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The funky Haight-Asbury neighborhood, or the Haight, as it is affectionately referred to by San Francisco locals, is famous for its 1968 Summer of Love, when young people from across the country came to the Haight to be a part of the new counter-culture movement of the time. Flower power, peace and love, headbands, long hair and love beads, all represented the hippie culture evolving in San Francisco in the 1960s. Prior to that now famous Summer of Love, young people came to San Francisco to take part in a "Be-In", that was held at the Golden Gate Park, with bands performing such as, The Grateful dead and Jefferson Airplane, and hippie gurus, Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary speaking to the crowd.

Visiting the Haight neighborhood today still offers plenty reminders of the former hippie period, with incense shops, Grateful Dead t-shirts and used record stores. The Haight neighborhood is bordered by Masonic and Stanyan Streets, with Golden Gate Park at the end of the upper Haight area. Many visitors find the area dirty and are put off by the hordes of homeless people that congregate by Golden Gate Park. Add vacant eyed street kids and panhandlers to the mix, and that pretty much sums up the Haight neighborhood for many tourists. Some sections of the Haight neighborhood though, offer nicer restaurants and shops such as the popular Caribbean restaurant, Cha! Cha! Cha!, but for those visitors who are in search of remnants from the hippie era there are still some landmarks to see. The famous Grateful Dead House, where members of this popular band with a cult like following lived in the 1960s, can be found at 710 Asbury Street. If you want to visit the famous Haight-Ashbury intersection, it is still there of course, and now features a Ben and Jerry ice cream store.

For some real hippie ambience, try visiting some of the used clothing and vinyl record stores. Aardvark's Odd Ark, carries all sorts of used clothing from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The Groove Merchant and Recycled Records, sells old vinyl and 45 records, that harkens back to the days of album covers and turntables. Noc Noc and the Mad Dog in the Fog are popular nightclubs that might be worth a visit. The Toronado, is a well-known hippie "dive bar" that may also be worth a visit to get a little taste of the motorcycle gang, hippie, Haight vibe. After all that grimy counter-culture touring you may want to pay a visit to lovely Buena Vista Park, to enjoy a respite in San Francisco's oldest public park.

How to get to Haight-Asbury: Bus 6,7,33,37,43, streetcar N


Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco



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