Fort Lauderdale has two natural bases for gay visitors: Wilton Manors, where most of the gay bars are, and the Fort Lauderdale beach strip along A1A, which is where the sun, the informal gay beach at Sebastian Street, and many of the gay-friendly hotels are. Neither is wrong. Your choice depends on what you want from the trip.


Staying in Wilton Manors means you can walk to the bars. The tradeoff is that Wilton Manors is residential in character — the Drive is the Drive, but the rest of it is a quiet suburb. You are not staying in a beach resort town. You are staying in a neighborhood.


Staying on the beach gives you the Atlantic coast, a 5 to 10 minute walk to Sebastian Street Beach, and more hotel variety. The Drive is a 10 to 15 minute Uber ride north, which is not a hardship. The beach hotels tend to be larger and more resort-oriented.


Fort Lauderdale is genuinely called the "Venice of America" because of its canal system — the city has more miles of inland waterways than Venice, Italy. Some of the better hotels in the area sit on these canals or the Intracoastal Waterway, which is worth factoring in when you book.

The Hotels

    • Alcazar Resort- Gay Mens Resort — Situated 500 feet from Atlantic Ocean beaches, this all-male clothing-optional gay hotel is located in Fort Lauderdale. It has 2 heated pools and offers guestrooms with luxury bedding and cable TV.
    • Cheston House - A Gay Resort — The friendliest staff in Ft. Lauderdale would like to welcome you to a special gay oasis
    • Elysium Resort - Clothing Optional Gay Men's Guesthouse — This is a male-only gay-friendly resort is within a 5-minute walk of Fort Lauderdale Beach and a 13-minute drive of Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The resort offers a cable TV in every room.
    • Granada Inn — Granada Inn Hotel BEST
    • Grand Palm Plaza (Gay Male Clothing Optional Resort) — This exclusive gay male resort provides guests with a clothing-optional heated pool and is located in the heart of Fort Lauderdale. Sebastian gay beach is 5 minutes
    • Hotel Lush Royale - All Male Gay Resort — This all-male gay resort is just 3 streets from Fort Lauderdale Beach and offers a clothing-optional outdoor pool and hot tub. It is within 15 minutes
    • Worthington All Male Guesthouse — Only 500 feet from the Atlantic Ocean, this all-male gay resort is 5 blocks from Fort Lauderdale's Sebastian Beach. It offers a clothing optional courtyard with two 24-hour pools, a spacious hot tub and free Wi-Fi.

Where to Stay by Priority

If you are here primarily for the Wilton Drive bar scene: Stay in Wilton Manors or immediately adjacent Fort Lauderdale. You save on Uber fares and can walk home from the bars, which matters at 2am.

If you want beach access plus the gay scene: The A1A strip between about 15th and 26th Streets puts you near Sebastian Street Beach and within a reasonable rideshare of Wilton Drive. Most of the larger gay-friendly hotels are in this area.

For the Leather and Fetish Weekend or similar events: Wilton Manors accommodation books up well in advance. If you are coming for a major event, check availability early — the Drive-adjacent guesthouses and smaller hotels fill first.

Practical Notes

Winter (December through March) is high season. Prices reflect it — expect to pay 40 to 60 percent more for the same hotel room compared to summer. Book ahead if you are coming in January or February during Fort Lauderdale Pride. Summer rates drop significantly and the weather is manageable if you are not planning extended outdoor time during the heat of the day.

Airport transfers from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) to either Wilton Manors or the beach are under 20 minutes by Uber. FLL is considerably more convenient than Miami International for this destination.

For the bar scene: Fort Lauderdale Gay Bars. For the full city guide: Gay Fort Lauderdale Guide.