WITH A SHEEN OF CONSTRUCTION DUST still on the escalator handrails, Michael J. Wilson’s fingerprints can be felt both literally and figuratively. The Moscone Convention Center senior project manager surveys the just-completed third phase of a four-phase expansion project like a proud papa of a baby just delivered on time, and indeed it has. So far, there’ve been no construction delays, and the eastern portion of the new building project was completed in September 2017.

“It was essential since the biggest events of the year are held every September and October. Oracle and Salesforce switch off when they’re here, and it was like a huge race against time — which is always motivational,” he says.

All in all, after the western side of the building is completed (scheduled for the end of 2018), the project will add 170,000 gross square feet of meeting space; a 50,000-square-foot ballroom; and an enclosed pedestrian bridge connecting the existing North and South buildings. It makes Moscone more competitive in a marketplace where the San Francisco landmark formerly had less than 50 percent of exhibit space per square foot compared to the top 12 most competitive convention centers in the country.

But facts and figures aside, Wilson is also proud of the aesthetic and points out a cohesive diamond pattern on the hallway flags and windows (which also cuts down on glare). “It can be a real challenge to make these large buildings pleasant to look at, but I think it’s done well with some really nice finishing touches,” he says.

He’s right. Exterior artwork by Leo Villareal, Christine Corday, Sarah Sze and Brandon Monroe gives the neighborhood extra flair that helps it fit right into the exhibit-filled seven-by-seven grid where the Contemporary Jewish Museum and under-construction Mexican Museum punctuate the skyline. Visible from the terrace of the eastern wing is the bustling children’s playground that includes a 25-foot-long tube slide, a climbing wall, labyrinth, fountains and more. It’s all part of Yerba Buena Gardens, an urban green oasis surrounded by hotels and retail centers that enjoy a symbiotic relationship with Moscone — soon enhanced by two major transportation projects. The Transbay Terminal, due for completion at the end of this year, will mean commuter rail passengers no longer need to transfer to reach the nearby financial district; and the 4th Street Central Subway project (2019) will improve the routing and speed of some of the city’s most traveled thoroughfares.

Transportation enhancements and conveniences are not in short supply, either, when accessing another of San Francisco’s urban respites, Presidio Park. The free PresidiGo Tunnel system connects three hightraffic areas in the center of the city to farther afield. The buses that head here are even outfitted with bike racks for visitors to enjoy a 24-mile trail network that connects beaches, nature sites, restaurants (including affordable options from well-respected Bay Area toque Traci Des Jardins) and such institutions as The Walt Disney Family Museum.

Aerial views of Presidio © PRESIDIO TRUST

It’s a far cry from the space originally outfitted as a military fort in the 1700s, and parade grounds that used to host Army bands are now the gathering place for kite-flyers and food truck festivals. There’ll be even more space for campfires, paths and gardens and an interactive playscape for children come 2020, when the Presidio Tunnel Tops project is slated for completion. The 14-acre park will rest over the area where the Golden Gate Bridge tunnels were moved underground 25 years ago. It’s part of a dramatic re-envisioning by the same landscape architecture firm — James Corner Field Operations — that transformed Manhattan’s High Line.

“I was a Boy Scout, and from an early age I always knew how important it was to have access to the outdoors and green areas,” says Michael Boland, chief of planning, Presidio Trust, which manages almost all of the 1,480-acre enclave within Golden Gate National Recreation Area. “You’ve got a historical site, camping and educational ecological experiences with free access just a few miles from the city center. It’s something special that not all major metropolises can claim.”

For those seeking accommodations a bit more high-tech than a tent, the complex also hosts Inn at the Presidio, a 22-room boutique hotel, and the 42-room Lodge at the Presidio, slated to open this summer. It will offer some of the most unobstructed and closest hotel views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Closer to the action in Nob Hill, business travelers will have a shorter commute to events at the Moscone and beyond via the newly reimagined Stanford Court Hotel, whose $16 million redesign should be complete by the end of this spring. A fresh porte cochère, lobby, café and bar, guestrooms, fitness center and meeting spaces welcome guests who enjoy boutique touches like locally roasted coffee and rock music from a different San Francisco band on each of its eight floors. Artwork in the lobby is geared toward the technology-focused traveler, with interactive panels featuring a descriptor of the creator’s ethos and how to purchase prints as souvenirs.

SCENIC DRIVES

Just 45 minutes from San Francisco but seemingly a world away, Napa and Sonoma feature plenty of reasons for business or pleasure travelers to raise a glass. Not the least of these is easy access from the city center, and one may quickly rent a car and head out to wineries and tasting rooms.

One of the best parts is the drive, and a scenic cruise over the Golden Gate Bridge offers up plenty of picture-taking opportunities. Get an early start and stop en route in Petaluma for a coffee and French-style pastry at Della Fattoria Bakery, whose owner, Kathleen Weber, used to bake bread for Chef Thomas Keller (of The French Laundry) and his Napa endeavors. For a family-run winery, head to Martinelli in Windsor, or try a few Bordeaux and Sonoma varietals at the new G&C Lurton Vineyard Tasting Room. A car also provides easier access to the breathtaking Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.

Those with really limited time will enjoy the hop-on, hop-off Napa Valley Wine Train, with antique Pullman cars and lunch or dinner service available. If you don’t have a designated driver, there’s a convenient Monday–Friday ferry service from San Francisco, and weekends and holidays offer bus service to and from the same locations.