Event Dates
From: Thursday, July 24, 2025
To: Sunday, July 27, 2025
One of the biggest conventions in the world, San Diego Comic-Con is one of the most inclusive of the comic con events.
One of the biggest conventions in the world, San Diego Comic-Con is works hard to be inclusive, showing support for the LGBTQ community with its numerous industry panels, thousands of gender fluid cosplay and showcasing queer characters in new television series and movies.
- Stay in thee Downtown district, home to some of the city’s better hotels and just 6 minutes drive/15 min walk from the convention centre. Stay at The Bristol, a boutique hotel located at the crossroads of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
The Convention
- Next Edition: Thursday July 24th – Sunday July 27th 2025.
- More than 100,000 people from the USA and around the world make the pilgrimage to Comic-Con in San Diego each year. The event has even set the Guinness World Record for the largest annual comic and pop culture festival in the world.
- Enter another universe at the San Diego Convention Center as you mingle with people in stunning costumes ranging from iconic Marvel superheroes to frightening creatures from trending horror movies.
- Gone are the days when it only showcased comic books; today San Diego Comic Con covers the entire range of pop-culture from collectible card games, anime, manga, animation, web comics, film and television. Where else can you meet with so many different types of people with similar interests.Comic-Con is like one big circus with stunning costumes. This is where people’s imaginations run riot and fantasies come true.
Gay Parties during San Diego Comic Con
- Typical parties include the Heroes and Villains parties at Rich’s.
- The Locker Room’s Comic Con Party at The Merrow is also very popular.
Special Trolly Line
- For the duration of the convention, San Diego MTS will run a trolley line service between the Balboa Avenue Transit Center and 12th and Imperial Transit Center
- The Special Event Line serves UC San Diego Blue Line stations between Balboa Avenue and Santa Fe Depot, and then continues along the Green Line path between Santa Fe Depot and 12th & Imperial
The Panels
- Each year the convention hosts some amazing panels. Plan which ones you want to attend and be prepared to wait! Stay a step ahead and get to your preferred panel early. Also, tickets, hotels and apartments sell out well in advance, so book everything early.
- Popular Gay Panels include “LGBTQ Characters on Television” and “Horror Is Queer”.
- Most of the events are finalized within 2 weeks of the event so stay flexible with your plans.
- A a rule of thumb, Friday usually has a lot of Star Wars events, Saturday is the busiest day on the convention floor and Sunday is quieter.
- Each year Prism Comics produces a special LGBT guide to the event, covering the different panels. Highly recommended.
Gay Parties during San Diego Comic-Con
- The Convention Center is located on East Harbor Drive just off the marina close to the heart of the city’s busy districts and to the great restaurants in the nearby Gaslamp District of downtown SD.
- The Westin San Diego features spacious rooms offering superb city views, a modern fitness centre, spa and pool.
- As the evening progresses many visitors hit the gay bars and clubs along Hillcrest, which host special theme nights, drag-themed comic con shows and even a superhero pool party. Many bars will have extended happy hours for the event.
- And don’t miss your chance to feature in the LGBT Cosplay Group Photo at the San Diego Convention Center on the Sunday! The event is for LGBT cosplayers to get together and take a huge group photo session!
Recommended Hotels in San Diego
The following hotels are close to the city’s top attractions, and a short ride to the convention centre:
Pendry San Diego, Gaslamp Plaza Suites, The Westin, Inn at the Park
Where to stay close to all the gay bars.
Our top 4 hotels with the best rates.
Solamar Hotel is a Kimpton, a great
gay-friendly chain perfect location
For further information and advice on
Comic-Con San Diego Website
The gay scene in San Diego is located mostly in the trendy Hillcrest neighborhood, just northeast of Balboa Park and a short drive or cab ride from downtown. Several others are in the districts just to the east of Hillcrest: University Heights and Normal Heights.
550 J St, San Diego, CA 92101
The air-conditioned rooms provide a city view and come with a desk and free WiFi.
The units at the hotel come with a seating area, a flat-screen TV with cable channels and a private bathroom with a hairdryer and a shower. All rooms feature a wardrobe.
910 Broadway Cir San Diego, CA 92101
Located in Downtown San Diego, The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter features a sundeck with outdoor games, spa services and a swimming pool. A 55-inch flat-screen TV is included in all guestrooms.
Each guestroom at The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter is furnished with a refrigerator and a coffee machine. A laptop safe and work desk are also provided. Eco-friendly LED and CFL lights along with solar shades are featured in each room. Rooms with balconies and city views are available.
520 E St San Diego, CA 92101
Set in San Diego’s vibrant Gaslamp Quarter, Gaslamp Plaza Suites is a historical, European-style hotel built in 1913. The Melting Pot restaurant is located on-site. San Diego International Airport is 4.8 km away.
The original architectural design with marble walls and stairways is featured at Gaslamp Plaza Suites. Each stylish room at this hotel provides a seating area with a cable TV and a DVD player. Suites include a refrigerator, a coffee machine and a microwave.
