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The Castro District - Noe
Valley - Cole Valley
THE CASTRO DISTRICT
The
Castro holds a special spot in every locals heart whether you are gay
or not! With all its' unique shops, restaurants, and oh-so-many great
areas for people watching, it's easy to get lost in gay San Francisco.
"Openly gay Castro struts its stuff with rainbow flags, parades, niche
bookstores, and bars with names like Moby Dick. It's hard to imagine
the humble roots of this now-vibrant area."*
"Today, the Castro's queer identity
is itself a tourist attraction, beckoning visitors from all over the
world."
The F Market street car runs through the heart of the Castro... "the
gayest spot on earth."
Along with some of San Francisco's best restaurants & bars, there
is also a never-ending range of shops selling, "adult accessories
sporting neon signs touting "Lube 4 Less" that tips off even the
most untrained eye to the deeply entrenched community here." sfgate.com
Points of Interest:
Harvey Milk Plaza-
Castro & Market, marked by a 20x30 ft rainbow flag, commemorates
supervisor Milk and mayor Moscone's assassination in 1978.
Pink Triangle Park and
Memorial- Market, Castro & 17th, 15 granite pillars honor
the estimated 15,000 lesbians, gays, bisexuals & trans-genders
imprisoned and killed during the Nazi era.
Castro Theatre- 429
Castro, One of the last operating 1920's movie palaces in the United
States. Shows begin with an organist at a Wurlitzer that rises from the
orchestra pit.
How to Get Here:
Take MUNI Bus- 24, 33 & Street Car F-Line
Take MUNI Underground K, L, M, T-Third to Castro Station
Cafes, Restaurants, Bars
& Shops:
The Castro Cheesery
427 Castro St.
415.552.6676
Spike's Coffee & Teas
4117 19th St.
415.626.5573
Orphan Andy's
3991 17th St.
415.864.9795
Cove Café
434 Castro St.
415.626.0462
Welcome Home
464 Castro St.
415.626.3600
Bagdad Café
2295 Market St.
415.621.4434
Sparky's
242 Church St.
415.626.8666
Cafe Flore
2298 Market St.
415.621.8579
Blue
2337 Market St.
415.863.2583
Lime
2247 Market St.
415.621.5256
Mecca
2029 Market St.
415.621.7000
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2223 Restaurant and
Bar
2223 Market St.
415.431.0692
Gelateria Naia
451 Castro St.
415.864.6670
Sweet Inspiration
2239 Market St.
415.621.8664
A Different Light Bookstore
489 Castro St
Aardvark
227 Church St
Streetlight Records
2350 Market St.
Rolo
2351 Market St.
Citizen
536 Castro St.
Clobba boutiques
587 Castro St.
2265 Market St.
Injeanious
432 Castro St
415.864.1434
Worn Out West
582 Castro St.
415.431.6020
Gallery Flux
4092 18th St.
415.863.5892
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NOE VALLEY
What was once a Mexican farmland, now houses affluent young
professionals and families in beautiful Victorian and Edwardian homes.
There are great restaurants, shops and people watching! "Noe Valley is
a neighborhood of contradictions.
It's home to both liberals and conservatives, it has attracted the
working class, dot.com millionaires, Hollywood film crews ("Sister
Act," "Nash Bridges"), and, in the 1970s, followers of controversial
Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh." sfgate.com
"Most traffic runs along 24th St & up Church, where locals linger
over brunch or stroll the modest shopping strip."*
Points of Interest:
Twin Peaks-(Twin
Peaks Blvd.) This is the cities 2nd highest hill. It gives you views of
the entire city including the Golden Gate Bridge and the ever-beautiful
skyline. It gets CHILLY up there quick- especially when the fog rolls
in! So don't forget a jacket and your camera!
The Golden Fire Hydrant-(20th
& Church across from Mission Dolores Park) This was the only fire
hydrant to not "go dry" during the 1906 post-earthquake fires. It gets
a ceremonial fresh coat of gold paint every April 18th.
