San Francisco

Bars: General
Bar on Church (198 Church St) cocktails in retro glam setting.
Cinch (1723 Polk St) Wild West theme with pinball, pool, and busy patio.
Deco Lounge (510 Larkin St) home to "The White Trash Party" with Sunday amateur strip.
El Rio (3158 Mission St) the sign screams "your dive." Outdoor patio and dance floor.
Esta Noche (3079 16th St) latino bar with tranny shows galore.
Harvey's (500 Castro St) the "Hard Rock Cafe of Queerdom."
Last Call (3988 18th St) neighborhood bar, formerly the Men's Room.
Lookout (3600 16th St) video bar with spectacular Castro views.
Martuni (4 Valencia St) the city's only gay piano bar.
Midnight Sun (4067 18th St) stand-and- model video bar.
Mix (4086 18th St): outdoor patio, mostly local middle-aged guys.
Moby Dick (4049 18th St) packed most nights. "Drink, play pool and pinball, stare at the fish!"
Pilsner on Church (225 Church St) famous for wide range of beers and peaceful garden patio.
Powerhouse (1357 Folsom St) touchy-feely cruise bar, outdoor patio, pecs-and-buns contests.
Q Bar (456 Castro St) Wednesday Night "Booty Call" is a blast.
Stud (399 9th St) retro style, dance floor, theme parties.
Swirl on Castro (572 Castro St) wine bar for boys and real girls.
Toad Hall (4146 18th St) swanky setting, newly opened opposite Badlands.
Trax (1437 Haight St) cheap beer, the only gay bar in the Haight.
Truck (1900 Folsom St) drag shows Sundays, speakeasy Tuesdays, and food.
Twin Peaks (401 Castro St) big glass windows and older crowd, affectionately called "the glass coffin."

Bars: Trannys
Diva's (1081 Post St) some dance but plenty of drag.
Marlena's (488 Hayes St) drag HQ, especially on Saturday night.
Bars: Levi, leather, bears, and bikers
440 Castro (440 Castro St) Levi/leather bar with patio, Monday underwear nights, Frathouse Wednesdays.
Eagle Tavern (398 12th St) Sunday beer blast, popular with bears.
Edge (4149 18th St) some leather, some bears.
Chaps II (1225 Folsom St) fetish/kink bar with loyal following.
Hole in the Wall Saloon (389 8th St) scandalous corner antics with cheap drinks, bikers.
Lone Star Saloon (1354 Harrison St) biker bar with patio.

Dance clubs
Badlands (4121 18th St) popular video and dance bar.
Cafe (2367 Market St) will reopen after renovations in May.
Endup (401 6th @ Harrison St) popular on weekends after the other bars close.
Fresh@Ruby Skye (430 Mason St) monthly Sunday dance parties, see Freshsf.com.
Industry Saturdays (119 Utah St) popular weekly dance event best after1am.
Sundance Saloon (550 Barneveld Av) Country-western dancing and lessons Thursday through Sunday.
Underground SF (424 Haight St) mixed dance bar, gayest Saturdays.

Adult theatre/saunas/sex clubs
Blow Buddies (933 Harrison St) sex club with backyard patio and over 180,000 worldwide members.
Eros (2051 Market St) sex club with sauna, steam, showers and professional massage.
Mack Folsom Prison (1285 Folsom St) sex club with prison lofts, gas chamber, and sweatbox, next to a Taste of Leather.
Nob Hill Theatre (729 Bush St) nude male strippers, porn videos, cruisy video arcade.
Steamworks (2107 4th St, Berkeley) the Bay Area's favorite bathhouse, plenty of amenities.
SF Citadel (1277 Mission St) leather space and educational center with weekend sex parties.

