734 Portland’s rugged bar for masculine men. Whether you’ve got a thirst from working hard, or playing hard, this is the watering hole where guys come together to kick back and be men.

Las Vegas Eagle 3430 East Tropicana Avenue, Las Vegas NV 89121 Open 24 Hours 7 Days a Week The Las Vegas Eagle is a Las Vegas classic. It’s a gay bar where regulars find their groove and newcomers quickly learn the ropes, then forget them when they realize everyone’s just there to have a good time. Between the karaoke and the dancing, the Eagle is more than just a place to sit and drink. But if drinks are what you’re after, and you’re not afraid to show a little skin to get them, check it out on their weekly Wednesday underwear nights — beer is free if you strip down to your skivvies.

Let us know if you have a favorite Eagle or Leather Bar you’d like to add. Eagle Bar Owners please contact us if you want to add/edit/delete your listing.

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Houston’s 17 Essential LGBTQ Bars

Bars like Star Sailor, the Pearl Bar, and Barcode are perfect places to party all Pride-long

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This June, Houstonians will flock to the city’s gay bars for Pride after-parties , and you don’t have to wait until Pride parades later in the month to celebrate. Houston’s diversity, even among the LGBTQ community, means there’s no shortage of gay hangouts open year-round.

Grab a beer and relax with friends at Robert’s Lafitte in Galveston, the oldest gay bar in Texas, or hit up the snazzy South Beach in Montrose for a long night of drinks and dancing. Don’t forget the city’s more unique hotspots, like Michael’s Outpost, a cabaret and piano bar, or Pearl Bar, one of only two lesbian bars in Texas. This map has been updated to remove Buddy’s and Kiki’s which closed in June 2024 and to include Star Sailor.

Whether you identify as LGBTQ or if you’re just an ally in for a good time, these essential Houston gay bars and LGBTQ-friendly hotspots are sure to be your new favorite neighborhood bar.

Welcome to Houston’s LGBT Pride paradise .

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The Room Bar and Lounge

For those located outside of the beltway, this one is for you. This quaint bar and lounge is still standing strong after more than 15 years of business, with the comforts of home, drinks galore, and friends you haven’t met yet. Come listen to celebrated DJs, and enjoy daily drink specials. In the mood for an event? Step in for its drag shows, drag bingo, karaoke, or even professional and amateur strip nights.

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Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon

Show off a polished pair of boots and a 10-gallon hat at Neon Boots, a country-western dancehall and saloon. Here, patrons will encounter plenty of country music and line dancing, but don’t be surprised to hear pop hits, Latin music, and other eclectic genres. Not ready to go solo? Loosen up during its generous happy hour from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Then, take a dance class or two before stepping onto the dance floor. There’s always a person on standby ready to help anyone master the Texas Two-Step.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, La Granja is home to drag shows, DJs, and so much more. Enjoy the spacious areas to dance, socialize with a few bartenders, or try a few of its frozen drinks. Here, partiers can play a game of pool, have a few Latin bar bites, or watch the drag shows that kick off every Sunday at 10 p.m. Special events happen every week, so be sure to check its website for what’s on the schedule. 

Recently named Business of the Year by Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, this queer-owned beer hall is versatile in its offerings. Aside from its killer smashburgers slathered in its Stellar sauce, Star Sailor serves a menu stacked with comfort eats like breakfast tacos, build-your-own pizzas and Cuban sandwiches. Its drink menu runs the gamut, with plenty of Texas brews, wines, mimomas, which are $5 on Sundays, and coffee. Themed events include Tarot Tuesdays with readings by Amber Ambrose, Vinyl Night Thursdays, pop-up markets, and more. Love what you experienced? Consider its $175 VIP Members-Only club, which comes with smash burgers and beers for an entire year, first access to special merch releases, and a birthday party hosted at the bar complete with cake and champagne.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ✨Star Sailor :: Smashburgers + Craft Beer + Debauchery✨ (@star_sailor_htx)

Pearl Bar Houston

One of only two lesbian bars in Texas, Pearl Bar has made a name for itself as the only spot in Houston geared toward queer women. Aside from its incredibly special performances, including drag king shows and guest DJs, Pearl has a full events calendar with steak and bingo nights, Queen karaoke, and regular crawfish boil events.

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Tony's Corner Pocket

All are welcome here to enjoy the hilarious drag performances, friendly bartenders, plenty of hot international dancers, and well-mixed cold drinks. Bring enough $1 bills to tip the entertainers and enjoy the amateur strip competitors. With the bar exuding high energy, there is something here for everyone. Visit the website to learn more about drag shows, special performers, and weekly and monthly shows.

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While Chapman & Kirby isn’t a gay bar, its long been an inclusive watering hole for Houston’s LBGTQ community and allies. The Downtown bar transforms into a stage with electrifying monthly drag brunch shows, complete with brunch buffets, select craft cocktails, and bubbly flights, plus optional bottle service.

Crocker Bar

Crocker Bar is a dark, loud, but inviting little bar that serves as the perfect place to grab a drink before venturing out to the rest of the gay-borhood. Locals love the chill atmosphere, friendly bartenders, mixed crowds, and stiff drinks. The DJs play a mix of today’s hits and throwbacks to keep party-goers dancing all night long.

The self-described oldest leather bar in Texas, Ripcord has been a fixture of Houston’s gay bar scene since 1982. Whether or not you’re part of the local leather community, take in Ripcord’s beautiful murals while enjoying a few vodka-flavored drinks at a spacious bar, and be sure to grab a bite from local weekend taco trucks conveniently located a few steps away. Check out its website or Instagram for a rundown of its Pride festivities , which include kink demos, drag shows, DJ sets, scheduled speakers, and more.

George Country Sports Bar

George is a no-frills, divey country sports bar, complete with a pool table, darts, and a jukebox to keep regulars and newcomers alike entertained. Catch a game on one of the TVs while cheering on your favorite team with the crowd of hometown sports fans, down a specialty rainbow jello shot in one of George’s large novelty syringes, or chill out on the patio and enjoy the local scenery. Hungry? George also offers steak nights.

