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San Francisco
A Pacific Pride Road Trip
- Route distance:
- 808 km
- Suggested Time:
- 1-2 weeks
Sunny Days and Star-Studded Nights Along California’s Pacific Coast Highway
San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco are all hotbeds for California Pride celebrations come summer. And while you won’t be able to hit all the festivities in a row — each festival takes place at different times throughout summer — you can mix-and-match LGBTQ-friendly destinations along Pacific-hugging Highway 1, better known as the Pacific Coast Highway, to extend your stay in the West Coast sun. Here, we start in San Diego and cruise north along the coast to the iconic city by the bay, San Francisco, but you could easily reverse the order — or start in the middle.
San Francisco
Your journey ends in the Golden Gate City, known as one of the most progressive cities in the U.S., in part because of its legacy as a beacon for gay rights. Much of that history is seen across the Castro neighborhood at destinations like the GLBT Historical Society Museum, which chronicles 100 years of local history. Nearby, a visit to the Castro Theatre is like stepping back in time to 1922, the year it was built. A historic landmark, the ornate theater has an epic art-deco chandelier and regularly hosts screenings, singalongs and special performances.
While in town, hop a cable car and set out to explore icons like the bustling Fisherman’s Wharf waterfront district and the rambling Victorian mansions of Nob Hill and the Mission District. Once night falls, don’t miss Martuni’s, which serves stiff drinks that can be sipped around a piano while patrons sing Broadway show tunes and pop classics. And no trip to San Francisco is complete without a dinner at Zuni Cafe. The cozy restaurant serves a roasted chicken for two that is a famed dish in this culinary capital.