Noe Valley Ministry-
(1021 Sanchez St.) A 110 year-old Victorian landmark hosts the Noe
Valley Music Series annually since 1981, has the local Farmers Market
every Saturday and is the home to a plethora of community events and
music performances.
Seward Street Slides-
These
concrete slides are a
locals' favorite, are free and are open from 9-5pm everyday. However,
they are pretty well hidden, as Seward St. is not a main street. It is
just off Douglass between 19th and
20th and is worth the trek to get here...TRUST ME! There is usually
cardboard on the side for you to use, but try to bring your own just in
case.
How to Get Here:
Take MUNI Bus- 24, 35, 37, 48
Take MUNI Underground- J Church line
Cafes, Restaurants, Bars
& Shops:
Firefly
4288 24th St.
415.821.7652
Chloe's Cafe
1399 Church St.
415.648.4116
Lovejoy's Tea Room
1351 Church St.
415.648.5895
Mitchell's Ice Cream
688 San Jose Ave.
415.648.2300
Pomelo
1793 Church St.
415.285.2257
Barney's
4138 24th St.
415.282.7770
Incanto
1550 Church (at Duncan Street)
415.641.4500
24th Street Cheese Company
3893 24th St.
415.821.6658
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Nisa
3789 24th St.
415.920.9149
Phoenix Books
3850 24th St.
415.821.3477
Wink SF
4107 24th St.
415.401.8881
The Ark Toy Company
3845 24th St.
415.821.1257
Peek-a-Bootique
1306 Castro St.
415.641.6192
Just for Fun/Scribbledoodles
3982 24th St.
415.285.4068
Global Exchange
4018 24th St.
415.648.8068
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COLE VALLEY
"Step over the southern boundary of Haight St. and the world matures.
Young families, nine-to-fivers, and a sprinkling of students fill
side-by-side rows of houses. But Cole Valley's main draw is its lineup
of inviting cafes and restaurants, a tranquil respire from the weekend
throngs of the Haight."
Point of Interest:
Tank Hill- Cole
Valley offers dramatic views of the city atop 600-foot-high Tank Hill
(above Twin Peaks), named for an old water tank stationed there in the
late 1800s. The eucalyptus trees there were planted after the attack on
Pearl Harbor to hide the water tank from bombers.
To get to the hill's summit and panoramic viewpoint, walk up Shrader
Street to Belgrave Street and turn left, taking it to the end.
How to Get Here:
Take MUNI Bus Lines- 6, 37, 43
Take MUNI Underground N-Judah line to Carol & Cole
Cafes, Restaurants, Bars
& Shops:
Say Cheese
856 Cole St.
415.665.5020
EOS Restaurant & Wine Bar
901 Cole St.
415.566.3063
Hama-Ko Sushi Restaurant
108B Carl St.
415.753.6808
Kezar Bar & Restaurant
900 Cole St.
415.681.7678
Grandeho's Kamekyo
943 Cole St.
415.759.8428
Zazie
941 Cole St.
415.564.5332
Bambino's Ristorante
945 Cole St.
415.731.1343
Crepes on Cole
100 Carl St.
415.644.1800
Reverie Cafe
848 Cole St.
415.242.0200
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Boulange de Cole
Valley
1000 Cole St.
415.242.2442
Val de Cole
906 Cole St.
415.566.1808
The Sword and Rose
85 Carl St.
415.681.5434
The Shop
113 Carl St.
415.661.7467
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy
925 Cole St.
415.661.1216
Occasions Gifts Bath & Body Boutique
858 Cole St.
415.731.0153
Cole Valley Antiques
90 Parnassus Ave.
415.504.7884
Egg + Urban Mercantile
85 Carl St.
415.564.2248
Finnegan's Wake
937 Cole St.
415.731.6119
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