See the rainbow barcode and flag on the side of this bar, and you’ll know you’re in for an eventful night. At this one-of-a-kind, welcoming Houston bar, you’ll find a host of celebratory performances and events on any given day of the week. With karaoke hosted four times a week and drag shows Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, you’re bound to be entertained. Ask a bartender for Barcode’s specialty drink recommendations, like a classic Long Island with a twist of local seasonal flavors, or opt for something more adventurous like its Belvedere concoction.

Rich’s Houston

Rich’s Houston has gone through a number of dramatic changes over the years. It originally opened in the ‘80s as Rich’s Houston, but has since moved locations, changing its name to ReBar, and underwent a big renovation. Now, the restaurant and bar is back as Rich’s. with a stacked food menu and Sunday drag brunch. The menu, created by Executive Chef Diego Chiarello, includes cheesy, fried, and internationally-inspired takes on bar food, like birria grilled cheese, Moroccan meatballs, and elote fritters. If drag brunch isn’t your thing, Rich’s also hosts other events, like burlesque shows and an upcoming Pride afterparty .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rich’s Houston (@richshouston)

Eagle Houston

Open since 1970, this legendary Montrose bar has so much to offer. Take the staircase up to Eagle’s Phoenix room and gaze at a timeline of major historical gay events on the wall. Take a moment to examine a salvaged door from the historic bar Mary’s. Or peruse its selection of products and intimate wear in its in-bar store. No visit is complete without sampling its specialty cocktail drinks, which can be enjoyed on the Eagle’s second-floor patio.

South Beach Houston

South Beach is one of Houston’s largest, flashiest and coolest (literally) LGBTQ clubs. It originally opened in 2001, but came back ready to party after a massive renovation with frequent drink specials, karaoke and happy hour trivia. On the 10,000-square-foot dance floor, expect go-go dancers, laser shows, and ice jets spraying cold fog on the sweaty crowd, creating one of Houston’s most unique club atmospheres.

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JR's Bar & Grill

JR’s is the neighborhood staple bar with a relaxed vibe. The expansive space harbors three events at any given time, meaning a drag show could be going on in one room, while karaoke and a RuPaul’s Drag Race watch party are happening in the others. Outside is a scenic courtyard patio complete with a fountain and water misters for sultry summer days. Shoot some pool, or sip cheap booze with friends. There is always something to enjoy at this bar.

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Michael's Outpost

Open since 1998, this charming piano bar has cultivated a devoted crowd of regulars thanks to its cozy, intimate vibe, its weekend drag shows, and its seemingly never-ending lineup of events. During the week, swing by for a live piano performance with classic tunes. Enjoy a few drinks with plenty of seating available, or chat up the bartenders for some good conversation and solid recommendations.

Robert's Lafitte

Tucked away off of 25th Street is Galveston’s best-kept secret. Islanders flock to this bar for the unassuming atmosphere, fabulous drag shows, and ice-cold drinks. The tropical-themed courtyard patio also has a pool for patrons to enjoy, but what might be most remarkable is the history of Robert’s Lafitte. Opened in 1965, long-time owner Robert Mainor owned the spot from 1970 until his death in 2022, making it the oldest LGBTQ bar in Texas.

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• Introduction
• Cruising: Practice and Concept
• Mapping Queer Houston
• 1930s: "Window Shopping"
• 1963: A Letter to ONE
• 1965: The "Phantoms" of Avondale
• 1970–1972: "Risky Crusing" and "The Heat"
• 1971: "Come and Browse, or Vice Versa"
• 1974: "Rough Trade"
• 1976: No Turns
• Cruising Toward Theory
• Recommended Resources

Cruising Grounds: Seeking Sex and Claiming Place in Houston, 1960–1980

Brian Riedel explores the role of cruising in queer territorialization and place claiming in Houston, Texas, in the twentieth century. Juxtaposing digital maps of queer businesses with an archive of cruising narratives, Riedel shows that while mapping business data offers one visualization of queer territory in Houston, archival narratives of cruising suggest that cruising areas have more complex relationships to commercialized spaces—sometimes directly connected, at other times peripheral and symbiotic, and at others seemingly divorced. These narratives, in parallel with the maps, point to multiple, contested queer territories spread across Houston in memory and practice.

Queer Intersections / Southern Spaces  is a collection of interdisciplinary, multimedia publications that explore, trouble, and traverse intersections of queer experiences, past, present, and future. From a variety of perspectives, and with an emphasis upon the US South, this series, edited by Eric Solomon, offers critical analysis of LGBTQ+ people, practices, spaces, and places.

All three authors also reference cruising, but offer little detail about how cruising works in their models. Using the city of Houston as an example, this essay attends to cruising as an underdeveloped aspect of those models. As Houston's Montrose neighborhood came to be identified as a "gayborhood" between 1960 and 1980, archival evidence shows that cruising narratives played a powerful role in that identification. At the same time, these narratives also show that queer territorialization in Houston was not a smooth process of collective place claiming and recognition. Rather, dissent and conflict over the practice of cruising in Houston shows queer place claiming to be fractured, contested, and structured in part through a politics of respectability inflected explicitly by class but curiously silent on race. Importantly, that fractured and contested structure is due in part to the converging efforts of a wide array of disparate agents: queer sex-seekers, Houston residents, local politicians, civic groups, queer organizations, national anti-pornography groups, and conservative political movements. These narratives also point to complicated relationships between cruising and other markers frequently used to define queer territory, specifically businesses serving a queer clientele.

Men seeking men for sex has never been the sole determinant of queer territory. For those who know how to read it however, both then and now, cruising marks public and semi-public spaces as at least temporarily queer(ed) territory. This marking is how cruising functions not only as a social practice but also as a concept. Through documenting the disparate networks of people who came to meet on Houston's cruising grounds—intentional sex-seekers, criminals exploiting stigmas attached to gay sex, ambivalent law enforcement officials, area denizens, and perhaps initially naïve passersby—I argue that the social distribution of knowledge about cruising illustrates that queer territories functioned in part because some who do not identify as "queer" also imagined those territories as connected to queer lives.

I first came to live in Houston in 1997. When I arrived, the Montrose neighborhood was the epicenter of a thriving queer community. It was home to the largest concentration of Houston LGBT bars as well as many non-profit organizations, from the Montrose Counseling Center to Pride Houston. There were two queer bookstores, a free monthly magazine, and several free weekly papers. Soon, I was working for one of those papers, distributing copies all over the city. That labor helped me question and reimagine my first assumptions about the distribution of queer life in Houston. In this car-addicted place, queer bars and businesses were not just in the trendy Montrose neighborhood, but in far-flung suburban strip malls as well. Even so, Montrose remained the symbolic core.

