This Hell’s Kitchen walking tour is demystifying New York’s vibrant nightlife scene
If you want to experience New York City drag, why not go to straight to the source?
Mark
If you want to truly experience the New York City gay scene, you must see a drag performance, so why not go straight to the source?
That’s at least part of the appeal of Fabulous Drag Night Out, a new walking-tour-slash-bar crawl, led by local queens like Boy Gorge, and dreamed up by the culture experts at Drag Experiences.
The tour is the perfect way to experience Hell’s Kitchen — whether you’re a fresh newbie or seasoned visitor — as guests meet their drag queen host at The Ritz Bar & Lounge, where they delight in a vodka cran toast before traipsing through the bustling streets, learning about the iconic neighborhood’s LGBTQ+ history.
And of course, snapping primo photos for their Instagram accounts.
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Naturally, the night ends front-row, watching a gag-worthy drag performance at a spot like Balcon Salon, Hardware Bar, or VERS, and the opportunity to meet the queens after the show.
In a city where the multitude of options can be overwhelming — and during a time where apps are prevailing over genuine connection — these tours, which run Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday nights and cost $49 a person, provide an authentic opportunity to celebrate (and safely experience) the unbeatable queer scene.
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And according to Drag Experiences CEO Justin Dorsen, that’s the point.
“There’s something electric about Hell’s Kitchen after dark,” he said. “With this tour, we’re not just going to the show — we’re giving guests an authentic taste of the city’s LGBTQ+ nightlife, past and present, with all the sparkle and spirit you’d expect from New York.”
Per their website, the tours last approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes and include a complimentary drink, and the reviews speak for themselves. The queer-owned tour operator and business has over 500 five-star reviews on Airbnb and has hosted thousands of guests from all over the world.
In addition to their Hell’s Kitchen jaunts, Drag Experiences also offer makeover experiences, Broadway After Dark tours, and similar offerings in cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Chicago.
That said, Fabulous Drag Night Out is where it all started in 2018, and Drag Experiences’ growth into a multiple-city and multi-tour operation is a testament to the power of drag as a destination artform and the bonding experience between gay travelers, bachelorette parties, and locals alike.
“Drag is about joy, expression, and connection,” Dorsen added. “We’re proud to create spaces where people can experience that magic up close — whether it’s their first drag show or their fiftieth.”
You can learn more about the Fabulous Drag Night Out tours here.
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