Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Weird, pioneering, rambunctious, yet caring – Portland, Oregon, makes for a fabulous, if somewhat unexpected, gay holiday destination.
A city that celebrated individuality, creativity, and non-conforming lifestyles while embracing love, respect, and joy, we were blown away by this community’s commitment to diversity – including that of its LGBT population.
Adding to Gay Portland’s allure is an enviable mix of natural beauty, a thriving food-cart culture, and delightfully peculiar neighborhoods waiting to be explored, where eccentric locals proudly let their unique spirits soar.
Central to this vibrant gay scene is the iconic Burnside Triangle gaybourhood, a kaleidoscope of queer life and a cornerstone of Portland’s LGBTQ+ community. This area pulses with energy, offering an array of gay clubs, bars, and welcoming spaces that embody the city’s inclusive spirit. In the Burnside Triangle, rainbow flags flutter proudly, not just as symbols of pride but as beacons of a community where everyone is celebrated.
Whether you’re hopping between the dynamic venues or simply soaking in the neighborhood’s lively atmosphere, this gayborhood is an integral part of what makes Gay Portland truly special.
Because the entire city is a sanctuary for self-expression, there is no one true gayborhood here, and members of the LGBT+ community can be found dispersed throughout Portland.
Queer spirit is still strong here, as testament by the broad lineup of annual LGBT events, including Portland Pride which sees the entire downtown city shut down in a spectacle, unlike anything we have ever seen.
Even if you are not able to visit these flagship events, there is all but guaranteed to be something every night of the week to pique your interest. BOYeurism burlesque shows, Blow Pony queer party nights, the Darcelle XV camp drag shows, Inferno; women & the Trans* party series and the Club Kai-Kai monthly events are just some of our top picks.
Oh, and did we mention there are not one, but two, gay male strip clubs…. Yes, this is not your average American town. Portland just does things differently.
Weird, cool and wonderfully queer – Gay Portland is waiting for you with open arms…
Are you relocating? This guide will help travelers discover the queerer side of the city. However, if you are lucky enough to be considering a move here, we recommend reading our article about moving to LGBT Portland Oregon or getting in touch with a local gay realtor. They can happily give you no-obligation advice and all the information you’ll ever need to know about your new city.
And if you then want their help to find your dream home, you are guaranteed fair, equal, and honest representation. No surprises or awkward conversations are necessary!
In this article we will cover...
Attractions in Portland
Being gay does not define which attraction most of us will want to see in each city, and generally, gay tourists will simply want to check out the top things to see in Portland during the day!
Portland is an extremely safe and accepting city, and gay people here need not take any more extra precautions concerning public displays of affection than they would in other large US cities.
As we already said, there is a lot to love in this creative and accepting city. Portland blends the approachability and friendliness of a small town with the culture and refinement of a big city to create something unique, that just begs you to explore further and stay longer.
There is a prolific arts community, energetic and distinct neighborhoods to wander to, exceptional architecture, a distinguished restaurant scene, and so many more things to do. We couldn’t possibly list them all. If you plan on getting a lot done, then car hire in Portland is a very affordable option and popular to see more far-flung attractions of Oregon State. This is America, after all, and the car is king.
But if you just want to explore the downtown gaybourhood and a few other places – public transport and rideshare apps should be sufficient.
Naturally, being gay does not define which attractions most of us will want to see in each destination, and most queer travelers will simply want to check out the top things to see in Portland during the day!
We found our favorite memories were chasing natural highs in nature, dancing till dawn with our queer family, exploring the superlative craft beer and coffee scene and spending hours wandering hipster neighborhoods dreaming of our move here.
However, if you’re someone who can’t sit still, we have put together a few of our other things to do in this inspiring city that are sure to keep you busy!
Top Highlights in Portland
Queer Commons @ Hollywood Theatre
A monthly film festival was created with the goal of bringing a little more queer content to the big screen. Old and new, serious and cheesy, the films in this series will have two things in common; queer content and nobody dies. Well, the main character doesn’t …
UnderU4men
A contemporary boutique specializing in designer gay underwear, swimwear, gym apparel and more – all using natural fabric. With hundreds of amazing brands curated from around the world, you are sure to find a new favorite here. They have their flagship store here in Portland and a second outpost in Seattle.