1930s: "Window Shopping"

"The 'gay circuit'—they didn't know the word 'gay'—was downtown Houston, between Franklin and McKinney and Main Street east to San Jacinto. You could not tell a queer or a fag (the words they used then) from the straight, which was the way the gays wanted it, being fearful for their lives and jobs." 26 Richard Van Allen, " Houston's Gay Thirties ," Montrose Voice , no. 410, September 2, 1988: 9. https://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/montrose/item/8166/show/8130. This article has echoed in Houston media since then. See also William Michael Smith, " Looking Back at Some of the Hurdles Houston's Gay Community Had to Overcome (Part 1) ," June 20, 2014, http://www.houstonpress.com/news/looking-back-at-some-of-the-hurdles-houstons-gay-community-had-to-overcome-part-i-6736836; " Houston's Earliest Gay scenes (Part 2) ," Houston Press , June 23, 2014, http://www.houstonpress.com/news/houstons-earliest-gay-scenes-part-2-6748546; " 'The Homosexual Playground of the South' (Part 3) ," June 24, 2014, http://www.houstonpress.com/news/the-homosexual-playground-of-the-south-part-3-6737870. tippy('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_18137_1_26', { content: jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_18137_1_26').html(), placement: 'bottom', theme: 'sosp', arrow: false, allowHTML: true });

"Of course, we didn't know the word 'cruising' then. We called it 'window shopping' and just like now, you know who was gay and who wasn't without asking. You could feel it, whether they had a limp wrist or not. There was this post down in front of Levy's department store. It had mirrors on four sides, and queers would stop and comb their hair there. Oh, you could spot them. If we did want to trick, we could get a room at the Milby or the Texas State Hotel. More often we went home to our apartments."

A striking way to situate this "window-shopping" area and the Montrose neighborhood in relation to the rest of 1930s Houston is to superimpose them on a now infamous Home Owners Loan Corporation map from the same era (see map above). The areas shaded red indicate the "hazardous" parts of town, where Black residents tended to live, and where the Home Owners Loan Corporation would not insure mortgage loans. The Montrose neighborhood, some two decades old at the time of this map and mostly shaded green, was the "best" type of neighborhood in which to live. Situated at the city's commercial core, the sixteen-block cruising area Van Allen's article described may well have provided opportunities for same-sex contact across both class and racial lines. And yet, Van Allen's narrators never mark race in their stories. The redlining map suggests at least one explanation for that absence, one that complicates any quick analogy to the kind of racial mixing found in Espinoza's memoir: the opportunistic use of public and semi-public spaces for cruising relied on an appearance of respectability that accounted for the persistence of racial as well as sexual lines in Jim Crow Houston.

Gay life in Houston seems relatively trouble-free as nearly as I can tell from my somewhat aloof perch (I don't patronize bars or attend parties or socialize much). A newly opened bar a few blocks distant is attracting great crowds on the week ends, with cars parked for blocks around, and always police watching especially toward closing time. The gay folks I meet seem delighted, and gloomily prophes[ize] that it is too good to last—I haven't heard of any trouble so far, though. Percentage-wise it seems to me this area has fully as many gay folk as any area in any of the larger cities in the North and West. Don't know of any other part of Houston where gay life is concentrated, though, except for a cheap theater downtown where the rough trade operates in amazing quantity and frankness—but could hardly call that gay life! 30 Craig M. Loftin ed., Letters to ONE: Gay and Lesbian Voices from the 1950s and 1960s (New York: SUNY Press, 2012), 114–5. To his credit, Loftin preserves the privacy of these letter writers by masking their precise addresses and substituting pseudonyms for their names. tippy('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_18137_1_30', { content: jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_18137_1_30').html(), placement: 'bottom', theme: 'sosp', arrow: false, allowHTML: true });

While the writer's self-described "aloof" lifestyle may constrain our estimation of his version of events, the details he provided remain evocative. He spoke to a consciousness that "gay life" could be concentrated, perhaps even that it should be so organized. He also seemed to see himself as living in that concentrated part of town; he did not "know of any other part of Houston where gay life is concentrated" (emphasis mine). Still, he recognized a larger bar scene, though he did not attend it. (The map below provides a visualization of the bars and other businesses of which the writer might have been aware in 1963.)

The letter also captured the writer's sense that, for its size, queer Houston was not so out of step with the larger cities of the "North and West." New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and perhaps Los Angeles were his likely referents. Given the date of his letter and his description of a recently opened and wildly popular bar, it is also likely that his referent was Bob Eddy's Showboat, opened in 1962 on Tuam Street in present-day Midtown (labeled on the map above). For the writer, cruising was a primary if ambivalent index for whether "gay life" was "concentrated" in a particular location. The "cheap" theater he referenced is challenging to specify today given the lack of detail. I have yet to find an advertisement or mention of such a downtown theater in the queer press archive of the time; perhaps its rough trade reputation circulated only through hearsay. Whatever theater it was, the letter clearly shows that as late as 1963, this author's imagination of queer space in Houston was explicitly linked to present day downtown and Midtown. Montrose did not figure in his letter at all, even though Art Wren's had operated there for about seven years and had in 1962 already appeared in a local publication in California.

Another key index for the writer's imagination of gay life comes in the phrase "rough trade," a term still in use today. Then and now, the "rough" of "rough trade" signals men whose affect and physical appearance are both more working-class and more masculine—men who are not just "straight" acting and appearing, but who also might actually be more dangerous to approach, though that risk might itself be part of the thrill of approaching them. "Trade" signals that these men may, in fact, see themselves as straight, and that they could be only "dabbling" in same-sex activity. It also signals that these men might be seeking male clients in exchange for money, regardless of their or their client's sexual preferences. The writer to ONE gestured to this sexual ambiguity of "rough trade" when he divorced the downtown scene from what he called "gay life." At the same time, we might wonder how the writer himself was aware of the theater scene. He may have participated in it, at least enough to know just how abundant and frank the rough trade was. In any event, he does not disclose how he came to have that knowledge, even in the pages of a homophile magazine.

