25 Jan 2018
COMING IN 2018
Here are some of the major milestones, special events and limited time opportunities coming to the City by the Bay in 2018. For additional announcements and updates, follow San Francisco Travel at www.facebook.com/onlyinSF, www.instagram.com/onlyinsf and https://twitter.com/onlyinsf and sign up for e-newsletters (see the home page at www.sftravel.com).
Rooftop Tippling is Trending
San Francisco has always had a strong cocktail culture. The latest trend is to pair craft concoctions with a stunning view of San Francisco. There are at least three new rooftop bars in the city. Guests at the new YOTEL San Francisco can enjoy priority access to their 10th floor terrace, which offers 360-degree views. The new, urbane San Francisco Proper has Charmaine's, set 120 feet above bustling Market Street. It's a blend of European chic and laid-back California cool. Closer to AT&T Park, Hotel VIA has its exclusive Rooftop at VIA, only available for hotel guests and private events. It features private cabanas, fire pits, heat lamps and sweeping views of the south of the city.
Salesforce Tower and Transit Center
All of your photos of San Francisco's skyline just became obsolete. In January, the 1,070-foot skyscraper at First and Mission Streets became the tallest structure in San Francisco. An electronic sculpture by San Francisco artist Jim Campbell, hailed as the tallest public art installation in the U.S., will sheathe the top of the tower in 11,000 lights and video screens that can project daily scenes from around the city.
Nearby, the roof of the new Salesforce Transit Center will be turned into a publicly accessible park with 60 species of trees, a 1,000-foot-long fountain, a picnic meadow and a playground. Beneath this incredible new green space will be a major transit hub for the city, connecting San Francisco to destinations in the East Bay, north to wine country, and down the peninsula to Silicon Valley, Monterey, and other destinations further south.
Culture Lovers Unite
From Korean couture at the Asian Art Museum to the late paintings of artist Rene Magritte at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the galleries of San Francisco's major museums will be filled with the sublime and the provocative. Elsewhere, see the daring heroes and heroines brought to life by artist Glen Keane at The Walt Disney Family Museum; a look at the world according to Rube Goldberg a the Contemporary Jewish Museum, a re-examination of Casanova at the Legion of Honor; and The Cult of the Machine at the de Young Museum.
Two unique San Francisco festivals will celebrate their 40th anniversaries in 2018: Carnaval, May 26-27, and the Ethnic Dance Festival, July 14-15 and 21-22. Both of these beloved events will be full of music, color and movement, showcasing the diversity and talent of San Francisco's many communities.
All things considered, it's no surprise that San Francisco will host the World Cities Culture Summit, Nov. 14-16.
Tickets on Sale Now for Rugby World Cup Sevens Coming July 20-22, 2018
The world's best rugby players will thrill U.S. crowds at the Rugby World Cup Sevens, July 20-22. For the first time on U.S. soil, men's and women's teams from around the world will compete at AT&T Park.
The ballpark's regular residents, the three-time World Champion San Francisco Giants, will celebrate their 60th season in the City by the Bay this year. Expect a lot of extra celebrations at the ballpark.
Every runner feels like a star athlete at any of 2018's Run San Francisco events. Sponsored by Giants Enterprises, distances include a sprint across the city from 5K to a full marathon.
Moscone Center Expansion
Meeting planners can't wait for the opening of the $550 million expansion of San Francisco's Moscone Center in December. The expansion will add over 305,000 square feet of functional space, as well as dramatically improving the surrounding streetscape. The city can expect to see a $20 million increase in hotel tax revenue as more and larger conventions come to town, and the expansion will create 3,400 permanent new jobs.
At the Airport
In 2018, San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the western gateway to North America, will continue to upgrade and expand its facilities with the redevelopment of Terminal 1, slated to be completed in 2024. The work will not affect service at the airport. In fact, SFO will continue adding routes, including non-stop direct flights to Hong Kong on Hong Kong Airlines, non-stop direct flights to Melbourne on Qantas Airways, and non-stop direct flights to Tahiti on United Airlines.
Muir Woods Parking and Shuttle Reservations Now Required
Parking and shuttle reservations at Muir Woods National Monument began on Jan. 16, 2018. Visitors arriving by commercial carrier – or on foot or bicycle – are also required to use the reservation system or pay fees associated with it.
“The new system will improve the overall visitor experience by allowing visitors to plan their trip in advance while enhancing the protection and preservation of the surrounding natural resources,” said Deputy Superintendent Carey Feierabend. The system, managed by Ace Parking Management, Inc., will operate year-round and reservations will be made through a website and call center. The reservation system will proactively manage parking and visitor flow to protect the health of Muir Woods and the Redwood Creek watershed and effectively address overcrowding, traffic congestion, and parking issues. Under the new reservation system, annual visitation is expected to be reduced to under one million from an estimated 1.2 million visitors.
