The Best Places To Celebrate Pride Month in 2019

The summer of 1969 was a momentous one — the Woodstock Festival, the first moon landing, the Miracle Mets. And for the LGBTQ community, the Stonewall Riots in late June kicked off a new era of gay pride. For Pride Month 50 years later, celebrate in one of these fantastic destinations.

Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa

Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa, an oceanfront oasis on Central Florida’s Treasure Coast, is planning a very proud Pride Month in 2019.

• During June, the Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa will display the rainbow Absolut bottle. Check it out at the wine hour station and enjoy vodka spritzers (available throughout the summer months).
• Additionally, the Vero Beach Pride team will host a beach party on property on Sunday, June 30, 2019. The RIDE SUNDAY FUNDAY event at the hotel’s Heaton’s Reef is free! The family friendly beach party will be filled with beach games, discounted food/drink, and tunes by DJ Scott Roberts of Orlando.

Houston, Texas

As a cosmopolitan city that blends Western, Southern and international heritage and style, Houston defies the Texas norm. Houston has been one of America’s great boomtowns of the past decade, creating a cultural hub for the largest LGBTQ community in Texas. In fact, it’s one of the first tourism boards to have a dedicated effort serving this audience through www.mygayhouston.com. The organization celebrated 10 years in operation this year.

Bringing the Age of Aquarius to this century, Houston’s 2019 pride celebration is soaring to the moon. Throughout the month of June, space geeks and hippie freaks will unite with 700,000+ people to celebrate.

• Houston’s Pride parade (June 22-23) has been held after sunset since 1997, creating an abundance of creative glow-in-the-dark costumes and floats.
• The Pride Festival (June 22) will bring crowd-favorite musical acts to two different stages in downtown Houston. This year’s theme is “Summer of ’69.” The entire city is showing up to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the moon landing. Attendance at both the festival and parade is free. However, there are plenty of parties throughout the city that may require tickets.
• On June 15, party on the moon, which happens to be located at White Oak Music Hall, for APOLLO. The Wonderland Houston® party features two international DJs, Alex Lo and Ron Zisman. The attending flight crew will go all out for the futuristic/apocalyptic space travel themed party. General admission tickets start at $35.

Barceló Puerto Vallarta and Occidental Nuevo Vallarta

A perfect blend of resort-style living and rich history, Mexico’s Puerto Vallarta has something for everyone. Located on the Pacific Coast, this town boasts miles of pristine beaches, including the famous Los Muertos, which has been voted one of the top 10 LGBTQ+ friendly beaches in the world. Over the past few years, Pride Month at Puerto Vallarta has grown into one of the biggest LGBTQ+ events in the area. Thousands of people from all over the world congregating to experience the city’s warm weather and electric atmosphere. Need a Puerto Vallarta hotel? Here are your best options:

• Barceló Puerto Vallarta: Located on the sandy shores of Mismaloya beach, just south of Puerto Vallarta, the all-inclusive, AAA Four-Diamond Barceló Puerto Vallarta offers breathtaking mountain and ocean views. 
• Occidental Nuevo Vallarta: The Occidental Nuevo Vallarta is an all-inclusive resort amidst the stunning scenery of the Riviera Nayarit. Located just 25 minutes from Puerto Vallarta international airport, this resort is easily accessible, sophisticated and home to a beautiful beach.

Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos

A perfect Pride Month deserves a perfect cocktail. So say hello to The Heartbeat, which will be on offer throughout the month of June at Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos. As visually striking as it is tasty, the meaning behind the cocktail is perhaps the most beautiful element of all. “In the end, love is love and one thing we all have in common is just that: our hearts beat no matter for whom,” says the property’s Bar Manager and Resident Cocktail Whisperer Itzel Álvarez.

Recipe:

• 15ml Lemon Juice
• 24ml Fresh Strawberry Syrup
• 15ml Banana Giffard
• 40ml Bombay Sapphire
• 1 Eggwhite

The cocktail is one of several activations Solaz has planned to celebrate Pride Month, including a guest bartending event, light displays, chocolate creations and more.

Toronto, Canada

Toronto’s Festival Weekend (June 21-13) will showcase the best of the city’s LGBTQ2+ scene while giving visitors a look at much of what makes Toronto one of the most multicultural and inclusive places on the planet. Engage in a variety of human rights panels. Enjoy a vegetarian Pride Shabbat Dinner to celebrate Toronto’s Jewish community. Discover a trans community fair. Get down at Bambii’s Jerk party (one of the many, many parties), a celebration for queer people of color.