Importantly, the writer is also silent on the subject of race, a silence that suggests Jim Crow culture continued to texture both "gay life" and "rough trade" in the 1960s just as it had "window shopping" in the 1930s. At the same time, respectability politics are both explicit and implicit in his "aloof" observations. He marks the scene around the newly opened bar with cars "parked for blocks" and patrons who presumably have disposable income to spend at a bar, all signs pointing toward respectable middle-class status. By contrast, the "rough trade" scene at the "cheap" theater points to lowbrow entertainment and potentially sex work; their "amazing quantity and frankness" also signals their divergence from middle-class respectability.

1965: The "Phantoms" of Avondale

By 1965, three bars had also opened near the Avondale area: Numbers on California, the 900 Club on Lovett Boulevard, and the Round Table on Westheimer. Business owners and newspaper editors whose livelihoods depended on steady commerce likely also understood that the safety of their customers ("the good people of our community") was a prerequisite for their reliable patronage: all the more incentive for Bob Eddy—owner of Houston's Showboat and editor of The Albatross — to launch his paper with the "phantoms" as front-page news.

1970–1972: "Risky Crusing" and "The Heat"

The round-robin at Lovett Boulevard, Roseland, Hawthorne, Stratford, California, Avondale—well, you know the area better than I. This is not risky but just dangerous as h—. There have been many, many crusy [sic] queens beaten, stabbed, robbed and almost killed from picking up tricks in this area. This bad news area is a definite "No-No."

1971: "Come and Browse, or Vice Versa"

Perhaps unsurprisingly, none of Martinson's letters or the police memos explicitly mention race.

1974: "Rough Trade"

For Davis, not all cruising areas come equally recommended. He specifically evaluates them in terms of their "roughness," with all the gender and class markers animating the 1963 letter to ONE . The cruise area section of Davis' article continues the pattern of past cruising narratives and gives no guidance about the racial mix of men frequenting any specific area. However, the individual bar listings within the article do occasionally reference race and nationality. The clientele of the country/western Golden Spur "includes some tough Latins and blacks"; the Gold Room gets a nod toward the end of the article as "an old established black bar"; the Athens Grill and Bar on the Houston Ship Channel is recommended as "the place to go for Greek sailors who, when a little drunk, swing either way," a variation on the theme of rough trade. None of these three bars are close to any of the cruise areas Davis names, however.

Of those cruise areas, Davis found the roughest one to be the Midtown corner of Bell and Main that hosts Simpson's Dining Car, the Exile Lounge, and, though he does not mention it in writing, the Woodrow Hotel. One hint toward the hotel's role comes when Davis notes "[o]nce Simpson's was a 24-hour restaurant; now it closes at 1 a.m. to avoid serving some of the hustlers and roughs who settle almost all night on the corner of Main and Bell." On the last page of the article, he also describes the Exile as "probably the most recommended of the rough bars."

To complete the implication, an examination of two accompanying photographs of Simpson's Dining Car and the Exile Lounge reveals the Woodrow Hotel looming in the background of both, boldly advertising "75 Rooms," "75 Baths" and "Air Conditioning" on the wall facing Main Street. Industrious Ciao! readers would also have seen that the Damron Guides for 1971 and 1972 also list the Woodrow Hotel.

For hustlers cruising for a living, that single block provided a ready-to-hand circuit of the necessities: food, drink, a steady stream of potential customers, and a private room and bath when it came to business. For out-of-town and local johns looking for the right place to go, Ciao! pointed the way. At Main and Bell, cruising and commerce commingled in a much more intense and intentional way than the Story Book on Alabama.

Such tactics aside, MCA's flyer campaign clearly required significant planning and volunteer effort, from designing and printing the flyers to the volunteer time of handing them out at multiple intersections on multiple nights. Although attorney Petronella is the sole name listed on the organization record, clearly he was not acting as a lone agent. Other community organizations were involved, perhaps even the Houston Police Department, especially if the new location for the Circuit would not also be subject to a police crackdown. Presumably, MCA also checked with the residents and business owners in the proposed new location to be sure cruising would not present a problem to them as well.

Other crimes catapulted into the national consciousness. As Montrose residents and cruising men were engaged in their turf wars, Dean Arnold Corll had already begun what would come to be known as the Houston Mass Murders or the Candy Man Murders, in a gruesome nod to Corll's family business. Between 1970 and 1973, he and his accomplices are believed to have abducted, sexually tortured, and killed at least 28 teenage boys. While most of these boys had deep connections to or were taken in the Houston Heights area, the symbolic impact of the murders extended to all of queer Houston when the case was finally exposed in 1973 after one of Corll's accomplices murdered him. At the time, it was the worst serial murder case in United States history. The denouement of the Candy Man Murders played out the same year the American Psychological Association removed its classification of homosexuality as a mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

The traffic begins increasing at dusk, is heaviest between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. and continues until approximately dawn [… ] Most of the vehicles circle 10 or more times, but some have circled 50 or more times in one night. Depending on the day of the week, there are between 10 and 40 cars circling the block […] It's not unusual for four or more cars to be queued at each stop sign, waiting to turn the corner.

Taken together, these seven narratives of cruising do not describe an uncontested process of place claiming and recognition as Levine's model implies. Instead, they show territorialization through cruising to be temporally bound, conflicted, and structured in part through a politics of respectability explicitly linked to class concerns but uniformly silent on race. Considered alongside the brick-and-mortar locations of commerce and consumption that informed my earlier ArcGIS animation , these cruising narratives show that queer territories often operate on very different scales within and across multiple spaces. In these stories, the most typical scales of urban territory described are specific street corners, a few adjacent blocks, or occasional larger areas. Sometimes, but not always, these cruising grounds are connected to the commercial spaces privileged in the animation.

