Pride Month: 5 Travel-Worthy LGBTQ Celebrations

Every June (and other months in some places), cities around the world come alive with vibrant parades, festivals, and events in recognition of Pride Month. In 2025, Pride marked a milestone of 55 years since the first official Pride marches took place in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Through Pride began as a protest, today’s events also include a good bit of celebration while highlighting the importance of love, acceptance, and equality. For me, that makes it a great magnet for travel planning (as if I needed extra inspiration!). Keep reading for five cities’ annual Pride events that have made them iconic Pride destinations for me.

Learning from History

Beginning the year after the Stonewall Uprising of June 1969, marches honored the pivotal moment in LGBTQ history sparked by resistance to police raids at the Stonewall Inn in NYC. These marches turned annual and then into today’s modern Pride celebrations, which have now grown into global events welcoming LGBTQ individuals, community groups, allies, businesses, and political leaders.

Despite criticism that Pride has become corporate, I believe at the core, it’s still a powerful—and powerfully visible—tribute to the trans people, drag performers, queer people of color, and countless others who stood up against injustice and helped spark a worldwide movement.

With all that history in our back pocket, here are some of the Pride events I think are most worth the trip:

1. San Francisco

San Francisco was the first city where I experienced pride, and what better place for it? SF Pride is a legendary celebration rooted in activism, resilience, and queer joy—fitting for the city often called the heart of the LGBTQ rights movement in the U.S.

Held each June, the Pride Parade itself marches down Market Street, featuring everything from grassroots organizations to fabulous floats and fierce performers. Be warned, though, the parade can seem eternal. It’s awesome to see the volume of attention pride gets in San Francisco, but it can be a little exhausting, so don’t feel like you stay for it all.

Beyond the parade, the Civic Center Plaza hosts a massive Pride Festival filled with music stages, food vendors, community resources, and powerful moments of reflection and pride. And annually (2025 marked the 30th anniversary), volunteers install a giant pink triangle on the face of San Francisco’s Twin Peaks to honor Pride Month.

While my photos are sparse from earlier years, these ones from 2007–my last year living in The City–are good fun, including then-Mayor-turned-Governor Newsom and one of my all-time parade favorites, the choreography of Sunset Scavenger, SF’s waste-collection folks.

Check out my full post on San Francisco for more tips on visiting the city, whether for Pride or other times of the year.

2. Tel Aviv, Israel

Tel Aviv’s Pride celebration was a bucket-list trip for me. Having seen photos of the event for several years, I had high expectations and it did not disappoint. It’s one of the most dynamic and exhilarating LGBTQ celebrations in the world. Each June, it draws tens of thousands of visitors, including many from less-tolerant areas of the region, to Israel’s Mediterranean coast.

Known for its vibrant energy, inclusive spirit, and nonstop party vibe, Tel Aviv Pride transforms the city into a colorful playground of love and visibility. The weeklong festivities include beach parties, dance parties with internationally-recognized DJs, cultural events, and community gatherings, all leading up to the iconic Pride Parade. The parade, however, should more accurately be described as a march, heading through the heart of the city and ending with a massive beachfront celebration.

Check out my full post about Tel Aviv for more details on visiting the city, and the companion Pride post entirely focused on Tel Aviv Pride.

3. Vancouver, B.C.

Vancouver Pride is held each year in late July or early August and is set against Vancouver’s stunning natural backdrop, which also is hard to beat. The celebration here is great fun, both the parade itself (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marched in 2018, but I wasn’t quick enough to snap a decent photo) and the after-parade festivities in the streets and the waterfront park.

The parade winds along the scenic streets of the West End and finishes at a festival on the shores of English Bay. The festival in the park is also relatively easy walking distance from Vancouver’s LGBTQ core along Davie Street, where several streets are closed off and Vancouver’s gay bars open up for a celebratory block party.

I’ll be back in Vancouver for Pride in 2025, so stay tuned for a full post on the city and a Pride update! The photos below are from 2015 and 2018.