Head out on a full-day trip on a scenic loop from Portland to Mt Hood – either on a tour or with a hire car. Travel along the Historic Columbia River Highway, see the incredible Multnomah Falls and enjoy panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge and Rowena Crest.
Be sure to stop for lunch in the charming town of Hood River on the way! Portland is all about nature, and this trip has it in spades!
Get a glimpse into Portland’s gilded age at the Pittock Mansion, the sumptuous former home of newspaper magnate Henry Pittock.
Featuring period furnishings and the very best of early industrial technology, the French Renaissance mansion has been meticulously restored to reflect the sophisticated tastes of one of Oregon’s most influential families. Learn about its history on a self-guided tour that earns rave reviews from visitors.
Willamette Valley Wine-Tasting
Experience the best of Willamette Valley wine country on a guided wine-tasting tour from Portland. With a small group of fellow wine lovers, spend half a day visiting three handpicked wineries such as Colene Clemens Vineyards and Montinore Estate. Meet local vintners and award-winning sample varietals while marveling at Oregon’s stunning countryside.
See the best Stumptown has to offer on a small-group tour of the city’s top sights and attractions. Learn about local history, culture and everyday life while exploring downtown and its surroundings. Peruse the revamped Pearl District and visit Pioneer Square.
Experience what makes Portland unique with stops at the International Portland Rose Garden, Pittock Mansion and Lan Su Chinese Garden. Walk away with a better appreciation for and knowledge of Oregon’s largest city.
A tour is for anyone who truly enjoys donuts. At each location, you’ll be able to try a curated sample of one of that location’s best donuts. Many locations offer vegan, gluten or nut-free options. These tours include such favorites as Coco Donuts, Blue Star Donuts, Nola Doughnuts, Voodoo Doughnuts and more.
Among the prettiest attractions in the city, the Portland Japanese Garden has long been celebrated for its beautifully crafted gardens and its authenticity. Here you’ll find beautiful koi ponds, elegant stone features, and all sorts of impeccably manicured greenery, plus gift shops and a Japanese teahouse.
One of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan, up there with those we fell in love with in Kyoto, Osaka, Yokohama, and Tokyo.
Downtown Portland Walking Food Tour
With its famous food carts and an abundance of restaurants running the gamut from funky to chichi, Portland is a great place for foodies. This small walking tour will take you all around downtown Portland, with stops at a selection of great local eating spots.
You can expect to taste all sorts of treats. Typical examples include local seafood, wine, and beer, delicious desserts, and seasonal farm-to-table delights!
Dinner Cruise Through Downtown Portland
Whether you want to relax after a long day of sightseeing or need to unwind at the end of your workweek, a sunset dinner cruise along the Willamette River is sure to do the trick.
The journey offers spectacular views of the Portland skyline and the city’s main landmarks. Listen to live music while you enjoy a freshly cooked Pacific Northwest meal.
Portland was a leader in the craft beer industry, and boasts more breweries than any city; whatever your beer love (sours? Craft barrel-aging? Belgians? Wits? Imperial IPAs? Fresh hops, dry hops, no hops?), there’s certainly a brewery that made its name in that style.
For those interested in learning more, the Eastside Craft Brewery walking tour takes you to the side of the river where the hotbed of innovation has always been, across from downtown Portland in a neighborhood packed with breweries young and old.
Explore Portland’s diverse cityscape on this hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour. With your 1- or 2-day trolley pass, create your own adventure with 13 possible stops, including the International Rose Test Garden, Powell’s Books and the Pearl District. En route, learn about the city’s history and culture from your expert guide.
Gay Annual Events In Portland
The west coast’s premiere sexually diverse BDSM and kink conference, offering educational workshops, infamous play parties, leather, and fetish vendors and community meeting space.
The Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade are one of the largest Pride celebrations on the West Coast, and one of the largest donation-based Pride festivals in the country, held annually since the mid-1970s. Each year, tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ and allied people come together, to celebrate, be visible, and demonstrate the strength of the PDX community.
150+ local, regional, and national organizations, agencies, and businesses fill Waterfront Park, while amazing LGBTQ+ talent provides captivating entertainment throughout the weekend.
A highlight of the Portland queer calendar with plenty of huge parties, events, talks and more planned around this fabulous week – so get out there with your rainbow pride clothing and show Portland some LOVE!
Portland Queer Comedy Festival (July)
The first multi-day, multi-venue queer-performer-focused comedy festival in the United States. Portland Queer Comedy Festival aims to bring the best and brightest talent in international LGBTQ stand-up comedy to a beautiful, diverse and inclusive Portland, Oregon while giving back to the local community that supports them.
This inclusive festival involves comics from all walks of the LGBTTIQQ2SA alphabet, and yes, they have included our funniest allies too.
Portland Queer Film Festival (September)
The LGBT festival showcases features, documentaries and short films from all over the world that are made by, about or of interest to the Queer community.
The film is a dynamic medium with the power to educate, inspire, intrigue and bring people together, and, rightfully so; the Portland Queer Film Festival is proud of its provocative and entertaining queer cinema programming. Whether you are looking for the best lesbian movies or a gay coming-of-age film, chances are you’ll find it here.
Celebrate with Beards and Bears with one giant weekend of events, and entertainment and showcase all of what Portland has to offer. Hikes, restaurant meals, city tours, nightclub parties and more. Beards, bears, cubs, otters, chubs, chasers and friends from around the globe flock here for one wild weekend….
HUMP! Film Festival (November)
Bringing audiences a new kind of porn since 2005. The festival features short dirty movies—each less than five minutes—all created by people who aren’t porn stars but want to be one for a weekend. The filmmakers and stars show us what they think is hot and sexy, creative and kinky, their ultimate turn-ons and their craziest fantasies.
This carefully curated program is a cornucopia of body types, shapes, ages, colors, sexualities, genders, kinks, and fetishes—all united by a shared spirit of sex positivity.
Gay-Friendly and Gay Hotels in Portland (Oregon)
In this extremely liberal city, you will not find any significant hotel that isn’t gay-friendly. After all, being gay-friendly is about providing a non-judgmental and respectful environment in which all people are treated equally. Elegant design, helpful staff, and excellent value for money never hurt anyone, though!
Some hotels in Portland have gone above and beyond in recognizing and marketing to the LGBT community and given their popularity with gay travelers, we would say it has paid off!
Everybody likes to be surrounded by people with common interests, and as such, there are a few hotels in Portland favored by the gay jet set. Most are located either in the upscale downtown or nearby in the Pearl District – close to all the attractions by day and night – and each offers something unique and unforgettable.
Sadly there are no exclusively gay hotels in Portland, but we do have a helpful list of the best USA gay resorts if that is more your style.
The following gay-friendly hotels in Portland are only the most recommended, but there are hundreds of other hotels in Portland if you don’t find quite find what you are looking for.
Whether you want a fun and social hostel, a cheap but private place to crash after a night of partying or a chic luxury option with a pool to spend the day lying by, Gay Portland is something for everyone!
To experience the true essence of Portland, a city with plenty of personalities, there’s no better anchor than Kimpton Hotel Monaco Portland in all its fascinatingly eccentric glory.
Centrally located and just minutes from the Pearl District, the moment you walk in the doors of this circa-1912 building, you’ll feel at home among the eco-chic digs, peppered with eclectic furnishings.
Kimpton is always gay-friendly, and this location is particularly gay-popular while being consistently ranked as one of Portland’s top luxury hotels. And all for good reason, with a cozy salon-style lobby, complimentary WiFi and bikes, spacious guest rooms, and the city’s best-hosted wine hour.
When it comes to Portland hotels, Kimpton Hotel Monaco Portland stands head and toe above the rest.