As the narratives attest, the practice of cruising has proponents and detractors. Tension over this practice in Houston largely stemmed from the range of agents involved and the variety of positions these agents took up on cruising. Over the years of analysis, the queer press promoted a number of stances on the behavior: discretely framed warnings, explicit admonitions that conveniently double as instruction manuals, and almost celebratory accounts of where specific kinds of action are to be found, ranked by dangers not limited to the threat of an encounter with the police. Queer and non-queer agents also intervened in a coalition to curb cruising. The Montrose Citizens Association had some degree of cooperation from the Gay Political Caucus and the Metropolitan Community Church. That alliance of respectable, community-oriented organizations built on years of residential complaints of noise and traffic even as Houstonians learned about a murderous gay prostitute in Montrose. The City of Houston directly engaged through policing, constituent messaging, and posting signage. Resilient sex-seekers responding to all of these agents seem to have found other places to pursue the chase, in part through cruising grounds remembered from other times. They had many alternatives available in collective, living memory, from cruising spots in downtown, Midtown, Montrose, Memorial Park, the Galleria, and beyond, to the adult bookstores and video arcades across the Houston landscape. At the same time, sex-seekers persisted in cruising areas like the Montrose Circuit, despite continuous efforts to displace them.

As such, these seven cruising narratives present queer territory in Houston as a fractured and shifting network of sites imagined and contested by multiple populations, some of whom also participate in those scenes. Such an arrangement of queer territory strongly supports Ghaziani's concept of "cultural archipelagos" more than any model of a single, "gayborhood" enclave. Moreover, Gieseking's mental maps offer a well-attuned method to document the multiple social networks imagining those multiple cruising areas, at least for those living today. For the departed, the method of archival research present in works like this one will have to suffice.

Acknowledgments

In a note of gratitude, more people than I can name here contributed in meaningful ways to this essay. I am thankful for my writing group; Melissa Bailar, Anne Chao, and Robert Werth saw this work in its very first stages. I am indebted to the Rice University Feminist Research Group and Christina Hanhardt for formative feedback on what turned out to be the bones of this essay. I am also grateful to JD Doyle, Martin Sunday, and the editors and anonymous peer reviewers of Southern Spaces for their insights and commentary. All errors and omissions remain my own responsibility.

Many thanks as well to Southern Spaces staff member Stephanie Bryan, who helped create the digital maps published here.

About the Author

Brian Riedel is the associate director of the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Rice University, where he received his Ph.D. in Anthropology. His work has been published in the Journal of Mediterranean Studies , PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review , Somatechnics , CITE: the Architecture and Design Review of Houston , and in the anthologies AIDS, Culture, and Gay Men (University of Florida Press, 2010) and Homophobias: Lust and Loathing Across Time and Space (Duke University Press, 2009).

Espinoza, Alex. Cruising: An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime . Los Angeles, CA: Unnamed Press, 2019.

Ghaziani, Amin. There Goes the Gayborhood? Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2014.

Loftin, Craig M., ed. Letters to ONE: Gay and Lesbian Voices from the 1950s and 1960s. New York: SUNY Press, 2012.

Sears, James Thomas. Rebels, Rubyfruit, and Rhinestones: Queering Space in the Stonewall South. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2001.

Gieseking, Jen Jack. " LGBTQ Spaces and Places " in LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer History , edited by Megan E. Springate. Washington, DC: National Park Foundation, 2016. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lgbtqheritage/upload/lgbtqtheme-places.pdf.

Houston LGBT History.org . JD. Doyle Archives. Accessed December 4, 2020. http://www.houstonlgbthistory.org.

The Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project . (Houston, TX). Accessed December 4, 2020. https://olohp.org/index.html.

ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives . University of Southern California Libraries. (West Hollywood, CA). Accessed December 4, 2020. https://one.usc.edu.

Riedel, Brian. " CSWGS Where is LGBTQ Houston? " Rice University. Youtube video, 3:56. March 15, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baSgYQtkTSI&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=RiceUniversity.

Stone, Amy L. " The Geography of Research on LGBTQ Life: Why sociologists should study the South, rural queers, and ordinary cities ." Sociology Compass 12, no. 11 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12638.

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The 9 best gay cruises for 2024 (+ planning tips).

Dance parties, drag queen performances and fun destinations await on these LGBTQ voyages.

The Best Gay Cruises

Courtesy of The Cruise with La Demence

Embark on an all-gay or LGBTQ-friendly cruise for excellent entertainment, food and excursions.

Whether you are looking to hop aboard a Pride Week cruise with a major line or sail away with a smaller company that specializes in LGBTQ voyages, the following cruise operators promise a fun, safe and memorable vacation.

(Note: While many of these cruise lines sail to LGBTQ-friendly ports of call, travelers should research destinations to learn more about cultures, customs and safety in each location and determine what's right for them.)

Virgin Voyages

Atlantis events, brand g vacations, celebrity cruises, royal caribbean international, the cruise with la demence, source journeys.

Gabriel Goldberg | Courtesy of VACAYA

Founded by avid travelers Randle Roper, Patrick Gunn and John Finen, VACAYA bills itself as the first all-LGBT travel company in the full-ship charter/resort buyout sector of the travel industry to launch in more than 25 years.

"[VACAYA] was sparked by our own vacations, where we all had encountered two very different experiences," says Gunn. "The all-gay cruises were liberating, empowering and fun, but limited to a small spectrum of people. And while everyone loves a good time, there's more to a memorable vacation than just parties. Mainstream vacations offered more activities and destinations, and were accessible to a diverse set of people, but didn't always feel like a friendly, judgment-free environment."

As such, VACAYA set out to bring LGBTQ travelers from across the spectrum together in a welcoming, inclusive setting, while offering varied onboard activities and immersive itinerary options. Cruisers will enjoy traveling to ports around the world, in the Caribbean , the Galápagos, Europe , Antarctica and more. You can participate in shipwide events ranging from themed deck parties to performances by LGBTQ entertainers to rejuvenating yoga classes. Note that VACAYA's cruises are for adults only.

Previous cruisers had abundant praise for VACAYA's voyages, highlighting the company's responsiveness when booking and the kindhearted staff, as well as the genuine connections they made with other passengers on board. Many were also impressed by the events and entertainment options throughout their sailings.

In 2024, VACAYA will offer a number of voyages worldwide. The seven-night Caribbean Cruise on Celebrity Apex in February will sail round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, with several fun-filled days at sea in addition to stops in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Antigua. In August, VACAYA has a 12-night river cruise in Northern Europe on board Advance by Transcend Cruises; this sailing includes the Amsterdam Pride event. The 11-night Antarctica expedition on Atlas Ocean Voyages' World Navigator in December 2024 is sold out, but you can join the waitlist.

