Stuff to do in San Francisco?

[Texas Dan]

Hmmm. Castro Street is actually alot of fun. Decent restaurants, relatively clean (for SF) and some cool shops. I guess if gay people make you feel insecure, it's probably best to stay away.

SF is like Disneyland - every neighborhood is different. Noe Valley and North Beach are cool, the Sunset has some good pubs and the Palace of the Legion of Honor is always a good bet. The Filmore District, Japantown, Cow Hollow, I could go on but you get the picture.

The Steinhart Aquarium is reopening this fall and SF is not known for it's herps. However, a 15 minute ride across the Bay Bridge will get you to Berkeley and the East Bay Vivarium - which is like going to a herp zoo on it's own.

It's not that make me feel insecure, I just choose not to be around a bunch of guys walking around the street in G-Strings. Thanks.

And don't say it's not always like that there.. It's GAY TOWN, and it is always like that. I don't mind gay people, I have gay friends. But I do not hang out with them in speedos.

[Patrick Long]

Haight and Ashbury!!!!

[Skiploder]

It's not that make me feel insecure, I just choose not to be around a bunch of guys walking around the street in G-Strings. Thanks.

And don't say it's not always like that there.. It's GAY TOWN, and it is always like that. I don't mind gay people, I have gay friends. But I do not hang out with them in speedos.

I've yet to see hordes or even a single person (gay or otherwise) cruising around in their speedos in the Castro. Sounds like a stereotype - an inaccurate one on top of it. So yeah - I will say it's not like that there - I live in the Bay Area and have spent quite a bit of time in the City on top of it.

Anyone remotely familiar with the weather in SF would realize that it is far too cold for gay people to be cruising around in their thongs all year long.

[Texas Dan]

I've yet to see hordes or even a single person (gay or otherwise) cruising around in their speedos in the Castro. Sounds like a stereotype - an inaccurate one on top of it. So yeah - I will say it's not like that there - I live in the Bay Area and have spent quite a bit of time in the City on top of it.

Anyone remotely familiar with the weather in SF would realize that it is far too cold for gay people to be cruising around in their thongs all year long.

Ok, ok, not all year long, but i've been there thrice during the summer, and EVERY TIME I've seen at least one dude half dressed walking around. And to say you've never seen a single person dressed like that on Castro has got to be some sort of lie.

Lemme, guess, you've never seen a hippie on Haight Ashbury either..

That's like me saying in Dallas, "I've never seen a cowboy."


I love you.

[Skiploder]

Ok, ok, not all year long, but i've been there thrice during the summer, and EVERY TIME I've seen at least one dude half dressed walking around. And to say you've never seen a single person dressed like that on Castro has got to be some sort of lie.

That's like me saying in Dallas, "I've never seen a cowboy."


I love you.

Haven't. Summer is the coldest time of the year in the City on top of it..........you've heard the old joke right? The coldest winter I've ever been through is summer in SF..............

According to a list I just googled, it appears I would be far more likely to encounter a gay person in a speedo in Dallas - as it ranks (in some publications) as the 6th Gayest City in the US and the weather is much more conducive to wearing skimpy swim wear.

Even if I were to run across a scary gay person in a thong every so often, it probably wouldn't bother me enough to stop going there with my wife to one of her favorite restaurants or to warn people away from it.

[wolfy-hound]

I've been to San Francisco several times, and roamed a lot of places, and I have to say I'm disappointed, since I've never seen a guy in a speedo on the street. I DID see skimpy dressed guys, inside the fetish shops. Not on the street. If you went during one of the festivals, yeah, you would see lots. Maybe you're hitting the wrong time of year?
And if you(the op I thinksaid it) are not comfortable around gay people, you might not want to go to San Francisco. I'm not saying all of them are gay, but there is a LOT of gay people there. Especially in bars. Especially in GOOD bars. And the guys are OH so nice to look at... maybe next trip they will wear their speedos.

[Skiploder]

I've been to San Francisco several times, and roamed a lot of places, and I have to say I'm disappointed, since I've never seen a guy in a speedo on the street. I DID see skimpy dressed guys, inside the fetish shops. Not on the street. If you went during one of the festivals, yeah, you would see lots. Maybe you're hitting the wrong time of year?
And if you(the op I thinksaid it) are not comfortable around gay people, you might not want to go to San Francisco. I'm not saying all of them are gay, but there is a LOT of gay people there. Especially in bars. Especially in GOOD bars. And the guys are OH so nice to look at... maybe next trip they will wear their speedos.

Apparently that's my problem - unlike our friend from Texas I'm staying out of the fetish shops, the festivals and the bars.

..and yes - SF has more than it's fair share of gay people. Contrary to popular belief, they don't go prancing about flaunting it up and down the streets.

[ChicaPiton519]

ANYWAYYY

not to ruin your bash session but back on topic.. haha

[Texas Dan]

Apparently that's my problem - unlike our friend from Texas I'm staying out of the fetish shops, the festivals and the bars.

..and yes - SF has more than it's fair share of gay people. Contrary to popular belief, they don't go prancing about flaunting it up and down the streets.

Ok, well, maybe my eyes were lying to me, but seriously the past 3 times I've been there, there has been at least 1 guy in a g-string near Castro street. Maybe hookers? I dunno.

Our fetish shops don't rank nearly as high as yours do.

Just one question though, what is Castro street known for? Being from Texas, I surely didn't hear about Castro because of the food.

I don't want this to turn into me gay bashing, because I don't, or SF bashing. Only saying what I have experienced in SF. I happen to love the place, they have some of the coolest shops I've ever been to. From "my" experience, that's what I've seen.

I'll stop here.

Back on topic: I dunno about the herps in SF, but if you cross the GG Bridge, there's a town on the other side near the water with an AMAZING view of the city. Watching the fog roll in is an awesome site.

[Skiploder]

Ok, well, maybe my eyes were lying to me, but seriously the past 3 times I've been there, there has been at least 1 guy in a g-string near Castro street. Maybe hookers? I dunno.

Our fetish shops don't rank nearly as high as yours do.

Just one question though, what is Castro street known for? Being from Texas, I surely didn't hear about Castro because of the food.

I don't want this to turn into me gay bashing, because I don't, or SF bashing. Only saying what I have experienced in SF. I happen to love the place, they have some of the coolest shops I've ever been to. From "my" experience, that's what I've seen.

I'll stop here.

Oh, it's known as the heart of the gay community. Then again, there are several other neighborhoods in SF that are "notoriously" gay.

...and yes, to residents of the Bay Area, it is also known for a pretty good dining scene. We'd eat there more often except that it's the crappy traffic - not the gays - that keep us away.

As Wolfy-Hound alluded to, except for certain festivals and events, the Castro is no more or less extravagant than any of these other areas. In fact, all you have to do is go to 4th Street in Berkeley (a block from the Vivarium) to see a similar scene (exhibitionists dressed in bizarre and revealing attire) or even up to Guerneville in Sonoma County around the 4th of July to see an even wilder scene.

But the Castro has become The Tourist Stop for out of towners to gawk at the gay and lesbian scene in the City and therefore the name has become synonymous with homosexuality and the City.

The town on the other side is Sausalito. If you go to Tiburon (ten minutes from Sausalito) and eat at either the patio at Sam's or the rooftop at Guaymas - you can can also get a great sunset view of the fog rolling in.