Castro is the gay district of San Francis: thgs to do, attractns and history of the district. How to get there and what to see.
Contents:
- 7 ESSENTIAL LGBT THGS TO DO SAN FRANCIS BY JASON HEIMANN, TRAVELOCY STAFF WRER | APR 23, 2018 | 1 MENT GAY OR STRAIGHT, EVERYBODY LOV SAN FRANCIS. THE CY’S BEGUILG TOPOGRAPHY AND TOPSY-TURVY WEATHER PATTERNS (BRG A SRF JULY!) ADD LAYERS OF ROMANCE TO REQUISE ATTRACTNS LIKE SNAPPG A SELFIE ONT OF THE GOLN GATE BRIDGE, HOLDG ON TIGHT AS RICKETY BLE RS CLIMB IMPOSSIBLY STEEP HILLS, RIDG A FERRY TO SSALO AND SO MUCH MORE. BUT THE CY’S E-AS-YOU-ARE ATTU HAS MA AN IRRISTIBLE STATN FOR LGBT TRAVELERS EVER SCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II. THERE’S MUCH TO SEE AND DO; NSIR THIS YOUR GAY SAN FRANCIS PRIMER.RELATED: SAN FRANCIS TO CARMEL: A NATURE-FILLED CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP CISE THE CASTRO THE EPICENTER OF GAY LIFE SAN FRANCIS SCE THE EARLY ‘70S, THE CASTRO DISTRICT IS LED WH RABOW FLAGS, HISTORIC S, LIVELY BARS AND, CREASGLY, CHA STOR. THE TERSECTN OF 18TH AND CASTRO STREETS IS GAY GROUND ZERO AND A NSTANT HIVE OF ACTIVY. GRAB A SWEET TREAT AT HOT COOKIE, SAMPLE CREDIBLE DIM SUM AT MAMA JI’S AND PAY TRIBUTE TO GAY CIVIL RIGHTS IN HARVEY MILK AT 575 CASTRO STREET, WHERE A MURAL AND PLAQUE HAVE BEEN PLACED HIS HONOR.GET YOUR GAY HISTORY STRAIGHT A WORTHWHILE PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT THE WAYS THE GAY MUNY HAS SHAPED SAN FRANCIS, THE GLBT HISTORIL SOCIETY NTAS NUMERO TERTG ARTIFACTS THE FORM OF VTAGE PRT PUBLITNS, PHOTOS, D RERDGS, FLYERS AND ARTICL OF CLOTHG VERG EVERYTHG OM THE ASSASSATN OF HARVEY MILK TO THE IMPACT OF THE AIDS CRISIS ON THE CY. NOTEWORTHY IS THE MM’S EMPHASIS ON REGNIZG THE NTRIBUTNS OF LGBT WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF LOR. ENTERTA YOUR NER CEPHILE A REQUISE SELFIE UNR THE NEON-L CASTRO THEATER SIGN IS AN EXPERIENCE UNTO SELF, BUT NOTHG PAR TO ACTUALLY SEEG A MOVIE AT THIS HISTORIC THEATER. THE LANDMARK MOVIE PALACE FIRST OPENED 1922 AND TODAY IS HOME TO FRAMELE: THE SAN FRANCIS LGBT FILM FTIVAL AND ALSO BOASTS A WILDLY DIVERSE AND ENTERTAG LENDAR, CLUDG SG-A-LONGS, CLASSICS, CULT FILMS AND MORE. THE PIèCE RéSISTANCE IS THE ANIST WHO ENTERTAS BEFORE THE START OF EACH MOVIE! H THE BEACH— A PARK! SLOPG MISSN DOLOR PARK THE MISSN DISTRICT OFFERS THE KD OF SKYLE VIEWS SHUTTERBUGS DROOL OVER, BUT GIVEN THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALSO ONE OF FOGGY SAN FRANCIS’S SUNNIT, ’S BEE A FACTO BEACH. IN PARTICULAR, THE TOP RIM OF THE PARK HAS BEEN BTOWED THE CHEEKY NAME THE “F SHELF” THANKS TO THE PREPONRANCE OF GAY MEN AND WOMEN WHO NGREGATE HERE BY THE HUNDREDS ON WARM WEEKENDS TO NOODLE, ROE AND OLIC TY SWIMWEAR.EAT, DRK AND BE A MARYMOST VISORS E TO SAN FRANCIS LOOKG FOR A GOOD TIME AND THIS RPECT THE CY DO NOT DISAPPOT. CONSIR DG AT GAY-EQUENTED LEGENDS LIKE ELEGANT ZUNI CAFé (FEATURED HBO’S LOOKG), SWAN OYSTER DEPOT AND ALL-NIGHT GREASY SPOON ORPHAN ANDY’S. CROSS THE BAY TO CHECK OUT MISS OLLIE’S AND JUHU BEACH