Gay Friendly St. Louis

Come out and play in St. Louis! This welcoming city on the Mississippi River will win you over with its charming neighborhoods, exceptional arts and cultural attractions, amazing dining and nightlife and warm, friendly locals. No matter when you visit, the Gateway City’s calendar is filled with festivals, theatre and musical performances and spectacular events sure to please.

St. Louis is proud to be selected as one of the entries in the book, 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live. Author Gregory A. Kompes conducted extensive research into 400 American cities for the project. The conclusion: St. Louis was named one of America’s gay-friendliest places to live. Can’t move to The Lou? Too, bad. But, you can come to visit.

St. Louisians know how to have a good time and want to share the best of their hometown with all visitors. To quote St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, one element central to this community is "our willingness to celebrate our diversity." So, meet us in St. Louis -- our large GLBT community and all the rest of the nearly 3 million Metro area residents -- to experience the good life in the Gateway City.

St. Louis has grown from a 1764 fur-trading village into a major American city made up of distinct neighborhoods. St. Louis' long history is reflected in the architecture, personalities, and events of each special part of town. And, it's not surprising, that the most interesting areas are also among the most gay friendly.

Hot spot neighborhoods include:

The Grove: Rainbow flags proudly wave along along Manchester Road in The Grove, the epicenter of St. Louis' GLBT nightlife located on between Tower Grove and Chouteau avenues. The ever-expanding scene boasts more than a dozen friendly hot spots, each with a unique vibe. Women will love Nancy's Place. You can chill at Erney's 32°, mingle on the massive patio at Just John and the welcome-to-all atmosphere prevails at Novak's Bar & Grill and Atomic Cowboy. Nearby are JJ's, a leather and bear den, and the multi-venued The Complex, known for a mixed crowd of straights and gays who dance to the non-stop beat. A few blocks north, in Midtown Alley, The Fountain on Locust offers sinful ice cream cocktails, special Drag Shows and Lingerie Nights within the Art Deco-splendor of St. Louis' old Stutz Bearcat Auto Showroom.

Duff's Restaurant in the CWECentral West End (CWE): The CWE, arguably St. Louis' most cosmopolitan neighborhood, beckons you to linger at sidewalk cafés, exciting galleries, trendy boutiques and cozy pubs. Shop, dine or check in to one of the neighborhood’s hotels to get a feel for this vibrant and architecturally beautiful area. Stroll out the doors of the classic Chase-Park Plaza or recently opened Hotel Indigo to take in these amenities. Tree-lined private streets display stately turn-of-the-century homes, new high-rise condo towers, lofts and apartments. Playwright Tennessee Williams called this neighborhood home and based the setting for his classic, The Glass Menagerie, on the still-standing apartment building there. The awe-inspiring Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis and historic Forest Park are the anchors of this exciting neighborhood. Annual events include a popular house tour in the spring, the Taste of the Central West End food festival in June, a Greek Festival on Labor Day weekend and Halloween festivities in October. GLBT-centric shops and nightspots including the always popular Loading Zone and Latin-inspired Club Viva await visitors.

Grand South Grand: This wonderful neighborhood hosts St. Louis'
annual Pridefest and Pride parade. The area's diversity is apparent as block after block along Grand Boulevard is alive with Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Latin and Chinese restaurants, ethnic groceries, boutiques, vintage clothing stores and Asian import centers. Popular GLBT-owned businesses include MoKaBe's, the venerable coffee house at Arsenal and Grand, and Absolutli Goosed, where mixologists make magic with martinis. Tower Grove Park, an elegant 19th- century Victorian walking park with original picnic pavilions, statuary, and mock classical “ruins,” abuts this neighborhood. The park, established in
1868 is a National Historic Landmark, one of only four municipal parks in the nation to achieve that status. Annual events include a Chinese New Year celebration in February, an April house tour, the Festival of Nations and Pride Fest in the summer, the Pagan Fest each fall and a holiday walk in November.

