Weekend: San Francisco

“I left my heart in San Francisco”—as the classic song goes, and honestly, it’s not far from the truth. Though I only lived in San Francisco for a little over a decade, it still feels like home. These days, the high cost of living makes it tough to consider moving back permanently, but I never miss a chance to spend a weekend (or longer) in the city I adore.

There’s something unforgettable about the breathtaking views in San Francisco. Whether you’re cresting one of its famous hills or taking in the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay, the scenery never gets old.

Of course, it’s not just the views that call me back. San Francisco is a food lover’s paradise, full of diverse neighborhoods, amazing restaurants, and unforgettable bites around every corner. Add in the city’s quirky history, beautiful parks and open spaces, and a welcoming, inclusive vibe, and it’s easy to see why so many people fall in love with it.

As an LGBTQ-friendly city, San Francisco offers something rare: a place where LGBTQ folks and allies can feel like they’re part of the majority, not a fringe. That spirit of acceptance and celebration runs deep in the culture here.

Whether you’re a first-time visitor or someone who, like me, keeps coming back, there’s always something new to discover in San Francisco. This post is focused on the City of San Francisco itself, but there’s a lot more to explore in the Bay Area. Check out my other post on Sonoma wine country (just north of SF) or keep an eye out for future posts about other parts of the region.

Getting There

As you might suspect for California’s fourth-largest city with a metro area of 4.5 million people, the area has a number of airports to choose from. In fact, if you include San Jose, which is also part of the combined San Francisco Bay Area and is California’s 3rd largest city, there are nearly 10 million people in the area.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the primary airport for the area and the second busiest in California, behind LAX in Los Angeles. It’s served by most U.S. airlines and has direct service to multiple destinations on most every continent. Recent runway improvements will hopefully reduce fog- and weather-related delays for which SFO has been notorious, which is great, because when flights aren’t delayed, I love flying in here—both for the views and because downtown is an easy BART ride from the airport. Plus, my go-to airline, Alaska, has a beautiful and brand new lounge here (though, sadly, without runway views).

Alternately, while it’s served by fewer airlines, travelers to the Bay Area can choose to fly into Oakland International Airport (OAK), which, after a short connector train ride, is also served by BART. South of The City, San Jose International Airport (SJC) is about an hour away and is served by most U.S. airlines and a handful of international ones, but pretty much requires a car. Or, if your time in the Bay Area is focused outside of The City, Sonoma Airport (STS) or Sacramento International (SMF) might be options.

Amtrak also gets close to San Francisco coming from points east, north, and south. Trains arrive at a terminal in Emeryville on the other side of the bay. From there, you can get into The City on an Amtrak bus or make your way to BART or an AC Transit Bus if you don’t want to drive or pay for a ride across the Bay Bridge.

Know Before You Go

First, let me say: many cities have their various nicknames, some of which may make locals’ skin crawl. San Francisco is definitely one of those cities. You can, without much controversy, refer to it as San Francisco, SF (pronounced as the two letters: ess eff), or The City (be sure to capitalize it if it’s in writing). Proceed with caution, however, if you’re calling it San Fran or Frisco. Depending on who’s in earshot, those terms may get you the ire of locals and/or spotlight you as a tourist.

Besides that warning, there are a few other things which locals and seasoned San Francisco visitors may know, but are worth making mention of:

• Hills. We’re not talking gentle rolling hills, we’re talking about streets that were steep enough that they put in stairs for the sidewalk, with more than a dozen charting grades of more than 30%, and at least one over 40%. They make for great views, but keep it in mind when you’re looking at walking directions in many areas of the city.
• Weather. Yeah, San Francisco has a mild climate. In The City, thermometers rarely go below 45 or over 75, maybe 80. And while Mark Twain apparently never uttered the oft-repeated quote “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” the sentiment holds true. Especially as inland areas get hot in the summer, the shroud of fog and rather bone-chilling air from the Pacific definitely make SF feel very un-summer like.
• Parking. Look, San Francisco is the second-most densely populated major U.S. city, so it should come as no surprise that parking is tricky at best in most areas. But also pay attention to weekly street cleaning and other restrictions, and recognize that much of San Francisco’s street parking is parallel parking, often on a hill. It was in SF that I gained my advanced skills badge (if there was one) in parallel parking. Plan accordingly based on your own patience and skills.
• Public Transit is a much better way to get around San Francisco than by car, I think. SF MUNI has bus, light rail, and their historic F-Market streetcar services that (according to MUNI) have transit stops within 3 blocks of 98% of San Franciscans. In addition, BART provides direct service to/from SF downtown and the Mission to San Francisco and Oakland airports. Both MUNI and BART use the Clipper app and transit cards. But sorry: the Bay Area may be a tech hub, but not on transit. Being able to use your credit card directly as a tap-to-pay method is delayed indefinitely. (NOTE: while you can use the Clipper Card on cable cars, their fare is separate from and more expensive than other transit payment.)
• And then there’s navigation around The City. Parts of San Francisco are on a grid, other parts aren’t. But unlike many cities, house/building numbers on most streets start at zero wherever the street begins … so the 100 block of Mission Street, for example, is a half dozen blocks away from the 100 block of Minna Street, which is parallel to Mission. Google Maps will be your friend here.

