Gay Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale City Guide

Curation by Yasmina Rodríguez, words by David Durán

Once overrun with Spring Breakers and outshone by neighbouring beach babe Miami, the tides are turning for Fort Lauderdale, a city fast becoming the go-to LGBTQ travel destination in the US, thanks to a recent upsurge of gay-owned businesses and vast gay-friendly offerings such as male-only resorts, gay beaches and myriad gay events, from Stonewall Pride to FlockFest. While gay clubs and bars are scattered around the city, the epicentre of Fort Lauderdale’s gay scene must be Wilton Manors, home to a vibrant gay nightlife scene that even Miami can’t live up to. The best-known city in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, Fort Lauderdale is a chill beach town at heart with borderline perfect weather and countless attractions. To find out more about what to do in Fort Lauderdale, read Mr Hudson’s ultimate Fort Lauderdale gay travel guide.

Fort Lauderdale | Photo: Lance Asper

The best hotels in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale has transformed from a sun-bleached getaway into a destination that balances intimacy, style and grand coastal luxury. At the heart of the city’s boutique scene, The Pillars Hotel offers a refined, personal experience along the Intracoastal Waterway. With only 24 rooms and suites, alongside a six-room Birch House annex, the property evokes a private manor rather than a hotel, with interiors that blend British Colonial elegance and contemporary comfort. Dining at the Secret Garden Restaurant, reserved for guests and club members, is an affair of Moroccan-inspired dishes served alfresco beside the water, while a private Water Bus ensures effortless access to Las Olas Boulevard and beyond.