St. Louis Walk of Fame Star - Josephine BakerThe Loop: Named for the old streetcar turnaround, the always-changing neighborhood is home to one-of-a-kind stores and boutiques and more than 40 ethnic and American restaurants. The chicly retro Pin-Up Bowl, the Pageant concert nightclub and the Tivoli movie theatre provide plenty of opportunity for late night fun. Catch a concert by Chuck Berry (yes, THE Chuck Berry) at Blueberry Hill and saunter down the St. Louis Walk of Fame to learn more about the famous Americans that called the Gateway City home. The newest attraction in the neighborhood is the Moonrise Hotel for those who are having so much fun they just can’t go home.

Soulard & Cherokee Street: Just a few minutes south of the Arch, St.
Louis’ Blues music takes the stage in the Soulard neighborhood’s clubs and restaurants. Home to one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the nation, Soulard is known for corner clubs where visitors can hear America’s greatest roots music. Elaborate courtyards offer outdoor dining from spring through fall. Soulard Farmers Market, operating continuously since 1779, is the neighborhood’s centerpiece where locals and visitors alike buy fresh produce, flowers, baked goods and exotic spices. Don't miss a visit to Clementine's, a corner bar and restaurant that claims to be the oldest established gay bar West of the Mississippi River. Also be sure to storm The Bastille, another cozy gay establishment that serves decadent libations and held the title of #1 Gay Bar in St. Louis by a local entertainment guide.

Immediately south of Soulard, St. Louis’ attic is open for inspection on Cherokee Street, St. Louis’ antique row. Dozens of merchants sell items from the past in treasure-filled stores. The Greek Revival Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion and the Lemp Mansion – a restaurant and B&B known as one of St. Louis’ top “haunted” houses – are other popular stops. Follow Cherokee Street west of Jefferson to visit restaurants, groceries and shops in one of St. Louis’ emerging Hispanic neighborhoods.

Downtown Clayton skylineClayton: St. Louis’ “other” downtown can be found in Clayton, the seat of St. Louis County government. MetroLink light rail makes it easier than ever to visit the neighborhood where dozens of tasty restaurants, fine art galleries and boutiques are joined by elegant hotels including the Ritz Carlton and the Tudor-designed Seven Gables Inn. The Saint Louis Art Fair, rated tops in the nation, attracts more than 100,000 people to Clayton’s streets each September. Other special events include the Taste of Clayton food festival and the St.
Louis Jazz Festival in June.

Laclede’s Landing: Longing for the days of Mark Twain and the Mighty Mississippi? St. Louis’ river city past comes clear during a stop in the Laclede’s Landing neighborhood. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride on cobblestone streets or dine on local fare at restaurants operating inside historic river warehouses. At night, the district’s clubs beckon with music and merrymaking and the new Lumiere Place casino sets the standard for entertainment at its nightspots and on the active casino floor. Narrated trips on the Gateway Arch Riverboats leave from the levee and the Riverfront Trail bike path passes through the Landing’s streets. Labor Day weekend brings the annual Big Muddy Blues Festival to the district summer weekends are alive with the sound of free national acts performing at the Celebrate St. Louis: Live on the Levee concert series. Take in the Mississippi River view from the rooftop pool and bar at the swank Four Seasons St. Louis or indulge yourself at the hotel's sumptuous spa.

Lafayette Square HomeLafayette Square: This elegant neighborhood is a blend of historic and contemporary. The Square surrounds beautiful Lafayette Park, named after the Revolutionary War hero who visited St. Louis in 1825. Stately French Second Empire homes that frame the square have been called the finest and largest collection of Victorian-era architecture in the country. B&B-lodgings, including gay-owned and operated Napoleon's Retreat, provide luxurious resting places. Acclaimed modern restaurants like Vin de Set, SqWires and 1111 Mississippi sustain discriminating palates and wine bars, brew pubs and a craft liquor distillery quench your thirst. The annual House & Garden Tour and a Victorian Art Festival are held in June while the neighborhood’s Art Fair is an annual October event. Parlor tours take place during the holiday season, offering a peek inside the homes when they’re dressed in their finest.

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