Spend a Weekend in Florida’s Most LGBTQ+ Friendly Small Town – Thrillist

Exploring Wilton Drive

The beating heart of the Wilton Manors universe is undoubtedly Wilton Drive. Spanning five blocks, a sense of camaraderie unites the LGTBQ+ owned businesses here. “We immediately felt welcomed to The Drive by the other businesses,” says nightclub owner Mark Hunter, who opened the third outpost of Hunters here in 2013. The now-iconic dance club concept is one of the towns’ most popular after-dark haunts. 

“Most of the bars work well with each other—we even have a group on WhatsApp to communicate,” says Hunter. “Almost all of the businesses do charity work as well, and that enriches the lives of our close-knit LGBTQ+ community.” 

The brilliance of nightlife in Wilton Manors is that, despite its small size, no person is excluded from the fun, with spots along The Drive catering to all queer identities, preferences, and fetishes. “You can find a leather bar, a male dancer bar, a bar that caters to the trans community, a drag bar, a cabaret bar…you get the picture,” adds Hunter. “Here in Wilton Manors, there is just about something for everybody.”