Easily recognizable by its unique high-rise buildings and picturesque skyline, the Financial District of San Francisco – the power center of the city's banks, financial institutions, law firms, and many corporations – is also a fantastic location for events and meetings. In fact, many of the upscale hotel and dining venues in the Financial District are just steps away from popular San Francisco attractions.
Meeting visitors can easily travel to the Financial District via two San Francisco area airports, Oakland International Airport and San Francisco International Airport, which connects nonstop with more than 65 U.S. cities and 30 international destinations. Both airports offer direct access to Bay Area Rapid Transit, which also services the Financial District neighborhood.
Less than a mile away from the Financial District is the Moscone Center: Comprising three buildings, the convention center covers more than 20 acres on three adjacent blocks; it offers more than 700,000 square feet of exhibit space, up to 106 meeting rooms, nearly 123,000 square feet of pre-function space, up to 256,225 square feet of meeting space and six primary exhibit halls.
Financial District event venues include the opulent Bentley Reserve (the former circa 1924 Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco), which can accommodate up to 650 guests. Nearby, the Merchant Exchange Building (also a major city landmark, built in 1907) is home to the elegant Julia Morgan Ballroom and other Beaux-Arts meeting spaces. Financial District meeting participants can also gather at the plush Bubble Lounge, which serves up to 350 varieties of champagne, as well as The City Club of San Francisco, an Art Deco venue with exceptional cuisine and full-service events.
Dining venues in the Financial District are among San Francisco's most popular – both for eating and for meeting. Wine bar and restaurant RN74 serves regional French and creative modern American fare and offers Behind the Bottle dinners for guests to interact with local winemakers. The neighborhood's B44 serves sumptuous Catalan cuisine, while the stylish jazz supper club known as BIX Restaurant serves modern American in a cosmopolitan speakeasy atmosphere. 5A5 Steak Lounge serves the highest grade beef in the world, while Wayfare Tavern, run by celebrity chef Tyler Florence, is a deliciously cozy space serving authentic American in a turn-of-the-century building.
Attractions located within walking distance of the Financial District include the community-based Chinese Cultural Center, which features gallery tours and cultural activities. Serving as a gateway to the Financial District, the Ferry Building features a year-round artisanal farmers market and shopping. The Financial District is also home to Gourmet Walks, which takes guests on food and wine walking tours to sample San Francisco gourmet tea, sparkling wine, macarons, chocolate and cheese.
