Gay Portland

Portland is ranked as one of America’s top five most livable cities and THE most eco-friendly city. Once you’ve visited, you will understand why. Portland is a green, clean, open-minded city that still has a small-town vibe. Host to Pride Northwest and the Lesbian and Gay Film Fest, we think all LGBT travelers should experience this gorgeous city, the biggest city in Oregon.

Gay Portland is one of the few urban cities that can stake its claim as being surrounded by mountains, forests, and waterways. With a beautiful backdrop of Mount Hood in the distance, Forest Park on the edge of downtown and five major waterways within a 10-minute drive of the city, Portland’s location is truly one of a kind.

Portland Gay Scene

Though Portland is not as visibly gay a city as San Francisco, it has one of America’s strongest feminist and lesbian communities. Gay and lesbian bars can be found throughout Portland and most everywhere is gay-friendly. The Hawthorne District in the southeast quadrant is the most concentrated lesbian gayborhood. Trendy, affordable and funky coffeehouses, bars, secondhand shops and boutiques line Hawthorne Boulevard and Belmont Street.

Portland’s most visibly gay community is comprised of a triangular set of city blocks known by some as the Burnside Triangle. Bordered by Southwest Alder, S.W. 14th Ave., West Burnside Street and Southwest Broadway Street, this area is known for its nightlife, boutiques and restaurants. The area has also been a meeting place for Portland’s LGBT community since the turn of the 20th century.

Ethnically and culturally diverse, Mississippi Avenue is one of several eastside neighborhoods where independent businesses and creative spirits thrive. This area is considered to be Portland’s up-and-coming gayborhood and it provides visitors with a taste of the city’s quirky character.

When to Visit

Portland's culture is very outdoorsy, so the summer months are the best time to visit to take advantage of all the outdoor activities. Portland's annual pride, the Portland Pride Festival and Parade takes place in mid-June each year and is Portland's biggest LGBTQ event. But because Portland is a welcoming destiination year-round, there are actually other great LGBTQ events taking place such as regular gay karaoke nights, an LGBTQ film festival, and more.

Winters in Portland can get cold, but it is relatively more mild than other northern destinations because of the coastal effect.

Portland Gay-Friendly Activities & Attractions

Portland has a culture for outdoors activities, but there are also plenty of cosmopolitan things to do in Portland's main downtown areas.

Go shopping in the Pearl District

Once an industrial district, the Pearl District has sprung to life in recent years. A neighhborhood of old warehouses, many now converted into chic restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and lounges, makes it a fun place for a leisurely afternoon of shopping and wandering. Stylish and luxurious apartments stand alongside the neighborhood’s older structures, which include Powell’s City of Books, the largest independent bookstore in the world. The bookstore is a tourist attraciton itself, but make sure to check out the nearby vintage clothing and used record stores, restaurants, brewpubs, specialty retail stores and galleries elsewhere in the Pearl District.

Take a road trip to Lincoln City

Located on the scenic Oregon Coast about 90 miles from Portland, the small coast town of Lincoln City has it all: evergreen forests, broad sandy beaches, clean air, the magnificent Pacific Ocean and a lake at its back door. If you’re looking for a break from a busy life, Lincoln City is the perfect destination for your gay vacation if you are an outdoor person. You’ll be able to relax—fishing and boating, clamming and crabbing, hiking and biking, horseback riding, camping and kite flying. Home to the first gay pride event on the Oregon Coast, September’s annual Iris Pride Festival, this welcoming town supports and encourages diversity. There are plenty of gay friendly hotels, resorts, bars and restaurants, making it a great stop on any Oregon trip, or the chance to see more than the cosmopolitan Portland scene.

Portland Gay-Friendly Dining

Portland has a variety of gay-friendly and gay-owned restaurants to eat at during your stay. Check out our list of restaurants to find something just right for you.

Pine State Biscuits

Famous for their Reggie Deluxe sandiwch, Pine State Biscuits is a Portland classic. The Reggie Deluxe is a huge fried chicken sandwich with homemade biscuit, bacon, cheese, gravy and a fried egg. Sure it sounds like a heart attack, but it's hearty and delicious! Get there early for breakfast and brunch because the line can get very long, and even harder if you want to eat there as seatings are limited.

The Cadillac Cafe

Serving Portland for over 30 years, this diner serves popular breakfasts and lunches. The Cadillac Café offers its patrons an eclectic menu of the owners (gay-owned) personal recipes of many home-style dishes. The art deco design includes a display of an actually drivable 1961 pink Cadillac convertible!

Portland Gay-Friendly Bars & Nightlife

There are several areas to find gay and lesbian nightlife in Portland, though the majority are found in the area of the Burnside Triangle neigborhood.

CC Slaughter's

Portland's most famous gay nightclub, CC Slaugther's features a huge dance-floor, live DJ's every night, a weekly drag show, daily drag bartenders, and great happy hour specials.

The Eagle

Part of the iconic Eagle bars, Portland's take on the Eagle is a cozy, laid-back gay bar with pool tables, regular BBQs, leather themed nights and other special events.

Doug Fir Lounge

The retro Doug Fir Lounge is located in the basement next to Juniper Hotel and attracts LGBTQ locals and visitors, especially ro visiting music acts.

Safety

Portland is a very safe destination for LGBTQ travelers. Since its resurgence and recognitiono as a top "hipster" city, Portland has been increaasingly popular for gay and lesbian travelers. Oregon is frequently referred to as one of the United States' most LGBT-friendly states. Oregon's Governor Kate Brown is the nation's first openly bisexual governor, currently in office since 2015.

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