Courtesy of Virgin Voyages

The Virgin brand has long been known for its celebration of the LGBTQ community, and cruise line Virgin Voyages is no different. The strictly adults-only cruise operator aims to provide a unique experience, with onboard tattoo parlors, impressive live entertainment, and dining options that include more than 20 eateries and menus created by Michelin star chefs. This line gets the stamp of approval from previous LGBTQ cruisers, who praise the ships' gender-neutral bathrooms, diverse staff and onboard shows with resident drag queens.

Virgin Voyages offers gay-specific sailings through travel companies like Atlantis Events, but its more mainstream itineraries still offer a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that attracts LGBTQ cruisers year-round. Virgin hosts a number of events during Pride Month each year, including deck parties and interactive social media campaigns.

"Each June here at Virgin Voyages, we like to go big for Pride Month with larger-than-life events … all monthlong," the cruise line says in a statement on its website. "It's an important time for us – both internally within our crew and for our sailors – to honor and celebrate the LGBTQ community; who for so long has had to continually fight for equality and the right to be seen, heard and included."

Virgin Voyages sails to a variety of LGBTQ-friendly countries, including New Zealand, Greece and Spain. In June 2024, consider a seven-night sailing aboard Scarlet Lady departing from Barcelona with stops in Marseille and Cannes in France as well as Spain's Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza.

Read: The Best Cruise Lines for the Money

The world's largest gay and lesbian travel brand, Atlantis Events was founded in 1991 and welcomes more than 20,000 travelers annually on LGBTQ vacations. For its all-gay cruises, Atlantis charters megaships from popular lines like Royal Caribbean International , Norwegian Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages in addition to smaller vessels with companies like Oceania Cruises so cruisers will have a fully immersive experience.

On board, travelers can enjoy all the perks these ships have to offer (think: pools, hot tubs, sports courts and plenty of dining choices), plus special events like drag performances, motivational speakers, LGBTQ movies on demand in each cabin and high-energy circuit parties across the ship.

"As an LGBTQ cruiser, you're looking for a ship with lots of entertainment, including dance parties and events," says Marcos Martinez, founder of Men Who Brunch, a Black gay lifestyle blog. "One of the best cruise [lines] for gay cruising is Atlantis, since you'll be able to meet hundreds of attractive men and party all day and night on the ship."

Atlantis hosts primarily gay men; women make up about 5% to 10% of bookings, according to the Atlantis website. Previous cruisers said the atmosphere on board was fun, friendly and welcoming, though some noted that the company's customer service could be better, especially when it comes to details about the cruise.

Due to the company's popularity, its three 2024 cruises are already sold out.

Read: The Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean

Courtesy of Brand G Vacations

Specializing in all-gay river cruises – and now luxury ocean liners – Brand g Vacations was founded in 2011 and explores destinations all over the world. Chartered river cruises typically welcome between 40 and 200 LGBTQ passengers (and their straight allies), which allows cruisers to get to know one another in a smaller setting. Guests tend to skew more mature (think: 40 and older), and the line attracts both men and women.

Onboard entertainment differs slightly from larger ocean voyages: Expect more cabaret-style entertainment than massive all-night dance parties. Cruisers will also enjoy performances by drag queens, gay Broadway stars and more, on top of typical river cruise perks like sightseeing and lavish meals. Past guests recommend choosing Brand g if you're looking for a well-planned, relaxed and luxurious experience over a busier, more party-heavy vacation.

Brand g aims to provide a nearly all-inclusive cruise experience , with Mercedes or small van airport transfers, upscale hotel stays prior to embarkation, and unlimited alcoholic beverages as well as meals included in the fare. As such, prices tend to be on the high end. Plus, cruisers can feel good about their trip knowing that Brand g donates to causes in the U.S. and around the world that assist LGBTQ refugees, AIDS organizations, LGBTQ centers and more.

In 2024, Brand g sails through unique waterways around the world, including the Amazon, the Loire, the Danube, the Mekong, and the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest. The line's small cruise ship charters also take guests to Iceland, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Croatia and other European destinations.

Read: The Top River Cruise Lines

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Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises sets the scene for an excellent vacation for gay travelers, from its extravagant annual Pride parties to its daily LGBTQ programming throughout the year. The mainstream line has received numerous awards for its inclusivity, receiving accolades from the Cruizie Awards, TTG Travel Awards and Travel Weekly's Magellan Awards for being one of the best cruise lines for LGBTQ passengers.

LGBTQ cruisers can start their vacations off on a high note with a special welcome party on the first night of their voyage to meet other travelers on board. After night one, there are other social events for gay cruisers to party and hang out together. Additionally, Celebrity Cruises was the first cruise line to legally marry a couple at sea in 2018, and it continues to perform same-sex marriages on its ships.

Past cruisers enjoyed their voyages with Celebrity, noting that the line was welcoming, the food was delicious, and there were plenty of areas to hang out as a group with fellow LGBTQ passengers or other companions throughout the ship.

Although all itineraries are gay-friendly, consider booking a sailing during Pride Month in June for an extra special experience. Onboard entertainment during this month includes guest entertainers, a flag raising ceremony, Celebrity's signature Pride Party at Sea and more. The Italian Riviera & France cruise will depart from Barcelona on June 8, 2024, on the new Celebrity Ascent; this 10-night Mediterranean sailing stops at ports in France, Italy and Malta. Private travel companies like VACAYA also charter Celebrity ships for all-gay voyages throughout the year.

Read: Cruise Packing List: The Top Essentials for Any Cruise

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Specifically marketed toward lesbians and LGBTQ women, Olivia has hosted more than 350,000 travelers by land and sea over five decades. Cruisers can choose between river voyages or ocean sailings to destinations around the world. On the lesbian cruises, expect a mix of nostalgic decade-themed dance parties, folk singers, writing workshops, karaoke and other activities. Cruisers can also relax poolside, spend some time in the onboard spa or take it easy in one of the ships' lounges.

Travelers who are looking to connect with others who share similar backgrounds can do so in one of Olivia's specialized programs. There are group and solo traveler meetups, as well as programs like Sisters, which is for LGBTQ women of color; Gen-O, for cruisers 40 and younger; Women in Uniform gatherings, for veterans and those currently in the armed forces; and events for OWLs (which stands for "older, wiser lesbians"). Past cruisers on Olivia's voyages report feeling a true sense of community and belonging on board, resulting in a fun, carefree trip.