Located in the iconic old Clyde Hotel in the downtown area, so you can walk or take the trolley to many other trendy spots in the city. A hip boutique hotel chain that is very LGBT-friendly that we loved from previous stays in New Orleans and Chicago.
Ace Hotel Portland offers a wide range of room options, from spacious deluxe rooms to affordable shared rooms for adventurous travelers. For morning refreshments, they have Stumptown Coffee and the Breakfast 215 cafe, or for a sexy date night out-but-in, head to Pepe Le Moko, the onsite basement speakeasy.
A luxury hotel with vision, style, and storied history. Named after the statues adorning its roofline, Sentinel is a luxury hotel in downtown Portland that speaks to forward-thinking movers and shakers.
With an extensive list of signature amenities, elegant rooms with early 20th-century décor, a curated Art Collection, and two of the city’s finest culinary establishments, Sentinel is a beacon for creatives, entrepreneurs and thought leaders.
A lush and contemporary hotel hidden in a historic, downtown Portland building. There are modern, sleek rooms with minimal décor and a pillow menu, a trendy restaurant serving Southern cuisine and a rustic-chic cocktail bar to start or end the night.
There is also a lobby cafe serving a grab-and-go breakfast (for a fee), a fitness center and valet parking. Pets are happily welcomed.
A modern boutique hotel centrally located in Southeast Portland is a little more luxurious, with spectacular city views, where we are all welcome. With 148 rooms combined, Jupiter Hotel and Jupiter NEXT offer a vibrant glimpse into Portland’s unique arts and music culture.
The city’s original, locally-owned boutique since 2004, the Jupiter Hotel, recently expanded with the newly built Jupiter NEXT.
With two restaurant partners and a music venue on the property, the Jupiter Hotels’ lush city vibes are a nod to Portland’s rich history of makers and creators, all the while looking forward to a dynamic future. Gay-friendly and extremely gay-popular.
A vibrant arts hotel in downtown Portland offering stylish rooms & suites at an exceptional value. All guest rooms have been beautifully renovated and redesigned, boasting modern décor that combines with historic architecture to create a luxurious and comfortable atmosphere for any business or leisure traveler.
Wake each morning and head downstairs to enjoy a deluxe, European-style complimentary breakfast in the hotel’s atrium, then spend the day in their outdoor courtyard with a complimentary New York Times, or enjoy a workout in the fitness center.
For an affordable stay near the Portland gay scene, this is one of our most popular recommendations.
A modern boutique hotel that redefines and resurrects history in what was once a sailor’s hotel. Come experience the intersection of the past, present, and future Portland, tucked away in the historic neighborhood of Old Town Chinatown.
Change your hotel perspective, where true originals are appreciated, and adventurous travelers meet. Unique and individual, there is a range of rooms, including dorm / shared hostel rooms.
The beating heart of The Society Hotel is its lobby, where you will find the Society Cafe, a lounge, cafe, and bar, featuring fresh pastries, coffee, and beer from some of Portland’s finest.
Gay Nightlife In Portland (Oregon)
While Portland might be more famous for craft beer and informal dive bars, there are a whole host of gay bars and nightclubs to choose between if you’d rather dance the night away with Britney, Ariana, and Cher.
Even better, most of the clubs in Portland lean heavily toward “get social and have a good time” rather than the whole “not dressed well enough for our establishment” scene.
This is not a place to peacock – but instead, Gay Portland is where you can actually grab a casual beer, strike up a conversation and make new friends…or more!
The gay scene in Portland is incredibly spread out – this whole city is queer-friendly, after all – but if you are stuck, just head to the traditional downtown gay nightlife hubs of Stark Street or nearby Old Town/Chinatown.
But you can also find LGBT venues in the hip East Side and leafy Northwest/Nob Hill area. Like many places, the gay clubs don’t get going until around 11 pm on weekends, but during the week, there are plenty of fun bar events to tempt you in…
Given the crowds we saw most nights of the week, we would say such events have been a raging success!
