A Really Queer Road Trip from New York City to Washington, D.C.

You’d think that living within walking distance from a lesbian-owned coffee shop, some of Brooklyn’s most popular gay bars, and more than one queer tattoo collective that I’ve had more than my fair share of being around the LGBTQ+ community. And while I am lucky to be in a neighborhood I can only describe as very gay—one where everywhere I look I see septum piercings, dyed hair, and progress flags—I always want more.

As a queer traveler, I especially love to see the ways that queer and trans communities create inclusive spaces for themselves in the places I visit. In a time where new anti-trans legislation is introduced daily, major corporations that used to go all out for Pride are keeping quiet this month, and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and crimes are rampant, it’s becoming increasingly important for our community to come together.

I wanted to not only learn more about the other pockets of queer community that exist on the East Coast but also highlight local LGBTQ+-owned businesses as well as the ones that support us. This road trip is equal parts an excuse for me to get to meet queer people in other cities and a guide to local safe spaces so that other LGBTQ+ people can know where to find community as they travel.

Who am I: I’m Annie, an associate editor at Thrillist who was born and raised on Long Island and now calls Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, home. I’m super proud of my queer identity, dedicated my college career to studying LGBTQ+ history and culture, and love supporting local queer-owned businesses. I love to imbue queerness in everything I do, including the way I travel.

I’m not saying that we queer people have the best taste in music but I’m not not saying it. From Beyonce’s Renaissance and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way to Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” and, of course, Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out,” there are plenty of queer anthems to pick from to fill out your ultimate queer road trip playlist. To help you make your own, here’s mine.

Make sure to bring a tote bag—you’re going to need it to carry all of the books you’re going to buy from the local queer-owned bookstores that are on this route. As you drive further south, it can get pretty hot and humid out. Bring a hand fan like this one from Daftboy (as seen on RuPaul’s Drag Race) to not only cool you off but also clack along to your favorite songs in the gay bars.

If you’re leaving from North Brooklyn like I did, before taking off, get your caffeine fix from Boyfriend Co-op, Bushwick’s new lesbian-owned coffee co-op. With your iced dirty chai in tow, get on the I-95 and drive the two and half hours to Philadelphia.

Worth the detour: On the way to Philly, make a pitstop in New Hope, a small town in eastern Pennsylvania with a population of about 2,600 and a reputation for being incredibly gay. Spend an hour or two checking out New Hope’s oddity and vintage shops, such as the rainbow-covered Love Saves the Day, before grabbing lunch at Martine’s Riverhouse Restaurant, a waterfront spot decked out in pride flags. Before hitting the road again, grab a sweet treat from local ice creamery Moo Hope. If you visit during pride month, make sure to try their Rainbow Rhythm of Love milkshake.

One of the great things about Philly is that it’s an incredibly walkable city. While this is obviously a road trip, don’t be afraid to park your car on a side street (while being aware of those pesky city meters) or, better yet, leave it at your hotel for the day and travel from place to place on foot. This will allow you to stretch your legs, see more of the city without having to worry about your vehicle, and enjoy a drink or two at one of Philly’s gay bars.

Your first stop will be Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni’s Room, a non-profit bookstore and thrift shop where all proceeds are distributed among local organizations fighting against HIV/AIDS. Check out their large selection of books by queer authors, try on some retro clothes, and, if you’re feeling a little risque, peruse their collection of vintage gay pornos in the 18+ section. If you’ve never read it, there’s no better place to pick up a copy of James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room (and an anthology of essays by Black gay men and a vintage leather Armani Exchange jacket—all of which I grabbed).

Giovanni’s Room is perfectly positioned in Philly’s Gayborhood. Once you’ve filled your tote bag with books, explore the area on your own or take a guided LGBTQ Philly history walking tour with Beyond the Bell Tours, where you’ll learn about the City of Brotherly Love’s local queer activists, businesses, and pioneers. When you’re ready to take a load off and unwind a bit, head to dinner at Barbuzzo, a restaurant by queer-owned hospitality group Saffron Turnery’s, and enjoy some Mediterranean-inspired fare like grilled Spanish octopus and lamb merguez. Since you’re now done driving for the day, grab a glass (or pitcher) of Barbuzzo’s red sangria while you’re at it.

If you’re looking for some late night entertainment or a nightcap, end your night in Philly with a cabaret or drag show at Franky Bradley’s, a combination bar, restaurant, and performance venue beloved by the local queer community, including RuPaul’s Drag Race star Sapphira Cristal.

