Sehenswürdigkeiten in San Francisco

Gay attractions in San Francisco almost inevitably lead you to the Castro, the neighborhood that stands for the queer history of the USA like no other. At the entrance is Harvey Milk Plaza, named after the civil rights activist and first openly gay elected politician in California, who was murdered in 1978. Above it, a huge rainbow flag flies on a high pole, visible from afar and an official landmark of the city since 2024. The rainbow flag itself was designed in San Francisco in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, inspired by Harvey Milk, and has become a worldwide symbol from here.

Just across the street is Pink Triangle Park, the first permanent memorial in the U.S. to the homosexual victims of Nazi persecution, with fifteen granite columns in the shape of a triangle. Delve deeper into history at the GLBT History Museum, the country's first standalone queer history museum that showcases a century of San Francisco through posters, photos, and memorabilia. Also worth seeing is the Castro Theatre, an old movie palace cinema that dominates the streetscape. The highlight of the year is San Francisco Pride: In 2026, the parade will move through Market Street from the Embarcadero to the Civic Center on Sunday, June 28, with a big party on the weekend and free admission. The following places will take you to the most important stations.