Enjoy new activities, local flavor at SF City Center Hostel

Posted by Mary on Sep 7, 2010

Earlier this summer, the San Francisco City Center Hostel hired its first dedicated activities coordinator. That means guests can now take part in more hostel events and city tours than ever!

Our popular Chinatown Walking Tour has been expanded, board game nights have taken off, Chinese tea tastings have become a staple in the hostel cafe, and groups of guests have been led to various San Francisco festivals and events. With more going on, and more chances for travelers to meet each other, the hostel is becoming a destination unto itself.

For Anthony Jones, being the activities coordinator at City Center Hostel is about more than just keeping hostellers entertained — it’s about sharing the REAL San Francisco with guests.

"I want to expose hostellers to all of San Francisco’s creative sides, not just the tourist traps," he said, pouring a cup of jasmine tea for an eager hosteller. "I want to show them the city I love, that the staff loves — the city we live in."

And, he added, the City Center Hostel is the perfect place to do that from. At the city’s center, yet off the beaten tourist track, guests have more opportunities here to mingle with San Franciscans, be surrounded by locals, and see local entertainment, he said. "Downtown, though exciting and fun, there are more tourist spots. We are where San Franciscans are, where people just exist."

Jones plans to capitalize on that local feel by showcasing art exhibits and musical performances by staff members, coordinating with a local art school to show student films, and organizing his tours so guests get to meet people in the community rather than just sightsee.

On the twice weekly Chinatown tour, for example, guests get to see hidden alleyways and temples, "but I also introduce them to families, monks — they get a real sense of personalities that are really San Franciscan and warm."

Jones grew up in North Beach, near Chinatown, and likes to share his knowledge and love of Chinese culture with hostellers, hence the tour — and the tea.

He also loves sharing the uniqueness of the hostel itself, with its 1920s architecture and cool common spaces.

"This hostel becomes your home," he said. "We want to make it cozy, comfortable, a place where you can go into the cafe to have tea, where you can watch movies, and feel surrounded by life, by energy."

But more than anything, he said, he wants guests he’s led or served or played board games against to leave sharing his love of this city.

"Every person who comes to this hostel will want to live in San Francisco," he said. "That’s my goal. It affirms why I live here."

Ongoing City Center Activities

All events are subject to change. Check our monthly calendar to verify the activities scheduled during your stay.

Chinatown Walking Tours
Every Monday and Friday, 12 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Cost: Free!

Join your fellow hostellers for a trip to one of San Francisco’s oldest and most captivating neighborhoods: Chinatown. Though it’s only a few blocks from downtown, Chinatown is another world unto itself, bustling with shops and buzzing with people. Explore hidden alleyways, sip various Chinese teas, see mysterious historic temples, and visit the famous San Francisco Fortune Cookie Factory. This event is open to guests at all three San Francisco hostels.

Chinese Tea Tastings
Every Monday and Friday, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Cost: Free

Looking to relax, recaffeinate, chill out with your new hostel buddies, or just think tea is awesomely satisfying? Stop by Ivy’s Place, our Prohibition-era cafe for a free Chinese loose leaf tea tasting. Our "tea master" Anthony talks about the various teas he’s making, explains the process of preparing it, and expertly pours it for your sipping pleasure. This event is open only to guests of the City Center Hostel.

Clue and Jambalaya
Every Thursday, 7:30 - 9 p.m.
Cost: $3 for jambalaya

Was it the housekeeper in the hostel kitchen with the candlestick??? Come join us for a competitive game of Clue / Cluedo, and dine on a delicious dish of the Southern classic, jambalaya. Popcorn and plenty of laughter can be expected. Plus, winners will get free all-you-can-eat pancakes the next morning! Keep your eye on the calendar — sometimes we change it up and play Pictionary instead. This event is open only to guests of the City Center Hostel.

Movie Nights
Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m.
Cost: Free

Tuesday nights, the hostel’s TV room is transformed into the Atherton Theater — join other hostellers to hang out and enjoy a film. Guests get to choose the movie. This event is open only to guests of the City Center Hostel.

Festival and Event Trips
Various dates
Cost: Free, sometimes transit costs apply

Staff members lead groups of hostellers to many of San Francisco’s festivals and events so you can experience local culture without being alone! In the last few months, groups have gone to San Francisco’s Pride Festival and Parade, the Free Folk Festival, the Haight Ashbury Street Fair, Dolores Park neighborhood movie nights, and a nightlife event at the Asian Art Museum. Check the calendar for a festival and event trips during your stay. These events are open to guests at all three San Francisco hostels.