LGBTQ Safety

San Francisco is widely recognized as a LGBTQ heart of the United States. As cited by Wikipedia, “San Francisco has the highest estimated percentage of gay and lesbian individuals of any of the 50 largest U.S. cities.” And that citation is from a 2006 publication. If strength in numbers is a metric for safety, there you go.

Unsurprisingly, the city also gets a perfect 100 in HRC’s database of LGBTQ legal protections. Statewide, California earns a B grade from Safehome.org for LGBTQ safety—their rating is a mix of legal protections and reported hate crime statistics (both the quality and quantity of data available to them and the fact that it’s statewide mean the ranking is imperfect, but I still found it of interest since few other resources include hate crime statistics in their formulas). As well California is listed as one of the safer states in terms of transgender protections and a relative lack of anti-trans legislation.

The Castro District is still San Francisco’s primary gayborhood, and it is where many of the bars and the LGBTQ-focused Castro Street Fair are located. But LGBTQ gathering spaces and events have been scattered throughout the city for quite some time, and it’s common to see folks all over town (and really all over the Bay Area) holding hands or publicly displaying affection. And that doesn’t even cover the other street fairs (read more below) or more generally speaking, the area’s longstanding liberal culture.

Sightseeing Highlights

A lot has been written about San Francisco, and there’s a lot to see in San Francisco in a weekend or more, I think. I suspect the list below only scratches the surface of all there is to do and see in town. Check out the guide from GayCities for more LGBTQ-focused ideas, or Condé Nast Traveler for mainstream ones.

With so many San Francisco highlights here, I’ve broken them down into a few groups: greatest hits, locations with special views, neighborhoods worth spending time in, and pop culture/the silver screen.

The greatest hits—things most likely to be on others’ lists, but I think are still worthwhile:

• Fisherman’s Wharf is among the most touristy spots one could frequent in San Francisco. Embrace it—it’s a fun place to visit (but skip nearby Pier 39). Get clam chowder in a bread bowl, watch the sea lions lounging or clamoring for space, or just sit back and watch the throngs of tourists. If you’re willing to get up early enough for it, you can also freeze your butt off departing from here on a sea fishing boat, as I did a few years back. The historic F-Market trolleys are a quaint and easy way to get here from the Ferry Building.
• Alcatraz is one of the other most notable landmarks around San Francisco. I’ve been a few times and there’s always something new, including evening/sunset visits. Bring layers any time of year, regardless of what the weather is in town. Especially in summer months, be sure to book in advance.
• Cable Cars are a San Francisco icon, but they’re also a good way to explore a few neighborhoods and avoid the hike up some of the steeper hills. Do note that unless you’ve purchased the All Inclusive Transit Pass (mentioned above), cable car fares are separate from and more expensive than other San Francisco transit payment.
• The Golden Gate Bridge is similarly iconic and on clear days, the views of the bridge, bay, and Marin Headlands are stunning. You can walk or bike across the full 1.7 mile length of the bridge, but be forewarned that it can get super windy at times and the wind coming off the Pacific is likely cold. There are also a few nice hikes you can take from the viewpoint on the city side of the bridge. If you’ve foregone a rental car, Muni’s Line 28 runs to and from the bridge’s vista point.
• Golden Gate Park wasn’t actually listed in as many other guides as I would have thought, but certainly deserves mention. Save this one for a Sunday if you can, as the streets are closed to cars and it transforms into a much more relaxed experience. There’s more to see and do in the park than one could do in a single day, but some of my many favorites include (from east to west): the Conservatory of Flowers, AIDS Memorial Grove, California Academy of Sciences, DeYoung Museum, the Japanese Tea House and garden, the Queen Wilhelmina Garden and windmill, and then cap it off with a bite or beer at the nearby Beach Chalet across from Ocean Beach.

