What to Do in SF During the 2012 VolunteerMatch Client Summit

When we welcome our clients to San Francisco next week for the 2012 VolunteerMatch Client Summit, we want to make sure they enjoy all the fruits our home town has to offer. We gathered advice from around the VolunteerMatch office for the must-see, must-do and must-eat list.

1. Visit the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market – widely acclaimed for local farm fresh products and artisan foods, the market takes place Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

2. Attend Friday night’s Off the Grid food truck market at Fort Mason – food trucks are all the rage in the Bay Area, and at the largest meeting of the Off the Grid food trucks – about 30 at once – you can find a dish to fit any palate. (Tip: don’t miss CupKates, a personal favorite, for dessert!)

3. Take the Powell/Hyde cable car to Fisherman’s Warf – don’t leave San Francisco without riding the iconic street cars and hanging off the side like a true tourist. Hop off this line to visit the cable car museum, or ride it all the way down the hill to Fisherman’s Warf.  (Tip: avoid the line in Union Square and hop on a block or two up the line.)

4. Watch the Pier 39 sea lions – after you hop off the cable car, mosey on over to Pier 39 where the cutest attraction are the infamous sea lions.

5. Tour Alcatraz – we can barely withhold our Sean Connery accent when we recommend this popular tourist destination, but we all agree “The Rock” is a must-see!

6. Eat at the Slanted Door – a mainstay in the Ferry Building, the Slanted Door is a foodie favorite, serving modern Vietnamese cuisine and with an amazing waterfront view. (Tip: this is not far from the Gap, Inc. headquarters, and a great option for dinner after the Client Summit on May 17th).

7. Climb to Coit Tower – if it’s a 360 degree view of the city you’re looking for, you must visit Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. The steep walk up is well worth the magnificent views of the city.

8. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge – if free activities strike your fancy, don’t miss taking a stroll across the city’s most iconic feature. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, find a friend and ride a tandem bike across the 1.7 mile bridge. (Tip: make sure you trust your bike buddy – tandem bikes require coordination!)

9. Hang out in Golden Gate Park – this park is pretty enough to just stroll around, but also features amazing museums and attractions including the Conservatory of Flowers, De Young Museum, California Academy of Sciences and Japanese Tea Garden.

10. Give Back to the San Francisco Community – we always strive to give a little back during each Client Summit, and this year we’ve organized an outdoor group volunteer activity to “Beautify the Palace” at the Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts. Participants can take in views of the bay while doing some light gardening. It feels good to give back after taking the city in!

Client Summit attendees can RSVP for the group volunteer activity by emailing cbrennan@volunteermatch.org.