LGBTQ+ Travel Guide

Along the eastern coast of the United States, Jacksonville is the gateway to Florida, but to its LGBTQ+ visitors it is the gayway to Florida and has become the destination, instead of just part of the journey.

More than 840 square miles or over 2,200 square kilometers, Jacksonville is by far the largest city in the continental USA. JAX, as it is referred to by many of the locals, features over 13% of its territory covered by water. Its warm tropical climate experiencing hot summers and cool winters, and the fact that its population is just under one million, means that this city is not affected by traffic and congestion like other big cities experience, and there are many experiences to be discovered by LGBTQ+ travelers.

LGBTQ+ Traveler Visiting Jacksonville Written by Manny Velasquez-Paredes, a Jacksonville Local

Jacksonville is a very diverse and inclusive city. JAX passed the Human Rights Ordinance is 2017 and was reaffirmed in 2020, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of characterizations that were already protected from discrimination. Under this new law, businesses cannot discriminate against members of the LGBTQ+ community on the basis of employment, public accommodations and housing.