Smart Meetings

Overall, it is the idea of the American Dream that has in some way reached the most ears and eyes, but there are two distinct locations responsible for the bulk of U.S. stereotypes—New York and Southern California.

New York, of course, is a symbol of power, money and sophistication, and rightly so. Southern California, on the other hand, is a collection of images that form an idealized way of life—glamorous Hollywood with movie stars on every corner; perfect beaches full of beautiful people; a wellspring of global fashion, food and music trends; Disneyland; long summer days of surfing and sun-bathing; drive-in theaters and drive-through fast food; palm tree-lined golf courses.

The irony is that, while the American Dream is an idea as misunderstood as it is infinitely varied, the stereotypes surrounding Southern California generally hold true. It’s no wonder, then, that this is the nation’s second most-populous region, and one of the busiest destinations for meetings in the world.

While it’s easy to determine most of this region’s boundaries—the Pacific Ocean, Mexico and the Colorado River, the northern border is more flexible. Many agree, however, that Southern California ends with the Tehachapi Range, 70 miles north of Los Angeles, and the Transverse Ranges of Santa Barbara County. So, while Santa Barbara doesn’t always make the cut, for our purpose Southern California includes the major destinations of Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Palm Springs and the Inland Empire.

What is important for planners is that they look for the hidden gems behind the draws that have been around for decades. Just about every part of Southern California is reinventing itself, from downtown revitalizations to burgeoning wine country to an eclectic blend of unique meeting venues. Your attendees will be excited to come because they know what to expect—it’s up to you to show them what they don’t.

LOS ANGELES

TIMELESS REPUTATION: MOVIE-STAR THRILLS, L.A. STYLE AND MAJOR MEETING VENUES
Let’s face it—there may be no place in the world more famous than Los Angeles, thanks to the radiant star power emanating from Hollywood and the many uber-trendy neighborhoods, restaurants and nightclubs the stars are partial to. Movies, TV shows and albums produced in Los Angeles serve as the greatest promotional tools a city could ever hope for, and the result is an exciting destination where anything can happen, any star sighting could be made, and any restaurant, hotel or sidewalk in the city could suddenly be the place to be, depending on who’s there.

Thankfully for locals there’s plenty more draw here than the stars, such as gorgeous sandy beaches, perfect weather and an incredible ensemble of premier restaurants, shopping and entertainment. For out-of-town meeting attendees immune to star power, they can look forward to a huge assortment of first-rate hotels and an enormous amount of diverse meeting options, such as the Los Angeles Convention Center, with almost a million sq. ft. of meeting space.

The city of Pasadena, a favorite for planners due to its walkability and beautiful, relaxed downtown, will be even more primed for meetings when the Pasadena Convention Center finishes a $150-million total renovation and expansion. Slated for completion in early 2009, it will offer 85,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and a brand-new 25,000-square-foot ballroom.

Also new to this valley city is the landmark and luxurious Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa. Formerly a Ritz-Carlton, this hotel offers stunning landscaping, more than 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 380 guest rooms and suites.

In addition to star sightings and authentic trendiness just about everywhere, L.A. lets meeting attendees get up close and personal with Hollywood, as several studios allow for both behind-the-scenes tours of its production facilities as well as themed meetings and receptions in its amazing backlots.

At Universal Studios Hollywood, which is well on its way to recovering from the unfortunate backlot fire that happened last month, a planner can let their attendees go wild among the theme park’s multiple famous rides, then gather them back up for an unforgettable reception at any number of the studio’s various venues.

Thanks to Hollywood, L.A. has always been one of the hippest and most exciting destinations in the country, and it has the meeting facilities to match.

THE UNEXPECTED: DOWNTOWN AS DESTINATION
For the last several decades, when you thought of Los Angeles you thought of places like Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Redondo Beach and Hollywood—places that are fun, hip and full of things to do. You did not think of downtown, which turned into a ghost town after 5 p.m.

That’s all about to change, however. Thanks to a phenomenal amount of energy (and money), downtown is becoming one of the hottest neighborhoods in Southern California, particularly for meetings. “Even if you haven’t seen it in the last three years, you wouldn’t recognize it,” explains Michael Krouse, CHME, CMP, senior vice president, sales for LA INC., The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. This metamorphosis is due in large part to the whopping $2.5-billion development project called L.A. Live taking place next to the convention center. Major meeting components include a combined JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton convention hotel property, slated for early 2010, and the recently opened 7,100-seat Nokia Theatre. These buildings join the very successful Staples Center, home of the L.A. Lakers and a major concert venue. “We want to make it like a West Coast version of Times Square,” Krouse says.

SAN DIEGO

TIMELESS REPUTATION: FUN IN THE SUN
Without the hustle-bustle of Los Angeles, but retaining the perfect weather and beautiful beaches, San Diego has long been a relaxing, idyllic paradise just above the Mexican border. In fact, spend any amount of time here and you would think the county was built solely for pleasure—with the renowned San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, multiple art galleries, the huge Balboa Park, the world-class resorts of North San Diego, and what seems like a sailboat, yacht or kayak for every resident, this town knows how to spend its weekends.

This enthusiasm for recreation translates well to meetings—on top of endless team-building opportunities and post-meeting activities, many of these fun destinations can be used as truly unique meeting venues. Take the iconic USS Midway, for example. Permanently docked at downtown’s Navy Pier, this massive retired vessel is the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Navy history, and can make for unforgettable meetings or receptions for groups of up to 4,000.

Or, to truly pamper your group, the world-class resorts of North San Diego—like the brand-new $270-million Grand Del Mar—can easily seduce you into thinking you’re somewhere in the Mediterranean.

THE UNEXPECTED: THE NEW SAN DIEGO IS TAILOR-MADE FOR MEETINGS
Along with its northern neighbor Los Angeles, San Diego has completely reinvented its downtown, and the result is a city seemingly built for meetings convenience. The downtown core is anchored by the extremely popular historic Gaslamp Quarter, a hotbed of restaurants, shopping and nightlife. Encircling this compact area you can find an amazing diversity of hotels—many brand-new—that range from historic and classy to Vegas-style sleek to smart and meetings-focused.

The convenience for meetings simply could not get better—the San Diego Convention Center lies at one end of the Gaslamp Quarter, right on the harbor, and shoulder-to-shoulder with several premier convention hotels, full of resort-like amenities.

Rapidly going up story by story, directly adjacent to the convention center, the new 1,190-room Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel is expected to open late this year, offering 100,000 sq. ft. of its own meeting space. A few steps away, the Omni San Diego Hotel is directly connected to PETCO Park, the new home of the San Diego Padre’s baseball team that has helped make the downtown a thriving destination. And just a few more steps away, the brand-new Hard Rock Hotel San Diego represents the new wave of trendy hotels that are adding mounds of energy to this area, replete with the latest technology and hip rooftop bars and restaurants.

On top of these new hotels, the San Diego International Airport is literally in the city—landings make for more than a few wide eyes as the planes coast down right over the skyscrapers, but you can almost walk downtown from the runway. And walking is what this exciting new downtown is all about.

ORANGE COUNTY

TIMELESS REPUTATION: DISNEYLAND, HUNTINGTON BEACH, EASY LIVING
With no defined urban centers, but as the second-most populous county in California, Orange County is a unique area that manages to combine a beautiful and highly valued destination with a laid-back, easy-living attitude. Because of this, the OC has always been an excellent destination for meetings—a place where your attendees can focus on the task at hand yet still enjoy themselves afterward.

There’s also another reason groups like to come here—a little place called Disneyland, which excels at helping planners create a perfect event. And Huntington Beach is the epitome of the alluring Southern California surf culture—curling waves, easy smiles and endless summers.

While new TV shows overdramatize the OC, the truth about this place that is illustrated in every show filmed here is the truly great quality of life—including all the right hotels, unique venues, dining and recreation opportunities for the quintessential Southern California meeting.

