Located in Northern California on the San Francisco Bay, San Francisco is an incredible city with beautiful Victorian homes, a scenic waterfront, and lively energy. It’s well known for the famous Golden Gate Bridge, charming cable cars, and Fisherman’s Wharf, but it’s also home to a thriving gay community, historic hippie culture, beautiful park space, and many eclectic neighbourhoods. San Francisco is such a unique city, and there is so much to do and see. If you’re looking for a lesbian friendly destination in the United States that has beaches, city life, interesting history, and diverse culture, keep reading for our lesbian guide to San Francisco!
What To Do
Snap Photos of the Iconic Golden Gate Bridge
This famous architectural masterpiece is an absolute must-see in San Francisco. You can walk, bike, or drive across the bridge, and the views from both sides are stunning. Our favourite view points are from the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Centre where you can get up nice and close, and from Baker Beach, which is the perfect spot to watch the sunset and get some gorgeous photos of the bridge.
Explore Golden Gate Park
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is huge, and has so much to see and explore. It’s a great place to go for a run or hike, take a scenic walk, enjoy the beautiful gardens, visit the museums and galleries, have a picnic, and do some great people watching. The park stretches all the way to the beach on one side, and to the Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood on the other. You can spend plenty of time here and it’s definitely an important staple in San Francisco!
Chill in Haight-Ashbury
The Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood of San Francisco is the spot to experience some historic hippie vibes. This is where the hippie counterculture was born in the 1960’s, and today it’s a fun mix of vintage clothing shops, record stores, independent boutiques, bookstores, and quirky cafes and restaurants. Sitting on the edge of Golden Gate Park, it’s certainly worth taking the time to stroll through The Haight and soak up the unique energy of this historic neighbourhood.
Eat and Drink in the Mission District
If you’re looking for a cool hipster vibe, be sure to explore San Francisco’s Mission District. Rooted in Latin culture, this neighbourhood is full of classic taquerias, and trendy eateries. Explore this area and along with amazing eats, you’ll find incredible street art in Clarion Alley and Balmy Alley, as well as the best view of the city skyline from Dolores Park.
Visit Fisherman’s Wharf
On San Francisco’s northern waterfront sits the very popular Fisherman’s Wharf. While it is a busy tourist area, it’s worth a visit to see beautiful views of Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay, and Alcatraz Island (the famous prison turned museum). Another highlight is the colony of sea lions that collects on Pier 39 to sunbathe.
Explore Chinatown
Located near the waterfront and on the edge of the financial district, is San Francisco’s Chinatown. Full of authentic eateries and bustling shops, it’s a great spot to explore and maybe catch a street festival!
Admire the Painted Ladies
San Francisco is full of beautiful Victorian Homes, and the Painted Ladies are a row of houses that have become very iconic. They sit on Steiner St. and can be viewed best from Alamo Square Park. You might recognize them from various film and television appearances, including Full House! (For Full House fans, you can also visit the Full House home, which is nearby on Broderick St. and is now owned by the show’s creator, Jeff Franklin!)
Show Your Pride in the Castro District
If you’re looking for the heart of gay culture in San Francisco, you need to head to The Castro! This area is overflowing with gay bars and clubs, and is also home to the GLBT Historic Museum, the Human Rights Campaign Action Centre and Store, and the Rainbow Honor Walk, a memorial tribute to noteable LGBTQ+ people. This neighbourhood is booming with gay history and culture, and cannot be missed.
Weave Down Lombard Street
Near Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street is a famous hill in San Fran with a steep incline and numerous hair pin turns. The views from the top are absolutely gorgeous, and makes it a popular spot for tourists to come and walk or drive down it.
Shop at Union Square
In downtown San Francisco, Union Square is a large public plaza at the centre of the city’s shopping and theatre district. Surrounded by many hotels and inns, it’s a popular spot for tourists, and is full of boutiques, gift shops, and department stores. If you’re looking for the cosmopolitan heart of San Francisco, be sure to visit Union Square.
Ride the Historic Street Trolleys
San Francisco is famous for its cable cars that run on three routes in the city. The Powell-Mason line, and the Powell-Hyde line both start/end in and around Fisherman’s Wharf, and are a great way to see some of the iconic San Fran spots. If you don’t want to wait in line, watching them go by is fun too!
