San Francisco Queer Women’s History Tour: From Activism to Nightlife

Breifly About the Tour:

A Castro-to-Mission walking tour celebrating the lesbian and queer women who shaped SF—from feminist cafés and political campaigns to art, nightlife, and sex-positive spaces.

More About the Tour:

Discover the powerful, untamed, and unforgettable legacy of San Francisco’s lesbian and queer women on this walking tour from the Castro to the Mission. Starting in the historic heart of the LGBTQ+ movement and ending in the once-vibrant “Lesbihood” of Valencia Street, this tour celebrates the community builders, political pioneers, nightlife queens, entrepreneurs, and feminist firebrands who shaped the city block by block.

Walk in the footsteps of lesbian and queer trailblazers—from the then-identified lesbian political strategist who helped elect Harvey Milk to the organizers, activists, artists, and cultural visionaries who defeated anti-LGBTQ propositions and transformed Bay Area politics. Along the way, you’ll step into legendary queer spaces like The Lexington Club, the Women’s Building, Dolores Park Café, Mission Dolores Park, and Good Vibrations, exploring how queer women claimed space, built movements, and redefined the city’s cultural pulse.

This is more than a history tour—it’s a celebration of the women and gender-expansive people who’ve made San Francisco radical, resilient, and unapologetically queer.

✨ Some of the figures you’ll meet along the way include:

Trailblazing activists & political powerhouses:
• Phyllis Lyon & Del Martin
• Pat Norman
• Kate Kendell

• Jackie Fielder

Cultural creators & community builders:
• Franco Stevens (Curve Magazine)
• Jewelle Gomez (The Gilda Stories)
Icons of queer performance & visibility:
• Margaret Cho

• Marga Gomez

• Silvia Vásquez-Lavado

Early pioneers who shaped San Francisco’s queer legacy:
• Lillian Palmer, master blacksmith
• Emily Williams, groundbreaking architect

✨ Perfect for: Solo travelers, history lovers, LGBTQIA+ folks, feminist locals and visitors, and anyone curious about women’s and gender-expansive people’s history.

💡 No special skills required: This tour is made for curious locals and travelers — no special knowledge or athletic ability needed. You don’t have to be a historian, activist, or even a big walker to enjoy this — just come as you are.

About Your Tour Guide:

Meet your guide, Heather Cassell—a San Francisco Bay Area native, queer feminist, award-winning journalist, travel writer, and lifelong storyteller. With 30+ years covering politics, LGBTQ+ rights, gender equity, and travel, Heather brings deep research, lived knowledge, and unforgettable narrative flair to every tour.

💬 Questions before booking? Whether you have accessibility needs, want to know more about the route, or simply prefer to chat with a human before committing, we’re here for you. Drop us a message at 415-517-7239 — we’re happy to help.

🎧 Ask about self-guided and virtual options if you can’t join us in person!

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