Meetings and Events San Francisco | Perfectly Planned Events

Perfectly Planned Events

Article By: HomePage Article2

The San Francisco Bay Area offers meeting facilities and event venues that are as classy and diverse as the locale itself. Tony Bennett once sang, “I left my heart in San Francisco,” and this sentiment sums up the feelings of many visitors to the area. The San Francisco Bay Area has a flair for business and all that goes with it.

Northern California is one of the most visited places in the nation and it is easy to see why when looking at the diversity of the facilities that are available. The region provides the ultimate in modern conveniences for meetings and events.

SAN FRANCISCO
Moscone Center is San Francisco’s premier meeting facility. The 1.2 million-square-foot event center is conveniently located close to the Downtown Financial District, Union Square and the new dynamic Mission Bay Research and Development Campus and is within walking distance of more than two-thirds of San Francisco’s 30,000 hotel rooms.

Moscone Center is divided into three distinct facilities that form a sophisticated and modern complex for large meetings and conventions. Moscone North offers 53,410 square feet of space that can be broken into 17 flexible meeting areas. This section of Moscone Center also features more than 181,000 square feet of exhibit space that has been utilized by some of the largest conferences in the world. Moscone South is the larger of the two sections and offers an expansive 260,560 square feet of exhibit space. This space is column-free and can be separated into three meeting halls. With more than 60,580 square feet of meeting space, Moscone South can be divided into 41 meeting rooms.

Moscone West is the newest addition to San Francisco’s meeting and event facilities. This awe-inspiring, glass marvel includes more than 300,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit room. Although it is a true architectural masterpiece, Moscone West is more than just an elegantly designed convention center. Moscone West is divided into three floors that offer unique offerings and specialized services. Floor one features an exhibit hall that accommodates 3,575 guests in reception style and a 27,540-square-foot lobby. The second level swing space offers furnished space that can be configured into 19 separate meeting rooms. The third level swing space offers flexible room similar to the second level, but also features a 60,000-square-foot, column-free ballroom. Supporting this level is a freight system below street level and ample storage space and loading docks.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium offers 31,140 square feet of arena floor space and nearly 22,000 square feet of meeting space in 36 individual rooms. Currently, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is closed for renovations, but the facility will re-open in 2009.

Fort Mason Center is located at the edge of San Francisco Bay and provides spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Once an active military base, now a thriving cultural hub, Fort Mason has more than 130,000 square feet of meeting, activity and special-event space. Fort Mason Center is equipped to handle meetings from five to 5,000 and offers the following seven distinct configurations:

Festival Pavilion – Offers 50,000 square feet of waterfront event space and can accommodate up to up to 180 10 ' x 10 ' booths.
Herbst Pavilion – Located on a pier that juts out into the Bay, the Herbst Pavilion features a 30,000-square-foot exhibition hall.
Herbst International Exhibition Hall (HIEH) – Located at the Presidio of San Francisco, HIEH offers 5,000 square feet of free-standing event space.
Conference Center – Offers three venues with state-of-the-art lighting, wall-to-wall carpeting and multipurpose blackout shades.
Firehouse – With views of Angel Island and Alcatraz, the Firehouse offers 1,188 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
Meeting and Activity Space – Located in the Center’s Landmark Buildings B and C, this space is perfect for groups from eight to 100.
Cowell Theater – This 437-seat, fully equipped theater auditorium is located at the north end of the Herbst Pavilion and can accommodate sound and video projection needs.

Known nationally as one of the most versatile convention and exhibit spaces in the country, the Cow Palace offers more than 300,000 square feet of meeting space, including two exhibit halls that each feature 49,000 square feet for exhibits, dinners and other large-scale productions. This versatile venue has been the host to two Republican National Conventions and is located just 15 minutes north of San Francisco International Airport.

AT&T Park offers more than 220,000 square feet of event space and nine different meeting- room options. Located on the corner of King and Third streets, AT&T Park is ideal for large-scale productions, intimate company gatherings or team-building events. AT&T Park is the home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team.

Candlestick Park, home of the National Football League San Francisco 49ers, offers space for private events and corporate meetings. Candlestick Park features 170,000 square feet of exhibit space and gives meetings planners the opportunity to score a touchdown with attendees.

Designed by award-winning architect Ricardo Legorreta, the Mission Bay Conference Center at the University of California San Francisco is a world-class setting for meetings and events with everything from ergonomic furnishings and colorful walls to the latest technology. The center features a library, beautiful rooftop swimming pool and extensive fitness center. The center is a member of the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC).

San Francisco also offers a plethora of outstanding art galleries and boutiques that feature unusual and often quirky meeting space. One artistic setting is 111 Minna Gallery, which offers edgy exhibits, a hip crowd and flexible meeting facilities.

The Aquarium of the Bay features unique meeting space and entertainment options. The Farallon Room is the perfect place for an elegant cocktail reception or dinner party. With access to the aquarium's East Deck, the Farallon Room offers panoramic views of San Francisco Bay and the city skyline – a view that is sure to enchant guests.

EAST BAY
The East Bay includes the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Concord, Richmond and Walnut Creek and is located directly east of San Francisco Bay. The East Bay ranges from highly urban areas to suburban and more rural areas, and offers a diversity of spaces for meetings and events.

The East Bay is home to sports franchises in basketball, football and baseball, and their venues can provide unusual settings for occasions of all kinds.

