A true waterfront community – and the city's #1 visitor attraction – the Fisherman's Wharf's neighborhood is also an ideal meeting location, thanks to numerous unique event venues. An iconic San Francisco destination, Fisherman's Wharf venues comprise eateries, museums and, in a tight circle surrounding the attraction, hotels. Visitors stroll the streets – which smell of fresh-baked sourdough and savory chowders – to board sightseeing cruises to the world-famous Alcatraz Island and ride the neighborhood's historic F-line streetcar and cable car lines.
Getting to Fisherman's Wharf is a snap, thanks to Oakland International (20 miles away) and San Francisco International Airport (16 miles south). Both airports offer direct access to Bay Area Rapid Transit, which also services the Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood.
Fisherman's Wharf is located just two miles north of San Francisco's ultimate meeting venue, the sprawling Moscone Center. Made up of three buildings, the center covers more than 20 acres on three adjacent blocks in the heart of San Francisco. The Moscone Center 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. The Moscone Center prides itself on its sustainable practices and features in-house audio-visual, security and catering services.
Event venues in Fisherman's Wharf include Aquarium of the Bay, which celebrates the residents of the San Francisco Bay and takes visitors nose-to-nose with such creatures, from the Giant Pacific Octopus to graceful sea stars. Meeting space at the aquarium includes the hands-on bay lab, underwater tunnels and the Farallon Room, which offers panoramic bay and city skyline views. For an up-close look at bay marine life outside of the aquarium, visitors and meeting participants frequent Pier 39 and its resident sea lions. Pier 39 is home to a number of attractions, restaurants and shops, as well as a number of private event spaces for up to 2,000 guests.
Many award-winning dining venues in Fisherman's Wharf also double as private event venues. Neighborhood favorites include the family-owned Alioto's, famous for its Italian fare and delicious cioppino, as well as the Blue Mermaid Chowder House and Bar. Housed in the historic Haslett Warehouse, the Blue Mermaid specializes in fresh seafood and housemade chowders, ranging from mussel and sausage to Dungeness crab and corn chowder. The elegant Bistro Boudin – partner to the famed Boudin Bakery, known for its original sourdough since 1849 – serves classic San Franciscan fare, while the Pier Market Seafood Restaurant features a fantastic view of the Pier 39 sea lions. Visitors and residents flock to Forbes Island, which offers fine dining on the world's only floating island, complete with underwater dining rooms and white-sand patios.