525 Spruce St San Diego, CA 92103
This unique all-suite San Diego property is situated on the edge of Balboa Park West. It features a piano bar and elegant suites with kitchen facilities.
Inn at the Park features traditional historic charm and spacious suites. Each suite includes clean white linens and a cable TV.
1451 State St, San Diego, CA 92101
Fitted with air conditioning, a fully equipped kitchen a dishwasher, a microwave, fridge & coffee machine. with a dining area, a flat-screen TV and a bathroom with bath or shower.
15th St, San Diego, CA 92101
Located on a high floor this 2 bedroom apartment offer sweeping views over San Diego along with a fully equipped kitchen, a living room with TV and a bathroom with a shower. FREE WiFI
845 16th St, San Diego, CA 92101
All units here are air-conditioned and feature a flat-screen TV, a living room, a well-equipped kitchen with a dining area, and a private bathroom with shower and a hairdryer. Free WiFi is & parking
680 W Beech St, San Diego, CA 92101
Light-Filled Industrial Loft in Little Italy in San Diego offers accommodation with free WiFi, With direct access to a patio, the air-conditioned apartment consists of a fully equipped kitchen and a TV.
1835 Columbia St San Diego, CA 92101
Gay bar Fridays only from 5pm till 10pm
Meet us on the 5th floor of the Porto Vista for the hottest gay happy hour in SD every Friday from 5pm-10pm! Top Of The Bay San Diego is the original LGBT
929 Broadway San Diego, CA 92101
No frills neighborhood gay bar. Beers, juke box, pool tables, lots of interesting patrons to laugh with
2820 Lytton St, San Diego, CA 92110, United States
One of the city's first openly gay bars continues to draw crowds with large cocktails & a big patio.
2046 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104, United States
Relaxed gay bar with pool tables, a back patio, happy hours, & more.
1839 Adams Ave San Diego, CA 92116
Cheers is your friendly neighborhood gay bar Unpretentious, hosting seasonal events & serving daily drink specials.
4545 Park Boulevard First Floor, 4545 Park Blvd Human Resources, San Diego, CA 92116, United States
A gay bar hosting drag shows and regular Cabaret
1807 Fifth Ave San Diego, CA 92101
SRO Lounge has been a neighborhood bar with strong, inexpensive pours since 1982. Daily happy hour
A popular hangout for drag queens
4012 30th St San Diego, CA 92104
Named Best Dive Bar in North Park! We have Pool and a full outdoor smoking patio! Great Bartenders and a relaxed laid back atmosphere.
Gay Karaoke bar and grill.
3040 N Park Way San Diego, CA 92104
Gay leather and fetish bar, sexual and non-sexual fetish
2028 Hancock St San Diego, CA 92110
Spin Nightclub is a three story multifaceted nightclub venue, hosts a wide variety of music genres and events. From underground electronic music, hip hop & reggae to bands and rooftop day parties.
Huge gay night club in converted warehouse
3845 Fifth Ave San Diego, CA 92103
One of Hillcrest's most legendary gay bars, 1 Fifth Avenue, has seen many changes since it opened in the early 80's.
Enjoy the "best sidewalk cruising" while sitting at the open windows facing 5th Ave.
With the most original and most successful monthly events: Havana Nights, Karaoke Gay bar with shirtless Bar tenders
3610 Fifth Ave San Diego, CA 92103
Fun gay bar popular with an older crowd
1440 University Ave San Diego, CA 92103
The secret is out of the bag. Since conception in 2009, Gossip Grill has turned into a favorite local hangout for girls, boys, and everything in between. Notorious for being the girl’s home base, Gossip Grill plays nice with boys too!
3796 Fifth Ave San Diego, CA 92103
Established as SD's historic gay bar now remodeled with a modern but vintage decor featuring a wide variety of standout events including San Diego' Legendary Latin Night - Sabados en Fuego, Premier Drag Shows, a new Country Music weekly & much much more!
Proudly SD's oldest gay bar.
1017 University Ave San Diego, CA 92103
Hillcrest's oldest gay video bar. Established in 1983.
1051 University Ave San Diego, CA 92103
Rich’s is San Diego’s largest and most popular gay nightclub. We have two large, separate rooms each with a fully-stocked bar, DJ, and dance floor; a VIP area with 4 private VIP booths and a separate private party room upstairs that overlooks the main dance floor; and two outdoor smoking patios. Rich’s San Diego is located in the heart of Hillcrest on University Avenue, across from the Uptown Shopping Center.
Experience one of the best gay nightclubs in the U.S.
San Diego's largest gay dance club
308 University Ave San Diego, CA 92103
Urban MO's Bar & Grill, "The Best Gay Bar In The World" is located in the heart of San Diego's LGBT community. Urban MO's is a hetero-friendly gay restaurant that makes the best burgers in San Diego, hands down. We're colorful. We're fun. We're the best time you'll have on any given afternoon, and an even better time in the evening.
Book with confidence. Get the best Prices from our partner Booking.com
We have chosen hotels in San Diego that keep you close to all the shops, restaurants & bars
San Diego Comic Con 2019