Castro District History
The Castro is commonly known as America's first and most popular gay neighborhood. After the U.S Military offloaded thousands of gay servicemen in San Francisco during World War II after being discharged for their sexual orientation, many called The Castro their home, and led to the settlement of other gays in the neighborhood.After the "Summer of Love" in 1967, The Castro became known as a major gay center, having brought scores of thousands of youth from all over the United States.
San Francisco Castro District -
Stay near the famous San Francisco Castro District at our landmark Renoir Hotel. Our San Francisco hotel serves as a great home base for the San Francisco Pride Parade with unbeatable views of the parade from our Market Street windows. You'll also enjoy easy and convenient access to public transportation including the Cable Cars, subway and streetcars.
Castro District Attractions -
Castro District landmark attractions include the Castro Theater and Harvey Milk Plaza, dedicated to the gay-rights activist and politician. Other Castro District attractions include the brightly painted Victorian houses on Castro Street and across the whole neighborhood, as well as Twin Peaks, the first gay bar in San Francisco. Many of these historic places and attractions were featured in Gus Van Sant's movie "Milk" starring Sean Penn and James Franco.Castro District Things to Do -
Meet other LGBT out-of-towners at Harvey Milk Plaza for a walking tour of this historic neighborhood. The "Cruisin the Castro" tour weaves the historical and colorful sights of the Castro into a diverse, empowering and fun discovery of one of San Francisco's most vibrant neighborhoods. Explore the new GLBT History Museum which celebrates 100 years of San Francisco's vast queer past through dynamic and surprising exhibitions and programming. Choose from annual events such as the Castro Street Fair, one of the city's longest-running street fairs with music, arts and crafts, food and drag shows; celebrate SF Pride weekend with the Dyke March or at the Pink Saturday party; and visit the Castro Theater during Frameline, the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, which year after year presents hundreds of films made by and about the LGBT community.
