This Orbitz LGBTQ Civil Rights Trail features numerous famous locales, but it also features destinations many might not know about, such as the UpStairs Lounge Arson Memorial Plaque in New Orleans. The plaque marks a remembrance to the 32 people who died after an arsonist set the gay bar on fire in 1973.
June is all about Pride. It’s about celebrating yourself for who you are, finding community with those around you, and growing to become better as a whole. October, however, is all about diving into the community’s brave and fascinating history. That’s because October is officially LGBTQ History Month.
Exploring LGBTQ history is a fascinating experience. As more and more research is done into the queer community’s involvement in shaping society, more and more revealing histories are found, creating a fuller, more complete timeline of the LGBTQ community and its unique place within history. To help celebrate, Orbitz has put together a LGBTQ Civil Rights Trail for famous spaces that hold importance to the LGBTQ community.
Orbitz’s LGBTQ destination map
The map features numerous famous locales, such as the Stonewall Inn in New York City, where the Stonewall riots happened in 1969, ushering in a new era for the gay rights movement. But it also features destinations many might not know about, such as the UpStairs Lounge Arson Memorial Plaque in New Orleans. The plaque marks a remembrance to the 32 people who died after an arsonist set the gay bar on fire in 1973.
In total, Orbitz has curated 15 destinations, some of which are even close enough to each other to make for an excellent road trip opportunity. For example, the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan is less than a two-hour drive away from the Arch Street Friends Meeting House in Philadelphia. It was here that activists planned the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979.
The Key West AIDS Memorial is another destination included in the list (Photo: Fotoluminate LLC)
Add another three-hour drive time to that and you can head down to Washington DC to visit the Dr. Franklin E. Kameny Residence. It was here that the Mattachine Society held its meetings and laid the early groundwork for what would become the LGBTQ fight for civil rights.
When asked about why creating the historical LGBTQ destination guide was important, Orbitz responded by saying,
“We’ve featured destinations on Orbitz that are important to the LGBTQ+ community many times over the past decade, but as we thought about how to bring something new to the table this year for LGBT History Month, we quickly realized that there wasn’t a trail or map tying together some of the most well-known and new places celebrating the community’s history. Much like there are other civil rights trails to follow, we wanted to create one celebrating the people and places important to the LGBTQIA+ community and bring attention to this moment.”
For those who are looking to turn their journey into a weekend getaway, Orbitz also has their Travel As You Are initiative, where you can search for hotels, resorts, and B&Bs that have expressively committed to inclusivity, diversity, and welcoming guests of all backgrounds. Member properties include Kimpton’s stately and stunning Hotel Monaco in Philidelphia and the newly-opened Virgin Hotel in New Orleans, among thousands of others.
To check out the LGBTQ Civil Rights Trail by Orbitz, click here.
To search Ortbiz’s LGBTQ-friendly hotel database, click here.
