In many ways, Brooklyn exists in the shadow of Manhattan. Perhaps not quite literally: the city’s famed skyscrapers may not be tall enough for their shadows to reach the eastern banks of the East River. But Manhattan’s status as one of Earth’s most famous locales tends to pull attention away from New York City’s other boroughs. For travellers, Brooklyn has historically been seen as a trip stop rather than a destination. But that shouldn’t be the case. Brooklyn is, for starters, actually more populous and expansive than Manhattan—it has 2.7 million residents spread out over a land mass three times the size of the island to the west.
It’s also just as queer. Yes, Manhattan’s home to Stonewall, where the Gay Liberation Movement began, but consider Park Slope’s bonafides: the neighbourhood was a hotbed for lesbian organizing in the early 1980s, the site of Sylvia Rivera’s Transy House and is home to the Lesbian Herstory Archives (484 14th St., Brooklyn; visit by appointment). It’s even got an in-community nickname: Dyke Slope. And while Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan is dominated by businesses that cater to gay men, Brooklyn’s more culturally queer, with mixed crowds, sapphic spaces and events that centre trans and BIPOC queers, like those held by the Brooklyn creative agency Raw Honey and the art collective Papi Juice.
Brooklyn offers queer travellers dynamic nightlife alongside a comforting slice of local life; choosing a Brooklyn neighbourhood to stay in and explore will make you feel like a local. Each part of town has its own distinct feel and history, from industrial Dumbo to the beautiful brownstones of Fort Greene and Cobble Hill, and its own independent coffee shops and eateries. There’s no gay village, but there are queer-owned and -operated businesses all over. Most places travellers will encounter are queer-friendly and safe for LGBT2S+ folks.
I first visited Brooklyn in the late 2000s, just as Williamsburg was becoming known as a hub for flannel-clad white kids who drank Pabst Blue Ribbon. It was the last gasp of an era when partying was cheap anywhere in the tri-state area. Bars sold to-go tall cans to drink at McCarren Park, which transformed into a see-and-be-seen scene every Sunday during its free summer concert series. The park’s pool, abandoned in the 1980s, was left to fall into disrepair; weeds sprouted from the edges of the hot cement along the perimeter of the graffiti-covered grounds. Bands like Black Lips and The King Khan & BBQ Show played on a stage above the empty 50,000 square-foot pool while the crowd baked in a giant cement hole chipped with turquoise paint. At the time, it felt wild and free; now it’s the type of good-old-days memory millennial dads recount for their children.
Plenty has changed since that moment, when many parts of Brooklyn were in flux, their local cultures challenged by rapid gentrification. With every visit, the streets seem to be cleaner and more bustling. It remains an excellent place to meet a cute drummer with dirty hair and dainty stick-and-poke tattoos, though it’s now also got hookup app grids full of upwardly mobile gay guys with email jobs, cruising for someone to spend their work-from-home lunch hour with. Over the past two decades, developers have constructed 32 million square feet of space across Brooklyn, adding scores of condo towers, offices and retail space—an unprecedented boom that transformed nearly every inch of the borough.
There are fewer cheap thrills to be found in these new spaces, though some changes will be welcomed by visitors—perhaps chief of all the abundance of new culinary options. On a recent trip, I sampled local brews at the Kings County Brewers Collective (381 Troutman St., Brooklyn), a brewery in Bushwick with laid-back bench seating where a crew of brewers are trying to re-establish the neighbourhood’s dominance in beer production (according to Kings County, 10 percent of the beer produced in the U.S. once came from Brooklyn). I brunched with an old friend at Montesacro (432 Union Ave., Brooklyn), an Italian restaurant in Williamsburg with a menu of Roman classics and a solarium patio that feels like dining in a garden. The vibes were so good that we made a last minute reso for another meal together at Gertrude’s (605 Carlton Ave., Brooklyn) in Prospect Heights, a neighbourhood bistro that serves “Jew-ish” fare (the pletzel and latkes were delicious).
While downing PBR in Williamsburg in the 2000s, I’d never have imagined that Brooklyn would transform into a hotbed for my favourite travel activity, celebrity spotting. But Brooklyn’s now home to many famous faces, and I keep my eyes peeled on strolls through the borough. On a recent trip I spotted comedian Eric André reading a script while waiting for a bagel from the counter at Greenberg’s Bagels (1065 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn). The lox and cream cheese was great, by the way, but the bagels at Simply Nova (754 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn) in Williamsburg were even better. The real big fish of the trip, though, came when I spied two men with commercial-size lenses on their cameras hanging on opposite corners in Park Slope, clearly waiting for a celeb to do a pap walk. Then, suddenly, Katie Holmes whipped past me, her ponytail tucked into her navy winter jacket. She rushed by so fast, I wasn’t sure it was her, but later found the photos of her out on a cool December stroll. One never knows who they’ll meet in Brooklyn.
