Spring is coming baby, and this year Miami is going all in to roll out the rainbow carpet for the LGBTQ+ community! With the Rainbow Spring festival making a triumphant return for its fourth year — bringing with it a host of LGBTQ+ events leading up to Pride — there’s never been a better time to book a gaycation to “Vice City.” From the pool parties of Beach Pride to the celebration of LGBTQ+ Latino culture that is Gay8 Festival, Miami’s spring itinerary is seriously stacked this year.

But when exactly should you go? Where does one stay? What are the best gay bars and clubs? What else does Miami offer besides parties? And which LGBTQ+-run businesses should you support with your hard-earned pink dollars?

Presenting our Miami LGBTQ+ travel guide to both answer these questions and provide proof that, thanks to its beautifully diverse community, it is in fact always Pride down in Vice City.

Rainbow Spring Events to Plan Around!

Event, event, another event, club, club, another club, no sleep… is what Lady Gaga would most likely have planned, were she to visit Miami this spring.

Rainbow Spring is an annual spring-season celebration and visitor initiative in Miami and Miami Beach that highlights and supports LGBTQ+ culture, community, and tourism. It runs roughly from March through June and features a curated lineup of major events — all of which you could easily plan your Miami gaycation around. Visiting during these dates means taking advantage of great deals from welcoming hotels like Hotel Gaythering, along with special discounts via booking platforms such as Expedia and Booking.com and savings at LGBTQ+-owned businesses around the city.

Winter Party Festival starts the seasonal action and marks the end of winter on from February 26 – March 2. This week-long  feature 12 massive events and parties across 10 world-class venues. Featuring world-class DJs it welcomes over 10,000 attendees from around the globe annually and donates a significant portion of the proceeds to LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in South Florida. Nothing beats partying for a good cause!

The biggest event on the spring gay agenda is Miami Beach Pride, a nine-day celebration running April 4–12, 2026, centered around the sands of South Beach. Expect a spectacular weekend festival, a colorful Pride Parade along Ocean Drive, a VIP gala, pop-up performances, dance parties, and legendary pool parties. If you want to go all in, this is when to come.  

LGBTQ+ Latin American culture absolutely thrives in Miami — especially thanks to the Cuban community centered around Little Havana. Fully immerse yourself by planning your trip around Gay8 Festival, the largest Hispanic LGBTQ+ festival in the United States, running March 8–9, 2026. Held in the heart of Little Havana, this street festival is a Latino smorgasbord of live entertainment, drag performances, fuego-infused dance parties (including the iconic MACHO night), and mouth-watering cuisine — from Cuban classics like empanadas and croquetas to tacos, arepas, and cafecitos.

Other options include Wynwood Pride, taking place March 27–29, 2026, a vibrant arts-driven Pride celebration in Miami’s coolest, most hipster neighborhood, complete with street fairs, live music, drag showcases, and mural-covered backdrops. SweetHeat Miami gives the spotlight to queer women, drawing thousands from around the world May 12–18, 2026, for a week in South Beach packed with pool parties, speed dating, beach days, and sapphic-focused nightlife events.

Meanwhile, queers of culture might find the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival more to their liking, running April 21–May 3, 2026 — a two-week showcase of international LGBTQ+ films, premieres, filmmaker Q&As, and chic after-screening parties across Miami and Miami Beach.

Where to Stay?

A gay-friendly favorite in Miami (especially for us) is Uma House South Beach Hotel. It shows off that true Miami style, blending chic Art Deco with laid-back tropical cool. Expect bright, modern rooms, inclusive energy, and a sassy rooftop pool area, perfect for sun-soaked lounging. It's walkable to all the gay nightlife and the beach, plus there's a free happy hour with wine at their bar from 5–6 p.m.

If you are looking to go all in though, Hotel Gaythering is Miami’s only officially gay hotel — and it’s a damn good one — found right at the heart of the city’s queer scene on Miami Beach. It’s playful, adult-only, sex-positive, and unapologetically gay, with a plethora of different room types to choose from. Either go all-in on their stylishly modern rooms that mix vintage flair with unique, artsy themes, or take the more budget-conscious option with their “crate-style” rooms, providing a small, intimate yet private space — all the better to get sociable… or “sociable” in. Hotel Gaythering isn’t just a hotel; it also includes a men’s-only spa open to both guests and locals, plus a social-hub bar (but more on that later).

What, Where and Who to Do!

If you’re in Miami, you’ll most certainly be heading to the beach as your first port of call. The official gay beach is found on South Beach between 11th and 12th Street. If the rainbow-painted lifeguard house doesn’t give it away, then the superabundance of speedos and the outdoor gym full of sweaty, flexing guys most certainly will. Don’t feel intimidated, though — all are welcome. Haulover Beach is a great second option about 10 miles north, for those seeking a more intimate experience as it's home to Miami’s famous clothing-optional beach.