Along with the iconic cable cars, San Francisco has a fleet of antique street cars that run on it’s municipal rail lines around the city. With a collection of trolleys from all over the world, the most well known vintage vehicles run along Market Street and The Embarcadero. You can ride the route from The Castro all the way to the famous ferry building, and along The Embarcadero to Fisherman’s Wharf. Or if you’d just like to catch a glimpse of these historic street cars, keep an eye out when you’re along the route!
See the AIDS Memorial Quilt
If you’re interested in LGBTQ+ history, the NAMES Project Memorial AIDS Quilt is being displayed in San Francisco until the end of 2019. The quilt was constructed as a memorial in celebration of the lives that have been lost to the AIDS pandemic. It’s the largest piece of community folk art in the world, and can be seen at the San Francisco Grace Cathedral through the end of the year.
Enjoy all the Green Space
San Francisco is home to so many beautiful park spaces. Aside from well known Golden Gate Park, other noteworthy spots include The Presidio, Twin Peaks, the Japanese Tea Garden, Crissy Field, Mission Dolores Park, and the San Francisco Botanical Garden.
Take a Day Trip to Monterey Bay
South of San Francisco on California’s central coast, sits Monterey Bay. With Santa Cruz on it’s North end, the city of Monterey on the South end, and Carmel-by-the-Sea in neighbouring Carmel Bay, this region has so much to offer. Known for it’s beautiful scenery and welcoming communities, Monterey is a really amazing spot to visit with gorgeous beaches, stunning coastlines, charming towns, and so much natural beauty. If you’re looking for a little getaway from the city that has laid back beach vibes and spectacular coastal views, click here for our lesbian guide to Monterey Bay!
Raffinee’s Family Friendly Recommendations
Not only is San Francisco a great city to visit alone or as a couple, it’s also an amazing destination for families! We asked our friend and fellow blogger Raffinee for her top ten family friendly spots and activities in San Fran, and she gave us her list to share with you! Raffinee and her wife Michaela are Bay Area locals, and moms to three toddlers born 7.5 months apart. They put together a list of some amazing things to do in San Francisco with little ones. For more LGBTQ+ family content, check out Raffinee’s blog Raff Out Loud, and follow her on Instagram.
Top Ten Family Friendly Spots & Activities in San Francisco
- Baker Beach – We love this one for its easy beach access, amazing views of the Golden Gate, and the fact that it’s dog friendly! Definitely our favourite beach in the city hands down!
- Dolores Park – A super fun park in the heart of the city with lots to keep the little ones busy, including some really long and big slides! Fun fact: Dolores Park is also known as Gay Beach, and during Pride it gets packed with people celebrating! It also offers a great view of the city from on top of the hill!
- The Presidio – an awesome place to have a picnic with the family with Bay views! Then you can rent a bike from Sports Basement and cross the Golden Gate!
- The Ferry Building – A great indoor marketplace buzzing with unique finds, coffee, and all different kinds of delicious food!
- The Sea Lions at Pier 39 – This is seasonal, but if you can catch them it’s a must! It’s so fun to watch them plop in the water only to climb back up again. Our kids get a kick out of it every time!
- Ferry to Sausalito – Sometimes it’s fun to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and head to the other side of the Bay! Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge is great too, but taking the ferry is a whole experience on its own, and offers unique views of the city and the bridge.
- Civic Center Playground – This is a relatively new, super funky play space in the Civic Center. It’s awesome!
- Ocean Beach – A beautiful long stretch of open beach. We love grabbing food to go from the delicious vegan place Judahlicious, and taking it to the beach to watch the waves!
- Philz Coffee – This isn’t a family friendly activity, but let’s be honest, parents need their coffee! You can’t visit San Fran without grabbing a Philz. The Mint Mojito is our favourite!
- San Francisco Pride – I can’t not mention Pride in San Fran! It happens in June, and it’s one of our favourite events to attend with our kids in the city! So much colour, so much happiness, and SO MUCH LOVE!