In June 2024, set sail with Olivia from Edinburgh, Scotland, to Dublin on Windstar Cruises' Star Legend. Or, visit the islands of Tahiti on the line's Star Breeze in September. Other cruise itineraries include Alaska, the Greek Isles, Mexico and the Panama Canal.

Read: The Best Girls Trip Ideas

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International provides a welcoming and inclusive experience for LGBTQ travelers. The popular cruise line frequently partners with Atlantis Events to offer all-gay voyages throughout the year, but even the standard sailings earn praise.

Highlights of the sailings are the ships' entertainment options (including the Tony Award-winning musical "Mamma Mia!") and attentive staff, according to past cruisers. Itineraries typically include LGBTQ meetups at the beginning of each cruise for gay travelers to meet like-minded passengers. Outside of the sailing experience, Royal Caribbean has also publicly committed to supporting the LGBTQ community throughout the year, and it was the first cruise line to earn the title "Gay Traveler Approved" from GayTravel in 2016.

In 2024, consider a Royal Caribbean voyage that sails to gay-friendly destinations. "Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, [is] full of gay bars, clubs and gay beaches," says Martinez. Hop aboard Navigator of the Seas in May for a seven-night sailing round-trip from Los Angeles that stops in Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Ensenada, Mexico. Navigator of the Seas also hosts a seven-night itinerary throughout the year that calls on Mazatlan, Mexico, as well.

Ready to plan a cruise? Find the best value sailings on  GoToSea , a service of U.S. News.

Courtesy of The Cruise With La Demence

According to past cruisers, if you're looking for one of the best party scenes on the open seas, consider an all-gay cruise with La Demence. Powered by a popular gay nightclub in Brussels with the same name, La Demence – French for "the madness" – primarily caters to a European crowd. Most passengers are male, though women are also welcome.

On board, passengers should expect to dance the night away at massive deck parties that last into the wee hours of the morning. The line prides itself on its top-notch DJs, impressive light setup and electric party atmosphere. Previous cruisers had high praise for the itineraries – which exclusively visit gay-friendly locations – as well as the fruity cocktails, themed nights (costumes strongly encouraged) and glamorous entertainment. Enjoy unique events like drag bingo, high heel runs and more.

La Demence sails every summer to European destinations like Greece, Italy and Malta. The 2023 cruise was chartered on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas. Fares include all food and nonalcoholic beverages, plus access to all parties, shows and the onboard gym.

Read: The Top Party Cruises

Source Journeys has been planning luxury vacations for LGBTQ travelers for more than 20 years. The Miami-based company, with the vision of founder and chief executive officer Craig Smith, offers small group land tours and full-charter cruises for like-minded travelers with a focus on giving back to the communities they visit. The company also supports LGBTQ organizations, such as the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and the Human Rights Campaign.

Past guests of their tours say their fellow travelers were as fun and interesting as the destinations. They appreciated the excellent personalized planning for the trips by Smith and his life partner, Rafael Rodriguez.

The company's cruises in 2024 include a seven-night Galápagos sailing in late September on a Relais & Chateau luxury yacht: Ecoventura's new ship, Evolve. The intimate ship accommodates just 20 passengers. Source Journeys is also offering a seven-night river cruise through Burgundy and Provence, France, in June on Avalon Waterways' Avalon Poetry II, as well as a seven-night voyage from Venice along the Dalmatian Coast. This ocean cruise scheduled in August is chartered on Star Clippers' masted sailing ship, Royal Clipper.

Frequently Asked Questions

When it comes to gay cruising, gone are the days of discreet "Friends of Dorothy" meetups. The term – a euphemism that dates back to the 1950s – was once used to indicate gay social events on daily cruise line programs, without explicitly calling out members of the community on board. It's a far cry from today's LGBTQ cruising industry, which loudly and proudly celebrates passengers from all walks of life.

According to experts, LGBTQ cruising is a market that will only continue to grow. Travelers can take their pick between cruise operators tailored specifically to queer communities and major cruise lines that offer festive Pride celebrations and inclusive onboard entertainment. As travel on the high seas continues to grow in popularity for vacationers, gay and lesbian travelers should consider setting sail on a fun-filled cruise vacation for their next trip.

When planning a cruise, vacationers should first consider what their ideal sailing looks like.

Gay-friendly vs. all-gay sailings: Cruisers should think about whether they'd like to travel aboard a gay-friendly mainstream line – such as Celebrity Cruises or Virgin Voyages – or opt for an all-gay, full-ship charter with a third-party vacation company.

"Each and every LGBTQIAPK person has a different level of comfortability in their 'outness,' " says Patrick Gunn, co-founder and chief marketing officer of LGBTQ vacation company VACAYA. Of VACAYA's all-gay charters, he adds, "For one magical week, our community gets to be the majority and live life out loud in the blissful utopia VACAYA creates on a gay cruise. That single change from being an always-minority to a sudden majority can have a profoundly positive real-world effect on individuals."

• Travel style: Some cruise operators (think: Atlantis Events and La Demence) are known for their electrifying all-night parties, which may be perfect for gay groups of friends. Meanwhile, other companies like VACAYA and Olivia look to provide a more diverse selection of activities, ranging from tea dances (LGBTQ parties that, historically, included tea service) to philanthropic service activities to immersive onshore experiences.
• Ports of call: Some of the most LGBTQ- and gay-friendly destinations for cruises include: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Sydney; Barcelona, Spain; Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan; Helsinki; Quebec City; Auckland, New Zealand; Mykonos, Greece; Reykjavik, Iceland; Amsterdam; Tel Aviv, Israel; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and San Francisco. Countries that gay travelers may want to avoid include the Maldives, Jamaica, Morocco, Malaysia and Haiti, as homosexuality is illegal in these destinations.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Gwen Pratesi has been an avid cruiser since her early 20s. She has visited destinations around the globe on nearly every type of ship built, including the newest megaships, luxury yachts, expedition vessels, traditional masted sailing ships and intimate river ships on the Mekong River. Pratesi covers the travel and culinary industries for major publications, including U.S. News & World Report.

