Korey Kuhl is an Amazing Race star, YouTuber and popular Instagrammer
San Francisco is the only city in the world where literally everyone can truly be themselves. No matter who you are or what you’re looking for San Francisco will welcome you with open arms. When I moved there in 2011, the biggest surprise to me was just how comfortable everyone seemed in their own skin. Being from the Midwest I loved the small town feel of SF but I also loved being able to see same-sex couples walk down the street hand-in-hand. After growing up in a conservative part of the country, it was nice to see people being themselves whole-heartedly and embracing all lifestyles without limiting themselves.
The city in two sentences…
One of the best things about San Francisco is how easy it is to explore due to its size, seven miles by seven miles. You can walk across it, from bay to ocean, in an afternoon. Whether your cruising down Castro Street, playing tourist for the day at Fisherman’s Wharf, or catching a Giant’s game at AT&T Park, you always feel like you’re in the heart of the city. It makes for a very intense experience, especially for gay men, because there are so many packed into a few square miles on the south side of the city.
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On celebrity…
I don’t get recognized too often but when I do the first thing people say is that I’m taller than they anticipated. Apparently I looked short while racing around the world.
On causes…
I’ve always supported the annual AIDS/Lifecycle bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles and every year it seems like I have more and more friends who participate. The ride is incredible, the community is vital, and the exercise is unmatched. You make dozens of friends in a few days. It’s a great cause as it benefits both the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
On celebrating…
I love to celebrate special occasions by finding my new favorite restaurants and then hitting the town. The culinary side of San Francisco is unlike any other city I’ve ever lived in and I love taking advantage of it. Then there is the Castro bar scene, which is just so much fun, tromping from place to place and running into people. If I’m celebrating in the Castro you’ll most likely find me at Blackbird or Hi Tops. Blackbird is a stylish lounge, and you can have a serious conversation with a friend in one of the booths–or play a round of pool in the back. Hi Tops is all about sports, beer, and cheering on the Giants, Warriors and 49ers. It’s all about the atmosphere and both of those places have plenty of something special to go around.
On pride…
SF Pride is one of a kind. It’s huge and wonderful and all-encompassing, mind blowing really my first time there. I learned over the years that it definitely helps to have a plan of attack because there’s so much to do and see during the three-day weekend. What’s nice is that you can also just let Pride take you along for the ride. The first year I lived in the city, my friends and I made plans for each day of the things we most wanted to do and see. We went to Dolores Park, we saw the parade, we partied day and night on Castro Street, but in the years since it has become much more of let’s see where the day takes us.
On the Castro Street Fair…
This is one of my favorite weekends. Living in the Castro it felt like we were having a huge neighborhood block party in my own backyard and celebrating during the day always makes me realize how much of a community the city truly is. I could walk out my front door and mingle with my neighbors over drinks or at one of the food trucks. It’s just another great opportunity for the LGBTQ community to come together as one big family, and it feels incredible.
On carefree experiences…
I usually find myself gravitating towards the water in the summer. There are plenty of great beach options between the west end of Golden Gate Park up the coast to the Golden Gate Bridge. Baker Beach and Ocean Beach are just two of my favs. I love running on Ocean Beach during overcast days because it’ll be pretty empty and cool. You can run for miles and not feel it. You experience sand on your ankles and the salt water in the air, hardly your usual urban environment. When the sun is out, Baker Beach is definitely the best spot to go with your friends. You can walk along the shore and chat with friends and enjoy incredible views of the Pacific and the Golden Gate Bridge. And if you’re looking for that clothing-optional gay beach experience, it can be found there as well. No one will bother you. It’s San Francisco.
On the perfect night…
I’m pretty simple: Dinner with friends, watching the sunset over the water, and then dancing the night away in the Castro at Toad Hall, Q Bar or Beaux Bar and Dance Club. Toad has an outside patio, Q Bar great music, and Beaux feels like a New York club transplanted to SF. Sometimes we can stop in at all three in one night since they are only blocks apart, along the route home. Depending on how late we stay out, I might substitute the sunset for a sunrise, but we’d definitely need to stop at Marcello’s Pizza on Castro Street, after the bars close of course.
On the perfect Sunday afternoon…
My perfect Sunday would start with brunch in the Castro at either Mission Beach Cafe or Starbelly. I’m obsessed with both. And then a quick walk over to the incredible Dolores Park to relax in the sun, catch up with friends, and drink cold beer from a bottle in a brown paper bag. It’s a low-key way to pass an afternoon, and something I’ve done hundreds of times, both by myself and with friends in tow. It’s the best spot I’ve ever found to catch up with old friends and make new ones.