Special Views are something San Francisco has a lot of. But these are some of my very favorites:

• Alamo Square has nice views of downtown, but the real draw here are the “Painted Ladies,” a group of picturesque Victorian homes along Steiner Street. Fun fact: some friends of friends who lived here let me crash on their sofa for a bit when I moved to SF.
• Coit Tower, atop Telegraph Hill, also has great views, in addition to the tower itself, which serves as a monument to the city’s firefighters. The #39 bus line serves Coit Tower, but if you’re up for a relatively intense climb, the Greenwich steps and the rest of the hike coming from the Embarcadero is pretty cool too.
• For something slightly different, there’s Mount Davidson and its’ vista point. There’s a fascinating story about the cross that makes this park particularly unique, but there are also great views and a nice hike to check it out.
• Twin Peaks, however, has perhaps the best views in San Francisco—360 degrees on a clear day. Atop the hill, you’ll look right down Market Street to downtown, as well as both the Golden Gate and SF-Oakland Bay Bridge, and pretty much anything else the fog doesn’t obscure. It’s easiest to get to if you have a car, but MUNI’s #37 bus gets relatively close, if you don’t mind the last bit as a hike up some stairs and a hill.

Neighborhoods around San Francisco have their own unique charm. Even if you’re not focused on a specific place within a neighborhood, these are some of my favorites to explore:

• The Castro, of course. Few other neighborhoods globally are as recognizably LGBTQ-identified, although the neighborhood has ebbed and flowed in terms of just how gay it is. Besides the bars, the Castro has Cliff’s Variety (a lovely hardware store with more), coffee shops and restaurants.
• Noe Valley, just over the hill to the south of the Castro, seemed like a world away at one time. It may not be as dramatically different than the Castro these days, but has quaint galleries, more coffee shops and restaurants, and a low-key attitude.
• The Embarcadero might or might not be considered a neighborhood, per se, but among the bay front views, swanky restaurants, and especially the Ferry Building and its marketplace and farmers market, this is a place to soak up San Francisco.
• The Mission is a part of San Francisco that’s always full of life. Whether it’s street art, nightlife, or restaurants (including my favorite burrito joint: Pancho Villa taqueria), there’s a lot going on in the Mission.
• Hayes Valley’s main pedestrian/commercial area is just a few blocks from the Painted Ladies and also has a wealth of galleries, shops, and restaurants (see Suppenküche below). Patricia’s Green in Hayes Park is also a lovely place to sit and relax with a coffee or for some people watching.
• Maiden Lane, just off San Francisco’s Union Square, isn’t just home to galleries and posh retail shops. It’s also home to San Francisco’s only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building, now home to Italian menswear company Isaia.
• Height Ashbury, Ghirardelli Square, Japantown, and Chinatown all are pretty well documented elsewhere, but are also worth a visit for their own unique charms.

In pop culture, on the silver screen, and on TV, lots of San Francisco locations have been featured over the decades. Several of Alfred Hitchcock’s films are centered here, but many more shows have been filmed around The City, such as:

• San Francisco City Hall might be a little too easy to call out here, but it’s featured in Raiders of the Lost Ark and James Bond’s View To a Kill (the last Bond film to feature Roger Moore, fortunately, but also had Grace Jones, Christopher Walken, a great Duran Duran theme song, and a fun if not-really-believable scene atop the Golden Gate Bridge), among others.
• Castro Camera, Harvey Milk’s camera shop might also be a little out of place here, but I suspect more folks know about it from the film “Milk” than those who knew of it when the historic city leader was alive. Since he was assassinated, the shop has had a few different lives, but now is an art galley and event space.
• The Palace of Fine Arts might be will be familiar to fans of Hitchcock’s Vertigo (much of the film is shot in locations around SF), those of The Rock, or even in a couple Indian films such as My Name is Khan. As well, Sense8 fans will recognize it as the place where Nomi and Amanita share brownies with some magical faeries.
• Mission Dolores, or more formally Mission San Francisco de Asís, might be the most notable location in the movie Vertigo, but has a rich history of its own. Plus, it’s just down the street from Mission Dolores Park (the upper part is often referred to as “bikini beach”) and delicious ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery.
• Nearly the entire shows of Tales of the City and Looking are filmed in San Francisco (Murray Bartlett is in both shows, but may also be known as the resort manager in the first season of White Lotus), not to mention The Presidio being headquarters for Lucasfilm. The locations the two shows feature are too many to list, but if you’re planning a visit, retracing some of the locations could be a fun way to chart your adventures around the city.

