Popular cruisy gay bars are found down 8th Avenue in Chelsea and in Greenwich Village (which is also home to fun-spirited gay shops around Christopher St.), while other mixed venues are in the Meatpacking District and Hell's Kitchen. It’s the city where everyone escapes to for the freedom to be themselves, not just in one gayborhood, but in pretty much the entire island of Manhattan. It’s home to Stonewall and the reason why there are gay pride events all over the world in June. Sorry San Francisco, but New York is the gay capital of the world.