About The Castro

Although it began life as dairy farms and suburbs, this character-laden neighborhood is now an enclave for the gay and lesbian community. In the '60s and '70s, gay men purchased and renovated the area's large Victorian homes, and businesses catering to the owners began to spring up. Decades later, the Castro bustles with great bars and restaurants, not to mention fabulous specialty shops. Each year, it also hosts San Francisco Pride, the Castro Street Fair and the San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.