Featured Gay Friendly Hotel in Iowa City

Gay Iowa City

Iowa City LGBT Travel Guide Summary

Long lauded for its progressiveness, Iowa City is a hidden destination for the LGBTQ community due to its great nightlife, cultural opportunities, and one of the longest-running Pride events in the world. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation scored Iowa City a 100 out of 100 on their Municipal Equality Index Scorecard and The Advocate lists Iowa City among the “Gayest Cities in America.”

Photo Credit: Danielson Photography

From boutique chic hotels to local gourmet dining options to live music venues to dive bars to breweries and wineries, gay Iowa City always surprises visitors! Getting to Iowa City is a quick and easy drive in the center of Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Omaha. A bit of a bastion in the heartland as a liberal stronghold makes Iowa City a welcoming city for a diverse community.

Local Expert: Gay Scene in Iowa City

In 2009, Iowa became the third state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. The lead plaintiffs who successfully challenged the State are from Iowa City. Same-sex couples may adopt children. State laws ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations. Of over 500 cities assessed by the Human Rights Campaign Index in 2019, Iowa City was one of just 88 to receive a perfect score. The index rates cities based on their assessed non-discrimination laws, presence of transgender-inclusive insurance coverage, non-discrimination requirements for contractors, inclusiveness of city services, LGBTQ-competent law enforcement training, and municipal leadership on equality.

Iowa City’s Mayor, Bruce Teague, is the first gay man of color elected to the Iowa City Council and Mayor’s position.

Iowa City Pride typically held the second weekend of June, celebrated its 50th year in 2020. Established following the Stonewall Riots, the Iowa City Pride Festival is one of the longest-running Pride events in the world. Information can be found at IowaCityPride.org.


Photo Credit: Quentin Misiag

Iowa City Pride

In its 52nd year, Iowa City Pride will take place on Saturday, June 17 with the theme “Stronger Together.”  Here is the schedule of events:

12:00PM - 12:45PM - Parade through Downtown Iowa City

MAINSTAGE LINE UP at the Weatherdance Stage in Downtown Iowa City

12:45PM - Opening Singer - Myles Evangelista

1:00PM - The Quire

1:30PM - Draglings

2:30PM - Allegra Hernandez

3:30PM - Drag Royalty

4:30PM - Natural Habits

5:45PM - I.C. Kings

6:30PM - Bawdy Bawdy Ha Ha

7:00PM - Rachel Saint

8:00PM - Drag Headliners - Chey Boi Myling, Belle Frisbee Jenkins from RuPaul's Drag Race, Dahli from Dragula Jazell, Barbie Royale from Queen of the Universe, Jade Jolie from RuPaul's Drag Race

The University of Iowa Library is also featuring an exhibition in the Main Gallery: Out & About: Queer Life in Iowa City.

What is the best time of the year to visit?

Ain’t no time like the summertime to visit Iowa City! Lively street festivals highlight the festivities with the Iowa Arts Festival in early June, Iowa City PrideFest in mid-June, the Downtown Iowa City Block Party in late June, and the renowned Iowa City Jazz Festival in early July you can’t help but have great entertainment options on the weekends in the summer. University of Iowa students aren’t as plentiful in the summer, so that frees up additional seating in restaurant patios and beer gardens.


Photo Credit: Danielson Photography

Additionally, summertime provides the opportunity to enjoy the recreation out on Coralville Lake or Lake MacBride. Hike or bike the trails around the lakes to learn that Iowa isn’t as flat as most people think. Iowa City has become a destination for bicyclists of all sorts, from road rides to mountain biking, to Cyclocross, to gravel routes, the Iowa City area has all you need for two-wheels.

Top things to see and do in Iowa City:

Prairie Lights Books – (15 S. Dubuque St. Iowa City) - the cool indie bookstore is a bucket list stop for most writers.
Hamburg Inn #2 – (214 N. Linn St. Iowa City) - the greasy spoon is a legend for its diner fare and pie shakes, but it has become an institution as a popular stop for presidential candidates on the campaign trail.
The Wave – starting in 2018, the 70,000+ inside historic Kinnick Stadium pause at the end of the first quarter of the football game to wave at the patients inside the Stead Family Children’s Hospital towering across the street. Now called the greatest tradition in college football, you don’t have to wait for football Saturdays to participate.

MUST DO: Attractions & Activities:

Downtown Iowa City Mural Walk – Artists have used Iowa City as their palette adorning the walls in alleys with huge colorful murals to serve as perfect backdrops to Instagram worthy photos. Iowa City Murals 2020

MUST EAT: Gay-friendly dining:

Pullman Bar & Diner (17 S. Dubuque St. Iowa City) - in downtown Iowa City is an upscale throwback to the old-fashioned club car experience. The food is locally sourced with vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. Fresh and unique drink options make this the perfect place to start your evening.

