The Safest US Cities for LGBTQ+ Travelers in 2025

Mar. 24 2025

by misterb&b

With rising concerns around LGBTQ+ safety in the U.S. — from passport restrictions and healthcare limitations to increased censorship — many queer travelers are rethinking where they feel comfortable visiting. The travel landscape is changing, and safety is no longer something we can take for granted.

That’s why we created the Queer Safety Index with data analysts who established where LGBTQ+ travelers are booking and where they’re most likely to feel safe, supported, and celebrated. Because after all, our purpose here at misterb&b and weere is to enable our community to explore the world with pride - just as they should! 

Our index combines booking trends from misterb&b with state policies, local protections, community support, and safety indicators to spotlight the cities leading the way in LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Some of them might surprise you — like Wilton Manors, a small but mighty South Florida city where LGBTQ+ life is fully woven into everyday culture. Others, like Seattle, offer a refreshing mix of progressive values, natural beauty, and a thriving queer nightlife. And then there’s Philadelphia, where deep American history meets a proudly visible LGBTQ+ community at the heart of its iconic Gayborhood.

So, dust off those passports and start ticking these hotspots off — safety, celebration, and community are out there waiting for you.

The Safest US Cities for LGBTQ Travelers in 2025

Methodology 

The LGBTQ+ Safety Index is an ordered ranking based on a weighted scoring model incorporating multiple data sources, starting with misterb&b most booked destinations. The Movement Advancement Project’s (MAP) Overall Policy Tally assesses state-level protections and risks, while the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Municipal Equality Index (MEI) evaluates city - level LGBTQ+ policies. Legislative risks are factored in using the ACLU Anti-LGBTQ Bills dataset, and PFLAG chapter presence serves as a proxy for community support. Safety is measured using FBI-reported hate crimes over the last five years. Each factor is normalized to a 0-1 scale, and weighted to produce a final ranking, where higher scores indicate greater LGBTQ+ safety and inclusivity.

1) Chicago (0.925818)

2) Seattle (0.8820167396811622)

3) San Francisco (0.859765)

4) Portland (0.828624)

5) San Diego (0.819190)

6) Honolulu (0.805810)

7) Denver (0.803871)

8) Albuquerque (0.801627)

9) Las Vegas (0.794831)

10) Providence (0.788671)

11) Cathedral City (0.785347)

12) Palm Springs (0.782136)

13) Philadelphia (0.776131)

14) New York (0.75)

15) Washington (0.737)

16) Los Angeles (0.728369)

17) Atlanta (0.712163)

18) Tampa (0.699735)

19) Wilton Manors (0.626081)

20) Oakland Park (0.626081)

21) Orlando (0.624527)

22) Miami (0.622352)

23) Fort Lauderdale (0.619867)

24) Salt Lake City (0.584884)

25) Indianapolis (0.574057)

26) Phoenix (0.539445)

27) Nashville (0.529054)

28) Dallas (0.368089)

29) Houston (0.338946)

30) Austin (0.338738)

Whether you’re planning a Pride-packed getaway or just looking for a long weekend where you can feel fully yourself, these destinations offer safety, community, and some truly unforgettable experiences.

Feel like maximising your experience in one (or several) of these LGBTQ+ friendly cities? Connect to weere before your trip, and find only the coolest spots during their travel, with the help of locals and  new friends. 

Maximize your next adventure with weere, the all-in-one LGBTQ+ digital hub for friends, dates, and activities, and connect with the community!