CLUB—BOTH HELMED BY LBIAN CHEFS. A BAR CRAWL, MEANWHILE, SHOULD CLU STOPS AT POPULAR JOTS LIKE THE STUD, TW PEAKS, EL R, BADLANDS AND OASIS.PAY YOUR RPECTSYOU ULD SP SO MANY AFTERNOONS OUT OF A VIS TO STUNNG, ALBE FOGGY, GOLN GATE PARK. CULTURE VULTUR WILL LOVE THE YOUNG MM AND THE CALIFORNIA AMY OF ARTS AND SCIENC, WHILE NATURE ENTHIASTS SHOULD HEAD TO THE SAN FRANCIS BOTANIL GARN, THE JAPANE TEA GARN AND THE BUFFALO PADDOCK. BUT DO TAKE A MOMENT TO BOW YOUR HEAD AT THE NATNAL AIDS MEMORIAL GROVE WHICH PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE LNS OF LIV IMPACTED BY AIDS.PHOTO URTY OF THE BUCHANANLET MR. SANDMAN BRG YOU A DREAM IT’S EASY TO SLEEP WELL SAN FRANCIS. BECK’S MOTOR LODGE IS A CHARMG AND REHABBED MOTEL THE HEART OF THE CASTRO AND A RELATIVE BARGA (BY SF STANDARDS). OR CHECK OUT THE BUCHANAN, THE HEADQUARTERS OF KIMPTON, LOTED JAPANTOWN (NEAR THE EXCELLENT KABI BATHS). CHEAP SLEEPS, MEANWHILE, N BE HAD AT THE HIP NEW GOOD HOTEL, WHICH IS CRAFTED MOSTLY OF RECLAIMED MATERIALS. EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE BUCKS TO THROW DOWN AT THE FAIRMONT ATOP NOB HILL, AT THE VERY LEAST SWG BY THE HOTEL’S LEGENDARY TIKI BAR, THE TONGA ROOM & HURRINE BAR, FOR A MAI TAI. B LATT POSTS JASON HEIMANN, TRAVELOCY STAFF WRERLATT POSTS BY JASON HEIMANN, TRAVELOCY STAFF WRER (SEE ALL) 9 HOTELS TO LIVE OUT YOUR FAVORE HOLIDAY-THEMED TV TEARJERKER - NOVEMBER 8, 2021 TOP KID-IENDLY HOTELS NEAR UNIVERSAL STUDS HOLLYWOOD - JULY 1, 2021 WHERE SHOULD YOU GO TO “SEIZE YOUR SOMEDAY”? (QUIZ) - JUNE 16, 2021TRAVELOCY PENSAT THORS FOR THEIR WRGS APPEARG ON THIS SE; SUCH PENSATN MAY CLU TRAVEL AND OTHER STS.S_EXP.PAGENAME="";S_EXP.PROP24=""; VAR S_=S_EXP.T();IF(S_)(S_) 1 COMMENT
- THE GAY TRAVELER’S GUI TO SAN FRANCIS
7 ESSENTIAL LGBT THGS TO DO SAN FRANCIS BY JASON HEIMANN, TRAVELOCY STAFF WRER | APR 23, 2018 | 1 MENT GAY OR STRAIGHT, EVERYBODY LOV SAN FRANCIS. THE CY’S BEGUILG TOPOGRAPHY AND TOPSY-TURVY WEATHER PATTERNS (BRG A SRF JULY!) ADD LAYERS OF ROMANCE TO REQUISE ATTRACTNS LIKE SNAPPG A SELFIE ONT OF THE GOLN GATE BRIDGE, HOLDG ON TIGHT AS RICKETY BLE RS CLIMB IMPOSSIBLY STEEP HILLS, RIDG A FERRY TO SSALO AND SO MUCH MORE. BUT THE CY’S E-AS-YOU-ARE ATTU HAS MA AN IRRISTIBLE STATN FOR LGBT TRAVELERS EVER SCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II. THERE’S MUCH TO SEE AND DO; NSIR THIS YOUR GAY SAN FRANCIS PRIMER.RELATED: SAN FRANCIS TO CARMEL: A NATURE-FILLED CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP CISE THE CASTRO THE EPICENTER OF GAY LIFE SAN FRANCIS SCE THE EARLY ‘70S, THE CASTRO DISTRICT IS LED WH RABOW FLAGS, HISTORIC S, LIVELY BARS AND, CREASGLY, CHA STOR. THE TERSECTN OF 18TH AND CASTRO STREETS IS GAY GROUND ZERO AND A NSTANT HIVE OF ACTIVY. GRAB A SWEET TREAT AT HOT COOKIE, SAMPLE CREDIBLE DIM SUM AT MAMA JI’S AND PAY TRIBUTE TO GAY CIVIL RIGHTS IN HARVEY MILK AT 575 CASTRO STREET, WHERE A MURAL AND PLAQUE HAVE BEEN PLACED HIS HONOR.GET YOUR GAY HISTORY STRAIGHT A WORTHWHILE PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT THE WAYS THE GAY MUNY HAS SHAPED SAN FRANCIS, THE GLBT HISTORIL SOCIETY NTAS NUMERO TERTG ARTIFACTS THE FORM OF VTAGE PRT PUBLITNS, PHOTOS, D RERDGS, FLYERS AND ARTICL OF CLOTHG VERG EVERYTHG OM THE ASSASSATN OF HARVEY MILK TO THE IMPACT OF THE AIDS CRISIS ON THE CY. NOTEWORTHY IS THE MM’S EMPHASIS ON REGNIZG THE NTRIBUTNS OF LGBT WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF LOR. ENTERTA YOUR NER CEPHILE A REQUISE SELFIE UNR THE NEON-L CASTRO THEATER SIGN IS AN EXPERIENCE UNTO SELF, BUT NOTHG PAR TO ACTUALLY SEEG A MOVIE AT THIS HISTORIC THEATER. THE LANDMARK MOVIE PALACE FIRST OPENED 1922 AND TODAY IS HOME TO FRAMELE: THE SAN FRANCIS LGBT FILM FTIVAL AND ALSO BOASTS A WILDLY DIVERSE AND ENTERTAG LENDAR, CLUDG SG-A-LONGS, CLASSICS, CULT FILMS AND MORE. THE PIèCE RéSISTANCE IS THE ANIST WHO ENTERTAS BEFORE THE START OF EACH MOVIE! H THE BEACH— A PARK! SLOPG MISSN DOLOR PARK THE MISSN DISTRICT OFFERS THE KD OF SKYLE VIEWS SHUTTERBUGS DROOL OVER, BUT GIVEN THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALSO ONE OF FOGGY SAN FRANCIS’S SUNNIT, ’S BEE A FACTO BEACH. IN PARTICULAR, THE TOP RIM OF THE PARK HAS BEEN BTOWED THE CHEEKY NAME THE “F SHELF” THANKS TO THE PREPONRANCE OF GAY MEN AND WOMEN WHO NGREGATE HERE BY THE HUNDREDS ON WARM WEEKENDS TO NOODLE, ROE AND OLIC TY SWIMWEAR.EAT, DRK AND BE A MARYMOST VISORS E TO SAN FRANCIS LOOKG FOR A GOOD TIME AND THIS RPECT THE CY DO NOT DISAPPOT. CONSIR DG AT GAY-EQUENTED LEGENDS LIKE ELEGANT ZUNI CAFé (FEATURED HBO’S LOOKG), SWAN OYSTER DEPOT AND ALL-NIGHT GREASY SPOON ORPHAN ANDY’S. CROSS THE BAY TO CHECK OUT MISS OLLIE’S AND JUHU BEACH CLUB—BOTH HELMED BY LBIAN CHEFS. A BAR CRAWL, MEANWHILE, SHOULD CLU STOPS AT POPULAR JOTS LIKE THE STUD, TW PEAKS, EL R, BADLANDS AND OASIS.PAY YOUR RPECTSYOU ULD SP SO MANY AFTERNOONS OUT OF A VIS TO STUNNG, ALBE FOGGY, GOLN GATE PARK. CULTURE VULTUR WILL LOVE THE YOUNG MM AND THE CALIFORNIA AMY OF ARTS AND SCIENC, WHILE NATURE ENTHIASTS SHOULD HEAD TO THE SAN FRANCIS BOTANIL GARN, THE JAPANE TEA GARN AND THE BUFFALO PADDOCK. BUT DO TAKE A MOMENT TO BOW YOUR HEAD AT THE NATNAL AIDS MEMORIAL GROVE WHICH PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE LNS OF LIV IMPACTED BY AIDS.PHOTO URTY OF THE BUCHANANLET MR. SANDMAN BRG YOU A DREAM IT’S EASY TO SLEEP WELL SAN FRANCIS. BECK’S MOTOR LODGE IS A CHARMG AND REHABBED MOTEL THE HEART OF THE CASTRO AND A RELATIVE BARGA (BY SF STANDARDS). OR CHECK OUT THE BUCHANAN, THE HEADQUARTERS OF KIMPTON, LOTED JAPANTOWN (NEAR THE EXCELLENT KABI BATHS). CHEAP SLEEPS, MEANWHILE, N BE HAD AT THE HIP NEW GOOD HOTEL, WHICH IS CRAFTED MOSTLY OF RECLAIMED MATERIALS. EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE BUCKS TO THROW DOWN AT THE FAIRMONT ATOP NOB HILL, AT THE VERY LEAST SWG BY THE HOTEL’S LEGENDARY TIKI BAR, THE TONGA ROOM & HURRINE BAR, FOR A MAI TAI. B LATT POSTS JASON HEIMANN, TRAVELOCY STAFF WRERLATT POSTS BY JASON HEIMANN, TRAVELOCY STAFF WRER (SEE ALL) 9 HOTELS TO LIVE OUT YOUR FAVORE HOLIDAY-THEMED TV TEARJERKER - NOVEMBER 8, 2021 TOP KID-IENDLY HOTELS NEAR UNIVERSAL STUDS HOLLYWOOD - JULY 1, 2021 WHERE SHOULD YOU GO TO “SEIZE YOUR SOMEDAY”? (QUIZ) - JUNE 16, 2021TRAVELOCY PENSAT THORS FOR THEIR WRGS APPEARG ON THIS SE; SUCH PENSATN MAY CLU TRAVEL AND OTHER STS.S_EXP.PAGENAME="";S_EXP.PROP24=""; VAR S_=S_EXP.T();IF(S_)(S_) 1 COMMENT
