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Orlando has always prided itself on its tolerance and diversity, and people are proudly rebuilding all that was threatened by the atrocity
of last year. Orlando has much to be proud of - a thriving gay scene, gay days at Disney World, and one of the best Pride Events in America.
The city is welcoming and not reflected in any way by the terrible events of 12th June 2016 when an armed gunman carried out the worst mass shooting in recent US history, at The Pulse nightclub. 49 people lost their lives and a further 53 others were wounded in a late night hate crime terrorist attack. OutUK has a special Memorial Feature on the Pulse Nightclub with photos from the site and an update on the many activities which continue to support those involved. For this OutGoing Guide to Orlando we are going to look at the City Beautiful's best-loved attractions, and boy, are there loads of them for every boy to enjoy. | |
| This city of 170,000 is artsy and intellectual compared with most of beach-loving Florida. Cinemas show foreign and independent films, cafes and clubs sponsor everything from raves to poetry readings, several theatres present experimental and fringe productions, and arts newspapers and 'zines provide the lowdown on all these events. | 
Orlando's Charles Hosmer Morse Museum Photo - VisitOrlando.com |
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If you're visiting the many theme parks in the
area, try to set aside at least a full day to explore this charming city with its
vibrant gay scene. If you're simply seeking an economical Florida holiday
- or a quiet base that's still close to but not engulfed by Disney World -
then eitherway, Orlando fits the bill perfectly.
It's actually hard to imagine a place less like feverishly commercial Walt Disney World than the city of Orlando, an amiable and low-keyed metropolis of both new and historic residential enclaves surrounding one of Florida's few walkable downtown centres. The gay scene thrives from November to April and then again during the Disney Gay Days celebrations in early June, but with more gay men and lesbians settling in Orlando and making it their home, things are starting to stay lively all year-round. This year the Gay Day celebrations take place from May 30th - June 3rd 2024. The first Saturday of June always includes Gay Day in the Magic Kingdom. The event is really the signature event of the week, where an estimated 50,000 red-shirted Gay Days attendees pack Walt Disney World's original park. While not officially sponsored or promoted by Walt Disney World, those attending also designate another day during the celebration to visit the other Disney theme parks including Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The website gaydays.com has loads more information. Doubletree by Hilton Orlando at Seaworld have a special offer around this time in which all of their rooms include 2 pool passes for the Day and Night pool parties at the Doubletree for each of the nights booked. There's an additional fee for extra guests you want to bring along. GAY ORLANDO | |
Tonight Show presenter Jimmy Fallon at Universal Studios. Photo - VisitOrlando.com | Lake-dotted Orlando sprawls in every direction. The city is centred where Interstate 4 crosses the East-West Expressway, several miles north of the Orlando International Airport and west of the Orlando Sanford airport used by many charter airlines. |
Universal Studios and its nearby mega-attractions can be found about 10 miles south of downtown
area of Orlando with Walt Disney World about 20 miles away in a similar direction.
Gay businesses exist throughout much of the city, but many are east and northeast of downtown,
in Thornton Park and along Mills Avenue.
Downtown itself is a neat and attractive neighbourhood anchored by Church Street
Station. This historic depot and surrounding buildings house a retail and entertainment center
recently renovated to include a stop for SunRail, the commuter rail service of the Greater Orlando area.
Walk two blocks east across busy Orange Avenue to
reach some funkier blocks with a random mix of grunge clothiers, coffeehouses, and
night spots.
DOWNTOWNThere's a handful of gay-friendly downtown Orlando eateries where you'll have a chance to spend a little or a lot of money. Soco's name is inspired by the cuisine that they serve - Southern Contemporary. It's won many awards including best outdoor, bistro, brunch and the list goes on and on. In complete contrast if you want something to do on a Tuesday, when none of the clubs in town are hopping, then go to Hamburger Mary's Bar & Grille for drag bingo. Tuesday Bingo with Miss Sammy and Carol Lee. They suggest you make reservations since this is a popular event.BARS AND NIGHTS OUTThe popular gay Bar Codes hosts a number of themed evenings including Leather Nights, Spin for a Win and free karaoke. The venue has a patio, pool table, good music and bartenders who are always friendly. | |
| Hank's Bar on Edgewater Drive is a no-frills neighborhood gay bar with a straightforward drink menu, pool tables and a landscaped patio. They provide a comfortable atmosphere in which they welcome everyone and host pool competitions and bear nights. They have been operating for more than 30 years billing themselves as The Best Little Bar with The Worst Reputation! |
Plenty of places to relax and chill in Orlando Photo - Ben Van Hook / VisitOrlando.com |
Savoy Bar is a fun bar in North Orange Avenue, which hold Mega T-Dances, Happy Hours and virtual boys that perform a striptease
on their website - sadly not in the venue! They have a outdoor terrace and regularly hold special events and promotions.
