Castro / Noe Valley
Regardless of your sexual orientation, no trip to San Francisco is complete without a visit to the world-famous Castro District, one of the country's first gay Neighborhoods.
This progressive, accepting, creative and diverse neighborhood is also home to some of the most welcoming residents in the city. The activism of the '60s and '70s forged a community with sizable political and economic power that rallied around the likes of Harvey Milk. When the historic Twin Peaks bar at Market and Castro streets was built with floor-to-ceiling windows, most took it as a sign that Castro residents were secure in their gay identity.
Nearby Noe Valley, a village of wooden Victorian houses, has a touch of the Castro’s flair and an easygoing mix of hipsters and families. It is also colloquially known as Stroller Valley for the many strollers in the neighborhood.
Heart of the City: The Castro
For Castro residents, the only thing more inspiring than the neighborhood’s storied past is its wide-open future. Find out how you can be part of it.
EXPLORE
Women’s Sports Bar Owners On How To Get The Most Out of San Francisco
Rikkis is the newest women's sports bar in San Francisco, hear from the owners on why SF is a destination for sports
Learn MoreNeighborhood Highlights:
How to Explore Castro/Noe Valley
Start your tour on the Castro’s eponymous main drag and visit the Castro Theatre, an ornate movie palace with a Mighty Wurlitzer-playing organist who performs before every show. On your way out, take note of the golden plaques that make up the Rainbow Honor Walk, paying tribute to LGBTQ pioneers. Bustling and colorful by day, the Castro also comes out to play at night. This fun neighborhood will have you dancing with the locals or soaking up live performances in no time.
Noe Valley's main drag is 24th Street from Castro Street to Dolores Street. On it, you'll find intimate restaurants, bars, and neighborhood pubs, as well as excellent retailers you'll only find in San Francisco.
The liveliest times of year are Pride in June and the Castro Street Fair in October.
Where To Eat In The Castro
The Castro offers more than just spirited nightlife and sexy shops. You can eat well here, too!
Explore
Where to Catch the Best Drag Shows in San Francisco
San Francisco's drag scene is world renowned, which means there's no better place to catch a drag show or brunch.
ExploreTrip Inspiration
From great bites to fun festivals and events, here are some ideas to inspire your visit to San Francisco's Castro / Noe Valley neighborhood.
All Trip Ideas
The Castro offers more than just spirited nightlife and sexy shops. You can eat well here, too!
San Francisco is full of hotels from very large, to small and intimate. Here are some of the top-rated Boutique hotels in San Francisco!
For Castro residents, the only thing more inspiring than the neighborhood’s storied past is its wide-open future. Find out how you can be part of it.
If you’re looking for a bed stand or a one-night stand, the perfect gift or fun item, look no further than San Francisco’s gayborhoods.
San Francisco is the birthplace of the burrito as we know it. In the Mission and beyond, here’s where to find the best foil-wrapped flavor bombs in the city.
Your guide to one of San Francisco's biggest LGBTQ+ community events outside of Pride.
Rikki's is the newest women's sports bar in San Francisco. Hear from the owners on why SF is a great destination for sports.
Neighborhoods known for their great restaurants and fun nightlife now have added attractions: incredible light art!
Find Short-Term Rentals in San Francisco
Explore More
San Francisco Neighborhoods
Union Square
When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping in Union Square. Indeed, in a town with abundant citywide shopping, Union Square is the most renowned source of retail therapy.
Fisherman's Wharf
If there's one part of town that visitors — both first-timers and many-timers — equate with San Francisco, it's Fisherman's Wharf.
SoMa / Yerba Buena
In the 1970s, industry moved out and artists moved in. Now, SoMa has so much to experience, including the country's most beautiful ballpark.
North Beach
Old Italy, the New Deal, memories of Kerouac and the Beats and echoes of the waterfront Bohemianism meet of-the-moment eateries in North Beach.
Nob Hill
Those little cable cars that climb halfway to the stars in Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco’’ are climbing Nob Hill, the historic and iconic neighborhood of San Francisco.
Embarcadero / Financial District
From captains of the high seas to captains of industry, the Embarcadero has often been where people first began their San Francisco journey.
Civic Center / Hayes Valley
This central city district encompasses everything from stately concert halls and museums to animated restaurants and wide-open public plazas just west of Downtown.
Marina / Pacific Heights
The Marina's boutiques and restaurants attract a hip, younger crowd, while the views and stately homes of Pacific Heights take your breath away.
Japantown
San Francisco’s Japantown is the oldest in the U.S. From its famous Peace Pagoda to a variety of great eats, learn about this vibrant historic neighborhood.
Fillmore
A neighborhood full of music history, fine dining, and upscale shopping, The Fillmore packs more into a few city blocks than you can believe.
Mid-Market
A combination of enterprise zones, high tech, arts groups, retail, and restaurants, Mid-Market is witnessing a boom.
Chinatown
With its pagoda-style architecture, ornate lamp posts, exotic menus and other distinctive elements, a stop here can feel more like a trip abroad than a neighborhood stroll.
Bayview
Bayview is the sunniest neighborhood in San Francisco, home to 35,000 residents, nesting ospreys and some of the most urban, diverse sights and bites in the city.
Mission District / Dogpatch
The Mission District is one of San Francisco’s most of-the-moment neighborhoods, packed with trend-setting boutiques, restaurants, and more.
Castro / Noe Valley
Regardless of your sexual orientation, no trip to San Francisco is complete without a visit to the world-famous Castro District, one of the country's first gay Neighborhoods.
Haight-Ashbury
Start your Summer of Love experience on the corner of Haight and Ashbury streets, where 1960s flower power blossomed.
Golden Gate Park / Sunset
Within Golden Gate Park, you'll find lakes, gardens, museums, golf courses and a herd of bison. The Sunset offers a zoo, views of the Pacific Ocean and tasty eats.
Richmond / Presidio
The southern anchor of the Golden Gate Bridge, the verdant, scenic Presidio, artfully reclaimed Crissy Field, and the Civil War-era Fort Point are just a few of the attractions in the northwest corner of town.
Treasure Island
This gem of an island offers a bustling urban winery scene, terrific music festivals, and photo ops of San Francisco's downtown skyline.