Here is our list of the best of LGBTQ2S+ Brooklyn.
Pride
Yes, NYC Pride (June 28, 2026), one of the world’s most legendary Pride celebrations, takes place in Manhattan. But Brooklyn Pride (usually mid-June; TBD in 2026) has had the borough doing its own thing since 1996. It’s a much more community-oriented alternative to NYC Pride.
What to see and do
Prospect Park (171 East Dr., Brooklyn) With over 500 acres of winding paths dotted with monuments and attractions, Prospect Park is a choose-your-own-adventure outdoor haven right in the city. The southern tip of the park has a lake with paddle boat and kayak rentals (Central Park isn’t the only local lake with swan boats). Lakeside, there’s a rink for ice skating in the winter and roller skating in the warmer months. Travel north to find a waterfall, a beach just for dogs to swim in and plenty of spots for a picnic.
Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Pkwy., Brooklyn) and Brooklyn Botanical Garden (1000 Washington Ave., Brooklyn). Up on the northern tip of Prospect Park is the Brooklyn Museum, with its colossal collection spanning everything from Norman Rockwell to Egyptian antiquities. It’s worthy of a full day of wandering. Around the corner from the museum is the crown jewel of Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. From arid rooms full of curated cacti to verdant jungles where mist hangs in the air amongst vast tropical leaves, the garden is full of nature’s magic. Visit early in the spring to catch the cherry blossoms.
New York Liberty basketball games (620 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn). Brooklyn may have the Nets and the Cyclones, but the real ticket is the Liberty—at least for queer folks. The Brooklyn Liberty, New York’s only WNBA team, play at the Barclays Centre and, with a team stacked with out players, queer women flood the stands. It’s not only lesbians and other queer folks who love the team, though. The WNBA has been surging in popularity, and courtside seats at Liberty games have attracted high wattage stars, making the games perfect for people watching and celeb-spotting even for non-sports fans. Everyone from Julia Fox to Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Whoopi Goldberg and Alicia Keys have been spied at Liberty games.
The Brooklyn Comedy Collective (167 Graham Ave., Brooklyn). In the comedy scene, this theatre-slash-school is known for its goofy, chaotic approach to improv. The chaos, spanning a staggering 24 shows per week, is overseen by Phillip Markle, a gay comedian who owns the theatre and serves as its artistic director. It’s the perfect spot to catch up-and-coming talent: past shows have included everyone from Amber Ruffin to the writers behind The Daily Show, SNL alum Chloe Troast, and Grant Gibbs and Ashley Gill (a.k.a. the TikTok sensation A Twink and a Redhead).
Queer Cemetery Tour (25th St., Brooklyn). The Green-Wood Cemetery is the final resting place for many of New York’s boldface names, like the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. But the cemetery is worth a visit for its beauty alone, from its grand gothic gates to its leafy trees (with 7,000 of them, the cemetery is an urban forest). It even has a tomb of secrets where guests are invited to lay their secrets to rest in a grave designed by the artist Sophie Calle. The cemetery offers tours, but lucky queers who plan ahead can receive one from Close Friends, a collective of historians, artists and educators who created a special tour revisiting the final moments of Green-Wood’s LGBTQ2S+ permanent residents.
Coney Island (1208 Surf Ave., Brooklyn). In addition to being classically New York and a slice of bygone Americana, Coney Island is definitively camp and deliciously queer. It’s got a history of gender-bending bearded ladies, burlesque acts and drag kings, and hosts both an annual Mermaid Parade and a zany Miss Coney Island pageant. To this day, Coney Island still has a circus sideshow (tickets are a retro-feeling $15), and that’s not even accounting for the curious characters that fill the boardwalk.
Where to stay
Wythe Hotel (80 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn). Few hotels have the cinematic curb appeal of the Wythe in Williamsburg, where guests are greeted by a four-storey glowing red “HOTEL” sign that looks straight out of a mid-century movie. The hotel is housed in a brick building far older than that—the cooperage was originally opened in 1901 to manufacture barrels for sugar refiners—and retains much of its old world charm. This One Michelin Key hotel is home to a French brasserie and a cocktail bar with some of the best views of the Manhattan skyline Brooklyn has to offer (request a west-facing room for the same view).
Nu Hotel (85 Smith St., Brooklyn). Budget-minded groups heading to Brooklyn would be wise to consider the bunk-bed suites at the Nu Hotel, which sleep four via one queen bed and twin bunks. The hotel is a short walk away from downtown Brooklyn and even closer on one of the bicycles it loans out to guests. The bigger, more plush urban suites are quirkily outfitted with hammocks.