If you want something way more wet Club Orlando is open 24 hours and is part of THE CLUB chain of saunas. Membership gives access to other clubs that they run. There's a fully equipped gym with certified trainer Mon-Fri 11-19h. They provide showers, free condoms and all weather outdoor terrace, dry sauna, steam bath, video shows, hot tub and work-out area. EOLA HEIGHTSHistoric Eola Heights begins a few blocks east of downtown. Stroll around the grassy oak-shaded perimeter of rippling Lake Eola, and you'll likely see gay guys jogging, strolling, and hanging out. Nearby streets are lined with some of Orlando's earliest homes, but the neighbourhood fell on hard times during the second half of the 20th century. Among the first people to move in and clean it up were gays and lesbians, who later continued east into the Thornton Park neighbourhood, known for its fine old wood-frame houses.A few cafes and urbane boutiques, all of them gay-frequented, have enlivened Washington Street, Thornton Park's main drag. Equally Sassy and stylish, is the main shopping area of Winter Park where you'll find Dexter's. It's a restaurant, market, and wine shop that serves commendable, mostly Mediterranean inspired fare, such as eggplant Napoleon or spicy shrimp Provencal. A short drive east, Southern Nights is one of central Florida's most popular gay and lesbian clubs - varied theme nights keep the place interesting. The club has a young vibe & focuses on LGBT parties with happy hours, dancing & Best Bod contests. To the North, there's District Dive is an LGBT+ Dive Bar located in the Milk District in Orlando. It's part of the Southern Nights Family and its owners have made it a popular venue. If you need more excitement then another option would be a Performing arts theater on West Pine Street. It's the Diva Royale Drag Queen Show, the perfect place for a riotous evening celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or even first time drag experiences. Bartenders are friendly and Drag Queens galore welcome you in. WHERE TO STAY |
Eo Inn Orlando Photo - Eo Inn |
Easily one of the most attractive and well-run gay friendly and chic places
to stay is the Eo Inn a wonderful
boutique property whose rooms have sleek furnishings, including black-wooden
armoires and fine linens. Accommodations are fairly small, as are some of the bathrooms
- about the only evidence of the building's previous incarnation as a YMCA.
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It really is their attention to detail and some imaginative decorating that makes the Eo
very comfortable. A slick full-service spa is also available with a rooftop jacuzzi. The
Inn is in a prime Orlando location just steps from Lake Eola.
Off the beaten path in northwestern Orlando, you'll find one of the better hotel values in the city, the Quality Inn and Suites, which has medium-size rooms with functional but pleasant furnishings. More central there's Mills Avenue which runs north above Colonial Drive; it's lined with gay bars and businesses, including White Wolf a worldly yet understated bric-a-brac emporium that also has a cafe serving terrific international fare, from mango-nut-tabbouleh sandwiches to shiitake mushroom lasagna. After so enchanting a meal, you might decide to purchase some of the funky furnishings here or at one of the several antiques shops along the same street. Another nearby favorite, Little Saigon serves stellar Vietnamese fare. The traditional soup of noodles, rice, vegetables, and chicken or seafood is always a winner. ARTS & CULTURETo the north Mills cuts through a dense concentration of lakes anchored by grassy Loch Haven Park, which contains modest but engaging history, art, and science museums. The star of the neighbourhood is the 56-acre Harry Leu Botanical Gardens, a tranquil spot for a stroll. The exclusive town of Winter Park lies north of Loch Haven Park. Its downtown evokes the grace of Savannah and the glamour of Beverly Hills, albeit on a tiny scale. Chain clothiers, smart boutiques, and tiny restaurants line both sides of Park Avenue, interrupted only by lush Central Park which is bisected by the Amtrak station where you could go by train to either New York or Miami. | |
Tiffany Chapel, Charles Hosmer Morse Museum Photo - VisitOrlando.com |
The Winter Park area's leading attraction is the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of
American Art which maintains the largest and most comprehensive collection of the stained-glass
works of Louis Comfort Tiffany found anywhere in the USA. There's a major collection of American art
pottery, and fine collections of late-19th- and early-20th-century American paintings, graphics
and the decorative arts.
For dining, the Winter Park branch of Hillstone Restaurant is notable not just for fine steaks, seafood and pasta alongside specialty cocktails but for its location on Lake Kilarney and its amazing Prairie School-inspired architecture. |
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Andrew Collins
authored the recently updated and expanded Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA and six
regional gay guides for Fodor's.
Revised January 2024. | |
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The Pulse Nightclub Memorial |
