Things to do in San Francisco / Bay Area

[kevin7620]

I'm visiting the San Francisco / Bay Area for a while, and was wondering what gay-themed things I should check out, see, do, etc. All suggestions are welcome.

 

[Nonimus]

Ooo!! I had my first corndog at San Fransisco Warf!

 

[kevin7620]

Interesting. http://www.castrostreetfair.org/ I might have to come by... What's a good place to park?

 

[Swellegant]

Is it time for Castro Fair already? (...he says as if he ever goes to Castro Fair. I went once, fifteen years ago, and hated it, all the sun and crowds.) I know that Folsom Fair was last weekend, I did a show in the Castro on Saturday and there were people all over the place. But everyone knows about the Castro, you're not asking about what everyone knows.

Go to the SFMOMA and the DeYoung and the Palace of the Legion of Honor if you get a chance. "Da Gays" love their museums, there are always lots of hotties about... also nice art. And SFMOMA has the coolest steel mesh bridge across the atrium on the top floor, it's a total trip to walk across it and look down between your feet at the people a hundred feet below you.

Then there are the luxe shops around Union Square, which is where a lot of gays work. Oh, and you must wander around the Financial District during lunchtime on a sunny day... I can't explain why, you just have to do it and see for yourself. Cocktails at the Top of the Mark at sunset is a must. And a nice walk up Polk Street, from Opera Plaza to the Lion's Pub (if it's still there, I haven't been in such a long time it might be gone). I also recommend the Vesuvius on Broadway, and the Italian cafes in Northbeach, for a little SF culture.

Of course, there are the SOMA clubs that act as a good counterpoint to the Castro: you must go to the Stud (I believe it's actually required or else you lose your fagging license) and the EndUp, and the Eagle if you're into that sort of thing.

Can't think of anything else.

 

[justsimon]

Not gay, per se, but the aquarium in the Folsom area is really cool.

 

[Swellegant]

Retraction and Update: Lion Pub is on Divisadero, not Polk. See, that's how long it's been since I was there, I forgot where it was!

And it is open still, and worth the schlepp out. If you follow Castro north of Market, it turns into Divis, and it's a sociologist's dream to travel through the various strata, from the gay end near Market to the funky part where it crosses Haight to the urban-sprawl part where it sort of flattens out to the Victorian part into the ritzy Pacific Heights area.

But don't forget Polk Street. It's part of gay history, the Polk Gulch is one of the oldest gay bars in the City. The area is sleazy as hell nowadays, but still worth a visit, with a number of gay bars and clubs.

 

[SilverRRCloud]

Lots of good info here.

Tell us what are you up to, and we'll tell you where to go to

SC

 

[RationalLunacy]

Blow Buddies!

 

[Yves]

Check Time Out San Francisco:
http://www.timeout.com/travel/sanfrancisco/thisweek.html

 

[sfalterego]

Got to play tour guide to a friend from Boston recently and the best stop we made was to the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory in Berkeley -- they offer free tours on an hourly basis. If you're a chocoholic, this is -the- place to go. http://www.scharffenberger.com/

 

[Swellegant]

^Oh, YESSSSS!!!! I visit Scharffen Berger frequently! I even have a t-shirt. The tour is a lot of fun, and the restaurant is fabulous. And while you're in Berkeley, you can visit Steamworks

Actually, if you're going to be in the Bay Area for any length of time, I would definitely recommend a day in Berkeley and Oakland. The UC Berkeley Campus, Telegraph Ave, the White Horse, Lake Merritt, all very fun and lots of hotties.

Too many people stick right to the city of San Francisco... but if you've got the time, and a car, go exploring all around the Bay. Lots of neat stuff everywhere.

 

[SFMusic]

If you are a bath house type person, the Water Garden in San Jose http://www.thewatergarden.com/ is worth a trip.

Of course I haven't been there since long before I got married, but I hear a fun time can still be had, in a clean and safe environment.

 

[kevin7620]

So I stopped by the Castro Street Fair earlier today. It was definitely very exciting to be surrounded by so many gays (damn!)... except there were soooo few hot and twinky young guys there. Mostly daddies, muscle people, etc., which is fine and all (everyone gets old), but seriously, what happened to the twinks?

I don't think I'm into the bath house scene (I fear the twink:daddy ratio there is even smaller), but maybe there are twink-centered strip clubs or something similar in town?

 

[Zeremonie]

Got to play tour guide to a friend from Boston recently and the best stop we made was to the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory in Berkeley -- they offer free tours on an hourly basis. If you're a chocoholic, this is -the- place to go. http://www.scharffenberger.com/

That's an excellent suggestion. I love their chocolate. I also recall reading somewhere (might have been the advocate?) that the guy who started that business is openly gay.


My suggestion:
Well of course the Castro neighborhood has a lot to offer, but I would specifically suggest taking in a movie at the Castro theater. It's a neat old theater house, and for some shows there's an organist beforehand. You might catch a classic wonderful movie. ?

 

[slobone]

Well, I've never been into twinks even when I was one (whenever that was), so I'm probably the wrong person to ask. And things may have changed since I lived in the Bay Area, but I doubt it....

If you went on a trip to SF because you thought it was Twink Central, you were badly misinformed. Most of the gay men there are fully grown up. And there's a definite preponderance of leather types.

Generally you'll find that twinks dominate the bar scene in smaller towns and suburban areas. That's because most of them are either still in college, living with their parents, or just haven't ventured very far from the nest yet.

By the time they make it to the big city, they're not twinks any more.

 

[kevin7620]

LOL

I'm definitely not here in SF because I think it's "twink central", so no worries! I guess I was just surprised, that's all.

 

[Mako247]

^Oh, YESSSSS!!!! I visit Scharffen Berger frequently! I even have a t-shirt. The tour is a lot of fun, and the restaurant is fabulous. And while you're in Berkeley, you can visit Steamworks

.

sadly SB was bought by Hersheys, so expect the quality to fall

check out the fairy building marketplace, lots of yummies.

there is also, (so I have been told) a few sexclubs, the powerexhanges, eros, macks, blowbuddies, etc. Of course I have never been...

also you MUST! try trannyshack
would never find anything like it in omaha

 

[SilverRRCloud]

I am into twinks big time. (Hope, none will sue me, here.)

Yup, there are Badlands, Club Universe, plus the Hot Latino Nights, End Up, Stud. Sunday Beer Busts at the Eagle.

I would stop short of discounting the whole of SoMa, plus the aforementioned Steamworks, Watergarden, etc.

Look, SF is located among UC, Stanford, SFSU, SFU, Art Academy (these guys are sometimes so hottt.) If you do not find a sufficient number of willing twinks with such a huge college kid population, where else to look for?

SC

 

[Zeremonie]

sadly SB was bought by Hersheys, so expect the quality to fall

When did that happen? *EEK* NO!!!! Waah! Leave me a comment or PM please, I don't want to hijack the thread. Thanks.