Fort Lauderdale is out, loud and fabulously proud!
Over the past few decades, Fort Lauderdale has gone from being a Spring Break destination for straight teen college kids to one of the gayest places in the whole country! It was even featured as the ultimate gay holiday for the boys in the hilarious movie with Ru Paul, Lady Bunny and Brent Corrigan – “Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!”
We always love coming here to party. The gay scene of Fort Lauderdale is mainly based in the vibrant gayborhood of Wilton Manors, which comes alive every night of the week. It has tons of gay bars and clubs here to suit any gay boy under the sun! In this article, we’ve set out some of the best Fort Lauderdale gay bars to check out with a snippet of what you can expect. As you’re in the area, we recommend heading south to check out the gay scene of Miami – it’s only a 40-minute drive away!
01 ROSIE’S BAR AND GRILL
See and be seen at Rosie’s Bar & Grill!
It’s our favourite bar in Wilton Manors. Totally camp, always buzzy and full of guys cruisin’ and drinkin’. Whether you come on a Monday evening or Sunday brunch, it’s always a blast at Rosie’s, which is why we love it!
Rosie’s is the perfect spot to start the night with a group of friends, get a few burgers and cocktails, before heading over to somewhere like The Pub or Georgie’s. We love the quirky vibe here.
And then there are the burgers! Those tasty, juicy, cheesy award-winning bundles of yumminess…a reason to head to Rosie’s. The menu is priceless, with names such as Plain Jane and Miley Highclub – don’t forget the Hellena Bun – “tossed in Rosie’s own ‘Smack My Cheeks and Make ’em Rosy’ sauce”! When we last visited, the Brexit Burger was on the Specials Board making us all giggle!
Rosie’s is located at 2449 Wilton Drive. It is open every day from around 10am until midnight. Find out more on their Facebook page.
If Florida’s a family of blockbuster travel destinations – with Miami and Orlando as the energetic kids – Fort Lauderdale’s like the cool older brother. The one who doesn’t need to raise his voice to command your attention. Located on the state’s east coast a 38-minute drive from Miami, and three hours from Orlando, this city of 172,000 is the perfect foil to both.
It’s less intense and touristy than its neighbors, while sharing their year-round temperate weather. It’s almost perpetually sunny, and the sea is warm in summer and refreshing through winter. But Fort Lauderdale’s best quality sets it apart from the pack: it’s found in Broward County, the most progressive (read: gayest) of all Floridian counties.
It’s firmly Democratic in a region where Republicans reign supreme and, according to the US census, has the second highest proportion of LGBTI residents in America. Furthermore, Greater Fort Lauderdale has long been recognized for its efforts to attract gay and lesbian tourists, and in recent years, trans travelers specifically. Perfect for gay beach lovers.