Eating and Drinking

San Francisco has a wealth of well known and respected chefs and its food scene has been well documented in print and on screen. And probably lots of other places too. For your weekend in San Francisco, follow all those tips … or don’t. I’m just gonna focus here on my favorites (in no particular order), such as:

• Suppenküche in Hayes Valley: German, dinner only. Plan for a wait, which can be typical (but worthwhile, IMO).
• Dumping Home, also in Hayes Valley: mostly, but not exclusively Chinese dumplings. Lunch and dinner.
• Zuni Cafe on Market Street near Hayes Valley: California cuisine and famous roast chicken. Dinner only except Friday-Sunday. Takes reservations
• Eric’s Restaurant in Noe Valley used to be my neighborhood go-to for Chinese food. Lunch and dinner.
• House of Nanking at the edge of Chinatown. Lunch and dinner. Plan for a wait, which can be typical.
• Pacific Cafe in the Outer Richmond: fresh fish and other seafood, lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday. No reservations, but you can score a glass of wine while you wait, which helps!
• El Toreador, a few steps from West Portal Station, is one of the first Mexican spots I discovered in San Francisco. Lunch and dinner (and margaritas!), no reservations.
• The Top of the Mark could have also been in “Special Views” above. Save this one for a special event like celebratory drinks or a holiday brunch (it’s only open afternoons/evenings, except for holidays). Always makes me think of having brunch here with my grandmother who recalled listening to radio broadcasts from the Top of the Mark when she was younger.
• Mission Rock Resort isn’t so much a resort as a waterfront restaurant near Chase Center (home of the Golden State Warriors) and Oracle Park (home of the SF Giants), so plan accordingly if you’re headed there on game days. Lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch (but closed Mondays).
• 21st Amendment, named after the Constitutional Amendment that repealed prohibition, is a brewery and pub near Oracle Park. Their Hell or High Watermelon beer might be most recognizable, but they have a diverse selection in the taproom. Plan accordingly on game days for this one too. Dinner only except Friday and Saturday, closed Sundays.
• Anchor Oyster Bar in the Castro certainly has oysters, but other seafood too (note: there’s not much for non-seafood eaters). Open 2-8pm, but closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Tadich Grill is old-school downtown San Francisco dining and worth a meal here at least once, I think. It’s seafood-focused, but not exclusively. Lunch and dinner Sunday through Friday, dinner only on Saturday, closed Sunday. Takes reservations on OpenTable.

Nightlife

A lot of San Francisco’s LGBTQ nightlife is still in the Castro, but South of Market stakes its claim as well, particularly for leather-and-Levis and cruise bars. The City also has its share of special events and regular ones (especially for event weekends), so if that’s your thing, be sure to check out event websites for their weekend’s parties. Here’s my not-entirely-comprehensive list:

In the Castro, you’ll find many of the more mainstream LGBTQ bars, as well as hosting the aptly-named Castro Street Fair. Bars include:

• Hi Tops on Market Street bills itself as a gay sports bar. They do show sports, but is lively and fun even if you’re not a sports fan. As well, they actually have good food if you’re in need of a bite.
• Badlands (which also has locations in Sacramento and now Portland) is the spot for videos and dancing.
• Midnight Sun has changed a bit over the years from a classic video bar (I used to go on Monday nights to watch Melrose Place) to one with drag shows and brunch.
• Twin Peaks Tavern, right at the corner of Castro and Market, was in 1972 the first gay bar to feature windows that weren’t obscured. It’s changed owners a couple times since then, but is still a landmark.
• Moby Dick, a block off Castro on 18th, has (in my opinion) always had a great neighborhoody feel and friendly bartenders. It’s a frequent post-game watering hole on weekends for local softball teams, too.
• The Cafe historically attracted a younger crowd, which makes sense that it was one of the first gay bars I frequented when I was in my 20s and not as much now that I’m … not in my 20s.
• 440 Castro is about as close as you’ll get these days to an old-school Castro bar.
• Lookout Bar is true to its name with a wraparound 2nd floor deck overlooking Market, Noe, and 16th Streets. It’s most fun on nice days when you can enjoy the deck and watching the people on teh street below.
• Pilsner Inn on Church Street is a few blocks away from the others, but whether inside or on their back patio can be a fun neighborhood bar, especially when it’s busy after weekend softball games.