The Oracle Arena and McAfee Coliseum, the home of the Oakland A’s and the Oakland Raiders, is equipped to host special events and meetings ranging in size from 30 to 3,000. The Coliseum provides companies the opportunity to hold pre-game meetings, social gatherings, cocktail receptions, outdoor barbeques and corporate mega-events in an arena where history has been made.

The Oakland Convention Center and Oakland Marriott City Center are the premier meeting and event facilities in Oakland. Conveniently located just 10 minutes from Oakland International Airport, the Convention Center offers 64,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space and 12 distinct meeting configurations. The adjoining Marriott City Center features an additional 25,000 square feet of meeting space and three grand ballrooms.

In Alameda County, the Blackhawk Museum hosts more than 200 catered events each year and has become a popular venue among meeting planners. Housing more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space, the Blackhawk Museum is also home to a banquet room that features a décor accented by classic cars.

Walnut Creek features several community centers and private event facilities. The Civic Park Community Center offers a number of meeting rooms and can accommodate up to 225 people. The Heather Farm Community Center features banquet seating for up to 200, a kitchen, wet bar and a large outdoor patio.

The East Bay is home to a plethora of award-winning wineries that are the perfect setting for meeting and events. Westover Vineyards, Winery and Event Center is located in the historic Palomares Canyon and has become one of the most sought-after event spaces in the East Bay. Featuring both indoor and outdoor meeting space, Westover Vineyards offers event space for more than 125 people.

Wente Vineyards has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating, family-owned winery in California. The Wente Estate is home to a golf course and club, an award-winning restaurant, a catering service and several tasting and meeting rooms.

SOUTH BAY
The South Bay is home to the largest city in the Bay Area, San Jose, and the region known as Silicon Valley. The area’s reputation as an advanced technological center is directly represented in the meeting and event facilities available.

The flagship of the San Jose meeting industry is the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. The center is the premier event facility in Silicon Valley encompassing more than 250,000 square feet of space. The center provides pre-meeting space and up to 31 additional meeting rooms. From the convention center, meetings and events radiate outward, extending seamlessly into nearby facilities and venues. Surrounded by other event hot-spots like the California Theater, HP Pavilion and the Center for the Performing Arts, San Jose McEnery Convention Center is the perfect place for large-scale meetings and events.

With more than 33,000 square feet of meeting space and 22 specially designed meeting rooms, the Dolce Hayes Mansion, in San Jose, has become one of the most sought-after meeting destinations in the Bay Area. The Mansion received the 2007 Paragon Award from Corporate Meetings and Incentives magazine and has become world-renowned for its impeccable attention to detail.

MONTEREY
The City of Monterey is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast. This historic area south of San Francisco has a reputation for being a cultural hub with a rich arts and music community.

The Monterey Conference Center is located just steps from Old Fisherman’s Wharf in downtown Monterey. The 30,000 square-foot Conference Center includes the Serra Exhibit Hall/Ballroom, the plush 500-seat Steinbeck Forum Theater, two large divisible meeting rooms, luxurious boardrooms and sunny terraces and patios.

The Monterey County Fairgrounds is home to eight unique meeting spaces and more than 30,000 square feet of total event space. From the Turf Club Restaurant & Patio to the Salinas Room and the Craft Room, the Fairgrounds can accommodate outdoor and indoor events for groups of up to 500.

THE PENINSULA
The area between the city of San Francisco and the South Bay is known as the San Francisco Peninsula. This diverse area is home to Half Moon Bay, Palo Alto, San Mateo, Mountain View and a series of small cities and suburban communities. It is a charming area with meeting and event facilities that burst with character.

The San Mateo County Expo Center and Café is a modern facility with impeccable services. The Expo Center encompasses 48 acres of land and offers seven indoor and several outdoor spaces. The center is equipped to seat up to 6,000 people and includes a flexible floor plan for numerous seating styles.

NORTH BAY
The North Bay is home to Napa Valley, Sonoma and Marin Countries. Countless vineyards and other unique venues make the North Bay a prime meeting destination.

COPIA, a nonprofit discovery center, offers visitors exceptional wine and food tasting programs, art exhibitions, organic edible gardens, films, concerts, fine and casual dining and shopping. Hailed as the “American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts,” COPIA offers its facilities for rental and provides attractive settings for meetings, receptions, seated dinners and weddings. Located in the heart of Napa County, COPIA offers indoor and outdoor meeting space for groups of 20 to 1,000.

The Carneros Inn is a unique venue located in the heart of the wine country. The Inn features a rural cottage layout combined with panoramic views, an on-site winery and more than 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The PlumpJack Winery offers 50 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards and the opportunity for meeting attendees to participate in wine-tasting events. This venue radiates sophistication and offers meetings planners flawless support services.

Another unique North Bay venue is the Napa Valley Lodge. The Napa Valley Lodge is equipped to accommodate meetings and events from five to 50 people. The Lodge features three meeting rooms and contains more than 3,000 square feet of meeting space. The Lodge has recently undergone renovations totaling more than $5 million. Ornate spaces and attention to details have made Napa Valley Lodge a sought-after meeting destination.

The entire San Francisco Bay Area combines rich culture and traditions with modern amenities, making it one of the most popular meeting and event destinations in the world. There are also a number of high-end hotels that offer meeting and event space. Please see the Hotel Accommodations chapter for detailed information on hotel meeting facilities.