Inspiration
Out and About — LGBTQ Travel in Connecticut
Just a short ride from New York City and Boston, Connecticut offers a blend of cultured living and outdoor fun with something for everyone—and this includes the LGBTQ community, residents and visitors alike. In 2008, Connecticut became the second state to legalize gay marriage, and our open and inclusive energy continues to draw and welcome gay visitors to the state. Plus, Expedia.com recently named Hartford, Connecticut one of their most “exciting LGBTQ-friendly cities around the world.”
While anyone should of course feel welcomed at any business, hotel or restaurant in Connecticut, we asked a few friends for recommendations on places to start planning your visit—from gay-owned B&Bs to gay bars and events that appeal to many LGBTQ interests and lifestyles.
Planning how to get there? Choose a greener way to travel. See all the transportation options near you with the CTrides transit finder.
Where to Stay and Play
Craving a slice of Mystic Pizza? Start your visit to Connecticut in the charming seaport town of Mystic. Shops, restaurants, bars and waterfront scenery make for the ideal New England getaway. One quaint hotel choice is the House of 1833, where many rooms have hot tubs and private porches. Additionally, the Inn at Harbor Hill in nearby Niantic has been rated one of the most romantic inns in the state.
Further down the Connecticut Shoreline, Madison’s gay-owned Scranton Seahorse Inn attracts travelers with a luxurious home away from home that’s minutes from gorgeous beaches, top rated restaurants, and trendy boutiques. While the stylish DELAMAR hotels in Greenwich, Southport and West Hartford deliver your choice of fabulous waterfront, spa, dining and shopping experiences. Or stayover at the chic and stylish Graybarns Inn after a great meal in their tavern.
On historic Main Street in Middletown, the Inn at Middletown offers renovated guest rooms and classic New England dining at the award-winning Tavern at the Armory. And in Coventry, just a short drive from downtown Hartford, the Daniel Rust House B&B offers inviting colonial charm on two scenic acres.
In Mansfield, the charming Spring Hill Inn built in 1734, welcomes fellow travelers, every race, faith, gender, and sexual orientation.
Where to See and Be Seen
From cocktails to dance clubs, here a few of the bars, clubs and hangouts in Connecticut that are popular with an LGBTQ crowd.
When to Visit
If you're planning a trip, here are few of the annual events happening throughout Connecticut, just check their websites for event dates. And be sure to check the calendar for performances by some of Connecticut’s leading choral groups, too, including Another Octave, Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus and Hartford Gay Men’s Chorus.
- Hartford Pride, Hartford
- New London Pride, New London
- OUT Film CT Festival, Hartford
- Triangle Community Center, Norwalk
- PRIDE New Haven, New Haven
You can also find upcoming Connecticut Pride events and celebrations by searching Events on CTvisit.com.
Share with us!
We’d love to broaden our suggestions, so if you know of a place, hotel, bar or attraction you’d like to recommend to LGBTQ visitors, please let us know!
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