Rainbow Rendezvous

Enjoy a meal and drinks at three historic gay pubs.

Theme
Food & Drink
Location
The Castro, San Francisco
Duration
4 hours
Designer
Barry Pickard

Experience

Start your tour by enjoying a drink at Midnight Sun, a bar which opened more than 40 years ago and has become a mainstay of The Castro. By now you will be ready for an American classic dish at Orphan Andy’s, a well loved dinner which is open 24 hours in The Castro district just a few minutes walk from your first stop. Once your tummy is full, go next door to the Twin Peaks Tavern for a refreshing beverage of your choice. While sipping your drink, pay close attention to the wide windows. In the mid-1970’s, the curtains were drawn back for the first time, allowing passersby to see inside, which became a significant moment in the gay pride movement. Hail a robotaxi and take a ride to The Cinch Saloon in the Polk Gulch area, the original LGBTQ area in San Francisco. This may be the only one gay bar left on Polk Street, but it is thought to be the second oldest such bar in the city. So enjoy the drinks and soak up the quirkly ambiance of this Star Wars-themed bar. Once your thirst has been satiated, walk a few doors down and grab a sweet treat from Hot Cookie. This LGTBQ owned bakery is famous for its rudely shaped cookies. Take a bite...you know you want to!

Route

Midnight Sun

A mainstay of The Castro scene, Midnight Sun welcomes a mixed crowd to its black-box video bar.

Orphan Andy’s Restaurant

An institution since 1975, Orphan Andy’s is a piece of the city’s history, known for their classic American comfort food, from hearty breakfasts to mouthwatering burgers.

Twin Peaks Tavern

Historic gay bar serving cocktails and beers.

Robotaxi

Take a robotaxi from the Twin Peaks Tavern to The Cinch Saloon.

The Cinch Saloon

A Star Wars themed dive bar, the last gay bar in San Francisco’s original gay area of Polk Gultch.

Hot Cookie

A delightful gay owned bakery that caters for both your sweet tooth and your sense of humor, well loved for its naughty themed cookies and merchandise.

Practicalities

  • We are not affiliated with any taxi booking platforms. Book & pay for your taxis directly (we will tell you when)

About

This route was designed by Barry Pickard in collaboration with Autoura.

Barry Pickard

Specialising in European and North American destinations, as well as a number of other countries around the world, I have designed self-guided tours for city based visits; multi-stop road trips; family, group and couples vacations; as well as themed excursions. Experienced in designing walking tours, driving tours and robotaxi experiences. A history graduate, with a great eye for detail, my passion for travel and research has found its apogee in designing fun, interesting and thoughtful trips

https://www.tailormadeitineraries.com/