Because this is a queer road trip, naturally, there’s going to be a few queer-owned coffee shops on this route. Because gay people love iced coffee, before you leave Philly, fuel up at Menagerie Coffee, a queer-owned coffee shop in Old City. Walk by Federal Hall and the Liberty Bell just to say that you did, then hop back in your car and head down to Baltimore.

Worth the detour: Before you hit Baltimore, stop in Towson, Maryland, to pay respect to legendary drag queen, star of many of transgressive gay filmmaker John Waters’ cult classics, and the Queen of Filth Divine by visiting her recently restored grave.

Being that Baltimore is still home to John Waters, many of your stops in Charm City will be related to the iconic director in one way or another. Stop by Atomic Books, an independent bookstore and bar in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood where Waters receives all of his fan mail. Pick up a signed Pink Flamingos DVD, a book on Black women’s reproductive rights like I did, or a signed John Waters barf bag like my friend purchased.

After your tote bag has been weighed down by more books, head to Baby’s On Fire, a record store and cafe, for chill vibes, vinyl shopping, and vegan mac and cheese. Once you’ve fueled up on music and food, catch a film at The Charles, Baltimore’s oldest movie theater and the cinema where John Waters premiered his first films.

Stretch your legs: Walk the 10 minutes from the movie theater to the larger than life “I’m So Beautiful” Divine mural in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. After basking in Divine’s greatness, walk down to gay bar The Drinkery and find the alley where Divine famously ate dog feces in Pink Flamingos.

Enjoy dinner at Wet City, a brewery and restaurant serving up elevated bar food and proprietary beers, before making your way next door to Leon’s Backroom, Baltimore’s oldest gay bar, to end your night.

Surprise! We’re not starting the day at a queer-owned coffee shop (don’t worry, that’ll come later). For breakfast, there’s no place better to fuel up than Papermoon Diner. Self-described as “Baltimore’s Most Eclectic and Vibrant Eatery,” Papermoon Diner is exactly that. Nary an inch of the establishment is safe from the alienesque baby dolls, colorful mannequins, abstract paintings, children’s toys, or Pez dispensers that cover the place. Don’t let the absolutely absurd decor distract you from the fact that Papermoon also serves up excellent diner food—the buttermilk pancakes are fluffy doses of sweet nostalgia, the eggs benedict has perfectly poached eggs and a large portion of ham, and the shrimp and grits is appropriately cheesy and packed with creole flavors.

After you’ve gotten your fill of “WTF is that” with a side of eggs, drive just one 80 minutes to our nation’s capital. I was lucky enough to take my trip during World Pride, but worry not, the city’s queer community turns up year-round. Start your day in D.C. with—you guessed it—another queer bookstore (I warned you that I was a big reader). Located in Capital Hill, Little District Books is not only D.C.’s sole queer-owned bookstore but also exclusively sells works by LGBTQ+ authors. Being the horror buff that I am, I picked up two books of trans body horror short stories—one of which was recommended to me by the knowledgeable booksellers.

Leave your car parked outside the bookstore and head down the street to As You Are, a local queer-owned coffee shop-by-day, bar-by-night for a caffeine fix and some lunch. After you’ve enjoyed an iced coffee and a quesadilla under the progress flag, drive to The Capital Candy Jar for a pride-themed sweet treat.

Stretch your legs: Washington D.C. is home to more than 80 museums spanning art, history, science, and more. You can’t go wrong with the National Portrait Gallery. Take advantage of the Smithsonian’s free admission and walk around the rotating and permanent exhibits. Currently, NPG has an exhibit featuring the work of the late gay Cuban-American artist Félix González-Torres, whose work heavily explores themes of sexuality, anti-LGBTQ+ stigma, and grief.

Once you’ve had your art fix, head to dinner at Annie’s Paramount Steak (I promise, I’m not only including this for the name). Restaurateur George Katinas named his Dupont Circle steakhouse after his sister Annie who was a dedicated advocate for and ally to the LGBTQ+ community. The restaurant was named an American Classic by the James Beard Foundation—and for good reason. For over 75 years, the steakhouse has been serving up high-quality American fare, all while continuing to advocate for the queer and trans community.

End your road trip at A League of Her Own, one of the remaining 34 lesbians bars in the country. Order a Gimme More cocktail and raise your glass in gratitude for this amazing community.

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