Traveling like a local for Pride: Grindr tips will help you make the most of 10 US cities

Zach Wichter, USA TODAY
·2 min read

Grindr, the popular gay dating app, has been on a mission to become more than a source for quick encounters.

Earlier this spring, it announced Roam, an update to the app’s Explore feature, that lets users place their profile in another location for up to an hour. The company says that feature lets travelers talk to locals and make connections ahead of any trip.

Grindr also polled its users for local tips in 10 gayborhoods across the U.S.

“Forget TripAdvisor, Grindr users are the travel agents when it comes to sniffing out the best spots to eat, drink, sweat, and sleep in these 10 gayborhoods across America,” a statement from Grindr said. “We asked them to vote for their favorite queer-owned businesses, bars, gyms, and gay-friendly hotels in each city.”

The results will get posted on Instagram throughout the month for Pride. Here’s what Grindr users recommend in the app’s 10 selected cities:

San Francisco

  • Best Hotel: Bay Bridge Inn

  • Best Gym: Fitness SF

  • Best Queer Owned Business: Fabulosa Books

  • Best Gay Bar: Hi Tops SF

Los Angeles

  • Best Hotel: Ramada West Hollywood

  • Best Gym: Gold's Gym

  • Best Queer Owned Business: Circus of Books

  • Best Gay Bar: Akbar

Phoenix

  • Best Hotel: The Clarendon

  • Best Gym: Planet Fitness

  • Best Queer Owned Business: Window Coffee Bar

  • Best Gay Bar: Charlie's

New Orleans

  • Best Hotel: New Orleans Mardi Gras Inn

  • Best Gym: New Orleans Athletic Club

  • Best Queer Owned Business: Bourbon Pride

  • Best Gay Bar: Good Friends Bar

Atlanta

  • Best Hotel: W Hotel Midtown

  • Best Gym: LA Fitness

  • Best Queer Owned Business: Boy Next Door Menswear

  • Best Gay Bar: Eagle Atlanta

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Wilton Manors, Florida

  • Best Hotel: The Gaythering

  • Best Gym: Crunch Fitness - Oakland Park

  • Best Queer Owned Business: Hamburger Mary's

  • Best Gay Bar: Hunters Nightclub

Columbus, Ohio

  • Best Hotel: Moxy

  • Best Gym: Club Columbus

  • Best Queer Owned Business: Torso

  • Best Gay Bar: AWOL

Chicago

  • Best Hotel: Best Western Plus Hawthorne Terrace

  • Best Gym: Steamworks

  • Best Queer Owned Business: The Men's Room

  • Best Gay Bar: Sidetrack Bar

Pittsburgh

  • Best Hotel: Hampton Inn

  • Best Gym: Club Pittsburgh

  • Best Queer Owned Business: 5801

  • Best Gay Bar: Blue Moon

New York City

  • Best Hotel: The Standard

  • Best Gym: Equinox

  • Best Queer Owned Business: Big Gay Ice Cream

  • Best Gay Bar: The Eagle NYC

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Grindr unveils travel tips in 10 US cities for Pride month