Schedule a Visit to San Francisco’s Castro Theater for a Unique Bay Area Experience

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on June 6, 2014

If you’re the type of moviegoer who longs for the days when the movie theater itself was an important part of the movie-watching experience, then you should definitely plan on attending at least one showing at the Castro Theater in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood. The Castro is one of the finest examples of the way that movie palaces used to be built, complete with huge lighted marquees and architectural flourishes. Inside, the lobbies and theaters were elegant, with wall sconces, grand staircases, chandeliers, decorative ceilings, loge boxes and many other ornate details.

Today, the Castro is one of the major attractions in one of San Francisco’s most famous neighborhoods. It has a very full and eclectic schedule of events (http://www.castrotheatre.com/s-events.html) every week of the year from first-run feature films and documentaries to film sing-a-longs to film festivals to classic films and much more. Many of the events feature special treats from the concession stand, as well as props for sale specific to that afternoon or evening’s presentation. Depending on which event you’re attending, watching a film at the Castro can be an engrossing and serious experience or a fun, raucous and utterly hilarious one. It all depends on the film(s), the type of audience it attracts and the sensibilities of the mad geniuses who run the place.

Depending on what the geniuses have planned for the evening, tickets can be more expensive than your typical multiplex but the giveaways and extras more than make up for the extra cost, What is more, the goodies sold at the concession stand are actually good, inexpensive (especially compared to the egregiously expensive and awful multiplex fare) and frequently made in-house or by a business in the neighborhood.

Getting to the Castro Theater is fairly easy, as long as you don’t drive. Parking in the Castro is difficult and pricy under the best of conditions and good luck finding a free spot anywhere close if you don’t know someone who lives in the neighborhood. Directions and mass transit information are helpfully posted on the official site at http://www.castrotheatre.com, along with a wealth of other useful information. There aren’t many of these old-school movie palaces left and the Castro Theater is one of the best. If you’re visiting or entertaining guests from outside the Bay Area, make sure to schedule at least one visit to this amazing theater. There’s no experience like it.