[jowiar]

Forget all of that. The most interesting people in tech are largely not in San Francisco (and the ones who you find are loud, while the ones who are interesting you won't find).

Instead: SF is a stellar place to unwind. Do that.

Catch a Giants game. Drink fantastic coffee (Sightglass, Blue Bottle, Epicenter, Four Barrel, Ritual, etc.) Get a Chocolate Shot at Tcho, Ice Cream at Humphry Slocombe, a burrito in the Mission, and Shabu Shabu. Drink a cocktail at Alembic or Comstock. Spend an afternoon peoplewatching in Dolores Park. Shop at the ferry plaza. Walk across the Golden Gate. Take a few days of the best weather that you're going to see for the next 4 months and enjoy it outside.

If you're interested in learning, drop in on some things at Stanford and Berkeley - find interesting talks from people who are doing legit change-the-world research that you can sit in on.

[larrys]

But the OP said specifically:

"What meetups/cafes/events can I go to to network"

The goal appears therefore to be to network. Not to do interesting sight seeing things. Nor to meet "interesting people" unless those interesting people are specifically for networking purposes.

Add: How does a three day visit for networking jive with "Catch a Giants game. Drink fantastic coffee".

You can do all that in the city that I live in and in many cities.

[tizzdogg]

True, it's not answering the OPs original question. I think people are responding to the implied idea that you can just show up in San Francisco and bump into VCs all over the place, and that this is all the city has to offer. SF people love their city for other reasons, and get a bit defensive about this attitude that tech is the only worthwhile thing about it. It's partally a part of the ongoing angst about the changing nature of the city with the influx of so many tech folks.

[debt]

I second the above. Also, walk up 24th street to Potrero then on over to the top of Bernal Hill. If you have time you should definitely check out the views from Twin Peaks. Or all the different 100 or so of species(including Redwoods) of trees in Buena Vista Park. You should walk up the Embarcadero near the Bay Bridge side after a Giants Game.

Sutro Ruins near Ocean Beach is pretty cool too. You can easily do all of this in three days.

[tizzdogg]

Yeah, SF's not all about tech. Take the time to explore the reasons why all the tech people wanted to live here in the first place, before there was a startup ecosystem. Access to nature, beautiful location, progressive and accepting attitude etc.

If you can stick around an extra day, Bay To Breakers is happening on Sunday. One of the more quintessentially San Francisco events which you wont find anywhere else in the world.

[tsenkov]

I've visited SF just once, but California Academy of Sciences was pretty nice.

Also, probably more exotic for foreigners, but the hop-on hop-off bus tours are also quite nice, especially if the weather is OK.

Have fun! :)

[angelbar]

Try to somehow sneak-in Mythbusters?

Also: I remember a "Still untitled" videos (Tested on youtube) that they mentioned some good food places.

[stigi]

+1

Also get a cinnamon toast at Trouble on Judah St and take a walk on ocean beach.

[Macsenour]

Ride a cable car and see the buffalo in Golden Gate park.

[allochthon]

If I can recommend Alamo Square, and the Mill, a cafe nearby. Not necessarily a place to do networking, but a lovely part of SF.