The "City by the Bay" is one of the world’s most panoramic, open and vibrant, attracting millions of tourists each year. Gay San Francisco is absolutely integral to that well-deserved reputation, integrated into every aspect of the city’s life, from nightlife to politics to fashion to construction.

And gay life is hardly limited geographically to the Castro; you’ll find gay people everywhere. Gay bars, restaurants and business are sprinkled through many of the city’s neighborhoods.

The bar/club scene here is incredibly diverse in age, race and interests. Whereas once the Castro was dominated by middle-class white men, today it is ever bit as latin, asian and even African-American.

The transgender community has a special place here, and difference is honored as perhaps nowhere and no time else. There’s a large leather & "bear" community, a number of places for the younger club/party boys & girls to dance, and a variety of neighborhood and video bars where crowds mix liberally.

It’s the special kind of place where a queer Silicon Valley billionaire and a recent gay immigrant with little more than a job might socialize in the same bar and think nothing of the difference. Truly San Francisco earns its reputation as the cool, gray city of love.