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New York City

New York, the city that never sleeps, certainly lives up to its reputation. It offers endless possibilities no matter the time of day. It is a unique place with an extreme cultural mix. No matter where you come from, you’ll find something familiar. New York will not disappoint those who appreciate architecture, museums, shopping and dining.

New York's gaybourhoods: Chelsea, Hell's Kitchen, the Village + Upper West Side, Queens, Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Chelsea is the centre of New York’s art world with over 200 galleries, alternative shopping with Barney’s CO-OP, Comme des Garçons and Balenciaga boutiques, designer stores like Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Christian Louboutin. Food lovers should find their way to the Chelsea Market in a restored historic factory - Nabisco building, where you can experience varied shopping and dining options. The area of West Chelsea between 10th and 11th Avenues and 18th and 28th Streets have become the centres of contemporary art after the transition from SoHo. You might also want to take a look in the Graffiti Research Lab.

Hell's Kitchen, once a blue-collar, Irish-American dominated neighbourhood, now a budget gay hot spot with a thriving art scene. With a hipster and alternative feel, Hell's Kitchen is a great place to hang around!

Upper West Side had a high gay population after WWII until the AIDS epidemic especially below 86th Street. It used to have a more varied ethnicity and income levels but nowadays you’ll find mainly white gays there.

Greenwich Village (or the Village) is a bohemian cradle of the modern LGBT movement, known as an artist’s haven. There are many sites in this part of New York that are important to the LGBT community, like the Stonewall Inn on 53 Christopher Street that was raided by the police on June 28th, 1969 and was then followed by the Stonewall riots which are believed to be the most important events that lead to the gay liberation movement and the modern struggle for gay and lesbian rights. The club is still up and running and definitely worth visiting! Another interesting landmark is Cafe Society which was the first racially integrated nightclub in the US. Hotel Albert is a cultural icon that served as a meeting place, restaurant and dwelling for several important artists and writers. Many famous people lived there including: Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol. The Village also hosts the world’s largest Halloween parade.

Union Square in Manhattan, on Broadway from 14th to 17th Streets is a popular hipster hangout with people often from NYU to hang out and watch people showing off their skateboarding skills or participate in the new fight clubs. Freegans also have their place there on the Greenmarket which is open four times a week!

New York's annual events include the Black Party Expo 20 - 22 March, Aids Walk 17 May, New York Pride 25 - 28 June.

Legal note: Same-sex marriages were legalized on June 24, 2011. Legal drinking age is 21 so you will be asked for your ID. Carrying alcohol in public is illegal.