Located in Northern California on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, the city of San Francisco is a dynamic metropolis surrounded by beautiful natural scenery. It boasts thriving culinary, arts, and entertainment scenes; green spaces and public art; diverse and walkable neighborhoods, including one of the oldest Chinatowns in the country; iconic historic landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island; and incredible waterfront and bay views from multiple vantage points.
A tech hub that is home to many of the world’s biggest companies and more than 360 event facilities, the city also is a popular destination for meetings and events. Walkable neighborhoods and accessible public transit connected to multiple nearby airports make it easy to explore the city. A popular form of transportation is Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), a system of all-electric trains that offers a quick and affordable way to travel throughout San Francisco, as well as a way to get to nearby airports and cities. The historic cable cars, part of the last manually operated cable car system in the world, make up three lines that run through downtown and make getting around the city fun.
The Bay Wheels bike share program provides thousands of bikes throughout the city, and a variety of guided bike tours also is available. Ferry rides on the bay offer access to nearby destinations outside of the city including Oakland, Sausalito, and Tiburon, among others.
From sports stadiums and convention centers to historic landmarks and upscale hotels, San Francisco has nearly everything meeting planners and attendees might need. Keep on reading to learn everything you need to know when planning your event in the City by the Bay.
Luxury & History
With hundreds of hotels, San Francisco has a wide variety of accommodations with event space, from upscale to boutique. Established in 1875, Palace Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco, is a historic symbol of the city’s grandeur, with its elegant Gilded Age architecture, many crystal chandeliers, and distinguished decor. It offers 43,838 square feet of flexible event space, including 24 meeting rooms, three ballrooms, and intimate executive boardrooms. “What makes Palace Hotel so unique is its ability to transport guests with its history while providing the flexibility and high-end touches of a contemporary luxury venue,” says Jennifer Mitchell, wedding specialist at the hotel.
A regular stop on the cable car line, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, is a nine-story property set on Nob Hill’s eastern slope. The hotel borders Chinatown, Union Square shopping, and the city’s Financial District, while providing three floors of conference facilities. “The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, offers an exceptional setting for meetings and events, combining a prestigious location in Nob Hill with unparalleled access to the city’s top attractions and the Financial District,” says Nicholas McDermott, general manager of the hotel. “With over 24,000 total square feet of versatile meeting space, including the city’s largest luxury ballroom and an outdoor Terrace Courtyard, our hotel can accommodate a wide range of events, from grand conferences to more intimate gatherings. Through our partnership with Copia, a leading food-waste management company, we donate 99% of our surplus food to local nonprofits in need. This initiative not only helps combat food insecurity but also reduces our environmental footprint, ensuring that each of our events leaves a positive and lasting impact on the community.”
Fairmont San Francisco is a landmark beaux arts hotel with some of the best panoramic views in the city and 72,000 square feet of event space that combines plush elegance with the latest in technology. Its largest space is the 11,362-square-foot Grand Ballroom, which can accommodate 2,300 guests and has four crystal chandeliers and high ceilings. “[Groups can] meet, greet, and convene in grand style at the city’s top venue for business events,” says Michelle Heston, executive regional director of public relations at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “San Francisco’s most important meetings, moments, and events have happened here since our landmark beaux arts hotel first opened in 1907. Delegates from 40 countries around the world drafted the historic United Nations Charter under the golden pineapple chandeliers of the Garden Room in 1945.”
Home to an aquarium, a planetarium, rainforest habitat, and natural history museum, the California Academy of Sciences offers a notable educational backdrop for events in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. It has four daytime event venues, as well as 15 venues for evening events that can accommodate 70 seated and 600 standing, making it an ideal setting for boardroom meetings, company picnics, casual evening cocktails, fundraisers, and holiday events.
