You cannot beat a visit to the city of San Francisco. The Castro — and the city as a whole — was the mecca for many in the LGBTQ+ community, and there is still a draw today. Whether it be the first Lesbian organization in the US, the Daughters of Bilitis; the first Gay community center in the US, founded by the Society for Individual Rights; the first rainbow flag; the first Gay Games; the influential Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin; or the tragedies of the AIDS crisis and the twin assassinations of Gay Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone, the City by the Bay is steeped in Queer history.
The Castro Clones are long gone (do the younger Gays know what this means?). But the bars are as popular as they ever were.
In a word, the City continues to be a magnet.
What to do
• Enjoy a hike on the new Presidio Tunnel Tops, located on the northwest corner of the city, and stop by the new visitor center, featuring stunning overlooks, including of the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge. A free shuttle provides service from the Embarcadero BART station. Details at https://www.PresidioTunnelTops.org/.
• Take a hike with the San Francisco Hiking Club (which I founded). The LGBTQ group offers mainly weekend hikes, as does the Gay Lesbian Sierrans (GLS), now known as the Rainbow Sierrans. Both hike the many parks throughout the region. From February through April, the Bay Area hills are ablaze with native wildflowers, including California poppies.
• Catch a film or show at the historic Castro Theater (just south of Market and Castro).
• Enjoy Golden Gate Park, which includes the DeYoung Museum (don't miss the "Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs" exhibit).
• Visit the LGBTQ History Museum on 18th Street near Divisadero.
• Work out at SF Fitness at Market and Noe Streets (2301 Market). Day passes are available.
Where to eat
• The Santeria (2251 Market) has great food and margaritas.
• Alice's in Noe Valley (1599 Sanchez) has great Chinese food.
• Starbelly (3582 16th Street) has great comfort food, cocktails, and brunch.
• La Mediterranee (288 Noe) is very good for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food.
• Orphan Andy's (3991 17th Street) has great breakfasts and dinner. It is a mainstay.
Where to stay
I always stay at family-owned Beck's Motor Lodge (2222 Market Street, in the Castro; free parking, although you don't need a car). The Peets Coffee is across the street, as is the Gay sports bar, Hi-Tops. Nearby, Rosenberg Deli (276 Noe) has everything you need, including an It's It (a San Francisco treat: ice cream covered by two graham crackers and smothered in chocolate).
Nightlife
• My favorite Castro bars include the Midnight Sun (4067 18th), which has great (strong) drink specials and hosts Boogie Wonderland, a disco dance club party and beer bust, every Sunday.
• The 440 Castro (that's also the address) had $3 beer the night I was there and was packed.
• Toad Hall nearby (4146 18th) has karaoke, while Harvey's (Castro and 18th) had drag queens the night I was there. It also offers great food.
• The popular Beaux (2344 Market) has Latin Night on Wednesday including go-go dancers. Friday features a DJ and the GoGo Beasts. (See their calendar at https://www.BeauxSF.com/.)
• The Lookout (Market and Noe) features a large balcony from which you can peruse the crowds.
• The Twin Peaks tavern (Market and Castro) is where you can also scope out the Castro scene. It was the first openly Gay bar in San Francisco and was a hit because it was one of the few that had big windows through which those on the street could see who was inside — scandalous at the time! Now it's officially San Francisco Landmark #264. The crowd there is older (I wouldn't go there once upon a time).
• Moby Dick (4049 18th), with its huge aquarium, is also very popular.
Travel tips
• Grab a Clipper Card to enjoy easy, one-tap admission to all the transit in the city, including the historic streetcars, the Muni Metro, BART, and more. Muni is your in-town subway, while BART goes all over the Bay Area.
• Read the BAR (Bay Area Reporter), which comes out every Thursday. The SF Bay Times is the monthly LGBTQ periodical. Both list current events. Gloss Magazine also is a good source of nightlife information.
Yes, the area has too many homeless, the streets are filthy, and property crime has skyrocketed (don't leave anything in your car). But the Castro neighborhood and San Francisco in general are great to visit and so walkable (albeit hilly). And the mild climate (with lush green hills in the spring after the winter rains) cannot be beat.
Yes, you will leave your heart here.
Bill Malcolm lived in the Castro in San Francisco for 12 years after graduating from UC Santa Cruz. He founded the San Francisco Hiking Club, which is still offering weekend hikes today.