What is the Gay Neighborhood in Philadelphia?

Philadelphia's primary LGBTQ+ neighborhood is the Gayborhood, centered in the Washington Square West section of Center City. It spans roughly 16 blocks between Broad Street and 11th Street, from Chestnut Street south to Pine Street, with 13th & Locust as its heart.

What to Find in the Gayborhood

The Gayborhood is home to the densest concentration of LGBTQ+ bars, restaurants, and businesses in Philadelphia. You'll find 36 rainbow street signs marking the neighborhood boundaries and rainbow-painted crosswalks at 13th & Locust. Major landmarks include Woody's (Philly's most iconic gay bar), Tavern on Camac (one of the city's oldest LGBTQ+ bars with piano lounge singalongs), Giovanni's Room (the oldest LGBTQ+ and feminist bookstore in the US), and the William Way LGBT Community Center on Spruce Street.

Beyond the Gayborhood

Philadelphia's LGBTQ+ scene extends well beyond the Gayborhood. South Street and Queen Village have become a growing hub with new queer bars and restaurants. Fishtown on the northeast side hosts queer-friendly venues like Fabrika and R&D Cocktail Bar with regular drag and burlesque nights. The city's estimated 60,000 LGBTQ+ residents make it one of the largest queer communities on the East Coast.