The Box House Hotel (77 Box St., Brooklyn). Located at the northern tip of Greenpoint, this 126-room hotel offers the Brooklyn experience only a quick cab ride away from Midtown Manhattan—perfect for travellers seeking the charms of a borough but who still want to hit time-honoured tourist stops. Rooms in the hotel, which is a converted factory, have soaring ceilings, and the penthouse’s panoramic views make it perfect for hosting a dinner party.
Arlo Williamsburg (96 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn). The rooftop pool at the Arlo in Brooklyn, once The Williamsburg Hotel, houses a converted water tower that’s now a bar, making for a striking visual that often serves as the backdrop for guests’ vacation snaps. The rooms themselves are full of lush design details, like stately brown leather headboards and turquoise city tiles in bathrooms with warm gold fixtures and city views.
The Local NY (44th Ave., Long Island City). New York is an expensive destination, but cost-conscious travellers will be pleased by the rates at the Local NY, a clean, well-rated hostel in Long Island City, just a few subway stops from the thrills of Williamsburg and the customary tourist stops of Midtown Manhattan. The hostel has private quad and single rooms, a rooftop terrace and a cafe that transforms into a bar in the evenings.
Where to eat
Queen Bar + Restaurant (247 Starr St., Brooklyn). This Mediterranean restaurant in Bushwick is owned by Justin Ahiyon, an original founder of the nearby House of Yes nightclub and performance space (see “Where to party”). What started as a falafel window is now the perfect place for brunch the morning after a great party. Be sure to try the falafel and the homemade hummus, and consider taking home one of the Queen Market signature sauces—a great gift for any of your pals who didn’t wake up in time for brunch.
Aura Coffee (417 Prospect Pl., Brooklyn). This plant-covered, lesbian-owned coffee shop in Crown Heights has street-side patio seating in the summer months and hearty breakfast sandwiches made fresh per order. Plus, it’s pet-friendly, so a chance to fuel up on caffeine often also means an opportunity to pet some of Brooklyn’s cutest canines.
Edy’s Grocer (136 Meserole Ave., Brooklyn). Those looking to cook on vacation—or at least stock the hotel with something better than the mini bar—should head to Edy’s Grocer, an Oprah-approved boutique grocery store in Greenpoint. The Lebanese market and deli specializes in groceries imported from all over the Middle East and is owned by a queer chef, Edouard Massih, author of the cookbook Keep It Zesty. The shop’s best seller is its mezzes, which are perfect for a picnic (or a late night hotel snack).
Superfine (126 Front St., Brooklyn). Dinner is served with a show at this queer-owned Dumbo mainstay, which features live music and vegetarian-friendly farm-to-table cuisine. The restaurant doubles as a bar and hosts all sorts of events, including comedy, burlesque, drag and live jazz, and has a gallery wall refreshed every month with works from a new artist.
Fonda Park Slope (434 7th Ave., Brooklyn). For Mexican, try Fonda, an unfussy neighbourhood spot where the tortillas are hand-pressed and the guac is made to order. The owner of the restaurant, which also has locations in Chelsea and Tribeca, is Roberto Santibañez, an out and proud chef who trained at Le Cordon Bleu and authored the cookbook Rosa’s New Mexican Table. Pair the taquitos with the blood orange margarita.
Where to party
House of Yes (2 Wyckoff Ave., Brooklyn). The word YES is painted in storey-tall pink and orange block letters hovering above the House of Yes, the highly permissive party space just off Flushing that’s currently holding the torch for the much-remembered but long-since-passed Club Kid era of New York City. In East Williamsburg, queer clowns and aerialists dangle from the ceiling, dance in cages and stick sparklers in their nostrils. The House of Yes grew out of a “hippie-punk-squat” in a much less gentrified Bushwick back in the 2000s, then was hailed as a revolution of New York City nightlife as it paired circus with queer nightlife. Today, House of Yes hosts everything from glitter-dipped dance parties to variety shows and midnight communal cathartic screaming sessions.
3 Dollar Bill (260 Meserole St., Brooklyn). Superclubs are a rarity, even in the city that never sleeps, and queer superclubs are practically an obscurity. But out in East Brooklyn, there’s a massive queer-owned and -operated party space with a capacity of over 600 inside the club and double out in the yard. The gargantuan 3 Dollar Bill has attracted the likes of the legendary promoter and queen of NYC nightlife Susanne Bartsch and regularly hosts top tier RuPaul’s Drag Race talent like Raja, Naomi Smalls and Sasha Colby (it’s where Alaska mounted her Justice For ARTPOP show). Check listings for regular dance nights, bear events and B-tier pop star album release parties.
