photo by Danielle Gibson Events
Gatherings
28 of California Bay Area's Best Corporate Holiday Party Spots
The holidays are fast approaching which means that the time has come to book your corporate holiday party. Brimming with startups, unique companies and an entrepreneurial spirit, San Francisco is a mecca for creative and innovative...
photo by Danielle Gibson Events
The holidays are fast approaching which means that the time has come to book your corporate holiday party. Brimming with startups, unique companies and an entrepreneurial spirit, San Francisco is a mecca for creative and innovative companies and your holiday party location should be a reflection of just that. Lucky for you, there's no shortage of incredible venues throughout the San Francisco Bay Area (and beyond!) to make your annual bash one to remember.
We've rounded up the best spaces for teams of all shapes and sizes. Including the hottest culinary destinations, the perfect wine country gathering spaces and private social clubs, we've compiled 28 venues to celebrate your company's success over the past year.
Reporter: Jené Shaw | Location: Calistoga Ranch
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, this artistic, creative space can accommodate corporate groups of up to 2,000 people on its expansive property, which is surrounded by hiking trails, gorgeous gardens and an arboretum. Easily transition from team-building activities and artistic workshops by day into celebratory cocktails at night for a well-rounded holiday shindig.
If you’re looking for a stunner of a space to host a large company party, the historic One Jones—built in 1892 as Hibernia Bank—features dramatic entrances and four floors of transformable grand spaces. The unique venue holds onto its historic character—look for the six still-intact original bank vaults (we've heard they double as a great spot to host a bar and pour drinks!)
For those seeking a completely immersive culinary experience, Lazy Bear in the Mission District is the answer. Blending kitchen and dining space, guests are encouraged to get up close and personal with the chefs, ask questions and enjoy the courses as they're served. 24ft high ceilings, Mid Century Modern design and communal dining tables set this critically-celebrated scene. With opportunities for partial and full buy-outs, this spot is perfect for cozy winter gatherings for small and medium-sized teams.
How about a lavish farm-to-table feast for your office celebration? Or a multi-course dinner accompanied by estate wines from the property? This luxury Victorian farmhouse sits among Sonoma Valley vineyards and can accommodate up to 150 people around its ranch house and garden surroundings.
The design team at this trendy lounge-restaurant in the SOMA district has won plenty of awards for their conversion of a 1917 warehouse into a modern urban space. Take over the entire restaurant (up to 375 guests), or focus your efforts on a small cocktail gathering—the drinks menu features creative concoctions like Cinnamon Toast Crunch Sazerac, which includes Cinnamon Toast Crunch-infused bourbon and maple syrup.
Healdsburg Shed
Healdsburg, California
Photo by Healdsburg Shed
The downstairs of Healdsburg Shed is a delightful combo of café, culinary store, and fermentation bar, while the upstairs is a bright and spacious event space perfect for a party or dinner for up to 180 (standing).
Choose your own holiday party adventure at this private social club with a “what happens here, stays here” ethos and an edgy urban vibe. Four event spaces—the wine cellar, the study, the parlor or the penthouse—accommodate up to 120 people.
The Farmshop chefs work closely with their cheesemongers, bakers, and butchers to create dishes where the local ingredients can shine at this Larkspur gem. Whether you want an immersive sit-down meal for 60 or a personalized menu for up to 300 standing, you can be sure that you and your colleagues will taste super-local Northern California fare.
St. Helena’s Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch is more than just a farm-to-table restaurant—it’s also an outdoor café and artisanal general store, with adaptable spaces for a memorable shindig. Our perfect holiday party: the family-style Live Fire pit dinner, followed by lawn games and s’mores around the bonfire.
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It’s worth the 70-mile drive from San Francisco to get the ultimate farm-to-table experience at this “simple countryside” property in Winters. The estate is entirely yours for your company get-together, which can be held in the Victorian mansion, modern barn or one of the multiple outdoor gardens.
Co-owner/chefs Rupert and Carrie Blease bring impressive cooking pedigrees from Europe and notable spots like Per Se into their relaxed, casual restaurant—which just so happens to have a Michelin star. Lord Stanley is the perfect small venue for ringing in the holidays with an intimate crew (42 seated, 60 standing) who appreciate food that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
The Keystone has the look of a classic American tavern that’s been modernized without losing its historic feel. Opt to tuck back into a private room for a 40-person seated dinner, or keep it casual and lively with a standing cocktail party for 250.