Where to Stay
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing where to stay during a visit to San Francisco. Depending on how you’ll be getting around (keep reading for tips on transit around San Fran), what you plan to do and see, and what kind of experience you’re looking for, there are a lot of great options! Keep in mind that accommodations in San Francisco are very expensive. If you have a car to explore the city, consider staying further outside the city centre to lower your accommodation costs. If you’ll be getting around by city transit, you’ll want to stay somewhere more central and can look out for a good deal. Our go-to platforms for booking travel accommodations are Hotels.com and Airbnb. San Francisco has tons of hotel options in all price ranges, and Hotels.com has great prices as well as an excellent rewards program. For every ten nights you book, you get one night free. Airbnb also offers good accommodation options in a city like San Francisco, and you’ll likely get a lot more for your money going this route. With beautiful rooms in Victorian homes, quirky artist spaces, and cozy garden studios, you can find a lot of unique spaces in the city. This also gives you more of a local’s perspective, and can be the perfect way to experience San Francisco. If you’ve never used Airbnb, you can click here to save on your first stay.
To find the best neighbourhood to stay in, it all depends on what you’re looking for. For the best gay vibes in the city, you can stay in the famous Castro District or the trendy Mission District, and for a laid back gay friendly spot, try the more residential neighbourhood of Bernal Heights. For all the hippie feels you’ll want to stay in Haight-Ashbury, and for something more cosmopolitan, try something near Union Square. If you want to be in the bustling tourist area, opt to stay by Fisherman’s Wharf and the Marina, or the charming North Beach neighbourhood. If you’re super outdoorsy, you might choose something near the Presidio, or Golden Gate Park. San Francisco is overflowing with amazing districts and neighbourhoods, all with unique things to discover. Consider your travel style and what you hope to get out of your stay in the city, and you’ll be able to choose the perfect spot for you.
Where to Eat & Drink
One of the amazing things about San Francisco, is how multicultural the food scene is. The city caters to a lot of different dietary needs, and includes many different cuisines, sure to satisfy every foodie! While you’re exploring the different neighbourhoods in San Fran, be sure to check out the unique culinary offerings in every corner of the city. The Mission District is the spot to find amazing Mexican and Latin American food, our favourite being Gracias Madre, a vegan Mexican restaurant. Haight-Ashbury is where you should go for quirky cafes and great plant based options including VeganBurg. The Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar is an absolute must for Japanese cuisine, as is Ananda Fuara on Market Street for new age vegetarian. You can find plenty of amazing Asian and Asian Fusion restaurants, our faves being Indochine Vegan in the Mission, Golden Era in Mid-Market, and The Lucky Creation in Chinatown. Scattered around the city are tons of health conscious cafes serving nourishing food, like Judahlicious near Ocean Beach, Vegan Picnic near the Marina District, and Nourish Cafe near the Presidio. Greens Restaurant is the place to go for a beautiful waterfront dining experience, and an excellent veg menu. There’s definitely something for everyone, and so much to discover in the San Fran food scene. Be sure to branch out and try something new, and you won’t be disappointed! The same thing goes for great spots to grab a drink in the city. Keep reading for some great gay and gay-friendly bars, and be sure to check out some of San Francisco’s many craft breweries, like Black Hammer Brewing, Cellarmaker Brewing, Harmonic Brewing, Anchor Public Taps, Barrel Head Brewhouse, Barebottle Brewing Company, Standard Deviant Brewing, Triple Voodoo Brewery, Seven Stills, and more.
Lesbian Friendly
One of the truly amazing things about San Francisco, is how diverse and LGBTQ+ friendly it is. There are so many gay and gay-friendly establishments, and the whole city is very welcoming of the community. San Fran is definitely one of the most gay-friendly cities we’ve ever visited in our travels, and it’s a big reason why we love it so much! The state of California is progressive, open minded, welcoming of travellers, and quite LGBTQ+ friendly as a whole. They are seen as one of the most liberal states in the US when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, and they have been leaders in the fight for equality on numerous occasions. California was the first state to legalize same-sex domestic partnerships in 1999, and they legalized same-sex marriage for the first time in 2008, and again in 2013 after the ban was lifted. The state has legally banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and same-sex couples have equal marriage rights, and equal access to family planning. California has also banned conversation therapy on minors, and public schools are required to teach LGBTQ+ history in their curriculum. All of this makes California very progressive, and much of it is thanks to the gay liberation movement that started in San Francisco in the 1970s. After the New York Stonewall riots in 1969, people started organizing in San Fran to promote gay rights and fight for equality. What is now the San Francisco Pride celebration, traces back to 1972 when the first Gay Liberation Day Parade took place. Today, San Francisco is considered one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ communities on the globe. It is often referred to as the original gay-friendly city, because of its integral part in the history of LGBTQ+ activism.
