In honor of Pride month, actress and activist Laverne Cox just became the latest Airbnb host to list an LGBTQ experience on the vacation rental site. Cox announced Tuesday that she’s offering a day of meditation, thrift shopping, and a photo shoot in L.A. as a one-off experience benefitting the city’s Trans Wellness Center.
The experience, which opens for booking on June 14, will no doubt be a popular pick. But Airbnb has dozens of other experiences that celebrate LGBTQ culture and pride on offer across the world.
Here are the 10 most popular, based on data released by the company Tuesday, all boasting glowing reviews and promising unique insights into their host’s neighborhoods.
LGBTQ Castro Tours: San Francisco
$25 per person
The most popular experience of almost 50 on the site is a ramble through San Francisco’s historic district led by resident and activist Kathy. Covering everything from the birth of the rainbow flag to key spots in community leader Harvey Milk’s life, it takes in 16 significant spots and offers an introductory insight into the Castro’s history.
Into Queer Havana: Havana
$59 per person
Havana staged its first gay pride parade in 2008 and its first gay bar opened in 2013. While that bar eventually closed, the city has flourished as an LGBTQ spot, and activist host Susana’s tour dives into some of its hottest hubs. Including a mojito and entry to a show, the Into Queer Havana experience is limited to five people and takes you backstage to meet some of the city’s drag performers.
London has multiple LGBTQ-friendly districts to explore.
Photo by Paolo Paradiso/Shutterstock
Gay Night Falls in London: London
$83 per person
Self-confessed “smiley city life and dance enthusiast” Aisha takes travelers on a six-hour sojourn round one of London’s thriving gay-friendly night spots. Starting at Liverpool Street in central London, the party quickly moves on to either Shoreditch, Camden, Vauxhall, or Soho and takes in talks, art shows, and clubs.
Explore the Castro’s Gay Bars: San Francisco
$20 per person
Kicking off with free drinks at host Jonny’s apartment, this tour takes in three significant gay hangouts—a sports bar, a historic landmark that serves drinks, and a “wild-card” stop. Groups are limited to six people, and reviewers rave about Jonny’s knowledge and humor, flagging how good his well-priced tour is for solo travelers.
Discover LGBTQ Nightlife in Nichome: Tokyo
$114 per person
A pricier offering than some of the other experiences, this tour encompasses three bars, three drinks, and at least three karaoke performances as host Naoki takes visitors across Tokyo’s famed district. Shinjuku Ni-chome is a densely packed hub of dozens of gay bars, and the sexuality and gender studies student and Tokyo tour guide leads visitors to some of the best.
Seoul’s Itaewon district is a rewarding place to spend a few hours.
Photo by Diego Mariottini/Shutterstock
Explore the City’s Gay Nightlife Scene: Seoul
$39 per person
A record 85,000 people attended Seoul’s gay pride in 2017, but the march was met with some protest in relatively conservative Korea. However, progress is being made every year—the city’s first drag parade took place in May—and this tour celebrates the city’s booming scene while setting it in context. Starting with coffee near born-and-bred host Jay’s apartment in the Itaewon district, it dives into bars, K-pop clubs, and everything in between.
SunGay Brunch DTLA Walking Tour: Los Angeles
$50 per person
Downtown L.A.’s gay-friendly credentials go right back to the early 1800s and the LGBTQ-supporting Native Americans whose El Pueblo de Los Angeles historic monument formed the birthplace of the city. Out & About Tours host Jim Anzide covers this and everything up to the present day—via gay porn theaters, bathhouses and key activism spots—over mimosas, brunch, and a decent hoof through the area’s streets. As a bonus, this is a social impact experience, so 100 percent of the fee goes to LGBTQ nonprofit The Lavender Effect.
LGBT History Walk With a Local: Amsterdam
$48 per person
A visit to Homomonument, the sobering triangular tribute to LGBTQ people who were persecuted during World War II and since, kicks off this blend of LGBTQ history and culture in the Dutch capital. Helmed by local “history nerd” Hank, this tour takes in Protestant churches, the Red Light District, and a gay bar dating back to the 1920s as it winds its way through Amsterdam’s labyrinthine canals.
Retro Aerobics for LGBTQIA Rights: Austin
$15 per person
Participants are encouraged to wear “retro spandex and Richard Simmons wigs” at this high-energy experience—the only one in the top 10 that will see you break a sweat. Personal trainer and performance artist Transform (aka Erica) leads big outdoor routines at events like Queer Bomb and OUTsider fest, but this experience takes place in a studio to a selection to thumping ’80s and ’90s tunes. Another social good experience, it sends 100 percent of the fee to TENTS (Transgender Education Network of Texas).
Walking & Shopping in the Gay Village: Montreal
$11 per person
Montreal’s Gay Village has long been a thriving hub for the LGBTQ community, and longtime resident Ian knows its streets extremely well, according to the experience’s reviewers. A mere $11 buys you an hour of his expertise and a coffee as he flags some of the area’s highlights and history.
>>Next: Celebrate LGBTQ Pride at These Powerful U.S. Art Exhibits
