As LGBTQ travelers begin planning spring and summer getaways, a new resource is helping them choose destinations that are not just fun, but safe. Travel platform misterb&b has just released its Queer Safety Index, a data-driven ranking of the safest cities in America for queer travelers—and notably, no city in Florida makes the top 15.
The company shared in a recent blog post, “The LGBTQ+ Safety Index is an ordered ranking based on a weighted scoring model incorporating multiple data sources, starting with misterb&b most booked destinations.” Misterb&b created the index by blending travel trend data with findings from several national organizations.
These included the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) for state-level policies, the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, the ACLU for legislative risks, PFLAG for community support, and FBI statistics on safety and hate crimes. So, where is it safe to go? According to the index, the top five safest U.S. cities for queer travel are San Diego, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago, which earned the number one spot.
Other cities on the list include Honolulu, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Providence, Philadelphia, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, New York City, and Washington. Meanwhile, popular LGBTQ vacation spots in Florida, like Miami or Fort Lauderdale, did not make the cut, reflecting growing concerns about state policies and safety.
