WorldPride is just around the corner and is lighting up Washington, DC in rainbow colours. But it’s worth looking beyond the city limits too: the surrounding area surprises with charming places, fascinating queer stories and impressive nature – from historic small towns such as Alexandria to peaceful landscapes that are perfect for catching your breath between the celebrations.
Richmond: art, history and urban cool
Richmond is the perfect mix of history, creativity and modern city life. An ideal starting point is the Quirk, a stylish boutique hotel that shines with art and design. From there, the Jackson Ward neighbourhood is just around the corner. Once known as the “Harlem of the South”, it now impresses with cool murals, small galleries and hip cafés.
If you’re interested in art, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a treat – the collection ranges from classics to contemporary works, and admission is free. The food scene is impressive too: whether laid-back brunch spots or upscale Southern cuisine, there’s everything here. For a break, head to the James River – kayaking, hiking or chilling by the water.
Alexandria: historic flair on the Potomac
Right on the Potomac River at the gates of Washington, DC, Alexandria is the perfect place for a few relaxed days. The old town impresses with cobbled streets, restored 18th-century houses and a laid-back charm. A stroll along King Street is the best way in – named one of America’s “Great Streets”, the mile offers everything from small boutiques to cafés with perfect espresso.
Don’t miss: the Alexandria waterfront with water taxis and sightseeing cruises, the Torpedo Factory Art Center, where artists work live in front of an audience, and the night-time ghost tours, on which costumed guides lead you by lantern through haunted neighbourhoods. Accommodation tip for WorldPride: the hotels in the capital will soon be booked up – it’s more relaxed in Alexandria, from where you can even cycle straight to Pride.
Baltimore: Charm City
Baltimore is a city that casts its spell on you immediately. In the city’s cultural heart, Mount Vernon – often known as Baltimore’s gayborhood – Gary from the LGBTQ Heritage Initiative shows how alive history is here: from Gertrude Stein’s former home to locations of early John Waters films.
Baltimore is also a city of art. At the Baltimore Museum of Art, works by Matisse, Warhol and Rodin await us, but art lives far beyond the museums: it shows itself on large building walls, in Graffiti Alley or in hidden studios. Baltimore has character at night, too: the city’s oldest gay bar, Leon’s, invites you to a relaxed round of karaoke, while the glamorous Bloom’s at the Hotel Ulysses serves opulent cocktails.
Frederick: a small town with charm
Frederick, a charming small town in Maryland, is the ideal mix of historic flair and lively town life. The town has a large, committed queer community: on Tuesday evenings people meet for dinner and beer, on Thursdays karaoke is on the programme. Organisations such as The Frederick Center stand up for the LGBTQ+ community — Kris and his team have turned a former church into a lively meeting place that has offered a safe space for support and solidarity since 2012.
Our addresses in the region
WorldPride takes place from 17 May to 8 June 2025 in Washington, DC — with an opening concert at Nationals Park, the Pride Film Festival and the big parade. Info: capitalregionusa.de
A report by Raphael Hadad
