San Francisco Attractions
Looking for Things To Do in San Francisco Bay Area?
As much as we want you to stay at The Willows Inn when you come to San Francisco, the last thing we would suggest is that you spend your days in the inn. That’s because there are so many San Francisco attractions in and around the city, any day of the year (more than you could possibly fit into just one visit). Below is a small sampling of how you might want to spend your time while in San Francisco.
Thursday Night at the Museum
Music, creatures and cocktails 6-10 pm every Thursday night at The California Academy of Sciences.
San Francisco Opera
SF Opera 2019 2020 Season: Ernani, Partenope, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, remaining.
San Francisco Symphony
The season is in full swing. Upcoming concerts include Beethoven, Mozart & Bernstein and more.
San Francisco Jazz Center
The first US center devoted exclusively to jazz. Reviews on the music (and the venue) are melodious to say the least.
SF Museum of Modern Art
Frameline, the LGBT film festival
Frameline is the official name for the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival. It’s the largest and longest running LGBT film festival in the world.
Experience European-Style Hospitality in a San Francisco Inn
Book These San Francisco Attractions Months In Advance!
Gay Pride
June 27 & 28, 2020. All of June is Pride Month, including the Queer Arts Festival, the LGBT Frameline film festival and ending with an amazing parade and two days of celebration.
Frameline 41
June 16 – 28, 2020. Dozens of films, thousands of fans, and a few celebrities. Eleven days, four venues, and an absolute glut of gay, lesbian and trans films and more.
Folsom Street Fair
September 27, 2020. Folsom Street Fair is an annual BDSM and leather subculture street fair held in September, that caps San Francisco’s “Leather Pride Week”.
Looking for More Things To Do in San Francisco?
All About the Castro
Online guide to the Castro.
Online news and features about the Castro and the gay community at large.
Alternate city guide.
Annual San Francisco Events
These help us stay in touch.
The annual race in May across the city from the Bay to the Pacific. Some wear costumes, some wear nothing.
The first Sunday of each October the Castro becomes one big street party with bands, food, beer, great art and lots of people.
The one and only culmination to leather week usually the last Sunday in September.
Eleven days svery June. Hundreds of LGBTQ+films, thousands of fans, and a few celebrities.
All of June is Pride Month, including the Queer Arts Festival, the LGBT Frameline film festival and ending with an amazing parade and two days of celebration the last weekend of the month.
It isn’t really Christmas without attending the SFGMC annual Christmas Eve concert.
Celebrate in June with theater, dance, literary events, film, comedy and the Q Ball.
Music. Art. Food. Every August in Golden Gate Park.
Every Spring and Fall. Top names, top talent, exciting venues.
Natural and Man Made Beauty
Prepare to be awe-struck. Muir Woods is a very magical place.
The Classic Tourist Reasons
Consider reserving before you depart, if your stay will be short.
It's all natural!
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Alcatraz, The Presidio, Muir Woods, Angel Island and more are parts of this wonderful national park.
Prepare to be awe-struck. Muir Woods is a very magical place.
Fisherman's Wharf
You can walk or bike across it, or just relax at the Warming Hut in Crissy Field and enjoy looking at it.
A two-and-a-half hour walking tour of some of San Francisco's more notable Victorians.
The Shopping, Retail Therapy!
An Intellectual Mecca.
SOMA Fetish Source.
Our Favorite Restaurants
Phenomenal Indian cuisine in a lovely setting, with the most attentive service. You’ll feel like the Maharajah.
How lucky can we be? Outstanding Vietnamese cuisine, right next door! Kelly, David & Peter know how to treat us, too!
Unassuming atmosphere, but incredibly delicious popular Sichuan food. Great service, too.
It's not a restaurant, per se, but if you want amazing ice cream, this is the place. You'll probably need to take a number.
It's Francesco's dream, and you get to live it.
When we don’t have time to go the wine country, we go to Press Club. Just a few blocks down Market, but a world away.
It’s just half a block away, and that’s the BAD news! This authentic french bakery makes it impossible for us to be ‘good.’ The almond croissants are addictive, the lattes … perfect. And, the staff couldn’t be sweeter, either.
For a very special night of outstanding service, inventive seafood and a spectacular view.
Crab season or not, it’s our go to place for seafood. The best clam chowder in town!
Culture and Entertainment
Exploring new artistic forms.
One of the Western World's largest Asian collections.
The annual race in May across the city from the Bay to the Pacific. Some wear costumes, some wear nothing.
"The world's reigning male chorus."
An exciting collection, great views and a sculpture garden right next door to the Japanese Tea Garden.
The nation’s first museum devoted to GLBT history. “Our letters were burned, our names blotted out, our books censored, our love declared unspeakable, our very existence denied,” is on the wall and says it all.
Dance venues and parties.
Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum
4,000 years of art, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.
Museum of the African Diaspora
Commited to showcasing the best of the best from the Africa Diaspora.
New Conservatory Theatre Center
Theater dedicated to inspire and provoke.
Helgi Tomasson, Artistic Director.
Come see the first US performance center devoted to Jazz.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Devoted solely to 20th Century art.
Michael Tilson Thomas, Director.
What's Playing Now?
In their 43rd Season!
The nation's longest-running LGBT theatre company.
For the Jock in You!
We have a number of bike sharing options, and plenty of hills to guarantee you a great work out. When you’ve done that, you can towel off and head to the (seasonally-appropriate) park/stadium/arena and watch someone else excel in sports. And, you can even participate with some of these groups.
Causes and Organizations
The Foundation for AIDS Research
California Academy of Sciences
Newly reborn as one of the greenest museums in the world. Four story rainforest, planetarium, worlds largest artificial reef in a breathtaking space.
Merchants of Upper Market & Castro
Fighting for marriage equality.
Golden Gate Business Association
SF's gay Chamber of Commerce
Public Radio for Northern California
SF's LGBT Community Center
Spas and Erotic Exploration
EROS (San Francisco Bath House)
Just half a block away.
A Japantown getaway for men or women.
Relaxation is just a block away
Berkeley Bath House