Ginger’s Bar (363 5th Ave., Brooklyn). For something quieter, head to Ginger’s Bar in Park Slope. With softball trophies resting on the shelves, a pool table and a sweet back patio, Ginger’s has been the site of countless sapphic meet-cutes over the years.
C’mon Everybody (325 Franklin Ave., Brooklyn). Over in Bed-Stuy, this queer-owned bar has scores of drag shows, a gallery space, live music and all forms of parties, from underwear and sportswear events aimed at gents to ladies nights where DJs spin everything from dancehall to Jersey club.
Singers (30 Kosciuszko St., Brooklyn). The annual Twinks vs. Dolls cigarette race at Singers is the stuff of local legend. Or, rather, it might have been had it not gone massively viral, reaching corners of the gay internet far, far beyond Brooklyn. But the infamous event (BTW, there’s loads of events, not just a cigarette race—it’s the Twinks vs. Dolls Olympics) is one of many zany events that have taken place at the converted warehouse, from a pop-up petting zoo to a “sauna rave.”
Misfit Kava Bar (82 Central Ave., Brooklyn). This Bushwick bar isn’t a bar in the traditional sense; it’s an alcohol-free space that sells kava, a legal herbal substance made from grinding up the roots of Piper methysticum that’s often served as a drink. At Misfit Kava, they call it “plant medicine.” The space is filled with eclectic vintage furniture and cozy string lights and feels more like an eccentric pal’s apartment than anything resembling a nightclub. The space regularly hosts readings (both astrology and poetry), comedy nights and book clubs. Don’t skip the plant-dripped patio out back.
Good Judy (563 5th Ave., Brooklyn). When you think of an artsy, scrappy NYC gay bar, inclusive but not taking themselves too seriously, this is the place. When there’s not a performance or celebrity sighting, there will at least be a RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing party.
Where to shop
Lockwood (485 Driggs Ave., Brooklyn). With five locations across the borough, this quirky, queer-owned gift shop is a Brooklyn staple. The flagship in Astoria focuses on gifts and home decor with an emphasis on locally designed items, while the paper shop next door stocks stationary and greeting cards, and the nearby Lockwood Style focuses on size-inclusive clothing. Styles are mostly feminine, but the shop’s line of merch repping ’hoods like Queens, Williamsburg and Jackson Heights is gender neutral. It’s also super stylish, like a local take on the classic I heart New York tee.
Bindle & Keep (Suite 215, 36 Waverly Ave., Brooklyn). Suiting has a long history as a menswear staple, but the folks at Bindle & Keep know everyone looks sharp in a suit—so long as it’s properly tailored. With a client base of every age, race and gender, Bindle & Keep crafts custom suits out of a beautiful brick shop up in Brooklyn Navy Yard. The queer-focused shop, which was featured in the HBO documentary Suited, offers tiered pricing for its custom suits, plus shirts, vests and overcoats.
Housing Works (150 Montague St., Brooklyn). Usually, it’s better to approach vintage shopping in New York by hunting for something special to splurge on rather than looking for a thrifty deal. Chains like Buffalo Exchange (109 Boerum Pl., Brooklyn) hawk gently used designer goods, and the online luxury consignment shop The RealReal has an actual IRL location in Cobble Hill (163 Court St., Brooklyn). But very few vintage shops anywhere in New York can be described as inexpensive. There are, however, still bargains to be found at Housing Works in Brooklyn Heights, the thrift shop arm of the non-profit, which raises money for a variety of causes including homelessness and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Greenlight Bookstore (686 Fulton St., Brooklyn). This Clinton Hill shop is one of the most beloved independent book sellers in Brooklyn. The snug store has an impressive selection that belies its small space and has been expertly curated to highlight a diverse set of authors, including a hefty range from independent presses. Peruse the staff picks for queer voices and local authors, including a handful that fit in both categories, like featured writers Lamya H. and Emily Zhou.
Babeland (462 Bergen St., Brooklyn). This female-forward, queer-inclusive sex shop is actually an import from the West Coast; its first location was opened in Seattle in the 1990s by two women fed up at the lack of retail options where women could comfortably shop for sex toys. By the 2000s, the shop had made its way east, opening first in Manhattan, then in Park Slope. Babeland’s got everything needed for a vacation hookup, from lube to cock rings, strap-ons and lingerie—plus plenty of goodies worthy of tucking into your suitcase, like beginner BDSM kits and an impressive selection of packers and STP devices.