Nearby to South Beach are Miami’s famous Art Deco houses in the Art Deco Historic District, stretching roughly from 5th Street to 23rd Street. Here you’ll find hundreds of pastel-colored 1920s–40s buildings with neon signs, curved corners, and nautical details — and don’t miss the infamous Versace Mansion, now a landmark of Miami glamour. You can either take a stroll past them yourself or join a guided walking tour like Dragonfly Expeditions' Tropical Deco in a Fabled Playground tour. Dragonfly Expeditions are “purveyors of uncommon adventures” across Miami and their art deco tour will have you reliving the glitz and glamour of the roaring twenties and thirties. They also offer a range of other offbeat tours including ones exploring Cuban Heritage and Incredible Women of Miami. 

For more art and culture, head to the Wynwood area. Buzzing with art galleries and eclectic street art, it’s home to the Wynwood Walls outdoor museum and the Museum of Graffiti. This creative neighborhood is an open-air canvas, covered in massive, colorful murals by artists from across the globe, with cafés and bars perfect for a post-gallery pit stop.

Little Havana is aptly named as it really is like a little version of the Cuban capital, a barrio of pure Latin culture at the heart of Miami. Sample local cuisine like guava pastries, chicken plantain cups, and flan ice cream, to name just a few. Meet local artists, watch skilled Cuban cigar rollers at work, and listen to traditional Cuban music drifting from open doorways. 

For a change of pace, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance-style architecture, featuring lush gardens, ornate rooms, and stunning waterfront views. Ideal for history and design enthusiasts, the estate offers a captivating journey through art, architecture, and old-world luxury.

The Black Police Precinct & Courthouse Museum is a poignant and eye-opening stop in Miami. Once the city’s segregated police station and courthouse for Black residents, it now preserves an important chapter of local civil rights history. Explore historic jail cells, courtrooms, and exhibits that honor the officers, community leaders, and citizens who fought for justice and equality.

LGBTQ+ adventurers should head out to Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park, beautiful local wilderness areas where you can hike, bike, or paddle through subtropical landscapes and spot wildlife along the way.

Looking for adventures of another type? Then head to Gaythering Sauna. It’s free for hotel guests, but anyone can purchase a day membership. Open daily after 12 PM, it’s a great place to make some friends. Facilities include a jacuzzi, steam room, dry sauna, showers, restroom, locker room, and changing areas.

For more information, pop into the LGBT Visitor Center in Miami Beach, where friendly local staff can help you really make the most out of your gaycation itinerary. 

Where to Party?

To no one’s surprise, Vice City knows how to throw a good party, and its gay nightlife scene might be small, but it’s always abuzz with palpable energy. Ocean Drive, just next to South Beach, is where the magic happens.

Bar Gaythering (attached to the hotel) is a firm favorite to start a good night out in Miami. Its intimate industrial-chic interior, adorned with modern art and glowing neon accents, creates the perfect atmosphere to knock back some cocktails, dance, and chat with both locals and international guests from the hotel. Weekly events — from Karaoke Mondays to Boozie Bingo Thursdays to Bears and Hares Fridays — keep things fresh, as do surprise drag performances.

Palace Bar is perhaps the most iconic LGBTQ+ bar on the strip, best known for its daily drag shows. Pop in during Sunday brunch — for drag, bottomless mimosas, and probably a few bottoms too. It gets busy, so be sure to make reservations!

The club to be at past midnight is Twist, any day of the week. This huge gay dance club is actually seven gay bars all in one. The bartenders are always energetic, outgoing, and know how to nurture a good time — as do the go-go boys. The two-for-one happy hour drinks deal doesn’t hurt either. Well ok, maybe the next day hurts.

Where to Eat?

From the authentic Cuban food of Little Havana to the glamorous restaurants of Miami Beach, Miami has food to cater to all palates.

As for gay-owned favorites, you can’t beat R House Wynwood, which doubles as an art gallery and is perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner. It features an international-Latin menu, signature cocktails, and drag performances Friday through Sunday. Don’t miss their popular drag brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

Meanwhile, Cheeseburger Baby is famous across the city as the best place to get a big, juicy… burger. Its neon pink signs are your first clue to its LGBTQ+ credentials, and secondly, the fact that it’s known as “The Queen of South Beach” by locals. Owned by ex-delivery driver and member of the LGBTQ+ community Stephanie Vitori, Cheeseburger Baby has been visited by the likes of Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Diddy.

Mango's Tropical Cafe is the place to go for a touch of tropicana…baby!  More is always more at the iconic Ocean Drive hotspot. With your dinner you'll get camp cocktails, and even camper over-the-top live performances. Expect impressive dancers, Latin rhythms, big costumes, and more feathers than a Carnival parade.

Finally, the gay-owned Daiquiri Dogs, located in the center of South Beach, is the place to go to enjoy a few guilty pleasures in the form of premium frozen cocktails, gourmet hot dogs, freshly made sides, snacks, and craft beers. At winning prices!

Miami is Hot for You! 

Spring or not, It’s always hot in Miami — literally, of course, but also within the spirit of its diverse LGBTQ+ community. You can find them giving speedo chic on South Beach, you can find them at the heart of the bohemian art scene in Wynwood, you can find them among the Latino community bringing the fuego to Little Havana, and you can find them serving drag and no-nonsense fun to the masses at Ocean Street. Don’t just take our word for it — book that Miami gaycation this Rainbow Spring and see for yourself.

Note: this article was sponsored by the Miami Office of Tourism.