About San Francisco
San Francisco, California is the fourth most populous city in the western state. It is a cultural and commercial center of California and brings in millions of tourists every year. Located west of a bay named after the city and east of the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco features a diverse landscape of beaches, hills, and cityscape. The climate in San Francisco is Mediterranean with warm summers and mild winters.
Because of its fun atmosphere, many attractions, and vast commerce, San Francisco is a popular place to host events, especially conferences. There is an abundance of options when it comes to conference room venue selection in San Francisco and an even larger variety of vendors to help plan the event.
- Interesting Fact: Denim jeans were invented by Levi Strauss in San Francisco.
Conference Options in San Francisco
When it comes to booking a conference room venue in San Francisco, there are many options for vendors and services to consider. You can trust San Francisco's finest to provide all of the details for your perfect conference.
- Catering:
From seafood, to homestyle, to gourmet, San Francisco has it all when it comes to delicious fare. You can enlist a catering company in the area or a local food service provider to make sure no conference guest goes unfed.
- Florists:
Looking for a natural way to spice up your San Francisco conference room venue? Try enlisting a local florist to embellish your meeting. Whether you want simple centerpieces to intricate accents, a San Francisco florist can garnish your conference room with nature’s beauty.
- Decor:
To take it a step further than floral decor, you can hire a San Francisco decorator to design the perfect conference space. From initial color schemes to completed themes, a San Francisoc decorator is the perfect way to go to make sure your conference has an optimal atmosphere.
- Transportation:
San Francisco is home to an international airport (SFO), making the city easy to get to from around the world. The city also has great public transit, including the iconic cable cars, to get you to the conference room venue and around the area.
- Equipment rental:
Having the right equipment is a conference essential, and you can rest assured that San Francisco’s equipment rental companies can provide working supplies no matter your meeting size. Rent a projector system to screen important graphics, or audio equipment to play inspirational music. Whatever you need, this city can deliver.
- Photography:
Professional photography is a great way to both commemorate and promote your San Francisco conference. You can hire a local San Francisco photographer to take headshots of meeting attendees or candid shots of the action.
Meeting Planning Companies in San Francisco
As the city is a commercial center, there are many options to choose from when selecting an event planner in San Francisco.
- B Line Events:
With over two decades of experience, this full service conference event planning company has formed partnerships with multiple vendors and venues in the San Francisco area and can connect you with the best people when it comes to planning your event.
- Anna Marie Events:
This woman-owned event planner specializes in corporate get-togethers and was names a "Most Influential Event Professional" at BizBash in 2020.
- Entire Productions:
This event planning company has been in the San Francisco conference planning business for over 18 years. Some famous clients they’ve hosted include Netflix, Apple, and Uber.
Pros and Cons of Conferences in San Francisco
San Francisco is a vibrant and diverse city with many venue and vendor options. There are many good reasons to book a conference there. However, there are also certain drawbacks to hosting events in a large city like San Francisco.
Advantages:
- Weather:
Like most places along the California coast, the weather is pleasant in San Francisco for most of the year.
- Attractions:
From restaurants, to museums, to parks, there is plenty to do in the city of San Francisco.
- Options:
A commercial center of California, there are many options to choose from for event planners and services in San Francisco.
- Location:
Located near an international airport, San Francisco is accessible from anywhere around the globe.
- Public transportation:
The city features public transit systems perfect for getting to the conference room venue and around the area.
Disadvantages:
- Popularity:
The sought-after nature of the city makes it a very popular place to book. This can cause difficulty when trying to find open slots at conference room venues.
- Traffic:
San Francisco has traffic, especially in the heart of the city and during rush hours.
- Cost:
Because San Francisco is so popular, expenses can be driven up when booking conferences.
- Fog:
The city is known for its dense fog that covers the area from time to time. Some may enjoy this, but it can also make it difficult to navigate.
Famous Post Conference Locations in San Francisco
From the bay to the hillside, there are many famous locations in San Francisco to tour before or after your conference. You can travel to these locations to take post-conference photos, explore the city, and draw inspiration for your event.
- Golden Gate Bridge:
The most photographed site in the entire city, this iconic bridge opened in 1937 after four years of construction. Take a drive across the San Francisco Bay or stop by during pedestrian-friendly hours to snap a few photos before the conference.
- The Palace of Fine Arts:
The last remaining structure of the Panama Pacific Exposition, this massive exhibition site seats over one thousand patrons in its famous theater.
- Twin Peaks:
These two hills are the only ones in San Francisco that have been left in their original state. You can drive up to the north peak for some of the best bird’s-eye views of the city and the San Francisco Bay.