A good game plan is to mix and mingle at a Happy Hour early and check out the innovative PDX dining scene before heading out to one of the bigger club events or drag shows (which take place almost every night of the week)…Whatever you’re after, Gay Portland can provide!
Portland Gay Bars & Clubs
Barbarella PDX
(Temporarily or permanently closed. If you know something, please suggest an edit.)
Portland’s brand new video dance dive featuring weekly themed dance parties. A new post-gay space is hosting drag, Sunday tea dances, retro video game nights and more. Cheap, fabulous and oh-so-queer…What is not to love?
An institution of the Portland queer scene for over 35, providing a fun and safe place for loyal regulars and curious newcomers alike. Enjoy some quality time with live entertainment, tasty drinks, and a friendly vibe.
Having gone through many levels of transition over the last few decades, Scandals currently exists in the original “PinkTriangle” section of downtown Portland on SW Stark St. & SW 12th St. Scandals is Portland’s Gay “Cheers – comfortable, relaxing, yet filled with energy.
Whether in regards to annual block parties, Tuesday karaoke nights, or weekly performances by local bands, Scandals will always attempt to wet your palette for new and exciting performances, DJs, and just plain fun!
One of Portland, Oregon’s hottest LGBT nightclubs with a huge dance floor, live DJs every night, a weekly drag show, daily drag bartenders, happy hour specials, and one of the city’s most famous drag-queen hosts: Bolivia Carmichaels!
Slaughters PDX opens every day of the year at 3 pm with a busy, happy hour trade, but things really kick off with their weekly themed parties and live DJ sets every night from 9 pm. Stop by for PrePump Fridays at 9 pm – a kick-ass drag show to kick off your weekend, or head here every Sunday from 8 pm for Superstar Diva’s Mega show of Drag.
CC Slaughters’ upscale martini lounge is located on the west side of the club. The Rainbow Room features craft cocktails and specialty martinis prepared with the freshest ingredients and house mixers.
Enjoy the Rainbow Rooms’ “sit-down” atmosphere and enjoy a conversation with a friend or new acquaintances. The Rainbow Room is also available for small daytime gatherings and special events, meaning sometimes it is closed.
We all know by now the deal with Eagle Bars around the world, and this location is no different, catering to the bears and leather enthusiasts of Portland. Every Sunday afternoon from 4 pm-7 pm, there is a free BBQ featuring delicious hot bacon cheeseburgers with all the fixings and sexy events most nights, including shirtless nights and brief encounters.
Old school, gritty, yet very friendly, with lots of eye candy and great music. Inexpensive drinks and fast service are also a bonus.
Portland’s premier male strip club offering Portland’s LGBT community a safe space to enjoy a fabulous combination of dancers, drag and strong cocktails in a stylish, rustic-chic setting! Check out their website for a jam-packed event lineup, including EDM nights, hip-hop, amateur nights and more.
The sexy dancers are on stage every night at 9.30 pm, but most were straight in our experience and drew in a crowd of women. While they are hot, hot, hot – we prefer Stag for its dance parties. On Sundays, Stag PDX also presents one of Portland’s longest-running drag brunch series, which a different diva hosts each week alongside a cast of sickening entertainers.
A new all-inclusive, LGBTQ+ friendly nightclub built on the principles of respect, kindness, and the celebration of diversity. Be yourself and explore your own identity on the dance floor.
Another gay strip club in Portland, synonymous with gay life in Portland for almost 35 years now. Previously named Flossie’s, Silverado was originally located below one of Portland’s infamous bathhouses. Flourishing among many other gay bars and gay-owned businesses, Silverado established itself as the premier gay men’s nightclub.
In December 2018, Silverado moved to its new location closer to the renowned Portland Pearl District and Old Town with its nightlife. The new and modern location offers a lounge, nightclub, full kitchen, and easy access to public transport.
The Silverado is essentially two bars under the same roof – The Night Club & The Lounge – allowing its customers options on their night out, whether they want to dance the night away or enjoy a drink in a quiet, laid-back bar with modern twists.