4. Washington D.C.

In 2017, and again in 2025, Pride in Washington D.C. had renewed importance as a protest and political statement. Joining the Pride march in 2017 with folks from all across the country was inspiring and motivating, despite the circumstances of the federal administration. In 2025, adding the World Pride Music Festival took the celebration and protest to the next level (World Pride moves to Amsterdam in 2026).

Washington, DC Pride—officially known as Capital Pride—blends political significance with the above-mentioned celebration and protest. Held each June, just blocks from the nation’s most powerful institutions, the Capital Pride Parade marches through historic neighborhoods and fills the streets. Beyond the parade, the Pride Festival on offers live performances, food, and art within view of the Capitol dome.

Check out my full post on Washington D.C. for more to see and do in the city beyond Capital Pride.

4. Dublin, Ireland

Dublin Pride, which I attended in 2017, felt as if every LGBTQ person in Ireland traveled to Dublin to celebrate … and half of all the population of Dublin came out to the streets to join as well.

Admittedly, Dublin had a lot of corporate entries in their Pride parade (at least in 2017). That might be a bit of a buzz kill for some, although I continue to find it heartening to see companies embrace and show up visibly (even one month a year) for their LGBTQ employees and customers.

Following the parade and the associated street festival, the streets in Dublin were teeming late into the night with folks keeping the celebration going.

5. Sydney, Australia

Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is one of the world’s most iconic LGBTQ celebrations—and I’m told visiting during this time is nothing short of unforgettable, which is why it’s on my short list of places I’ve not yet celebrated. Held each year in late February to early March, the city lights up with vibrant parades, dazzling costumes, and an electric sense of pride and community.

Oxford Street, the heart of LGBTQ Sydney, is the epicenter of the celebration, featuring a dazzling parade of floats, performers, and revelers from across the globe. Beyond the main event, Mardi Gras includes weeks of queer art exhibitions, talks, and unforgettable parties.

6. New York City

New York City Pride is a powerful and joyful celebration that honors the roots of the modern LGBTQ rights movement—right where it all began. Held each June, NYC Pride commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising with a vibrant blend of activism, community, and celebration. The iconic Pride March winds its way through Manhattan with bold floats, dazzling performances, and a diverse array of participants representing the full spectrum of queer life.

Beyond the parade, the city comes alive with rallies, street fairs, cultural events, and legendary parties across all five boroughs, not to mention the city’s landmark spaces that started what’s become today’s Pride events (whether or not the federal government honors those who fought back against injustice).

Honorable Mentions

For me, 2018 was a really special year for pride. Not only did I get married to an incredible guy and celebrate the event with amazing friends and family, but we also won a trip from Condor Airlines to join them in Frankfurt’s parade. The Germans refer to Pride as Christopher Street Day, but whatever the name, the celebration is there. In 2018, the Germans threw a great party and participants and onlookers were equally willing to celebrate the prior year’s passage of marriage equality in the country. Yes, that happened as recently as 2018.

In 2019, we jetted to Toronto to celebrate with our neighbors to the north. And celebrate they (and we) did. Honestly, there were so many people who showed up to experience the parade that I couldn’t get many decent pics. And say what you will about corporate participation (and a certain home improvement company’s other politics), but the floats were inspired and fun, and everyone needs to start somewhere, so celebrating LGBTQ employees is at least something.

Backing up to 2008, that’s the year I moved from San Francisco to Portland. While the parade is nowhere near as long as SF’s (thank goodness!), it’s still great to see folks arrive from all over the area to celebrate and support. More recently, I’ve had the privilege to march in the parade with TriMet, our transit agency.

In addition to the parade, an annual block party happens on SW Stark Street, now renamed Harvey Milk Street, and a festival is held at Portland’s Waterfront Park. Photos are from 2016, 2018, 2019, and in 2024, when my dad also joined!

Although certain support for Pride events seems to wave in the political winds, it seems as relevant as ever to celebrate the accomplishments we’ve achieved … and we must recognize that our work is far from done. There’s still a lot to do to ensure basic legal protections exist for LGBTQ folks across the globe and to ensure that people who are often “othered” (including, but not limited to, trans folks and people of color) feel welcome and included in these celebrations and other circles.

Keep fighting, keep celebrating, and keep being visible for those who don’t yet feel they can.