South of Market is where Folsom Street Fair is held, as well as the slightly smaller Up Your Alley Fair (often referred to as Dore Alley Fair, definitely my favorite of the two). As for bars, those include:

• San Francisco has its Eagle, which most nights attracts about the crowd you’d expect for a bar called the Eagle. Check their site or socials for special events, and/or enjoy the large patio on nicer days. Plan for a cover on weekend and event nights and note that the Eagle gets especially busy on event weekends such as Dore Alley and Folsom Street fairs.
• Powerhouse has a vibe pretty similar to the Eagle, as well as regular special events. Check their site for special events (yes, it’s horrible, but they don’t seem to post consistently elsewhere). As with the Eagle, plan for a cover on weekend and event nights and note that it also gets very busy on event weekends and especially during as Dore Alley and Folsom Street fairs since the bar is within the fair area
• Mr. S Leather isn’t a bar, but besides their well-known leather and fetish shop, they also host a number of “Customer Appreciation Parties” throughout the year and during the Dore Alley and Folsom Street fairs. Check their site for event times and details.
• For something totally different, there’s Oasis which is home to many of San Francisco’s drag shows and events. I haven’t been in years, so note that this is a call-out more than a recommendation.

Lodging

I’ve stayed in places all over The City, and there are a few places I haven’t stayed, but might offer up for others’ consideration. Most of the hotels are in downtown, south of market, or fisherman’s wharf areas, but there are a few outliers. Places within 2-3 blocks of Union Square will usually be decent and are easy to get around. Beyond that, you’ll trade convenience and/or a nicer neighborhood for lower prices.

Hotels near SFO airport (and to a lesser degree, Fisherman’s Wharf) will surely be less expensive than those downtown, but are generally not as easy to get to on transit, so at least part of what you save in hotel bills will be spent in time or money to get places.

The options I feel knowledgeable enough to weigh in on include:

• Kimpton, rooted in San Francisco and now an IHG brand, has a number of hotels in San Francisco. I can’t think of a bad stay I’ve had at one of their hotels, but note that the quirky style also means some of the hotels have smaller rooms. Not an issue for me, but pay close attention if this is a concern for you.
• Hilton has many options to choose from. The Parc55 or Hilton Union Square are good options if the price is right. Alternately, the Hampton Inn Mission/Convention Center is less an expensive option. It’s where I’ve stayed most recently and I wouldn’t go back. The block of Mission Street it’s on gets seriously unsavory toward 6th, and I feel like the hotel has given up on maintenance compared to prior visits.
• Marriott also has lots of options in San Francisco. The highly-recognizable Marriott Marquis is also usually highly-expensive, but other options within a couple blocks should be decent if the prices aren’t prohibitive.

Closer to the Castro, there are a few options for lodging. If you’re taking BART into town, you’ll need to make a relatively easy transfer to MUNI to get to any of them, but they’re all very close to transit stops. I haven’t stayed at any of these spots in years (and hopefully they’ve been freshened up in the last decade or so), so my remarks are mostly limited to location:

• The San Francisco Central Hotel (formerly the Travelodge) is pretty conveniently located on Market Street about halfway between downtown and the Castro. It’s not the fanciest, but isn’t usually priced that way either and has comparatively inexpensive parking if you have a car.
• Beck’s Motor Lodge is across the street from HiTops Bar (mentioned above), so the location is certainly convenient. It’s had a reputation as a bit of a no-tell motel for years, but most of the recent reviews say rooms are clean and parking is free.
• The Parker Guest House is an alternative option located a few blocks off Castro Street and close to the Mission District. Depending on where you look, it’s billed as either a hotel or bed and breakfast, so pay attention when booking if you don’t want a shared bath. But the location is nice and they have a pretty private garden as well if you want a place to relax away from the buzz of the city.