Restaurants
2223 (2223 Market St) tablecloth dining, eclectic Californian cuisine.
Asia SF (201 9th St) Asian-influenced tapas- style dishes with drag acts bypretty-as- women Asian men.
Azteca Taqueria (235 Church St) cheapest Mexican burritos in the area.
Bagdad Cafe (2295 Market St) inexpensive 24-hour diner with tofu burgers and meatier treats.
Blue (2337 Market St) comfort food like salads, burgers and macaroni and cheese.
Cafe Flore (2298 Market St) also known as Café Hairdo, great views, serves tasty Californian food.
Catch SF (2362 Market St) scrumptious seafood, nice ambiance, great location.
Chow (215 Church St) hearty American fare like ginger cake and pumpkin ice cream.
Chutney (511 Jones St) casual Indian food in Tenderloin district.
Harvey's (500 Castro St) good brunch until 3.30pm and limited dinner menu.
Home (2100 Market St) large diner with outdoor covered patio warmed by a roaring fire.
Kasa Indian Eatery (4001 18th St) simple but delightfully inexpensive menu.
La Méditerranée (288 Noe St) delicious Greek, Armenian and Middle- Eastern fare.
Millennium (580 Geary St) gourmet vegan heaven.
Orphan Andy's (3991 17th St) traditional American diner.
Safeway (2020 Market St) often referred to as the Gayway, the queerest supermarket around. Great cheap wine selections.
Sparky’s 24 Hour Diner (242 Church St) most crowded after the bars close.
Squat and Gobble (3600 16th St) casual place serving crepes, omelets, burgers, and pasta.
Tangerine (3499 16th St) for a marvelous breakfast.
Thai Corner (2200 Market St) where everything on the menu is delicious.

Shopping & Services
Different Light Bookstore (489 Castro St) gay- interest books, magazines, movies, clothing, movies and music.
Taste of Leather - SoMa District (1285 Folsom St) "Where the Bad Boys Shop" for leather and other adult stuff.
Auto Erotica (4077-A 18th St) for lube, vintage magazines, videos and toys.
Castro Gulch (2352 Market St) link in an adult mega store chain.
Chaps (4057 18th St) for leather, uniforms, underwear and combat boots.
Does Your Mother Know? (4141 18th St) adult toys and lube.
Kenneth Wingard (2319 Market St) with vases, candle holders, frames, and other housewares.
Mr. S Leather & Fetish (385 8th St) "world's largest" collection of leather, latex, and fetish items.
Phantom (516 Castro St) more adult toys and cheaper lube.
Rock Hard (518 Castro St) adult retail and movies.
Stormy Leather (1158 Howard St) leather/fetish boutique with a woman's touch.

Gyms
Gold's Gym (2301 Market St) co-ed muscle factory with all the gear and cruisy locker-room area.
The Gym SF (2275 Market St) men-only gym with reasonable rates.

Resources
SF Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center (1800 Market St; Sfcenter.org) has a little something for everyone.
SanFrancisco.com Sanfrancisco.travel/gaytravel
Russian River Chamber of Commerce (Gayrussianriver.com) Sonoma County's gay playground.

Walking tours
City Pass San Francisco (Citypass.com) admission to five famous attractions plus unlimited cable car access for $59.
Come OUT to the Castro Foottours.com.
Cruisin' The Castro Cruisinthecastro.com

Attractions
California Academy of Sciences and Steinhart Aquarium (55 Music Concourse Dr., Golden Gate Park; Calacademy.org) aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and its own rainforest.
Castro Theatre (429 Castro St; Castrotheatre.com): not-to- be-missed historic landmark.
Chinatown (Sanfranciscochinatown.com) they claim the largest Chinatown in the western world. Get your Goji Berries here!
Beach Blanket Babylon (678 Beach Blanket Babylon Bd; Beachblanketbabylon.com) longest-running musical spoof in theater history with extravagant costumes and huge hats.
Fisherman's Wharf (Fishermanswharf.org) waterfront tourist trap full of fastfood and free entertainment.
Harvey Milk Plaza (corner of Castro and Market) a small brick plaza and plaque dedicated to a very big man. Also check out 575 Castro, the site of his camera store.
Museum of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender History (657 Mission St, Suite 300; 415-777-5455) is a project of the GLBT History Society.
National AIDS Memorial Grove (Bowling Green Dr at Middle Drive E, Golden Gate Park) the only federally sanctioned memorial to the struggle against AIDS.
Pink Triangle Park (near intersection of Market and Castro, behind City Athletic Club) the first of its kind in the US, dedicated to remembering the many thousands of gays and lesbians killed in the Holocaust.
SanFrancisco.com (1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl; Sfgov.org/cityhall)look for the Harvey Milk memorial inside.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (151 Third St; Sfmoma.org) the West Coast's premier modern and contemporary art museum.
San Francisco Public Library Civic Center (100 Larkin St, 3rd floor;415-557-) holds the fabulous James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center.
Theater Rhinoceros (2926 16th St; Therhino.org) America's oldest gaytheater.

