As a mom in San Jose, San Francisco is a very difficult place to visit with kids. There are wonderful places there, but you have to go through lots of awful places too.
My kids have not been through Castro, but we have driven past the strip joints on Broadway. I pretty much make jokes about it.
My kids like parts of SF, and can’t stand other parts. We always get our fill after a day up there.
Of the many times, I have been San Francisco I have never been to the Castro area, of course it was until three years ago I rode my first cable car.
I work in Hollywood and never would taker my nieces or my sister down to West Hollywood. It sucks that most people have to drive thru the homo stretch of Sta Monica just to get to the beach unless you turn to the freeway. ‘