ICVPME Local Attractions

Take time to explore the unique character and attractions of San Francisco...

Famous in story and song for its summer fog, steep hills and eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture, San Francisco and its environs offer attractions for all comers. As a cosmopolitan city that manages to stay in touch with nature, San Francisco boasts a lively mix of culture, cuisine, history, enter¬tainment, activities and sights.

The conference hotel is located in bustling Fisherman’s Wharf, where you can savor just-caught seafood and the city’s signature crispy sourdough bread. From this still active fishing pier, take a ferry to Alcatraz Island, where you can tour the buildings of the now-closed federal prison that once housed such infa¬mous criminals as Machine Gun Kelley, Al Capone and Robert Stroud, “the Birdman of Alcatraz.” On a clear day, the views of the San Francisco skyline and bridges are spectacular, and in the fog, you can see why this island fortress was viewed as escape-proof.

Perhaps the world’s best-loved bridge, the Golden Gate is recognized everywhere as a symbol of San Francisco. Built in 1937, the 1.7-mile suspension span was designed to withstand the forces of nature, including gale force winds and earthquakes. Over 40 million vehicles a year make the crossing. Or hop aboard a cable car as it pulls up Powell Street, the city’s downtown transportation hub. Emblematic of the city, the cable cars still run on 8.8 miles of track by gripping a constantly running underground cable. Learn all about it at the Cable Car Museum.

Visit the oft-photographed Victorian houses on Alamo Square (“Postcard Row”); savor Chinatown, home to the largest concentration of Chinese outside of China; and take a ferry out to the artistic enclave and picturesque residential community of Sausalito—a ferry ride that the Society of American Travel Writers has ranked one of the best in the world. Other must-see attractions include the affluent historic residences of Nob Hill; Muir Woods, the largest urban national park in the world; and the world-famous wine region of the Napa Valley. To top it off, the ICVPME event coincides with Fleet Week, a special time in San Francisco.