Open 365 days a year, from 9 am to 2:30 am, there’s always a party happening at the Silverado. Whether it’s the latest in dance music or the delicious collection of male entertainers, they have it all.
A hop and slightly kitschy gay bar dedicated to inclusivity and welcoming everyone from neighborhood friends and out-of-town travelers. Everyone can find a home here and enjoy fun nightly events from burlesque to dance parties to queer meetups and more!
Every night Happy hour specials run from 3 pm-7 pm – and all night until midnight on Mondays. Delicious classic American foods are also served.
Local Lounge
(Temporarily or permanently closed. If you know something, please suggest an edit.)
A vibrant community bar located in the heart of NE Portland dedicated to serving all of their neighbors, no matter their race, sexual orientation, or gender. Local Lounge is the place to go for great food, stiff drinks and excellent company in social surroundings.
They also host monthly public events, feature local live music and have a plethora of queer-friendly viewing parties throughout the year.
Hobo’s
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A gay-friendly American restaurant with a popular piano lounge, fireplace, patio & pool room. Think New Orleans meets New York, in terms of vibes as well as food. Their guests hail from all walks of life, and you end up with quite a lively crowd on the weekends, while the weekdays are more social drinks or romantic dates for couples.
A quirky show bar featuring strong cocktails and friendly service, though one of the biggest drag cards has to be the stunning Drag Queen musical performances. Darcelle XV & Company has been entertaining audiences from all walks of life for over 50 years with Las Vegas-style cabaret revues of Glitz, Glamour, and Comedy.
Stop by when you are in Portland, and you will be glad that you did! Show times are Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at both 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. There are also Male Strippers on Friday and Saturday nights at midnight when Darcelle XV gets a little more nightclub-ish.
LGBT Parties in Portland
A Bi/Pan/Fluid/Queer Dance Party is taking place every 2nd Tuesday at 8 pm. Come out for food, Happy Hour drinks until Midnight and to flirt + mingle with anyone you damn well, please.
Cake @ Killingsworth Dynasty
(Temporarily or permanently closed. If you know something, please suggest an edit.)
A community dance party curated and hosted every 2nd Friday and serving hip hop in an incredibly mixed space for all LGBTQIA people and their crew.
Portland’s biggest drag event takes place monthly at various venues around the city. The team at Club Kai Kai believes in nothing more than the expression of living life at the moment. This isn’t a planned-out sequence of events; this is not a drag show.
This is a get-yourself-wet, dance-heavy party, with impromptu drag performances. You may even hear a song and perform your own drag number. Club Kai Kai (at its most basic) is an experimentation of nightlife, performance, and gender preference.
Unity @ Luxe Lounge at Candy
(Temporarily or permanently closed. If you know something, please suggest an edit.)
An inclusive monthly party with quality dance music and a luxe appeal. Each event kicks off with a Social Hour / Meet and Greet so you can catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. From 9 til 2, there are DJs and dancing, so let the music set you free on the dance floor!
The Gay Agenda @ Black Water Bar
Every fourth Tuesday of the month hosts Corina Lucas and Dylan Carlino take control of the Black Water stage to bring you stand-up from the best queer comedians from Portland and beyond.
Blow Pony @ Bossanove Ballroom
A fabulous gay dance series was created in 2007 due to a callout in the local queer community for unity and a place where all our sisters, brothers, others and allies felt safe, welcomed and loved. Their concerns are earth liberation, animal liberation, queer liberation, women’s liberation, trans liberation, indigenous peoples’ liberation and searching the dumpsters for more trash!
The recurring LGBTQ-based event is among Portland’s most popular, drawing 800 people regularly, and sometimes as many as 2,000 people. All-inclusive, all-fabulous, Blow Pony takes place on the last Saturday of every month and is one queer event in Portland you should not miss!
Started in San Francisco in 2006, Bearracuda is the largest attended bear dance party and most prolific gay dance event in the U.S. They now have events in 60 cities across the world, including parties in San Francisco, Seattle, NYC, London, Austin, Atlanta, and Sydney.