You might also be interested in:

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• Signature Sips
• Best Dive Bars in Houston
• Gay-Friendly Restaurants in Montrose
• Brunch of the Month
• Top Coffee Shops
• Houston's Top Patios for Dining Outdoors
• Late Night Restaurants in Houston
• Best Places for Brunch in Houston
• Food Trucks
• Montrose: One Street, A World of Flavors
• 15 Iconic Houston Plates
• 8 Top Houston Bakeries
• Sleep In, Houston Style
• Haute Hotels Hit the City
• If These Walls Could Talk
• Pooling Together
• Nightlife Hot Spots
• Houston Must Dos
• Houston Proud Culture
• Fashion Hot Spots
• Outdoor Adventures
• 7 Considerations for Your Perfect Gay Wedding
• 10 Unique Houston Wedding Venues
• Wedding Planner: The Pros and Cons
• Catering Tips for Your Gay Wedding in Houston
• Wedding Wear
• Nonprofits & Social Organizations
• Houston's LGBT History
• Meet the Locals
• Great Photo Spots

The (Not So) Straight Facts About Houston

Your guide to the gay side of the bayou city  .

A cosmopolitan city that blends Western and Southern heritage and style, Houston has been one of America's great boomtowns of the past decade. Its once staid, business-oriented downtown has become a trendy district of restaurants, clubs, shops, condos and hip hotels, along with an architecturally stunning baseball stadium. Other central Houston neighborhoods, including gay-popular Montrose and up-and-coming Midtown, have also seen big changes for the better, helping turn the nation's fourth-largest city into a lively and downright stylish getaway.

Houston acts as a cultural capital bridging the South and Southwest, with some of the best museums in the country. Cultural highlights include the  Menil Collection , with works by Warhol, Leger, and Picasso in a space designed in 1987 by Renzo Piano. Within walking distance are the Menil's Collection Cy Twombly Gallery, plus two independent facilities: the Rothko Chapel, which contains 14 large-scale Mark Rothko paintings commissioned for the chapel and a peaceful reflecting pool and plaza.

Many of the city's engaging attractions lie in the  Museum District , south of downtown, anchored by lush Hermann Park . Don't miss the  Museum of Fine Arts , with its concentration of Impressionists, as well as Italian and Spanish Renaissance, pieces. The  Contemporary Arts Museum  hosts reputable temporary exhibitions. And the city's  Holocaust Museum  has changing exhibits (which sometimes touch on the persecution of gays and lesbians) as well as a permanent display that includes personal effects recovered from a Polish concentration camp. At the northern tip of Hermann Park lies the  Houston Museum of Natural Science , one of the nation's most-visited museums. Check out the Cockrell Butterfly Center, which has a 25,000-square-foot tropical rainforest complete with butterflies. (No joke: Spray Calvin Klein's Obsession on your shoulder and the butterflies won't leave you alone!)

Houston's gay scene is centered in  Montrose , an attractive neighborhood a couple of miles southwest of downtown, with a mix of early 20th-century homes and cottages and several newer pockets of condos and apartments. At the epicenter, where Westheimer Road crosses Montrose Boulevard, you're within walking distance of countless gay bars and gay-friendly restaurants. As you head farther west along Westheimer, you'll pass a number of antique shops and funky boutiques. Consider taking a break from shopping with a meal at the homey  Empire Cafe , which is set inside a converted vintage service station and offers splendid pizza, hearty frittatas and such breakfast treats as hot polenta with honey-cream and toasted almonds. Another excellent nearby option is Diedrich Coffee-house, a spacious cafe with sunny seating areas and a shaded patio. For stellar, upscale regional Mexican cuisine, book a table at the hip and high-ceilinged restaurant  Hugo's .

Steps from the Montrose bar strip,  Baba Yega  sprawls with sunny dining rooms and shaded decks, which are constantly abuzz with chatter and gossip. Decent burgers, many veggie items, and other light dishes are served.  Barnaby's   is a down-home diner with a huge gay following and consistently good, filling fare. And  Katz's Deli  serves astonishingly large sandwiches, savory soups and heavenly cheesecakes in a handsome dining room that's open 'round the clock.

While Montrose has plenty of great gay-popular eateries, downtown Houston is where a number of top chefs are operating these days. Among the neighborhood's most acclaimed dining options,  The Grove   serves exquisite American Rustic cuisine in a sexy environment; and  Line & Lariat  (at the Hotel Icon) presents vibrant seafood dishes. Between downtown and Montrose, the city's Midtown neighborhood has one of the hottest real estate markets in the country, as this once virtually deserted area booms with new condos and town homes. Houston has a tremendous number of gay bar and clubs. Here are some of the more popular options:  JR's —like its sister bars in Dallas and Denver—is a quintessential stand-and-model bar with attractive Southwestern-inspired decor and fabulous patio. Nearly next door, Blue Bar is a large new space with a packed dance floor and big patio. The  Montrose Mining Co.  draws a mix of bears, Levi's-and-leather guys, and regular Joes into its dark and cruisy confines. And  South Beach  is the favorite warehouse-style dance club in the heart of Montrose, with dancing and music into the wee hours. Also pulsing nearly all night long, Rich's is an industrial-looking downtown dance club.

Guava Lamp  has live entertainment some nights, great martinis, an array of video screens and music at decibels that allow conversation (and, of course, cruising). Regulars at Club 1415, a laid-back dance bar, love to mingle on the spacious patio.

Houston's hotel scene has truly blossomed in recent years. A long time favorite is the  Houstonian Hotel Club & Spa , an opulent old-world property in the upscale Post Oak section of the city. Out towards the ritzy Galleria Mall, the trendy  Hotel Derek  is a super-sleek property done in bold colors with dramatic contemporary furniture. Among downtown properties, the swanky  Hotel Icon  occupies the historic Union National Bank Building. The stunning rooms in this boutique property have the ambiance of a decadent Parisian flat, with vibrant red drapes, plush bedding and high-end toiletries. Although not especially gay, the restaurant's uber-cool Whiskey Bar is a favorite downtown spot for cocktails—even if you're not staying at the hotel, consider having martinis here, as you observe the dramatic renaissance that is downtown Houston.

By Andrew Collins. Collins is the author of Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA, as well as numerous other guidebooks.

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