Best of GayCities 2024 winners announced

It’s time for the big reveal. After a month of voting for your favorite photos, dream destinations, ultimate beach vacations, and more, we can reveal who won 2024’s Best of GayCities travel awards.

As GayCities executive editor, I’ve been lucky enough to read all the stories, talk to the writers and hear the tales that don’t make it to publication, and go on some of the trips myself. I’ve explored my new home in Mexico City to bring you things to do and places to go off the beaten path.

From our feature on queer summer camps for adults or slideshow of Mexico City Pride to the remembrance of the gay bookstore wiretapped by the FBI or story about where a group of travel influencers go for their vacation, we’ve brought you stories that also step outside of the usual travelogues or listings to bring stories that are unique, thoughtful, visually interesting and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community

The past year revealed industry trends from destination weddings and where to splurge to budget-friendly travel.

But who did you choose? What interested you? Drumroll, please.

Bil Browning
Executive Editor

Pack your bags, we’re going on an adventure

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Dream Destination: Medellín

Gold Winner: Once a city that people merely avoided, Medellín is now a traveler’s mecca. Dubbed the City of Eternal Spring for a reason, Medellín boasts a climate as lovely as its inhabitants. Temperatures stay at a comfortable 72 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Additionally, with its verdant mountains and picturesque parks, Medellín offers natural beauty rivaled only by its nightlife.

Silver: Sydney, Australia
Bronze: Vienna, Austria

Iconic American City: New York City

Gold Winner: Rich with the history of Stonewall, a lively LGBTQ+ community, and the fabulosity of being a city that never sleeps, New York is so full of options that it can be overwhelming. Don’t fret; planning the perfect queer itinerary of the Big Apple is not hard. Seven days a week, you can find what, and possibly who, you’re after no matter where you hang out on the continuum.

Silver: San Fransico
Bronze: Fort Lauderdale

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Best Gay Beach: Black’s Beach, San Diego

Gold Winner: A perennial entry for the GayCities awards and the only repeat nominee this year, Black’s Beach is probably America’s most famous clothing-optional beach. Getting there is part of the allure (insider tip: wear good shoes and switch to flip-flops once you’ve reached the coastline) — the payoff is worth it.

Silver: 11th/12th Street Beach, Miami, Florida
Bronze: Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico

Related

Beyond Hillcrest – Exploring San Diego’s diverse ’hoods
An ideal year-round climate, seventy miles of pristine beaches, and world-class attractions make San Diego an unrivaled vacation destination.

Best Travel Content Creator: Josh Rimer

Gold Winner: Josh recently went to Colombia with GayCities, and he’s just as fun in person as he is on social media. He’s one of the most recognized LGBTQ+ travel content creators and YouTubers (over 40,000 subscribers!) and definitely award-worthy. Where will Rimer travel in 2025? Follow his Instagram to find out.

Silver: Simone Salton & Marco Girardi, @world_mappers
Bronze: Alysse Dalessandro, @readytostare

Best Bar/Nightclub: Cafe Lafitte in Exile, New Orleans

Gold Winner: There is no better place to get the whole, wild and wonderful experience of New Orleans than ‘in Exile’. For nearly 100 years, Cafe Lafitte in Exile has been catering to the fabulous and fun; from Truman Capote to Tenessee Williams, this has always been a sanctuary and party spot for the LGBTQ+ community. Whether you are here to celebrate Mardi Gras or have decided on a quieter time of year to visit, you will feel at home when you enter the Cafe.

Silver: Stud, San Fransico
Bronze: Rise Bar, New York City

Related

9 decadent ways to experience queer New Orleans
From gay ghosts and buttery biscuits to street-side jazz and courtyard cocktails, New Orleans is everything and then some.

Best Photo: Chicago Market Days, Jerry Nunn

Best Flavors Worth the Flight: New Orleans

Gold Winner: New Orleans’ food scene is nothing less than iconic. Creole, Cajun, and contemporary flavors converge across the city, from the legendary Commander’s Palace (turtle soup, anyone?) to carb-loading at queer-owned cafe and bakery Willa Jean. Innovative cocktails paired with savory bites can be found at Cane & Table, and the charming, multilevel Jewel of the South, which lives up to its name.