ReUnion Brewery (516 2nd St. in Coralville) - Grab the crew, snag a brew and have a ReUnion. An extensive menu welcomes you to enjoy the good life.

MUST VISIT: Gay-friendly bars and nightlife:

Studio 13 (13 S. Linn St. Iowa City) Is the only club in town that officially bills itself as a gay club, but it is far from the only gay-friendly place in the community. Studio 13 has plenty of events including live music, drag shows, karaoke, and guest DJs.

George’s Buffet (312 E. Market St. Iowa City) (No website…truly old school) – Don’t let the name fool you. There is no buffet. Just an old fashioned tavern serving cold beer, straight forward spirits, jazz music, and famous cheeseburgers. Located in the Northside Neighborhood, George’s is a favorite of writers in town for the Iowa Writer’s Workshop.

Big Grove Brewery (1225 S. Gilbert St. Iowa City)  – Award-winning craft beer, a gourmet local food menu, and lots of indoor and outdoor space make this a top destination in Iowa City. Enjoy live music on the stage, a game of shuffleboard, or sit out by a fire pit in the yard.

Photo Credit: @m_lindmark

MUST STAY: Gay-friendly hotels:

The Graduate Hotel Iowa City (210 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City) -  Perfectly perched on the Ped Mall in Downtown Iowa City, Graduate Iowa City is more than just a place to lay your head. Tee off in their Topgolf Swing Suite, grab a cocktail at the laid-back throwback, Gene’s (Architectural Digest’s most beautifully designed bar in Iowa), and enjoy live music on their patio.

Highlander Hotel (2525 Highlander Place, Iowa City)  - This retro revival of an urban resort for the independent spirit was just remodeled in 2020 to revive a throwback in the Iowa City area. Chic meets shag in this unique hotel.

Hilton Garden Inn (328 S. Clinton St. Iowa City) - Located in the heart of the city, the Hilton Garden Inn offers plush accommodations plus a luxurious rooftop bar and restaurant with the best view of town.

With more than a dozen museums, nine programs offering literary readings, five writing outreach programs, and seven community and professional theatre companies, this united, diverse community is humble in its wide-ranging opportunities. More than 70 parks near rivers, ponds, lakes, and trials and nearly two dozen Big Ten sports add vibrancy to a place rich in recreation. Relaxation happens in the over 6,000 area rooms within the over 40 hotel and bed & breakfasts. Vibrant nightlight and live music shine in Downtown Iowa City and the Iowa River Landing in Coralville. The Curious Communities of Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty, with the University of Iowa, form a collection that makes Johnson County Iowa unlike any destination in the world.

Iowa City theatre

A brief history of LGBTQ events in Iowa City (Source: OutHistory.org):

1967: The Iowa Defender, an alternative newspaper, publishes a ground-breaking article, “Lesbianism in Iowa City.”

1970: Gay Liberation Front at the University of Iowa becomes the first gay student group in the United States to be officially recognized by a university. The organization’s entry in the 1970 homecoming parade kicks off what is now Iowa City PrideFest.

1971: A women’s center serving as a meeting place and clearinghouse for women’s activities opens.

1973: The Lesbian Alliance is formed and later works within the Women’s Resource and Action Center as the lesbian voice for programs such as The Rape Victim Advocacy Program, Domestic Violence Project, and Take Back the Night.

1975: The Midwest Gay Pride Conference in Iowa City attracts 800 attendees.

1977: Iowa City’s city council passes the state’s first anti-discrimination ordinance to include sexual preference.

1978: The Iowa Legislature enacts a comprehensive criminal code revision which repeals the consensual sodomy law. The law takes effect 25 years before the US Supreme Court strikes down Texas’ sodomy law as unconstitutional.

1978: Gay Affiliates of Iowa, Iowa’s first stateside gay rights advocacy organization, is founded in Iowa City.

1984: The Gay People’s Union at the University of Iowa educate gay men about HIV/AIDS.

1985: University of Iowa approves a campus-wide policy banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

1986: Bev Arthur and Martin Arthur co-author the book “Mama’s Boy” chronicling Martin’s coming out as a gay man based on a letter he wrote in 1974 as a student at the University of Iowa.

1991: Domestic partner benefits are extended to same-sex couples employed by the University of Iowa and becomes the first public university in the nation to implement such benefits.

2009: Iowa becomes the third state in the US to legalize same-sex marriage.  Among the plaintiffs who successfully challenged the state are Dawn and Jen BarbouRoske of Iowa City.

Think Iowa City, 900 First Ave./Hayden Fry Way, Coralville, IA 52241
319-337-6592
ThinkIowaCity.com
info@ThinkIowaCity.com

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