Peoria LGBTQ City Guide
Jeff Hammerberg
Founder & President @ GayRealEstate.com | LGBTQ+ Representation Nationwide
Peoria is a vibrant and diverse Arizona city. Named by Money Magazine as one of the top 100 places to live in the United States, it is a city with much to offer. Peoria is considered part of the Phoenix metro area’s West Valley, and it is considered to be one of the more family-friendly cities in the area. Peoria offers excellent schools, beautiful scenery, and much to see and do. Even better, it is a city with a diverse and vibrant, if smaller, LGBTQ community.?If you’re thinking of finding your next home in Peoria, chances are, you’ll find plenty about it to love!
A Look at Peoria's History
Peoria has a long and rich Native American tribal history, as many cities in the Southwest do. Its more modern-day history began when settlers arrived in the area in the late 1800s. Many of them were particularly interested in mining, due to the abundance of natural resources in the area. After its founding, the city continued to grow, and many businesses were established to meet the needs of the growing population. Peoria has grown steadily ever since and is now a city with many thriving industries and much to see and do. For so many reasons, Peoria would be a great place to call home.
A Few Fun Facts About Peoria
·??Peoria was named the “Rose Capital of the World” in 1956.
·??Peoria was named after the Illinois city of the same name. The word “Peoria” is a combination of the Miami-Illinois tribal words for “prairie fire.”
·??Peoria is home to Lake Pleasant, which is the second-largest lake in all of Arizona.
Read more fun facts about Peoria here.
Peoria’s LGBTQ Community????????????????????????????????????????????
Peoria is a city that loves and supports its LGBTQ community with a variety of resources, including:
PFLAG Phoenix is the Peoria area’s local chapter of the national PFLAG organization, which is the largest grassroots organization of its kind in the country. PFLAG is well-known for its mission of supporting LGBTQ people, friends, family, and allies across the country in a wide variety of ways. With 500 chapters and more than 200,000 members in the United States, PFLAG plays a critical role in providing advocacy, support, and resources to the LGBTQ community.
One n Ten is a center for LGBTQ youth and young adults serving the greater Phoenix area. Its mission is to serve LGBTQ youth and young adults ages 11-24 and to enhance the lives of the youth it serves by providing empowering and engaging social service programs that promote the development of leadership skills, self-expression, and healthy life choices.
What's the Weather Like in Peoria?
Like much of the Southwest, Peoria has a desert-type climate. This means it receives little annual rainfall and has low relative humidity. Summers can be quite warm, with highs in July often reaching as high as 105oF. Winters are generally mild, with temperatures dropping to around 43oF in January. Fall and spring are generally pleasant, and also full of plenty of sunshine. Peoria receives around 10 inches of rain per year and no snow.
Can’t-Miss Events in Peoria
Phoenix Pride Festival is only a short drive away from Peoria, and it is certainly worth the drive. This can’t-miss celebration offers parades, parties, family-friendly activities, networking opportunities, and more, all to celebrate the LGBTQ community and all that it adds to the city. Be sure to put it on your calendar – you won’t want to miss your chance to join in the fun!
The Best Neighborhoods in Peoria
If you’re thinking of making a move to Peoria, you will find that the entire city is very welcoming. Unlike some larger cities that tend to have one specific “gayborhood,” and particularly as Peoria is close to other bigger cities like Phoenix, the LGBTQ community in Peoria is sprinkled throughout the city, so truly, anywhere in the city would make a wonderful place to call home.?
There are a wide variety of home styles available in different price ranges. The median list price of homes currently for sale in the Peoria area is around $545,000.
Arts and Entertainment
The Arizona Broadway Theatre is a beautiful dinner theater located in the heart of Peoria. It offers an excellent selection of performances each year, as well as a variety of dining and drink options. It’s truly a wonderful place to spend an evening being entertained, enjoying good food, and having fun.
The local acting company, Theater Works, has been busy bringing excellent local theater to Peoria residents for years. The theater offers a wide variety of performances throughout the year. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy a show for yourself!
Parks and Recreation
The Rio Vista Recreation Center is a beautiful facility in Peoria where everyone in the family can have fun, and engage in healthy activities. The center offers indoor racquetball courts, a gym plenty of equipment options, a rock-climbing wall, and more. Outside are playground facilities and a sprayground for those with children. Truly, there’s something for everyone here!
Peoria’s beautiful New River Trail is a perfect place to hike, bike, or simply relax and enjoy nature. The trail is over 18 miles long, and winds through the river bottom to the top of the banks, offering beautiful views, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy and observe local plant and wildlife.
Peoria Nightlife
Located only a short drive away in Phoenix – Pat O’s is well worth the visit. Pat O’s has a sort of neighborhood “Cheers” like feel – welcoming to all, with a great jukebox that still plays quietly enough for patrons to have a conversation over a game of darts or a drink. Pat’s offers regular theme nights like “Dart Night”, “Bear-E-oke”, and “Disco Night” among others, and it is a great place to meet up with old friends or make new ones.
Contact a Peoria Gay Realtor Today
If you're ready to make a move to Peoria, at www.gayrealestate.com, we're here to help you take the first step toward finding an agent who knows and loves the community, and who can help you find a home and a neighborhood you'll love. We're proud to have a network of excellent realtors in Peoria, and we would love to help connect you with the right one. Contact a Peoria gay realtor today for a free, no-obligation consultation!