Castro street san francisco gay


San Francisco Castro: Top Things to Carry out & See In this Famous, LGBT District

The San Francisco Castro district is an internationally recognized neighborhood that supports the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community.

This progressive and accepting neighborhood was also home to one of the most significant gay rights activists of the s, Harvey Milk.

In my experience of visiting this district often, there are plenty of fun things to do here during the day and at night.


You will find this gorgeous mural on the side of a school building in this colorful district.

I love walking around this lively and colorful neighborhood. While this SF district is known for its aid of the LGBTQ community, you will find that many families also dial this neighborhood home.

Is the Castro safe? Absolutely. In reality, due to its strong sense of community, it's one of the safest in San Francisco.

During your visit, you will immediately watch the fun nature of the community all the way down to the names of some of the bars, restaurants and shops. My two favorites are "Does

Getting to The Castro is pretty adj, no matter how you choose to travel. San Francisco’s connections by atmosphere, rail, road, and public transit build it easy to find your way into the “gayborhood.”

Planes: Fly into San Francisco International Airport (SFO), then accept the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train to the Castro via a quick transfer at Civic Center/UN Plaza. Another option is to fly into Oakland International (OAK) and take the BART train, taxi or rideshare about 20 miles to The Castro. 

Trains: There’s no direct Amtrak rail into San Francisco. However, Amtrak’s California Zephyr, Coast Starlight, and Capitol Corridor routes interrupt in Emeryville, which is across the bay from San Francisco. From there, transfer to an Amtrak Thruway bus that takes you across the Bay Bridge and drops you at the Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco. Then, catch a nearby Muni Metro line to Castro Station or take a rideshare the rest of the way.

Automobiles: ​Driving into San Francisco is a more leisurely way to reach The Castro, especially if you&#;re coming from other par

Historical Essay

by Chris Carlsson,

Castro Street Impartial ,

Castro Street Scene s

Photos: Crawford Barton, Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Northern California

Many across the United States consider San Francisco to be a “Gay Mecca” due to its large gay community located primarily in the Castro District as well as the city’s relatively liberal attitude towards sex. Until the ’s, though, the Castro was largely a white adj class Irish neighborhood known as “Eureka Valley.” A switch came during World War II, when many soldiers came to San Francisco and formed gay relationships. These soldiers then stayed in the city after being discharged for homosexuality. In the s, Beat Culture erupted in San Francisco and notoriously rebelled against middle class values, thus aligning itself with homosexuality and helped bring gay culture to mainstream attention. In the mid to late s, groups such as the Daughters of Bilitis and the Mattachine Society were born, as adequately as the Tavern Guild, which was the first openly gay business association. By , there were 50 gay or

Vibrant and eclectic, the Castro/Upper Market neighborhood is an internationally known symbol of gay freedom, a top tourist destination full of modish shops and well-liked entertainment spots, and a thriving residential area that thousands of San Franciscans call home.

Its streets are filled with lovingly restored Victorian homes, rainbow pride flags, shops offering one-of-a-kind merchandise, heritage streetcars, lively bars and restaurants, and numerous gay-borhood landmarks including Harvey Milk Plaza, the Castro Theatre, Pink Triangle Park and Memorial, and the huge SF Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center.

The Castro District, better known as The Castro, is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, which is also known as Eureka Valley.

San Francisco&#;s gay village is most concentrated in the business district that is located on Castro Street from Market Street to 19th Street. It extends down Market Street toward Church and on both sides of the Castro neighborhood from Church Street to Eureka Street. Although the greater gay community was, and is, conc