San Francisco in a nutshell:
Since the 1950s, or perhaps even earlier, no city in the world has been more closely associated with gay and lesbian culture than San Francisco, which is also among the elite when it comes to scenic beauty, fine dining, inns. sophisticated and boutique hotels, and provocative museums. Shopping and recreational opportunities aren’t too bad either, and you’ll find plenty of gay nightlife too. This glorious city is a lot of fun to visit, whether it’s for a weekend or several weeks, and while it has its share of expensive hotels and restaurants, it is also an excellent destination for travelers on a budget.
Seasons:
There’s really no bad time for a gay San Francisco vacation, though the city draws the most crowds during the busy summer months, which also see the least amount of rain but sometimes oppressive fog. In general, the weather is pleasant throughout the year, and there are things to see and do throughout the year.
Average high-low temperatures are 56F / 43F in January, 64F / 48F in April, 71F / 55F in July, and 70F / 52F in October. Average rainfall is 3 to 4 inches / month. in winter, an inch or less from spring to early fall, and 2 to 3 inches in late fall.
The location:
With one of the most visually appealing settings in the world, San Francisco is wildly rugged in places, its peninsular coastline sculpted by the San Francisco Bay to the east and north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The iconic Golden Gate Bridge connects the city to Marin County to the north, and the Bay Bridge stretches east to Berkeley, Oakland, and the East Bay. To the south, US 101 and I-280 lead across the peninsula to San Jose and Silicon Valley. From almost anywhere in San Francisco, you can see soaring hills or expansive water views.
Driving distances:
Driving distances to San Francisco from highlights and points of interest are:
- Lake Tahoe: 180 miles (3 to 3.5 hours)
- Las Vegas: 570 miles (8 to 9 hours)
- Los Angeles: 380 miles (5.5 to 6 hours)
- Monterey: 120 miles (2 hours)
- Napa Wine Country: 50 miles (50 min)
- Oakland: 10 miles (15 min)
- Palm Springs: 500 miles (7 hours)
- Point Reyes National Seashore: 50 miles (75 min)
- Portland, OR: 640 miles (9-10 hours)
- Reno, NV: 220 miles (3 to 3.5 hours)
- Russian River Resort Area: 75 miles (90 min)
- Sacramento: 90 miles (1.5 hours)
- San José: 45 miles (1 hour)
- San Luis Obispo : 230 miles (3 to 3.5 hours)
- Santa Rosa / Sonoma Wine Country: 55 miles (60 min)
- Yosemite National Park: 200 miles (3.5 to 4 hours)
Flying to San Francisco:
A major hub for United Airlines, San Francisco International Airport is just a 20-minute drive or taxi south of the city center and is served by most major domestic airlines, as well as numerous international ones. . It’s cheap and easy enough to get to the airport using the BART subway service; Taxi fares to most downtown hotels cost between $ 40 and $ 50, and there are also several less expensive transportation services.
It may be cheaper to fly into Oakland, 20-40 minutes on BART; and San José, an hour south by car. The three main airports in the region are served by budget-oriented Southwest Airlines in addition to many other airlines.
San Francisco Events Calendar:
- Late April to early May: San Francisco International Film Festival.
- Mid-May to early June: San Francisco International Art Festival.
- End of May: San Francisco Carnival Festival and Grand Parade (a Latin American and Caribbean holiday celebration in the Mission).
- End of June: Frameline / San Francisco GLBT International Film Festival.
- End of June: San Francisco Gay Pride.
- End of July: Up Your Alley (leather pride event similar to Folsom Street Fair and produced by the same organizers).
- Late August: Silicon Valley Gay Pride / San Jose Gay Pride.
- Early to mid-September: Oakland Gay Pride Parade and Festival.
- End of September: Folsom Street Fair (the largest leather event in the world).
- End of September: San Francisco Fringe Festival.
- Beginning of October: Castro Street Fair.
San Francisco Gay Links and Resources:
Several resources offer extensive information on San Francisco’s gay scene, including the popular weekly gay Bay Area Reporter and the biweekly San Francisco Bay Times. The SFGate.com owned by the San Francisco Chronicle is the city’s most comprehensive news source.
Also be sure to check out San Francisco’s featured CVB site on GLBT travel, and see my guide to San Francisco’s gay nightlife, as well as the San Francisco and Bay Area sex clubs and bathhouses.
Downtown San Francisco:
Many of San Francisco’s best hotels, as well as most of its many high-end department stores (Neiman-Marcus, Macy’s, Nordstrom) are near or in Union Square, the anchor of downtown. Northeast is the financial district, whose backbone, Montgomery Street, is often called “Wall Street of the West.” Head west to get closer to Chinatown, one of the largest in North America, and you’ll be on the edge of old Nob Hill, the site of several famous hotels, as well as a good place to pick up one of the city’s famous cable cars. . .
The neighborhood is also home to several branches of the gay-popular hotel brand, Kimpton.
The Castro:
San Francisco’s gay hub, the Castro unfolds from the intersection of Castro, 17, and Market streets and includes countless funky shops, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, plus a handful of gay lodgings. The spectacular 1922 Castro Theater hosts the city’s popular gay and lesbian film festival.
More San Francisco neighborhoods popular with GLBT visitors:
San Francisco has many other intriguing neighborhoods, even the primarily residential areas make for a fascinating exploration as they abound with offbeat cafes, unusual galleries, and distinctive architecture. Some, like Japantown and the Latino-influenced Mission District, maintain strong cultural ties.
La Misión: This modern, hipster-approved district east of Castro derives its name from the Dolores Mission, which has been here since 1791. This diverse neighborhood is home to many lesbians, gay men, Hispanics, artists, and hipsters. . You’ll find cheap and tasty ethnic cuisine, left-leaning shops and galleries, and some of the city’s queer and female performance venues. The Women’s Building is an excellent resource. Nearby Bernal Heights and Noe Valley offer more queer-owned businesses and homes.
SoMa: The artsy SoMa district (“south of Market Street”), formerly a center of light industry, now contains designer studios, non-profit galleries, factory outlet stores, and several large gay nightclubs. There are several worthwhile cultural attractions, including the seminary San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, as well as a growing number of modern, gay-friendly hotels.
Haight and Hayes Valley – North of Castro, Haight Street runs through the heart of the Haight-Ashbury district, one of the most recognizable beds of counterculturalism in the world. Progressive rockers, like the Grateful Dead, lived here in the 60s, as did their thousands of acid fans. It’s still a land of loafers and alternate spirits, an easy place to score crystal jewelry, ancient rags, and illicit shoots. Just to the east, the up-and-coming Hayes Valley contains several popular and popular wine bars and restaurants, plus a handful of great shops.
It is near the imposing San Francisco Public Library, home to the James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center, a comprehensive collection of books, periodicals, and other artifacts of gay life throughout the centuries.
Golden Gate Park – This lush park stretches from Haight-Ashbury to the Pacific Ocean. Meadows, lakes, and trails wind through the park, an idyllic place for biking or skating. Especially moving is the National AIDS Memorial Grove, a group of cypress trees dedicated to those who have perished from the disease. The eastern half has several notable attractions, such as the recently renovated de Young Museum, the Strybing Arboretum and the SF Botanical Garden, and the California Academy of Sciences.
