With a vibrant downtown full of restaurants, craft beer and unique bars like Bitter and Twisted, Phoenix is exemplary with culinary choices, architecture, design and shopping space.
TP: Why would a queer traveler coming to visit the greater Phoenix area stay in or visit Scottsdale? How does your city add to the overall mix for LGBTQ visitors?ĭM: Phoenix is the gay mecca of the region-95% of the LGBTQ bars are in central Phoenix.
#NICE GAY BARS PHOENIX SCOTTSDALE PLUS#
LGBTQ bars not to miss are BS West, Charlie’s, and The Rock (for the drag show).ĭM: I’d also suggest the Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Children’s Museum, Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix, plus Chase Field for baseball. LM: To be honest, a lot of the same activities straight travelers enjoy, such as: Taliesin West, hiking in the Sonoran Desert, Scottsdale’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the Desert Botanical Garden, Musical Instrument Museum, Downtown Scottsdale, and Phoenix and Tempe’s pedestrian-friendly corridors. TP: What are some of the main attractions that LGBTQ travelers find of particular interest in and around Phoenix? What must-sees would you recommend if someone only had 1 or 2 days in the city? This coupled with 300 days of sunshine and myriad LGBTQ bars and events like Phoenix Pride, LGBT Softball League and the Arizona Gay Rodeo help to make us an attractive destination for the market. The maverick spirit of the West is apparent in the marks left by Frank Lloyd Wright, mid-century modern design and innovative cuisine-it’s not your grandparents' Valley of the Sun. LM: Scottsdale and the Greater Phoenix area have really gained popularity in the LGBTQ market as there’s more knowledge that this Sonoran Desert oasis is a vibrant, creative mecca and not just a resort and golf destination. TP: Would you describe the greater Phoenix area as a popular queer destination? Why or why not? LM: While we don’t have statistics that break out visitation by niche markets or purpose such as weddings or honeymoons, it’s fair to say that more resorts are actively positioning themselves as LGBTQ-friendly. TP: How have you seen this market evolve over the past few years? More weddings or honeymoons since the Obergefell ruling? Working with these outlets, we’re able to tell the stories of the destination through a credible third party. We rely heavily on PR efforts and our partnership with Visit Phoenix to promote Scottsdale and the metropolitan area to key LGBTQ outlets.
LM: Scottsdale prides itself on being a warm and welcoming destination for all travelers. Working with media, we are excited to tell the stories of the destination through authentic storytellers. Phoenix is a welcoming destination and embraces diversity for all travelers-we have a 100 rating from the HRC. The sun shines equally on everyone more than 320 days a year. A Queer Look at Phoenix and Scottsdale | TravelPulse