San Francisco has been known as a cradle of tolerance for the area’s lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender individuals. Large numbers of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals congregate in the city to experience the unique Los Angeles gay travel experience. Numerous heterosexual tourists also visit many of these culturally and historically significant LGBT attractions as they are intriguing and also provide insight into a social group that is not often talked about.
A notable homosexual quarter is Castro District, steeply inclined streets and brightly hued Victorian houses give this area a distinctly San Franciscan look. Popularly known as the Castro, it is a series of imaginative boutiques and stores that ply a variety of novelty items. Built in 1922 the Castro Theater survives as one of the last grand movie palaces and was named as a city landmark due to its Spanish architecture, featuring revivals and pre-film concerts on the mighty Wurlitzer. Also of note are Harvey Milk Plaza, dedicated to one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., and Pink Triangle Park, a memorial to 15,000 lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender Holocaust victims.
The Yerba Arts Contemporary Arts centre is a part of the Yerba Gardens complex and represents the artworks of a number of LGBT artistes. To date, the exciting array of exhibitions, screenings, and performances have featured a variety of artists, from Pomo Afro Homos to the Stephen Petronio dance company and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.
A large number of ethnically flavored gay bars and clubs are concentrated in the Polk Gulch district. This area is also known to attract “Drag Queens” and transsexuals that frequent the nightspots. Polk Gulch was the centre of San Francisco’s LGBT activity during the 1940’s after the Second World War when they started to integrate into mainstream society in the city, even today some of the old history is still left to be seen.
A number of hotels in San Francisco can be found located around these areas and they offer accommodation in varying levels of comfort and refinement. San Francisco hotels have a non discriminatory policy towards it clientele and offer comfortable accommodation for all.