Escape the city and head to the Santa Cruz Mountains for a party among the redwoods. This cozy lodge can accommodate up to 200 guests for specific events like wine tastings with local winemakers or traditional lunch or dinner parties, follow by a little bocce or corn hole on the expansive lawn.
Think beyond just dinner and drinks and do a team-building cheese workshop or hands-on pizza making class at this artisan academy in San Francisco’s Mission District. Transform the outdoor garden into a festive atmosphere, and send guests home with a cheese knife and handcrafted cheese.
What’s better than giving the gift of spectacular food and wine? For a holiday event at Octavia, you can opt for an exclusive 12-person chef’s table experience or take over the entire restaurant (50 guests seated, 65 standing) with a custom signature menu for your group.
You can count on resort-level hospitality and Michelin star-level food at this wine country retreat in Calistoga. With a gorgeous natural landscape, mountain background, modern design and sustainable architecture, the setting is worthy of a special holiday gathering for 250 (seated) to 400 (standing).
This chic hotel in Healdsburg’s downtown historic district has five space options for your holiday gathering. The most intimate (up to 14 people) is the Wine Library, stocked with rare vintages and unique bottles; the biggest is the string-light-adorned Event Green lawn for a cocktail party hosting up to 200.
This hip, artistic Oakville venue is not your typical tasting room—it’s more like a wine library with an attitude. Situated in the heart of Napa Valley, Durant Booth’s restored two-level Victorian features an intimate tasting room and an outdoor patio that can host up to 75 seated and 200 standing guests.
This rustic ranch feels a world away from city life, with endless rolling hills and open space just an hour from San Francisco. For an overnight holiday retreat, the ranch offers accommodations for 30 people—ranging from elegant rooms to luxury tents—to crash after a day of barnyard games or cooking-yoga-painting sessions.
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When you want to customize your own party vibes, Public Works provides the flexibility to do so for parties of 15–800 people. Modern art adorns the walls of this minimalist warehouse space, where on-staff professional mixologists are ready to whip up artisan cocktails.
Want to celebrate the upcoming holidays with a dinner in a wine cave? You can do that—and so much more—at Calistoga Ranch, where the natural Napa Valley landscape of vineyards and 100-year-old oak trees are as much of a draw as the incredible local food and wine.
Just minutes from Silicon Valley, this private retreat is surrounded by orchards, gardens and redwood trees at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The property, which can accommodate 200 seated guests outdoors, features a tennis court and baseball fields if a holiday sporting event is your company’s style; if kids are in tow, they’ll love the playhouse and fanciful sculptures.
You could throw a luxury dinner party at this sophisticated Yountville resort for a classic holiday event. Or you could add a memorable twist, like a wine tasting class or a Garden-to-Glass team competition to create the most creative cocktails.
With the backdrop of 2,500 Asian art pieces, this San Francisco museum offers five diverse venue options, whether you’re planning an intimate sit-down dinner or an all-out dancing bash. Bonus: Event fees go towards the museum’s educational programs and maintaining the historic Beux-Arts building.
San Francisco’s Dogpatch WineWorks is an easily customizable venue to accommodate the size of your corporate crew, with walls of oak barrels everywhere you look. Sit back and enjoy a private dinner (up to 250 seated, 300 standing), or get your whole team involved in a wine tasting or blending session.
There’s something about dreamy skyline views that set the tone for a special event; the panoramas from Craneway Pavilion could get any group of employees into a happy holiday mood. The former Ford Assembly Plant, which features soaring ceiling and huge waterfront windows, can accommodate 2500 seated guests or 5500 standing.
Throw a stylish holiday soirée at this luxury hotel near Silicon Valley, which boasts five venue options throughout its ballrooms, lush grounds and sophisticated restaurants. Whether you go intimate terrace or rose garden, you’ll still get the killer views of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Considering the first Star Wars movie was shot here, you can imagine the range of holiday party options to dream up for this multi-purpose space. The historic 40,000 square-foot venue can accommodate 4,000 people, and with a state-of-the-art sound system, The Armory would be the perfect spot to bring in a live band to get the holiday party started.
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