Another space to consider is The Conservatory at One Sansome, offering 14,000 square feet of flexible event space including breakout and meeting rooms and a stunning atrium. “We launched The Conservatory at One Sansome with ease and convenience in mind for our partners,” says Lillian Phan, executive vice president of sales and marketing at the venue. “Beyond showcasing the stunning architecture—including its iconic glass jewel-box ceilings—we have curated an incredible lineup of industry-leading partners to help bring every event to life with ease. From breathtaking design to flawless execution, we have set the stage for unforgettable experiences.”
Just northwest of downtown is the Golden Gate Club at the Presidio of San Francisco, a popular corporate conference and celebration venue first built in 1949. It features original Mission Revival architecture and a stunning landscape, accommodates up to 300 people, and has several event rooms of different sizes, including a courtyard and balcony. Attendees also can enjoy views of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, the Presidio Forest, and Alcatraz Island through its floor-to-ceiling windows.
Going Big
For sizable events, the city’s arenas, convention centers, and stadiums offer larger-than-life experiences. Chase Center is a state-of-the-art arena with 18,064 seats, is home to the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries, and is one of the West Coast’s largest destinations for entertainment. From entire arena buyouts to intimate event spaces and outdoor areas, Chase Center can accommodate between 45 and 18,000 attendees.
“Chase Center offers a diverse range of customizable spaces, from our intimate Above The Rim top floor area with sweeping views of San Francisco Bay or the Arena Bowl with over 18,000 seats to Thrive City, our outdoor open-air plaza,” says Pam Perez, director of private event sales at Chase Center. “Our cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art rigging system ensure seamless presentations and immersive experiences. Beyond technology and the large selection of spaces for different needs, Chase Center’s vibrant atmosphere and dedicated team create unparalleled customization for memorable gatherings, big or small.”
The largest convention and exhibition complex in San Francisco, Moscone Center consists of three main halls, offering more than 502,000 square feet of continuous event space. It has two ballrooms, 82 meeting rooms, 107,000 square feet of prefunction lobbies with city and garden views, and more than 25,000 square feet of outdoor terraces. “The Moscone Center is a dynamic, versatile venue that brings a planner’s vision to life,” says Thomas Amaral, senior director and head of global event operations at Informa TechTarget, an events and academic research group based in London that has hosted gatherings at Moscone Center. “As the centerpiece of a multivenue complex, it creates a campus-like environment ideal for large, multifaceted events. Its flexible meeting spaces accommodate the most intricate conferences with ease, while expansive exhibition halls provide sponsors with prime opportunities for interactive and high-impact displays.”
Group Adventures
San Francisco caters to every palate with an innovative and diverse dining scene, which runs the gamut from homemade dim sum in Chinatown to Michelin-starred restaurants and a rotating rooftop restaurant. Indulge in an evolving menu of Chinese dishes with seasonal ingredients from the city’s Chinatown markets at Fang restaurant in the South of Market neighborhood. It has three levels of dining space for private events and serves prix-fixe menus preselected by the chef that showcase the best of its cuisine while providing an element of surprise.
Lazy Bear is a dining establishment with two Michelin stars in the Mission District that accommodates private group meals. Every course begins with an introduction by a chef followed by the plating of each dish in front of guests. Lazy Bear also offers sommelier-led wine tastings in its 10,000-bottle wine cellar that can be tailored to each group’s interests, weaving in fascinating stories behind the wines, vineyards, and vintners.
Beyond the dining table, San Francisco provides a range of group activities that double as team-building opportunities. For those looking to enjoy the great outdoors, Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a sprawling park located on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge near Sausalito. Between meetings, attendees can go for hikes on its varied-length trails.
Embark on a boat tour around the bay to see the famous landmarks including Alcatraz Island, Coit Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Ferry Building, Oracle Park, and more. Cruises leave from various docks around the city, making boat tours an easily accessible activity for large groups. Interested in seeing wildlife? San Francisco Whale Tours offers private excursions on chartered boats where participants might see dolphins, whales, seals, porpoises, and sea bird colonies.
