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Or hang with the locals at The Saloon, located along historic Peppertree Lane, and which gives off more of a speakeasy vibe.
History of gay bars in san diego series#
The Stateroom Bar provides a bit of history with your order with a series of drinks named in honor of other legendary Laguna Beach nightspots, like the now closed Boom Boom Room. Or visit The Deck, an open-air bar with fire pits and some of the best specialty cocktails on the beach. Splashes hangs right over the sand and is a bit more on the social side. Surf & Sand Resort in South Laguna has two option Splashes Bar and 15FiftyFive to enjoy the sunsets with the latter having couches and comfy chairs around a massive fireplace, to lounge in. It’s a great place to start the evening with happy hour or even daytime drinks, as it’s open from 12 p.m.
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The bar celebrates diversity and inclusion and is a bar for everyone, with a really special history for the LGBTQ community. For many years, it operated as a secret watering hole for the local gay community until it was eventually turned back to retail as Laguna Auto Parts…and now it’s back to its original roots. In 1926, a liquor store and a hardware store opened on the corner of Pearl Street and Pacific Coast Highway, and in 1946 it became its current namesake The Seahorse, which was actually Laguna Beach’s first gay bar. There was a time when Laguna Beach had its staple gay bars, which were a much needed presence during their reign of the beach city, and its very possible that in the future, more will make their way back to Laguna Beach, but until then, the city is filled with options galore, and don’t worry, there’s still one pretty amazing gay bar, celebrating it’s 60th anniversary this year, which we’ll get to, as we want to save the best for last. View the LGBTQ+ Travel Guide for more on planning a trip to San Diego.Thankfully the world has evolved and although gay bars will always be needed, wanted and loved, it’s now not unconscionable for everyone, no matter of who they love, to party, drink and enjoy the night together, under the same roof. The park is home to 16 museums and performing arts venues, ornate Spanish-Renaissance architecture, 1,200 acres of beautiful gardens and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Just south of Hillcrest sits Balboa Park, the largest urban cultural park in North America and a hub for recreation, arts and culture, and community gatherings. Thrown into the mix are vintage clothing shops, book outlets and the multiplex Landmark Cinemas for taking in independent and foreign films. On intersecting Fifth Avenue, you'll find a concentration of new and established restaurants, as well as a few dessert-centric eateries.
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University Avenue leads into the neighborhood's "village" area designated by the historic, neon "Hillcrest" sign. A great place to shop for local produce, arts and crafts, the market also offers a wide range of gourmet stalls with hot and cold cuisine. This lively stretch also hosts one of the largest farmers markets in San Diego from 9AM – 2PM on Sunday. You'll also discover home decor shops, distinctive boutiques, the Uptown District shopping plaza and the country's only openly gay brewery, Hillcrest Brewing Company. Spanning a dozen blocks west from the Pride flag along University Avenue is a colorful mix of ethnically diverse restaurants, nightclubs and acclaimed wine bars. A block away, down Harvey Milk Street, is where the San Diego LGBTQ+ Community Center resides. The landmark serves as the starting point for San Diego LGBTQ+ Pride's annual mile-long parade held each July. Lauded for its welcoming vibe and pedestrian-friendly streets and sidewalk patios, the area's east end is marked by a towering rainbow Pride flag just off Hillcrest's main thoroughfare of University Avenue, at the corner of Normal Street. Located only a few miles north of San Diego's bustling downtown, the vibrant uptown neighborhood of Hillcrest stands as San Diego's LGBTQ+ central hub, offering an array of bars, restaurants, coffee houses, boutiques and unique shops.