LGBTQ: Northampton, Mass.

Massachusetts has long be at the forefront of LGTBQ rights so it comes as no surprise the city of Northampton is one of the most gay-friendly areas in all of New England. This beautiful, quirky little college town is chockfull of popular nightspots, restaurants and events all catering to the LGBTQ crowd.

Nicknamed the Lesbian Capital of America, Northampton caters heavily to and draws a large female crowd but boasts a large LGBTQ population overall. FitzWilly’s earned a reputation as being one of the gay-friendliest eateries in town and has one of the most extensive menus of comfort food. Of course, you can’t stop in Northampton without sampling the beloved Sylvester’s for breakfast at least once.

At night there are plenty of options available to those who want to mingle with a familiar crowd, though most bars in town are more mixed than traditionally gay. Bishop’s Lounger is a popular hangout along with The Dirty Truth. During the day be sure to check out the Smith College Museum of Art and the nearby Botanic Gardens.

May might be the best time to visit Northampton as that’s when two of its biggest events occur — Northampton Pride and the Paradise City Arts Festival. Both bring thousands of people from around the region and showcase quite the display of visual arts, food and live music that everyone can enjoy.

With Northampton hosting such an eclectic array of restaurants, shops and events that typically coincide with being a college town we’re sure you’ll have plenty of fun visiting no matter the time of year.