The best place to go is in Portland for bears, cubs, otters, beefcakes and other wildlife, though sadly, parties only take place a few times a year.
A monthly queer disco night in North Portland where you’ll find DJs spinning the finest in funk, house, boogie, and disco with drag performances and dancing till closing! Twirl is about losing yourself on the dance floor and finding friends along the way.
A monthly dance is open to the women & Trans* community of Portland. Walk in and feel the rush of fun and friendly energy as you smile and ten people smile back at you. The staff will have you feeling at home among the diverse mix of fun-loving people of all stripes, colors, and creeds, approximately 30-55.
Here is where friendships flourish, business networks are formed, and an entire community of women, lesbians, trans* individuals, and queers come together with joy, love, and solidarity.
And who knows…you may even meet the person of your dreams! Inferno also takes place in Seattle, and the same team hosts the Hot Flash PDX lesbian parties for women only.
Other Gay-Popular Portland Nightlife Spots
One of the best bars in Portland, featuring karaoke, local DJs, a queer-friendly atmosphere, games, craft beer, and an all-day menu. A safe, fun environment where old friends connect, new friends, meet…and everyone drinks responsibly.
Tucked in a comfortable corner of North Portland, this is the perfect spot to gather with close friends, reconnect with those you’ve lost, or find new ones altogether.
While you sip fresh-made signature cocktails, craft beer, or local wine, you can enjoy the truly unique atomic Northwest atmosphere, custom-made works of art, great music, delicious snacks, and a huge patio. And you can rest easy knowing you are in the care of the friendliest and hardest working staff in the entire city.
An LGBT-popular neighborhood spot on SE Belmont in Portland, serving custom cocktails, boozy slushies, local coffee, and a great bar menu. There is a daily Happy Hour between 4 pm and 7 pm and all day on Mondays.
A locally owned, female-owned, black-owned, LGBTQ-friendly community craft cocktail bar. Sante prides itself on providing their guests with unique cocktails in an environment that is inviting and safe.
They make their own house bitters, syrups, shrubs, and liquor infusions and are actively involved in fundraising and supporting local talent. The venue is intimate and hosts weekly live music and an open mic night event.
Gay Sex Clubs & Bathhouses in Portland (Oregon)
Halleloo! Unlikely so many Gay USA destinations we visit … New York, Nashville, Santa Cruz, Honolulu… there is actually a gay bathhouse in Portland, Oregon. Two, in fact!
While Grindr and other gay hooks up apps have led to the closure of saunas and bathhouses worldwide, we are happy to report that in sex-positive Portland, there are still places to go for a hot encounter with no strings attached. Even better, the scene in Portland is generally more inclusive and less hung up on age, race, body perfection and labels.
Use our gay map of Portland at the end of this article to decide which is closest to you. If cruising for men in Portland’s gay bars and clubs is a little too indirect, or you just want some steamy action in a sex-positive and safe environment, we promise these are the best cruising spots and gay bathhouses in Portland for you.
Oregon’s largest private men’s bathhouse was built from the ground up in 2003. Steam is an exclusive club for men only, and a membership is required to enter. Inside you’ll find the Northwest’s largest outdoor sun deck, a large Steam Room features amphitheater-style seating, rainfall showers and a large hot tub spa with a 70″ big screen.
Split across two levels, you’ll also like a large play area, video lounge, lockers and rooms with full-size single or queen beds. Safe, clean and fun – Steam on Sandy Boulevard is one of the best gay bathhouses in the USA!
A slightly smaller gay sauna in PDX with lockers, dry and steam sauna, and a video chill room. At Hawk’s, we found the clientele to be more beefy, bear types, and Steam more muscular – but there was a lot of overlap. Prices are lower, and there is a sling and a large area for group sex.
Gay Map Of Portland
Finding it hard to envisage where everything is in Portland? Hopefully, this queer-centric map helps where we have marked all the bars, clubs, parties, hotels, saunas, massages and more will help you stay in the spot best suited to you!