Cheap hotels in Castro, San Francisco

Tucked at the base of Twin Peaks, between stroller-strewn Noe Valley and the free-lovin’ Haight, the Castro earned its stripes as America’s most famous gay neighborhood during the political activism of the 1960s and ‘70s. These days, the district that started out as a sleepy suburb called “Eureka Valley” is a beating political and cultural heart—and one of San Francisco’s sassiest and most welcoming ‘hoods. Here, stylish shops and hip eateries keep company with racy window displays and a bustling nightlife scene.

A must-see stop is the Castro Theater, famous for its Moorish-meets-art-deco design and “Mighty Wurlitzer Organ” that provides the soundtrack to many a lively sing-a-long. But amid the action, the neighborhood somehow maintains a bit of an old-fashioned feel. The historic “F-line” streetcars begin their journey here, and just off the buzzing main drags are surprisingly hushed side streets, lined with trees and some of the city’s most striking Victorian homes.