San francisco gay castro

A Gay Guide to the Castro

The Castro is San Francisco’s legendary gay district. It became America’s first and most iconic gaybourhood. In the 70s, tracking the Stonewall Uprising and the first Pride march, the Castro was the headquarters of the gay liberation movement.

Armistead Maupin’s Tales Of The City Novels immortalised gay San Francisco, especially the Castro district. San Francisco became a magnet for lgbtq+ Americans. Things own changed in recent years. The Castro is still very gay, but it’s prohibitively expensive. The rise of Silicon Valley and the tech giants has reshapes San Francisco. House prices in San Francisco almost doubled between 2009 and 2019. That being said, the Castro is still very gay.

The Castro’s gay history

During WW2, many troops put off to brawl in Europe from San Francisco. They also landed in San Francisco on their way residence. With so many young men risking their lives, it was an intense time to be alive. Quite a lot of these men had relationships with each other. San Francisco was a hub of gay activity. Envision all those soldiers in one urban area - there was a lot of action.

By 1980, it was estimated that 17% of San Francisco’s population was gay

After World War II, the Castro District began to alter from a working-class neighborhood into 

a haven for members of the LGBTQ+ collective seeking acceptance and equality during a time of widespread discrimination. Then in 1977, local resident and civil-rights activist Harvey Milk solidified Castro’s place as a mecca for the LGBTQ+ group when he became the first openly gay elected official in California.

Milk was assassinated just one year later, but the Castro District honors his legacy through empowerment and inclusivity for marginalized communities, shaping an experience of belonging for generations of LGBTQ+ individuals. Today, the district invites you to travel its rich society, delve into its captivating history, and be your legitimate self. 

So get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey through this extraordinary community — and don’t miss a thing with our curated list of the top 10 must-dos in the Castro District. 

If you want to understand more about the history of the LGBTQ+ community, there’s no better place to do it than the Castro District, starting with the GLBT History Museum. This cultural gem invites you to journey through time, exploring the

Vibrant and eclectic, the Castro/Upper Market neighborhood is an internationally known symbol of gay freedom, a foremost tourist destination full of stylish 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 celebration 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 large SF Womxn loving womxn Gay Bisexual Transgender Collective Center.

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

San Francisco’s lgbtq+ village is most concentrated in the business district that is located on Castro Street from Market Street to 19th Lane. 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, concentrated in the Castro many gay people live in the surrounding residential areas bordered by the

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

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

This gradual and accepting neighborhood was also home to one of the most significant gay rights activists of the 1970s, Harvey Milk.

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


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

I adore walking around this lively and colorful neighborhood. While this SF district is known for its support of the LGBTQ collective, you will find that many families also call this neighborhood home.

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

During your visit, you will immediately see the playfulness nature of the community all the way down to the names of some of the bars, restaurants and shops. My two favorites are "Does Your Mother Know" which is a gift shop and the "Sausage Factory" an Italian restaurant serving h