London Gay and Lesbian Vacations
Your gay London vacation
From Edward II to Oscar Wilde to Virginia Woolf, gays and London have always gone hand in hand. And London is once again in top form as a spellbinding, modern, international capital of culture and fashion, just as it was in its 1960s heyday. Its LGBT scene is massive and is a challenge to tackle in just one trip. Let Orbitz lead the way to your next gay London vacation.
Featured Hotels
LGBT-welcoming London hotels
Chancery Court Hotel London
Grosvenor House. A JW Marriott Hotel
ME London
St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel
Best in Stay
LGBT Best in Stay London hotels
The Cavendish London
The Rubens At The Palace Hotel London
Egerton House Hotel
The Beaufort
41 Hotel London
The Montague on the Gardens Hotel London
Flights
| Departure | Arrival | Travel dates | Round-trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | London | Sat, Mar 2 - Sun, Mar 17 | $786 |
| New York | London | Wed, Feb 27 - Tue, Mar 19 | $693 |
| Boston | London | Tue, Feb 26 - Mon, Mar 18 | $742 |
| San Francisco | London | Wed, Jan 9 - Wed, Jan 30 | $880 |
| Newark | London | Thu, Feb 28 - Sat, Mar 9 | $722 |
| Washington DC | London | Sat, Jan 12 - Thu, Jan 17 | $666 |
| Seattle | London | Tue, Feb 26 - Tue, Mar 5 | $923 |
| Chicago | London | Thu, Feb 21 - Wed, Feb 27 | $773 |
| Miami | London | Tue, Feb 12 - Tue, Feb 19 | $823 |
| Toronto | London | Fri, Jan 18 - Fri, Jan 25 | $736 |
| Minneapolis | London | Fri, Feb 15 - Sat, Feb 23 | $1,032 |
| Portland | London | Wed, Feb 20 - Wed, Mar 20 | $880 |
Why book on Orbitz?
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Miss Richfield 1981 says it best in this video—not all travel sites are created equal. When you book on Orbitz, your travel dollars work harder. Here’s why:
- We’re the ONLY leading travel agency with a perfect Corporate Equality Index Score from the Human Rights Campaign, with two GLAAD Media awards to boot.
- We’re the ONLY leading travel site with filters for hotel reviews by other LGBT travelers.
- We feature the top gay-friendly accommodations, including Best in Stay hotels and gay resorts.
- We’re proud sponsors of many LGBT charities and events, year after year.
London highlights
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LGBT London
The newest gay section of London is Vauxhall, with lines of bars, discos, cafes and saunas standing out and proud. Most gay travelers make their home base near Soho, which is a good choice since it's not only close to the nightlife, but also to landmarks like Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus.
The lesbian scene
Other neighborhoods where lesbian and gay Londoners live include North East London's Islington and Stoke Newington areas, Camden and Hampstead in North London, and Brixton and Clapham in South London. The lesbian scene in London is particularly well developed, with a number of venues and lots of women's nights at various establishments.
World-class sights
Cultural highlights are found in the London's Riverside districts, where you'll find Shakespeare's Globe, the vast Tate Modern museum and the London Eye Ferris wheel. And don't forget the old standards: Buckingham Palace, the world-famous artifacts in the British Museum, the gruesome history in the Tower of London, and the royal tombs of Westminster Abbey.
Gay events season
Late June is when Pride attracts nearly half a million revelers in one of Europe's largest gay and lesbian festivals, with a parade that snakes its way directly through Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. Come in 2012, when London will host WorldPride, and in early April the British Film Institute helps organize the impressive London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
Insider tips for London gay travel
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Choose Heathrow
Most U.S. flights land in either Gatwick or Heathrow airports. Heathrow is on the London Underground "Tube" system, making your entry into London a little easier. Taxis to London from Gatwick are pricey, although there is a surface train.
Don't count on the Tube when you're out late
London's subway system stops running around midnight most of the time. But thousands of night buses work the streets at all hours.
Look to TimeOut
The authority for LGBT London is the weekly magazine TimeOut, which lists hundreds of LGBT parties, events, shows and venues.