Silver: Montreal
Bronze: Tokyo

Best Hidden Gem: Victoria, Canada

Gold Winner: Victoria, Canada is known for its progressive values, stunning natural beauty, and vibrant LGBTQ+ scene. The city’s Pride Festival is a major event, reflecting its commitment to diversity and inclusion. LGBTQ+-friendly spaces thrive in this picturesque Canadian city. Victoria’s Inner Harbour and Butchart Gardens provide scenic backdrops for exploration and relaxation. The city’s combination of welcoming locals and rich cultural heritage makes it a top LGBTQ+-friendly destination in Canada.

Silver: Brighton, England
Bronze: Aarhus, Denmark

Best Local Drag Queen: Karen I Doll, Medellín, Colombia

Gold Winner: When we interviewed Colombian underwear model Miguel Ángel about where to have a good time in Medellín, we asked him who was the best local drag queen. Without skipping a beat, he nominated Karah I Doll, one of the city’s most iconic queens. The crowd knows they’re in for one helluva performance when she’s on stage and GayCities readers agree.

Silver: Poison Waters, Porland, Oregon
Bronze: Melissa St. John, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Best Festival: Provincetown Carnival

Gold Winner: Provincetown Carnival transforms this seaside town into a week-long extravaganza of parades, costume parties, and themed events. Known for its rich LGBTQ+ history, Provincetown offers a welcoming environment filled with creativity and exuberance. The festival’s highlight is its parade, a dazzling display of self-expression and camp. Attending Carnival means immersing oneself in a joyous celebration of queerness and community spirit.

Silver: Folsom Europe, Berlin
Bronze: The Dinah, Palm Springs

Ultimate Beach Vacation: Key West, Florida

Gold Winner: Key West offers a blend of pristine beaches and vibrant cultural charm, with sunsets that turn the sky into a canvas of gold and pink. The shallow waters are perfect for water sports like paddleboarding and kayaking. Visitors can explore coral reefs teeming with colorful fish and sea life. The laid-back island atmosphere and white sands create a unique Floridian paradise.

Silver: Flamenco Beach, Puerto Rico
Bronze: Anchor Bay Beach, Queensland, Australia

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This traveler fell in love with a gay tropical haven. Here’s why he never left
Chris McNulty moved to Key West without ever having visited. Now it’s home, and he’s making sure everyone is welcome.

Wander Luxe: Grand Wailea Resort, Maui, Hawaii

Gold Winner: Was 2024 too much? We get it. If escapism is on your bucket list, head to Maui’s Grand Wailea Resort, a Four Seasons property of spacious rooms and suites with ocean views, serene sunsets, and bespoke experiences. This captivating property has everything, whether it’s an outrigger tour, outdoor yoga, or grand lūʻau. Or, if you want to unwind beachside with a good book, that works, too.

Silver: Vidanta Grand Luxxe, Nuevo Nayarit-Vallarta, Mexico
Bronze: Hotel Bristol, Vienna, Austria

Best Travel Company: OUTBound

Gold Winner: OUTbound’s focus on local LGBTQ+ and ally partners go beyond that Instagram moment (though there’s plenty of those, too!) to immerse travelers into queer cultures around the globe. Traverse the Mekong River, island hop among Greece’s famed coasts, or celebrate the holidays along the Danube with ports at some of Europe’s most picturesque cities and Christmas markets.

Silver: OUT in Colombia
Bronze: VACAYA

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An introvert’s guide to group travel
VACAYA is attempting to rewrite the script on LGBTQ+ group travel. GayCities sent a solo traveler to see if they’re succeeding.

Special Award: Asheville, North Carolina

If there’s one thing Asheville proved in 2024, it was unwavering resilience. In September, Hurricane Helene brought widespread damage to North Carolina’s bustling cultural hub of 95,000 residents. Asheville rallied together, and the city has reopened its doors to welcome back longtime admirers and first-time travelers.

Related

Asheville’s comeback trail: Resilience & revival in the Blue Ridge
A natural disaster united an already strong LGBTQ+ community. GayCities honors the determination of Asheville, North Carolina.

Asheville’s LGBTQ+ community played a vital role in the recovery effort, demonstrating the solidarity and compassion that define the city. Firestorm Books in West Asheville emerged as a hub for mutual aid and community support in the days and weeks following Hurricane Helene. Travelers can stop by this “radical bookstore” to browse its thoughtfully curated selection of books and discover a roster of events, from game nights and writing groups to book clubs. 

“The LGBTQ+ community is so vibrant and tight-knit in Asheville,” shares PR Manager of Explore Asheville Mickey Poandl. “When travelers come to Asheville and have a drink, enjoy a meal, or spend the night, they are supporting our queer community. And we can’t wait to welcome them back again to brighten up our colorful Blue Ridge Mountain city!”

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