Touring New York City’s Legendary Gay Rights Sites

Start your day with an immersive dive into the art scene. There’s no admission fee to the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in SoHo. The first museum dedicated to the queer community's art now holds more than 24,000 works along with art shows, talks and events. Afterward, head to Greenwich Village, where the famous Stonewall uprising took place at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. Grab a drink at the Stonewall Inn’s bar, where the 1969 police raid took place, and sit on a bench at Christopher Park to reflect on George Segal’s Gay Liberation statues. President Barack Obama named this area a National Monument in 2016. Just around the corner, stop in for a drink and a dance at Julius’, where the Sip-In of 1966 challenged the common practice of refusing to serve liquor to gay patrons.

While you are in Manhattan, you’ll want to check out the Lips Drag Queen Show Palace, Restaurant & Bar, considered one of the best drag performances in the city. A variety of shows, along with stiff drinks and a great menu, are featured seven nights a week. Or, check out the male bar-top dancers – a la “Coyote Ugly” – at Flaming Saddles, a country-western saloon.

Head across the East River via the Brooklyn Bridge for more important sites. Stop by the Lesbian Herstory Archives, the world’s largest collection of materials by and about lesbians. The three-level museum, repository and community center holds everything from buttons and banners to international publications and spoken-word recordings. Hit the happy hour at Ginger’s Bar, a popular lesbian pub in Brooklyn known for tasty drinks, pool, karaoke and drag queen bingo.

If the nightlife in Manhattan is too fast-paced for your taste, Queens might be more your speed. For the community and its straight allies, the Q Center provides essential services, community assistance and advocacy programs for youth and adults. The Albatross Bar in Astoria features beloved drag queens, along with karaoke and Brokeback Bingo, in a friendly, neighborhood bar ambience.

To reach New York City from international destinations, fly into John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in nearby Newark, New Jersey.