Are you looking for the best and worst states for LGBTQ travel right now? Here’s a list of the most LGBTQ-friendly states to visit with Trump back in office โ and the ones where hostile laws make it uncomfortable and potentially unsafe if you’re queer or trans.
US laws are changing so fast right now that it’s hard to keep up. We hear about a hostile law in the news โ but was that law passed or merely just proposed? Part of trip planning is finding out this information now, before you’re stuck somewhere you may not want to be. I’ve been keeping tabs on anti-LGBTQ laws for the last few years while preparing to write my book on LGBTQIA travel.
If you’re looking for the best states, choose New York, New England (minus New Hampshire), and the West Coast states.
If you’re looking for the worst states, Texas and Florida are the most hostile.
Keep reading for the full list of states that welcome LGBTQ+ travelers and states to avoid in 2025.
The Best States for LGBTQ+ Travel
To rank which states are the most LGBTQ-friendly in 2025, I considered two variables.
One, do these states have laws in place that protect their LGBTQIA residents? Specifically, do they protect transgender residents at a time when other states are stripping trans Americans of their rights?
We also vetted states by whether or not they’ve been proposing anti-LGBTQ laws. The best states to visit do not have any of the regressive anti-LGBTQ laws that red state legislators have been proposing, including anti-drag laws, bathroom bills, or “Don’t Say Gay” bills.ย
Even states with bad laws have progressive cities where LGBTQ+ rights are protected. For the purposes of this blog, I looked at state laws and policies overall.
These states are considered the best for LGBTQ travel in 2025.
- California – From San Diego to LA to San Francisco, where I used to live, California’s biggest cities are queer havens.
- Colorado – Colorado is a sanctuary state for gender affirming care with a vibrant, growing LGBTQ+ population.
- Connecticut – Connecticut has gone out of the way to reassure queer travelers they are welcome, and they’ve got the laws and policies to back it up โ plus some incredible AT hikes.
- Delaware – Delaware has the distinction of electing the first openly trans member of Congress, Sarah McBride.
- Washington, DC – DC has a vibrant queer population and strong legal protections. Plus, they’re hosting 2025 World Pride.
- Hawaii – Hawaii’s natural beauty, laid-back tropical vibes and strong legal protections for let you relax and unwind stress free.
- Illinois – Illinois is a beacon of LGBTQ+ acceptance in the Midwest.
- Maine – Maine is one of the most trans friendly states to visit right now, thanks to progressive laws and policies.
- Maryland – Maryland has comprehensive supportive laws for LGBTQIA residents.
- Massachusetts – Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, and they’re proudly progressive on LGBTQ+ rights. Boston just became a sanctuary city for the trans community, protecting and affirming trans rights.
- Michigan – From Detroit to Traverse City, a sweet lakeside getaway with local wineries and outdoor recreation, Michigan has vibrant LGBTQ+ communities and strong legal protection.
- Minnesota – Minnesota’s queer allyship goes back to 1993 โ when they became the first state to since ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing!
- Nevada – Sure, Las Vegas is solidly blue, but did you know Nevada has pretty progressive policies on LGBTQ+ rights?
- New Jersey – New Jersey has strong legal protections for queer and trans folks including legal protections for residents seeking gender affirming care.
- New Mexico – New Mexico is another safe haven for gender affirming care, with broad legal protections for gays and lesbians too.
- New Yorkย – NYC played a pivotal role in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and the city deserves to be proud of its Stonewall era history โ and what they’ve done to enshrine LGBTQ+ rights since then.
- Oregon – Oregon has strong legal protections for LGBTQ+ people. Portland in particular is a favorite queer getaway.
- Rhode Island – Little Rhody is a sanctuary state for abortion and gender affirming care, with some of the best beaches in New England.
- Vermont – Vermont is another longtime champion LGBTQ+ rights, with many amazing small towns to explore.
- Virginia – Virginia has strong legal protections for LGBTQ+ residents. I’m keeping an eye on their 2025 gubernatorial election, as the Republican candidate is (surprise) transphobic.
- Washington – Washington is a sanctuary state for trans youth, protecting access to gender affirming care.
The Worst States for Transgender Travel
Transgender rights are under severe attack in red states across the US.
But Texas and Florida deserve a special callout as being unsafe for trans travelers.
Not only do these states have the highest number of anti trans laws, the newest laws proposed are even harsher.
Odessa, Texas has a bathroom bounty law that incentivize cis people to “turn in” people they suspect of using a restroom that doesn’t match their assigned gender at birth with a cash reward.
Florida is trying to convict trans people who updated the gender marker on their drivers license with fraud for ‘misrepresenting’ their gender on official documents.
It’s also legal in Florida to arrest trans people who use the bathroom that aligns with their gender.
In my opinion, trans people should avoid Florida and Texas for their personal safety and peace of mind.
No Florida beach is worth sacrificing your mental health, risking arrest, and spending your entire vacation worried about whether you pass as cis or what might happen if a cop pulled you over and scrutinized your identification.
No matter how blue Austin is, there is no getting around the fact that a visit to that city supports a state that wants to legislate trans people out of existence.
The Worst States for LGBTQ+ Travel
The states on this list lack legal protections for LGBTQ+ residents, such as employment and housing nondiscrimination laws. State laws prevent cities and counties from passing nondiscrimination ordinances that create safe spaces. So-called negative state laws penalize trans people by narrowly defining sex, policing public facilities usage, and actively excluding LGBTQ+ youth from legal protections such as anti-bullying laws.
While these policies impact LGBTQ+ residents, they can also make communities unpleasant for visitors.
If you’re considering traveling to any of these states, do your own research to figure out how current laws impact your family โ and what travel safety measures you need to implement to protect yourselves.
I like to check Movement Advancement Project and the 2025 LGBTQ+ Legislative Tracker when I’m researching LGBTQ+ travel safety in the US.
Movement Advancement Project provides at-a-glance information in a digestible bulleted list format.
The 2025 LGBTQ+ Legislative Tracker shows the status of proposed legislation and ranks states as safest, low risk, high risk, worst, and do not travel.
Here are the worst states if you’re LGBTQ right now, according to these resources:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
Other High Risk States to Know
These states have some nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people, but also many punitive laws, including laws that target LGBTQ+ youth:
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Ohio
Should LGBTQ Families Visit States with Anti-LGBTQ Laws?
I know from experience how uncomfortable it can be to visit a state that has bad laws. I visited North Carolina where their harmful bathroom bill HB2 was in effect.
Even though I was in Asheville, which is a progressive city, I felt super self-conscious about being misgendered every time I used a public restroom.
A few years after that bathroom bill was repealed, I visited Asheville again. This time, I could actually relax and enjoy a weekend getaway, because I wasn’t having to by hyper vigilant about how I was perceived.
With an understanding of LGBTQ-friendly states, rainbow families can make conscious travel choices that prioritize their well-being.
They can support destinations promoting diversity, equality, and acceptance.
If traveling to a less-friendly destination, they can spend extra time planning the levels of support they need to have the best possible experience.
This might look like booking an LGBTQ-friendly hotel or an all-inclusive resort, getting a rental car so they don’t have to rely on public transit to ride share, or staying in an LGBTQ neighborhood that’s a bit further from the main attractions.
