Texas Cities have Much to Offer LGBTQ Travelers

The State Fair of Texas brims with visitors – Photo credit: Paul Heney

While Texas isn’t normally thought of a place that supports LGBTQ people, the state’s largest cities house some of the country’s most interesting, dynamic queer neighborhoods and attractions. Fresh off a recent trip to bustling Dallas, here’s a look at what that city offers, as well as a roundup of some other places worth a visit in the Lone Star State.

Dynamic Dallas

The queer heart of Dallas is Oak Lawn, and it was one of the busiest gayborhoods we’ve seen in quite a while. We started at Round Up, which was very busy even at 10 p.m. on a Saturday night. While there was a $10 cover charge, the fun was more than worth it. There were plenty of dancers on the main stage with ten times as many watching from the mezzanine above. And we were pleasantly surprised by the fun karaoke going on at the same time in one of the side bars. We also enjoyed Mister Mister, which was smaller but packed with a diverse crowd enjoying R&B and pop hits. The area has many more options, including JR’s Bar and Grill, across from lesbian bar Sue Ellen’s Dallas, as well as Lava Lounge, Havana, and The Rose Room for great drag. 

Beyond nightlife, Dallas features some fun, dynamic neighborhoods that are well worth checking out. Deep Ellum, not far from downtown, has a lot of restaurants that are part of the city’s “Margarita Mile” (the frozen margarita machine was proudly invented here), as well as vintage stores, murals, and some amazing Texas BBQ at the Pecan Lodge. The Lower Greenville district has some of the city’s best bars and restaurants, and relative newcomer Goodwin’s was our favorite here. 

The Bishop Arts District is perfect for wandering and shopping, especially before or after a leisurely weekend brunch. Plenty of spots, like Paradiso, fill up quickly, so reservations are recommended. There are numerous boutiques, vintage clothing shops, and lots of pop-up art fairs and vendor markets on the weekends. 

Dallas’ vibrant Oak Hill gayborhood on a Saturday evening. (Photo Credit: Paul Heney)

Speaking of art, the Dallas Arts District, near downtown, is a great home base for staying in the city. We loved the Fairmont Dallas, in the heart of the district, with oversized rooms, a great gym, and fantastic lobby bar. While you’re here, explore the multitude of public art, the Meyerson Symphony Center, Nasher Sculpture Center, Thanks-Giving Square, and the Dallas Museum of Art.

Beyond the typical queer attractions, Dallas boasts some amazing tourist attractions that are welcoming to all. A selection includes:

• State Fair of Texas—Running for more than three weeks each Fall, this longest-running fair in the country is held a short trolley ride from downtown Dallas. Visitors can enjoy ridiculous amounts of food (including unique eats, like cotton candy bacon on a stick), a selection of fair rides, automobile shows, games, and more.
• The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza —This moving memorial to the life and the loss of President John F. Kennedy takes visitors through an in-depth journey of his life, his politics, the events of that time that shaped both his family and America at large. Located in the building where his assassin lay in wait on November 22, 1963, the displays run the gamut from inspirational to chilling and mournful.
• Dallas Cowboys —The famed NFL team plays at AT&T Stadium in nearby Arlington, and game day is an experience that has to be seen to be believed. The stadium holds 80,000 spectators and the roof can open on nice days. Come not to just watch a football game, but to indulge in the plenty of food and beer, not to mention the fascinating people watching!
• Perot Museum of Nature and Science — this impressive building, only a dozen years old, holds a host of exhibits on astronomy, gems and minerals, the human body, and natural history. Wander past dinosaur skeletons, pretend to be a weatherperson on the big greenscreen, or experience a simulated earthquake.

Dallas public art seems to be everywhere in downtown – Photo credit: Paul Heney)

Other Texas Treats

San Antonio has to be one of the country’s most surprising queer spots, with fascinating spots at every turn. Start with a visit to Hopscotch,  a funky immersive art gallery (they have a sister location in Portland), with 15 installations, including GAZE, in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign. If you’re looking to get your groove on, The Bonham Exchange is one of the most interesting clubs I’ve visited, with 25,000 sq-ft of space across multiple floors and many unique rooms—with more than 10 bar stations. And St. Mary’s Strip is an old-school stretch of street with numerous clubs, shops, and bars along it.

Houston first caught the attention of some progressives when the city became one of the first in the country to elect an openly gay mayor (Annise Parker, way back in 2010). Montrose is Houston’s traditional gayborhood, with restaurants and clubs—focused on country to leather to dance—but also other pleasures like The Menil Collection, a group of galleries focused on art, photography, and drawing. 

Austin is growing at a frenetic pace, and if you haven’t been there in several years, chances are you won’t recognize parts of this town, such as once quaint and funky Rainey Street. You can spend the night dancing with the college crowd at Oilcan Harry’s, watching a drag show at Rain on 4th, or partying at a themed event at The Iron Bear. But Austin has a lot of other fun sights, from cool shops along South Congress Street to the famed Waterloo Records & Video. And don’t forget to get back to nature here, too: there’s water sports on Lady Bird Lake, hiking through the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, or watching for the bats each evening at dusk near the Congress Avenue bridge.

This article originally appeared in Travelpulse.