The West Coast does wine its own way. Wineries are often located against stunning natural backdrops—mountains and lakes play starring roles. For those who can stop sipping, outdoor adventure is never very far away. Couples with opposing tastes will love frolicking in valleys like the Okanagan or Sonoma, where they can balance a romantic gourmet holiday with more athletic excursions like biking, kayaking and mountain climbing.
Wineries are often part of an ecosystem of cute towns and small cities with great amenities like hotels, restaurants—perhaps even a gay bar.
Here are six charming hubs for an LGBTQ2S+ wine lover’s escape on the West Coast of Canada and the United States.
Penticton, British Columbia
Nestled between the Okanagan and Skaha lakes, Penticton has more than 80 wineries within a 20-minute drive. As a destination, the city of about 40,000 offers outdoorsy adventure, beach‑side relaxation and a queer‑friendly social scene—it’s one of the main hubs for the regional South Okanagan Similkameen Pride, which hosts year-round cultural and social events, including Pride itself each June. For the butch among us, cycling, hiking, rock climbing and downhill skiing are close at hand.
Quaff: Poplar Grove Winery (425 Middle Bench Rd. N., Penticton). Family‑owned since 1993, this LGBTQ+-friendly winery is known for the thoughtful food at its restaurant and estate‑grown wines that reflect the terroir.
Walla Walla, Washington
With more than 130 wineries and nearly 3,000 acres of vineyards, Walla Walla balances a small‑town feel with a buzzy arts‑and‑gastronomy community. Downtown’s LGBTQ2S+‑friendly pubs, galleries and public art make it a vibrant place, even at night. Pride events happen in June, with local volunteers organizing smaller LGBTQ2S+ events all year.
Quaff: SuLei Cellars (1509 Beet Rd., Walla Walla—moving to a new location in fall 2025; check the website for updates). Owned by two queer women from Portland, Oregon, this winery is a passion project. Sourcing grapes from across the Walla Walla and Yakima valleys, they combine Old‑ and New‑World techniques—and fly the rainbow flag.
McMinnville, Oregon
Browsing McMinnville’s leafy Third Street, with its vintage‑style cafés, boutiques and mix of LGBTQ2S+-friendly businesses, is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Their Wine Country Pride hosts a street fair each August as well as a winter ball in December. The Willamette Valley region is known for its Pinot Noir.
Quaff: Remy Wines (17495 N.E. McDougall Rd., Dayton). The lesbian mayor of McMinnville lives just a short drive outside the city, because that’s where Remy Drabkin operates her well-known winery. Specializing in Italian-style wines, it’s about as queer-empowering a stop as you can make.
Naramata, British Columbia
This lakeside enclave, just a 20-minute drive north of Penticton, offers rolling vineyards and panoramic lake and mountain views. Why stay in this quiet spot? Singing Marmot Guest Suites (2502 Winifred Rd., Naramata) is an LGBTQ2S+-welcoming accommodation adjacent to the Kettle Valley Rail trail, an old rail line-turned-recreation trail that stretches 660 km across British Columbia, from Hope to Castlegar. Oh, and they’ve got an outdoor hot tub.
Quaff: Therapy Vineyards (940 Lower Debeck Rd., Naramata). This family-owned winery and inn is a great spot for a romantic retreat. The rooms have soaker tubs, walk-in showers and fireplaces.
Lake Country, British Columbia
The Central Okanagan runs from Lake Country south to Peachland. Kelowna, a city of about 150,000, hosts a substantial Pride festival each June. It’s even got a gay bar, Friends of Dorothy Lounge (315 Lawrence Ave., Kelowna). Some of the best wineries, though, are scattered outside the urban areas. Lake Country is a tranquil escape filled with orchard‑lined lanes, lake vistas and wine terroir that emphasizes Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and vibrant reds.
Quaff: Gray Monk Estate Winery (1055 Camp Rd., Lake Country). Founded in 1972, this is a daddy of a winery, with great views of the lake. It’s a classy place to do a tasting.
Healdsburg, California
Just over an hour’s drive outside San Francisco, Sonoma County has cultivated a stylish yet relaxed wine‑country sensibility, one that is very queer—it hosts a Gay Wine Weekend each July. There are several small to mid-sized towns in which to base a visit; Guerneville is probably the most famous for its LGBTQ2S+ friendliness, but Healdsburg has nice boutique and wine bar options.
Quaff: Roadhouse Winery (250 Center St., Healdsburg). Openly gay winemaker Eric Hall worked in tech in San Francisco before moving to Sonoma and launching his own estate.
