NEIGHBoRHooDS 27 STOP 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 FISHERMAN’S WHARF NOB HILL 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. CASTRO/NOE VALLEY one of the city’s most popular attractions. Here you can “escape” to Alcatraz or set sail on 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. 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. Find outdoor cafés, stately Victorian homes, a historic theater and bustling bars in the “LGBTQ capital of the world.” NORTH BEACH GOLDEN GATE PARK/ SUNSET CENTRAL MARKET Illustration by Anna Simmons This neighborhood features Twitter’s HQ and a concentration of performance venues, including the orpheum and Golden Gate theaters. CHINATOWN This storied neighborhood is North America’s first and oldest Chinatown, with colorful pagoda roofs, dragon lampposts, acclaimed dining and unique gift shops. It also features the must-see China Live gastronomy complex. The 1,000-plus-acre Golden Gate Park celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2020. It is home to some of the city’s most famous attractions, including the California Academy of Sciences, the 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. Head to Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill for historic murals and spectacular views. Experience a sense of tradition at original Joe’s on the edge of Washington Square. Their Tony Bennett Room is one of three private spaces available at this classic Italian-American restaurant. PRESIDIO/RICHMOND HAIGHT-ASHBURY CIVIC CENTER/ HAYES VALLEY 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 the Richmond, try the historic Cliff House for unbeatable views. SOMA/YERBA BUENA 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. JAPANTOWN EMBARCADERO/ FINANCIAL DISTRICT 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. 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. The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Museum of the African Diaspora, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA) and more can all be found within blocks of The Moscone Center. TREASURE ISLAND 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. FILLMORE Rich with rock and jazz history, Fillmore continues to be a place for legendary performances. Get fired up at a concert at the famed Fillmore music hall or mellow out with some retail therapy along Fillmore St. 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 Shop ‘til you drop at Union Square, where big retailers — 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. San Francisco’s oldest neighborhood, the center of its Latin American community, and its hippest district. From acclaimed restaurants and trendy boutiques to vibrant murals and the historic Mission Dolores, there’s plenty to enjoy. sftravel.com
San Francisco Meeting Planner's Guide 2020 MPG: Page 27
