Neighborhoods
Welcome to our
Gayborhood! Atlanta is full of microcosms — neighborhoods big and small, each with its own distinct flavor and flair. Though some parts of the metro area have a reputation as LGBTQ enclaves — we’re looking at you, Midtown and Decatur — in reality, the queer heartbeat pulses throughout all parts of the city and even some of its neighboring suburbs. Here’s our take on the must-dos and hidden gems of Atlanta’s best gayborhoods.
Moon, drunken karaoke at spots like at Felix’s, or the thumping dance floors at the Heretic! It’s all just a quick drive or Uber/Lyft ride from your front door! Even the apartment complexes are queer rites of passage — shout out to Vaseline Valley, err, Ansley Forest. In this ‘hood, you can search for a soulmate equally at Starbucks, in an adult-video arcade, or from the comfort of your own living room!
Ansley Mall/Cheshire Bridge
Midtown
The nightlife is hot, from the go-go boys at BJ Roosters, the hip-hop flow at Mixx, the drag queens at Midtown
And we haven’t even gotten to Piedmont Park, which hosts every major festival Atlanta offers, including the Atlanta Pride Festival, Music Midtown, and the Atlanta Dogwood Festival. The park recently underwent a breathtaking expansion, with serene trails that course alongside the Atlanta Botanical Garden and connect with the BeltLine.
Locals consider this the ultimate gayborhood. The Ansley Mall shopping center houses everything a queer person would need to live a productive life, from supermarkets, pharmacies, an LGBTQ-friendly gym, Starbucks (also known as the “Bearbucks”), and a wide assortment of other gayfriendly establishments. Atlanta doesn’t get any tastier than Ansley Mall/Cheshire Bridge, with regard to both cuisine and clubbing. The neighborhood entices LGBTQ diners: savory enchiladas from La Hacienda, delicious pizza from Varuni Napoli, or American fare at Roxx.
24 Destination Travel Guide
Midtown went from being a dilapidated slum in the ‘70s and ’80s to becoming the city’s top gay neighborhood in the ’90s and ’00s. From those roots, today it stands as arguably the premier neighborhood in all of Atlanta, with sky-rise condos and office towers, miles of chic places to shop and eat, and an unrivaled nightlife scene.
