San Diego

San Diego brings together a year-round mild climate, miles of beaches and a warmly open atmosphere, making it one of California's most laid-back destinations. If you're looking for queer life, you'll inevitably end up in Hillcrest: The neighborhood around University Avenue has developed into the undisputed LGBTQ heart of the city since the 1970s and is now an official queer cultural district. Bars, cafés, boutiques and restaurants are lined up here, rainbow flags fly above the streets. Institutions such as Urban Mo's with its legendary drag brunches, the dance club Rich's with go-go dancers and the Gossip Grill – one of the last lesbian bars in the USA – make the nights long.

The highlight of the year is San Diego Pride in July, one of the largest Pride festivals in the United States: Over 250,000 people celebrate the parade and festival in Balboa Park – the largest one-day citizen event in the region. During the day, the world-famous Balboa Park with its numerous museums, the San Diego Zoo, the historic Old Town and of course the endless beaches from Mission Beach to elegant La Jolla beckon. Black's Beach is also considered a popular nudist and cruising meeting place. If you like it quieter, stroll through hip North Park or enjoy the Californian café and craft beer culture for which the neighborhood is famous. A day trip across the border to Tijuana, Mexico, is also easily possible from here. The best time to visit is from May to September, when the notorious coastal fog season ("June Gloom") subsides and the sun shines reliably.