Never the same. Always San Francisco. | NEIGHBORHOODS . 27 FIND MORE IDEAS to make the most of San Francisco’s neighborhoods: sftravel.com/ neighborhoods FROM HISTORIC INSTITUTIONS TO POP-UP BOUTIQUES, AND SLEEK ARCHITECTURE TO UNUSUAL ART, SAN FRANCISCO’S DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS OFFER UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEETING AND EVENT PROFESSIONALS TO CREATE AMAZING EXPERIENCES FOR ATTENDEES. BAYVIEW Home of the oldest opera house in San Francisco, this area is also an incubator for the city’s creative scene. The old Hunters Point shipyard houses America’s largest artists’ colony. FISHERMAN’S WHARF CASTRO/ NOE VALLEY One of the city’s most popular attractions. Here you can “escape” to Alcatraz or set sail on the San Francisco Bay with chartered boat tours. Don’t miss the attractions at PIER 39 or Boudin, the city's sourdough purveyor for 150 years. NOB HILL Known not only as a geographic high point but an economic one, too, with a history of wealthy residents and now luxury hotels, beautiful gardens and impressive homes. NORTH BEACH Find outdoor cafés, stately Victorian homes, a historic theater and bustling bars in the “LGBTQ capital of the world.” GOLDEN GATE PARK/ SUNSET The 1,000-plus-acre Golden Gate Park is home to some of the city’s most famous attractions, including the California Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers and the de Young Museum. True to its name, the Sunset neighborhood is a great place to watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. CENTRAL MARKET Head to Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill for historic murals and spectacular views. Experience a sense of tradition at Original Joe’s, located on the edge of Washington Square; the Tony Bennett Room is one of three private spaces available at this classic Italian-American restaurant. This neighborhood features Twitter’s HQ and a concentration of performance venues, including SHN’s Orpheum and Golden Gate theaters. 969 Market @ The Village offers cutting-edge event space. PRESIDIO/RICHMOND CHINATOWN HAIGHT-ASHBURY Colorful pagoda roofs, dragon lampposts, acclaimed dining and unique gift shops — this storied neighborhood is North America’s first and oldest Chinatown. It also features the newly-opened China Live gastronomy complex. 1967’s Summer of Love is immortalized in Haight-Ashbury’s vintage clothing, book and record stores, while nearby Alamo Square’s row of Victorian homes is one of the most photographed locations in San Francisco. The southern anchor of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio offers pristine nature and cultural attractions such as The Walt Disney Family Museum. In Richmond, try the historic Cliff House for unbeatable views. SOMA/YERBA BUENA JAPANTOWN CIVIC CENTER/ HAYES VALLEY This cultural hub includes stately City Hall, the War Memorial Opera House and the Asian Art Museum alongside more modern additions, such as the SFJAZZ Center and New Conservatory Theatre Center. The oldest of only three Japantowns left in the U.S., the neighborhood is packed with culinary delights, including ramen bars, shabu shabu, izikayas and Benkyodo, which has supplied the city with handmade rice confections since 1906. SoMa (South of Market) is museum central, with the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Museum of the African Diaspora, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and more, all within blocks of the newly expanded Moscone Center. TREASURE ISLAND EMBARCADERO/ FINANCIAL DISTRICT MARINA/ PACIFIC HEIGHTS Nestled in the San Francisco Bay beneath the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island offers a burgeoning urban winery scene, popular flea markets and photo ops of the downtown skyline. The world’s largest LED display, The Bay Lights , sparkles on the Bay Bridge, and the Exploratorium offers hundreds of hands-on exhibits and a creative event setting. Pacific Heights includes some of the city’s most opulent homes and excellent boutique shopping. The Marina is filled with trendy restaurants and features one of the city's most striking landmarks, the Palace of Fine Arts. UNION SQUARE MISSION DISTRICT FILLMORE Rich with rock and jazz history, Fillmore continues to be a place for legendary performances. Catch a concert at the famed Fillmore music hall. San Francisco’s oldest neighborhood, this is also the city’s hippest district. From acclaimed restaurants and trendy boutiques to renowned galleries and the historic Mission Dolores, there’s plenty to enjoy. Shop ‘til you drop at Union Square, where big retailers galore — Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, to name a few — offer all kinds of temptations. You’re in the heart of the Theater District, too, with A.C.T.’s Geary Theater and the Curran. sftravel.com
San Francisco Meeting Planner's Guide 2019 MPG: Page 27
