Seems cool when I've been there.

ahaa

Colorful, '60s time warp. Wear your dirtiest, weirdest clothes if you want to fit in with the natives.

I went to a party one time in the Castro district, but that was years ago. I don't remember it being especially one trait or the other.

Always lively!

The Castro is now known as the home of the G/L/TG community in San Francisco (the previous home was the Polk Street Gulch). It's a lively place.

Newsflash for the ignorance brigade - Castro was named many decades before Fidel was even born. SF also has Noriega and Ortega streets. Of course, the big controversy a few years ago was changing the name of Army Street to Ceasar Chavez street. We also have a Lech Walesa Street. I lived near the Castro for the first half of the 90s. Though I'm not gay I engjoyed it then, but I noticed on my last visit that many of the local businesses had been replaced by chains. Doesn't have the same feel. It's almost a themed tourist attraction, like Fisherman's Warf.

the district is named after a communist... nuff said.

Great. Not only do you have a street bearing the name of one of the most hated leaders in history (Granted, it wasn't really named after him. However, that's what everybody thinks of when they hear that name.), but then it's mostly filled with queers flirting with each other. People participating in acts that are unnatural and against the laws of nature. It makes you wanna puke. I wonder if Castro has even seen that Simpsons episode yet.

San Francisco wouldn't be San Francisco without the Castro. As the gay center of the universe, the Castro is like no other place. The gay flag is everywhere, well dressed gay boys flirt, fight, and chat with each other, and people spill out of the neighborhood's restaurants and bars. For those from out of town, the Castro will be an eye opening experience - even better if you happen to be in the area for the neighborhood's Halloween celebration - it is like nothing else you will ever see...

Wonderful place to live and shop in the center of the city. Corona Heights, a few blocks away, and nearby Twin Peaks, are beautiful areas, with lots of greenery and well-cared-for little houses. The Castro is a great place to shop with good bars and restaurants, unique shops, friendly people, and of course their supercool annual street fair. The area is always active and wonderful for people watching, especially from the Twin Peaks bar on the corner of 18th and Castro. The MUNI underground is very fast from downtown, but you can also ride the brightly colored renovated old Market Street streetcars to and from the area.