Ten mms, bars and cultural landmarks to check off your big gay bucket list San Francis. * things to do in san francisco gay *
San Francis – home of the untry's first openly gay elected official (Harvey Milk), birthplace of the rabow flag, the first cy the Uned Stat to legalize gay marriage and host of the bt damn Pri para the untry—remas a major LGBTQ+ epicenter. (They don't ll the 'gay pal of the world' for nothg. So whether you're here June or not, honor SF's storied gay history at the mms, bars and cultural landmarks.
Gay or straight, everybody lov San Francis. There’s much to see and do; nsir this your gay San Francis primer.
RELATED: San Francis to Carmel: A Nature-Filled California Road Trip Cise the Castro The epicenter of gay life San Francis sce the early ‘70s, the Castro District is led wh rabow flags, historic s, lively bars and, creasgly, cha stor. The tersectn of 18th and Castro streets is gay ground zero and a nstant hive of activy. Grab a sweet treat at Hot Cookie, sample credible dim sum at Mama Ji’s and pay tribute to gay civil rights in Harvey Milk at 575 Castro Street, where a mural and plaque have been placed his your gay history straight A worthwhile place to learn about the ways the gay muny has shaped San Francis, the GLBT Historil Society ntas numero tertg artifacts the form of vtage prt publitns, photos, d rerdgs, flyers and articl of clothg verg everythg om the assassatn of Harvey Milk to the impact of the AIDS crisis on the cy.
THE GAY TRAVELER’S GUI TO SAN FRANCIS
Gay or straight, everybody lov San Francis. The cy’s e-as-you-are attu has ma an irristible statn for LGBT travelers ever sce the end of World War II. There’s much to see and do; nsir this your gay San Francis primer. * things to do in san francisco gay *
In particular, the top rim of the park has been btowed the cheeky name the “F Shelf” thanks to the preponrance of gay men and women who ngregate here by the hundreds on warm weekends to noodle, roe and olic ty, drk and be a MaryMost visors e to San Francis lookg for a good time and this rpect the cy do not disappot. Consir dg at gay-equented legends like elegant Zuni Café (featured HBO’s Lookg), Swan Oyster Depot and all-night greasy spoon Orphan Andy’s.
The San Francis Gay Men's Chos was the guidg force behd the Artists Portal, and their performanc—ongog for more than 40 years—are well worth checkg out.
If you love drag, check out one of the performanc at Oasis, a gay bathhoe turned nightclub, and show venue, found 2015 by lol drag stars Hekla and D'arcy Drollger. One of the untry's first gay bars, Tw Peaks Tavern is a favore of seasoned lol gays, cludg S. Gay Mens' Chos artistic director Tim Seelig, part thanks to s large plate glass wdows and people watchg.
