Tampa Gay and Lesbian Scene

(Tampa, Florida - FL, USA)

A fairly diverse Floridian city where gay and lesbian visitors are generally accepted without prejudice, Tampa is a friendly city with some extremely popular beaches.

When it comes to nightlife in Tampa, a number of opportunities raise their head for the visiting LGBT crowd, many of which reside on the southern side of the city. On the northeastern side of downtown Tampa, Ybor City (nicknamed by many as 'GaYbor City') has also become known for its plentiful bars and clubs, which are to be found lining roads such as North 15th Street, North 16th Street and East 7th Avenue.

Often referred to as being the 'Ultimate Gay Bar', the G-Bar on East 7th Avenue is a great place to begin an evening of partying, being open Tuesday to Saturday and featuring loud dance music with fresh DJs. Also on the same street and a little walk down the road is the Honey Pot, where drag shows and live entertainment tend to draw in the crowds, particularly at the weekend. Nearby Clearwater, Largo and St. Petersburg all offer additional nightspots worth investigating.


If you are looking for somewhere to stay with like-minded people, then many visitors consider staying at the Ybor Resort and Spa, which is a gay owned and operated hotel complex located on East 8th Avenue, close to the trendy Muvico Centro cineplex.

Tampa Gay and Lesbian Popular Events

St. Pete Pride
Based within the Grand Central District of neighboring St. Petersburg, this enormous event has become the biggest in the whole of Florida.

The Pride Parade itself is quite unmissable, while other highlights include benefit concerts, a pool party at the Flamingo Resort and plenty of other entertainment, all of which now draw in a combined total exceeding 125,000 pride-goers.

Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
This ten-day film festival was established in 1989 and currently takes place each year in the first half of October.

Many of the films and documentaries are screened at the Tampa Theater and Office Building located on Franklin Street, although a number of other movie theaters based both in the downtown district and St. Petersburg also participate.