Nicholas D. Schiarizzi

For decades, LGBTQ travelers have congregated in predictable places: queer-friendly cities like New York and Berlin, or beach towns such as Mykonos and Fire Island. But as progress and visibility expand across the globe, so do queer people’s travel options. Drawing on their own extensive travel experiences, as well as the perspectives of local DJs, artists, activists, drag performers, DIY historians, and long-time residents (many of them found through the biggest advantage gay travelers have over their straight counterparts: ‘hookup’ apps), the authors of Sassy Planet offer up the latest on what’s hot in 40 cities around the world. Traveling in the US? Check out RuPaul’s Drag Race star Alaska’s recommendations for Pittsburgh, where she first got her start. Planning a trip to Japan? Read about the 300+ queer bars packed into Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood. Even in countries where homosexuality is sanctioned, you’ll read about emerging pockets of queer acceptance and culture, like the Chale Wote Street Art Festival in Accra, Ghana. If you do choose to revisit old favorites, you’ll find the very latest info on where to go, from the Por Detroit parties in Mexico City to the clothing-optional Sandy Hook Beach in New York. The book features interviews with local celebs, best-of lists, and little-known hideaways all packaged with helpful insights, cool bits of regional culture, queer lore—and of course, plenty of sass to spare.