We have always felt very welcomed as a lesbian couple in San Francisco. There is never any hesitation to show affection to one another in public, or be open about our relationship. The city feels like a gay paradise, and is bursting with Pride from every corner. While the gay heart of the city is in The Castro, this neighbourhood can definitely be more male dominated. That being said it’s still very inclusive of the entire community and entirely worth checking out. Other popular neighbourhoods for lesbian women in San Fran are the Mission District, as well as Bernal Heights. Similar to other cities, San Francisco doesn’t have any specifically lesbian bars, after the main lesbian establishment closed down within the past couple years. There are however, lesbian events that happen weekly and monthly in the city at different venues, including 13 Licks, Mango, and UHAUL. There’s even a Meetup Group for San Francisco Lipstick Lesbians! Other lesbian friendly spots in the city include Wild Side West in Bernal Heights, Twin Peaks Tavern in The Castro, El Rio in the Mission District, QBar in The Castro, Toad Hall in The Castro, and The Cafe in The Castro. San Francisco is definitely a city where lesbian travellers can feel safe and accepted. There is so much gay history and gay culture to be appreciated, and a lot of safe spaces to go and be around other lesbian women.
How to Get Around
If you’re staying in a central spot in San Francisco, it’s best to leave the car behind. Parking fees at San Fran hotels are extremely high, and it’s definitely possible to navigate the city without driving. If you do plan to drive, day parking can be tricky to find sometimes, but there are many spots around the city that offer free street parking. We usually prefer to explore on foot, but we took a car on our last visit to San Fran and found we were able to cover a lot of ground. There are a lot of different ways to explore San Francisco, so you can choose whichever suits you best.
On Foot
San Francisco is very hilly, so walking between different areas isn’t ideal. That being said, when you’re exploring a neighbourhood, the best way to see it fully is on foot. Spots like Haight-Ashbury, The Castro, and the Mission District, are full of quirky shops and great cafes, and strolling the streets is the best way to experience the culture first hand.
Public Transportation
The main public transportation service in San Francisco is Muni. Muni includes transit buses, light rail, streetcars, and the iconic San Francisco cable cars. Muni provides great options for getting around while you’re in the city, but they don’t provide service in and out of San Francisco. If you’re paying with cash, adult fares will cost $2.75, but if you use the MuniMobile app, or a clipper card, they’re only $2.50. With the MuniMobile app, you can purchase tickets ahead of time using a credit card online, which makes taking transit very convenient. If you plan to use other public transportation in the Bay Area, getting a clipper card might be a good option, because you can use the same card for all Bay Area public transit networks including Muni, Bart, Cal Train, City Coach, San Francisco Bay Ferry, and others. The clipper card costs $3, but is definitely worth it if you plan on using transit networks other than Muni. The SFMTA is a great resource if you want an in-depth look at getting around San Fran and the Bay Area.
Ride Share
Lyft and Uber are very popular in the city, and are great supplemental transportation options. Since parking can be hard to find, hopping in and out of a ride share can save you a lot of time. San Francisco even has a ride share called Homobile, a non-profit organization that offers transit for the LGBTQ+ community on a donation basis. How cool is that!?
Bike Share
San Francisco has a bike share network called GoBike. GoBike is a docked bike share system, and has bikes all over the city. If you’re brave enough to tackle those San Fran hills, or want to take a ride down Lombard St, then GoBike is a great option! One way rides start at $2, and you can even pay using your clipper card. If you want to give your legs a break, you can opt for the GoBike Plus, which is a pedal assist electric bike!
Has anyone else fallen in love with San Francisco? Let us know in the comments!