Day Trips
Golden Gate Bridge (Goldengatebridge.org) a world-class marvel.
Gay Napa Getaways (Napavalley.com) vineyards and wine tasting.
Sonoma Valley (Sonomavalley.com) like Napa, but without the attitude.
Stinson Beach (Stinsonbeachonline.com) romantic getaway by the sea near Muir Woods and Mount Tamalpais.

Getting there
Getting from San Francisco International Airport to the Castro is $5.30 onBART (Bart.gov). A taxi averages $40 for the same trip, and the Shuttle Service(Sanfranciscocityshuttle.com) costs $16.
Gay Pride is June
The two-day celebration takes place this year on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29. See San Francisco Pride.
Accommodations
Gay Friendly Hotels
Beck's Motor Lodge (2222 Market St; 415-621- 8212) rooms with a wraparound balcony, convenient location.
Best Western Americania (121 7th St; 415-626- 0200) nice amenities, free wi-fi, heated pool, central South of Market location.
Hotel Diva (440 Geary St; 415-885-0200) cutting- edge boutique hotel in Union Square.
Hotel Mark Twain (345 Taylor St; 415-673- 2332) bear-friendly downtown boutique hotel, affordable rates.
Hotel Monaco San Francisco (501 Geary St; 415- 292-0100) four-star comfort, near Union Square, part of Kimpton Hotels chain.
Renoir Hotel (45 McAllister St; 415- 626-5200) historic boutique hotel,trendy bar and lounge.
Travelodge (1707 Market St; 415-621-6775) between downtown and the Castro,free wi-fi, continental breakfast.
The Westin (50 Third St; 415-974-6400) swanky four- star digs by Union Square.

Bed & breakfasts/apartments
24 Henry (24 Henry St; 415-864-5686) long- standing gay B&B.
Belvedere House (598 Belvedere St; 415- 731-6654) Cole Valley gay B&B, private bathrooms but shared showers, 15-minute walk to Castro Street.
Castro Suites (927 14th St; 415-437- 1783) apartment rental service.
Chateau Tivoli (1057 Steiner St; 415- 776-5462) gay-friendly Victorian mansion, lavish rooms and suites.
Inn On Castro (321 Castro St; 415-861- 0321) upscale gay B&B, closest tothe action on Castro.
Parker Guest House (520 Church St; 415-621- 3222) primarily gay, conveniently located, Edwardian style.
Willows (710 14th St; 415-431-4770) 12 rooms with shared bathrooms, all-gay clientele, convenient location.

Tips
Don't call it Frisco.

Memorable quotes
"San Francisco has only one drawback.
'Tis hard to leave."
-- Rudyard Kipling
"San Francisco is a city where people are never more abroad than when they are at home."
-- Benjamin F Taylor

Events planner
June
San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival
World's longest running and largest gay film festival.
June 18- 28
frameline.org
San Francisco Pride
A two-day celebration and parade
June 28 and 29
sfpride.org
July
Up Your Alley Fair
Smaller version of Folsom Street Fair
July 26
Folsomstreetfair.com/alley
September
Folson Street Fair
World's largest leather event, part of Leather Pride Week.
September 27
Folsomstreetfair.com

About San Jose
About an hour south of San Francisco, San Jose is more than a world center for the software industry. There's plenty for gays here in Silicon Alley.
Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay Community Center (938 The Alameda;Defrank.org) San Jose's community space.
Hunters (349 South First St) bar franchise with siblings in Palm Springs andChicago.
Leather Masters (969 Park Av) boutique for leather apparel and SM goodies. Another store in Dallas Texas.
Out Now Mag (Outnowmag.com) resource for Silicon Valley, with online PDF magazines.
The Watergarden (1010 The Alameda) spotless "not-shame- based" destination bathhouse with sex educators on hand.