If San Francis is on your gay travel erary, this gui will tell you everythg you need to know about s famo LGBTQ events and tablishments. * things to do in san francisco gay *
's sole gay sports bar ( also has a siblg Wt Hollywood) and featur a tasty pub gb menu and, on Thursdays, go-go boys.
Planng a trip to San Francis? GAY TIMES did wh three legendary drag queens to fd out what you simply nnot miss when you vis. * things to do in san francisco gay *
And although Polk Street ed to be a buzzg gay strip, s sole remag waterg hole is The Cch Saloon, where you n take a taste of a bygone era, pl an episo of "Drag Race" or sports game on the monors. Prented by GayCi. Lnched to fame the early 1970s and fluential electg Harvey Milk, the first openly gay official the cy, the Castro is fully open about s herage.
There are more than 60 gay bars and clubs, and although the Castro serv as the epicenter of LGBTQ+ culture and nightlife, gay-iendly bs are sprkled cywi—ankly, ’s the norm here. Learn more about the remarkable role the cy played and is playg the gay movement at the GLBT History Mm, or on a guid “Cis’ the Castro” historil walkg tour.
If you are new to the cy’s gay scene, Lookout and Tw Peaks Tavern are legendary hnts, and The Parker Gut Hoe, the Hotel Whb, Joie Vivre Hotels, and the W are jt a few of the cy’s gay-iendly hotels. Insir tip: When planng a vis to San Francis durg Gay Pri Month, be sure to book well advance, as acmodatns fill up quickly.
From the bt bars to the hottt drag bnch spots, our gui to gay and LGBTQ travel San Francis will tell you everythg that will make your experience the time of your life. * things to do in san francisco gay *
“This clud workg wh gays, sex workers, ‘young chickens, ’ youth, hippi, gangs, dg addicts, and others. ) Anti-black discrimatn exists the gay muny and the Castro. This famo bar was a regular for gay men of lor who didn’t feel wele at other predomately whe clubs.
Nurse and early AIDS activist Bobbi Campbell ed the ont wdow of this pharmacy to post a flyer 1981 warng the muny of “Gay Cancer”—bee neher the lol nor natnal ernment would sound the alarm—showg photos of lns ed by Kaposi sara (the rare ncer was found to be a rult of HIV’s toll on the immune system). Tw Peaks Tavern go down history as the first gay bar Ameri wh wdows, meang patrons weren’t hidn om outsi view. The wdows allowed gays and lbians to sip cktails whout shame while lettg the sunshe and nightlife vibe .
G., the Dghters of Bilis and the Mattache Society) were jt begng, homosexualy was still registered as a pathology by the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn. Operated by Harvey Milk om 1972 to 1978, the store beme the center of the neighborhood’s growg gay muny.
Fd top thgs to do the San Francis Castro. The clu the Castro Theater, the bt gay bars, walkg tours, tails on the annual street fair & more. * things to do in san francisco gay *
Rough, sual, and sparsely rated, the first gay bar the Castro opened pre-Stonewall way back 1963.
Over the next few s, approximately 30 more gay bars and shops opened around the Mule. San Francis is arguably a heart of gay culture the world. From the LGBTQ rights movement led by the late Harvey Milk, to the cy’s annual gay events cludg Folsom Street Fair, the queer flame of San Francis ntu to burn bright - even if recently dimmed by the flux of the tech dtry.
When to the perfect gaytn, you will never have a shortage of thgs to do San Francis. Whether you like the ia of sunbathg at a lol gay nu beach, or you’d rather stroll through the inic rabow-clad streets of The Castro, we’ve created a gay bucket list to San Francis. Now the only qutn left is whether you’ll be able to tick everythg off for your gay travel experience here!
In the cy that practilly vented gay, we're exced to get back to the fun of celebratg San Francis Pri. * things to do in san francisco gay *
2) Soak up some vam D at popular gay nu beach, Barker’s Beach. 4) Vis at the end of June, and dance through the cy streets durg San Francis’s annual Gay Pri - plenty of dancg a given! 7) Grab bnch at popular gay hangouts Squat & Gobble or Cafe Flore the heart of The Castro.
8) Scuff your new pair of sho on the credible dance floor at Oasis Club - ’s hoed a nverted gay bath hoe, enough said! 10) Enjoy some Californian sun wh a piic Dolor Park - n be a great place to mgle wh gay lols over some beer. This was the first openly gay bar the US, thanks to s floor-to-ceilg wdows, that allowed outsirs to look .
14) Head to legendary gay bar, The Eagle, and get your leather on or enjoy a drag show wh some lol guys. 31) After bar hoppg through The Castro, head to biker-themed gay bar, Hole the Wall Saloon the SoMa neighborhood, jt south of Market Street.