Northern California Wine Country Is Open for Business After Wildfires
Hotels, wineries, tasting rooms, restaurants and attractions in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and other Northern California counties are open for business following the wildfires of October. Below are links to media information on each of the affected destinations:
- Sonoma County Tourism: sonomacounty.com/media
- Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau: http://www.sonomavalley.com/media/
- Visit Mendocino County: https://www.visitmendocino.com/media/
- Visit Napa Valley: visitnapavalley.com/press-room
- Visit Santa Rosa: http://www.visitsantarosa.com/media-requests
Anniversaries to note:
2018 – 100th anniversary of the founding of Save the Redwoods League, https://www.savetheredwoods.org/
2018 – 75th anniversary of the National Liberty Ship Memorial/SS Jeremiah O'Brien, www.ssjeremiahobrien.org
2018 – 60th anniversary of the Giants baseball team moving to San Francisco, www.mlb.com/giants
2018 – 55th anniversary of Alcatraz Island's closure as a federal prison, www.alcatrazcruises.com
2018 – 50th anniversary of the film “Bullitt,” with the famous car chase over the hills of San Francisco. (1968)
2018 – 40th anniversary of Carnaval, www.carnavalsanfrancisco.org/
2018 – 40th anniversary of the Ethnic Dance Festival, http://worldartswest.org/main/edf_index.asp
2018 – 10th anniversary of Sunday Streets, transforming up to four miles of city streets into car-free spaces for community health and connection. http://sundaystreetssf.com
2019 – 50th anniversary of the Exploratorium, www.exploratorium.edu
2019 – 50th anniversary of Old First Concerts, www.oldfirstconcerts.org
Hotel News
Lodge at the Presidio Opening Summer 2018
Completion Date: Summer 2018
The Presidio Trust has announced that its second hotel, Lodge at the Presidio, will open in 2018. Located in Presidio national park, the new hotel will provide unparalleled views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the park's lush 300-acre forest, San Francisco Bay and the iconic city skyline. The 42-room lodge will be housed in the historic Montgomery Street barracks built by the U.S. Army in 1895-1897. It will celebrate the area's past with artisan details and memorabilia, and will include a courtyard garden with a fire pit, front porches with rocking chairs, a large dining room lounge, and more.
AC Hotel San Francisco Airport/Oyster Point Waterfront Opens Just South of the City
Opening date: October 6, 2017
Just minutes from BART and Caltrain stations, the new Waterfront in Oyster Point South San Francisco, offers complimentary WiFi, mobile check-in/ out, free self-parking, complimentary airport shuttle to San Francisco Airport. AC Kitchen/Lounge serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel offers more than 8,000 sq. ft. of event space.
Virgin Hotel Comes to San Francisco in 2018
https://development.virginhotels.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/FactSheet_VirginHotelsSF-Final.pdf
Completion date: February 2018
Virgin Hotels San Francisco will be the second property to open in the Virgin Hotels portfolio with 192 Chambers and two Penthouse Suites. The property will offer three dining and drinking outlets including the flagship restaurant, bar, lounge Commons Club, a rooftop bar and lounge, and The Funny Library Coffee Shop.
Yotel to Open Its First West Coast Hotel in San Francisco
www.yotel.com/en/hotels/yotel-san-francisco
Completion date: First Quarter 2018
YOTEL will open its first West Coast hotel in San Francisco, converting the historic Grant Building into a 203 cabin YOTEL. Located in the vibrant mid-market neighborhood, YOTEL San Francisco will be at the heart of the tech-driven office, residential and retail resurgence of this rapidly transforming area which is home to companies such as Twitter, Yammer, Zendesk, Spotify, Square, Uber and Benchmark Capital.
San Francisco Proper Become a Landmark in Mid-Market Street
www.properhotel.com/san-francisco
Completion date: September 2017
The beloved 'flat-iron' building in the Mid-Market area has been reborn as the 131-room San Francisco Proper Hotel. The results: An historic lobby, three restaurants on the ground floor and the hotel's crown jewel, an indoor/outdoor rooftop restaurant and bar with panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline.
Hotel Zoe Debuts in San Francisco in Summer 2017
Opening Date: Summer 2017
Following a $16 million re-imagination by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, Hotel Zoe debuted as San Francisco's newest Fisherman's Wharf hotel, offering guests a whimsical yet sophisticated hospitality experience. The redevelopment includes a full-service lobby bar named Bar Zoe, room upgrades and 1,950 sq. ft. of refreshed usable meeting space. Hotel Zoe boasts 221 guestrooms - including 10 suites and two specialty suites; Pescatore, a modern Italian trattoria.
The San Francisco Travel Association is the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of San Francisco. For information on reservations, activities and more, visit www.sftravel.com, read The San Francisco Traveler or call 415-391-2000.
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San Francisco International Airport (SFO) offers non-stop service by 41 international carriers serving 49 international cities and connects non-stop with 83 cities in the U.S. on 13 domestic airlines. SFO offers upgraded free Wi-Fi with no advertising. For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps and details on shopping, dining, cultural exhibitions, ground transportation and more, visit www.flysfo.com. Follow SFO on www.twitter.com/flysfo and www.facebook.com/flysfo.
