Welcome to Wilton Manors — affectionately known as the “Island City” — a place where the slogan, “Life’s Just Better Here,” is a boast that isn’t bragging.

It’s a 1.96 square-mile island that’s home to about 12,000 residents. For many of them, and tens of thousands more who visit annually, it’s an oasis where diversity and acceptance are the norm and the freedom to be oneself isn’t just tolerated but celebrated.

Located just two miles north of Fort Lauderdale in Broward County, Wilton Manors has a sizable LGBTQ population and is statistically the second gayest city in America.

The 2010 Census found Wilton Manors second only to Provincetown, Mass., in the proportion (15%) of gay couples relative to the total population — and the city has grown tremendously in the decade since.

In November 2018, Wilton Manors became the second city in the nation (after Palm Springs, Calif.) to have an all-LGBTQ City Commission.

LGBTQ tourism provides a major revenue stream for the city’s strong economy.

Driven by the marketing efforts of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB), which leads the global tourism industry in its marketing to the LGBTQ tourism niche, gay tourism is predicted to become an increasingly larger economic driver for Wilton Manors.

Plan to spend at least a few hours on Wilton Drive, the city’s mile-long business artery, which is lined with restaurants, stores and nightlife. Make time to visiti the art galleries, thrift stores and other quaint shops. Explore the many restaurants and bars.

The largest event of the year is the Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival held each June, which attracts more than 35,000 attendees.

Dozens of other perennial arts, musical and cultural events (Wicked Manors is the Halloween event that’s not to be missed!) add to the vitality and quality of life in the Island City.

But there are far more than parades and festivals to enjoy in the Island City.

Located minutes away from the beaches and the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Wilton Manors is a lush hideaway with 15 parks and boat ramps, seven miles of waterways, a certified national wildlife habitat, and four community recreation centers. It is a nature-lover’s dream.

Kayaking around the island takes just a few hours and is both fun and educational.

The top reasons residents said they lived here, according to a city-wide survey in 2018, were all quality of life issues: good city services, a diverse population and proximity to restaurants and nightlife.

Wilton Manors has a vibrant business community represented by the all-volunteer Wilton Manors Business Association (WMBA), currently celebrating its 32nd year of service.

The WMBA holds networking mixers and luncheons at various venues monthly and produces several major events annually including The Wilton Manors Business Expo, a Health & Wellness Expo and a benefit concert at Richardson Park each December entitled, “Holiday Spectacular In The Park.”

A multi-million-dollar road improvement project by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) was completed at the end of 2019, providing Wilton Drive with an aesthetic revitalization and, it is hoped, an economic shot-in-the-arm as LGBTQ tourism grows and city officials work to attract an upscale brand hotel.

Wilton Manors is home to the Pride Center at Equality Park, one of the largest and most progressive LGBTQ facilities in the nation.

 The Pride Center hosts more than 65 regular meeting groups per month and last year attracted more than 35,000 adults and youth to its programs.

The Stonewall National Museum & Archives, which is the largest LGBTQ circulating library in the United States, is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale.