Visit Haight Ashbury and '60s Hippie Culture: Victorian Architecture, Vintage Shops, Cool Cafés on Haight Street

The Haight, as locals call it, is a district in San Francisco, California, named for the intersection of Haight and Ashbury Streets. It was the epicenter of the 1960's hippie culture. Visitors come here to hang out in hip cafes, people-watch or shop for '60s relics. Tie-dye shirts and Grateful Dead memorabilia, along with peace charms and Jimmy Hendrix posters burst of the racks at "Positively Haight Street" (1400 Haight), Haight-Ashbury T-Shirts (1500 Haight) and other colorful shops.

The Upper Haight, centered on Haight and Ashbury, is just east of Golden Gate Park. Booksmith at 1644 Haight Street is a haven for book lovers, known for its excellent staff recommendations, there is Bound Together — an anarchist collective bookstore — on 1369 Haight, and Amoeba Music (founded 1990 in Berkeley), one of the last independent record stores. Pipe Dreams, a "Smoke Shop of the Sixties", offers an overwhelming choice of glass pipes, hard-rock and punk T-shirts, movie posters and incense holders. Bargain hunters find vintage and retro clothing in funky shops right next door to exclusive boutiques and the latest designer fashion.

"The Summer of Love" and Psychedelic Rock Bands

The Summer of Love refers to the summer of 1967, when more than 100,000 young people came from all over the world to San Francisco in search of love and peace. The movement became known for its music, psychedelic drugs, and practice of free love. Rock bands like the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and the Holding Company came from San Francisco. Fans visit three addresses near the Haight Ashbury intersection, where the musicians lived in communal homes in the '60s.

Victorian Architecture and Buena Vista Park

Victorian architecture prevails throughout the Haight and Cole Valley. Many of the two-story wooden houses are beautifully renovated, lavishly embellished and painted in bright colors. Buena Vista Park between the Upper and Lower Haight was the first park in the city park system (established in 1867). It has good picnic spots and a maze of small trails where people walk their dogs. The short steep climb from Haight Street to the top is definitely worth it for sweeping views from downtown San Francisco to the Golden Gate Bridge, all the way to Marin County, Sausalito and Tiburon (weather permitting!)

The Lower Haight

The Lower Haight, from Divisadero to Fillmore, is filled with eclectic and independent businesses. Grungy clubs and bars make it a popular nightlife destination. It is known for its diverse restaurants and streetwear shops like Lower Haters (at Steiner Street) with clothing, custom furniture and artwork and D-Structure (at Fillmore St.) showing tees, skates and skis next to artwork and murals.

Oct 1, 2009 8:24 AM

Guest :

I was there in there on Haight Ashbury from 1965 to 1970 , I was born on 11/10/50. It was my decade of the best part of my Life, I was there when I was From 16 to 19 yrs. old, It was surely a Psycadelic Time to live on the Streets , With Ole Bob Mason the " Super Guru would Meditate on the Streets , Just down from the Drug store , By the Liquer Store on Haight St. I loved the times that we all Had in the Straght Theater. I was Young and Hopping from Crash house to Crash House for the 1st few Months , Then I lived on Page St. Then on Clayton and then on the 2nd floor on Haight St. itself. But we all had LOVE in our Hearts for Ea. Other and for everybody we met too. I was a Hippie and ,To Be a True Hippie and be in the Grove , You had to be a part of a Commune ,Living and Tripping out together, I was just Proud enough to be in The " Super Guru`s " Flat. It was Truley a Learning , Mind Mending Experience, That I will Cherish for the Rest of my Life , WE Definately Changed the World in Our Short Time on Haight St. But all Great things must come to an End , And by the Time I was 20 yrs. old I was Married , Back to Danville Ill. to Make my 2 Children, and Raise my 4 Grand Babies and, I have 2 Great Grand Children Now , But I will always Be a Hippie in my Mind and in my Heart . With the Best Memories, of the Finnest Time of my Life , I will never Forget Ole "Miner " And By the Way my NAME WAS, AND WILL ALWAYS BE " GYPSY".I was Dealing LIDS on the Street for $7.00 then LOL. I would buy Keys for $75. per Lb. We would Always share the Money that we made to Each other in the Commune . About 15 People to a Flat. We were all Free to be whom we chose to be with that Night , Then Changing Partners was very Common, to Grow Spitually, But we all Loved each other.I remember When The Doors came to The Straight Theater, and we all Met "Capt.ACID" . He was a Direct Distributer for Ozly , and Timothy Leary from L.A. We all Tripped out to The Doors in a Way that will never Leave your Minds." The Time of My LIFE".