DISTRICT 5

• World-famous since the Summer of Love, the Haight-Ashbury district walks a fine line between being a quasi-commercial '60s theme park and a socially-responsible historical institution. The pierced and the oppressed still line its streets, and independent bookstores, record shops and cafes still thrive. The argument about just exactly where Janis Joplin lived still rages on because nobody who was there back then can quite remember, man. But these days the neighborhood attracts both freaks and families, and an uneasy truce has developed. The area continues to be revitalized but a purchase here is not just a home, it's an adventure.
• Noe Valley has become one of the City's most coveted residential areas in the past few years. Artists, students, techies and urban families have fallen in love with its charming cafes and its convenient location near the 101 and 280 freeways and the Muni. The 24th street area is a haven of locally-owned shoe stores, book shops, and pubs and the Noe Valley Ministry is a popular venue for folk and world music.
• The lucky residents of the villas along the summits of the two 900-foot Twin Peaks are blessed with a spectacular view, as are most of the single-family homes and apartment buildings on the slopes.
• Glen Park is an upper middle-class neighborhood situated on the hills below Diamond Heights and south of Noe Valley, with great views of Glen Park Canyon and the Bay. The Ashbury Heights area above the Haight, which also includes Cole Valley, features revitalized Victorians nestled in homey neighborhoods with mom-and-pop cafes and shops. Joggers in Buena Vista Park on a nearby wooded hill can look down on quaint flats and baroque mansions.
• Rainbow pride flags flutter from the lightposts and windows of the Castro District, the heart of San Francisco's gay and lesbian community. In addition to the ubiquitous same-sex couples, many with children, you'll also find many of the same folks who populate the rest of the city. On a recent weekend at the landmark Castro Theater, families and tourists stood in line with drag queens, nuns and Julie Andrews lookalikes, waiting to get in to the sold-out "Sound of Music" sing-along. Castro Street, named after Mexican landowner Jose Castro, began as part of Eureka Valley, a working class community of dairy farms, bakeries, bars, and churches. During World War II, many military personnel were dishonorably discharged in the Bay Area for their sexual orientation. They sought refuge in San Francisco, known for its tolerance and diversity since the Gold Rush days. Beginning in the '60s and 70s, well-educated, middle-class white gay men were drawn to the Victorian architecture of the Castro and 18th Street area of Eureka Valley. A district and a social movement were born, and The Castro hasn't been the same since. Trevor Hailey's "Cruisin the Castro" walking tour is an excellent way to learn about the district's colorful history, from "Mayor of Castro Street" Harvey Milk's camera shop to the dozens of trendy shops, mainstream restaurants, leather bars and clubs of today.
• The landmark Mission Dolores, the oldest structure in the city, dates from 1776 and was established by Spanish Franciscans as one of 21 missions, each about a day's journey apart, on the California coast. Not far from the Mission is Dolores Park, where rebellion is the rule: dogs are allowed to run without leashes, people have been known to run (or sun) without clothes, and many a protest march has begun or finished at this popular gathering spot.