THE UNEXPECTED: NEIGHBORHOOD APPEAL
Although Orange County has a history of large, planned communities, if you know where to look you can find great neighborhoods perfect for meetings—with walkable access to shopping, dining, nightlife and
the beach.

The city of Costa Mesa, for example, offers attendees almost 300 retail shops and upscale restaurants at its popular South Coast Plaza, while the nearby Orange County Performing Artscenter, a four-building campus, has an impressive calendar packed with year-round entertainment. The convenience of this small city also extends to the airport (five minutes away) as well as Huntington Beach (15 minutes). To find the right hotel, enlist the help of the Costa Mesa Conference and Visitors Bureau (travelcostamesa.com).


PALM SPRINGS

TIMELESS REPUTATION: DESERT GOLF OASIS
Like Las Vegas, the oasis of Palm Springs was designed for escape, relaxation and good times. While the Cahuilla Indians first recognized the value of this beautiful desert valley 100 miles east of Los Angeles centuries ago, it was the Hollywood stars of the 20th century who began making the trek here to escape from the city, and the area steadily took off as a golf resort and relaxation haven.

As meetings and golf go hand-in-hand, it’s no wonder that the Palms Springs area—which now includes nine separate cities in the Coachella Valley—has developed a wide range of excellent meeting venues, primarily in the form of expansive resorts.

A classic is the massive and luxurious La Quinta Resort & Club (laquintaresort.com), a longtime exemplar of the quintessential Palm Springs golf resort, with five golf courses of its own, in addition to 41 pools, seven restaurants, 23 tennis courts and 800 guest rooms. It also offers 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Another major player is The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa, set on 360 acres and offering a water slide, two golf courses, plenty of outdoor pool patio space and 65,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

These properties make it easy on both the planner and the attendee, as most include enough dining, golf, family-friendly activities and team-building options that you never need to leave the grounds.

THE UNEXPECTED: PALM SPRINGS GETS YOUNG AND HIP
Thanks primarily to the abundance and quality of golf, Palm Springs naturally evolved into a popular retirement destination. As a result, meeting activities tended to focus on what the resorts offered, which was mostly relaxing leisure activities, but not so much nightlife, entertainment and excitement. Lately, however, a new influx of younger generations—both resident and tourist—coupled with nearly two billion dollars invested in renovations and new properties, has resulted in a makeover of the whole area that is livelier and trendier. The Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa has its own nightclub, for example, and the brand-new Agua Caliente Casino, Resort and Spa is the latest example of the resort casino experience that is spicing up the nightlife. Finally, the Palm Springs Convention Center recently received a major facelift.


INLAND EMPIRE

TIMELESS REPUTATION: AFFORDABLE OPTIONS IN SOCAL WINE COUNTRY
A vague description for the area east of Los Angeles County and Orange County, the Inland Empire encompasses a diverse range of communities with their own unique appeal, including San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario and Temecula. The Palm Springs area is often included in this designation, but many consider it to be a separate area.
 
As far as meetings go, the Inland Empire is known as a destination for three primary qualities—affordability, wine country and plenty of sunshine.

Ontario and Temecula in particular attract groups for the vineyards rapidly sprouting up in areas that historically yielded citrus trees and dairy farms; today wine-tastings and hot-air balloon rides are popular post-meeting activities.

Ontario has also seen a strong surge of growth in recent years, and does well with meetings, thanks to the 225,000-square-foot Ontario Convention Center. There’s plenty of hotel accomodations surrounding the convention center, and the nearby LA/Ontario International Airport gives the region excellent accessibility.

The Empire’s central location also makes it a great jumping-off point for planners who want to reap the benefits of leisurely settings, affordable accommodations and meeting space, and ample parking, yet still take in attractions near the coast.

THE UNEXPECTED: HISTORY AND DOWNTOWN DESTINATIONS
There’s a lot more history to the Inland Empire than nostalgia for acres of orange trees—Riverside, Ontario, San Bernardino and Temecula all contain fascinating historic areas that double as great meeting destinations. One of the favorites is Riverside’s Mission Inn (missioninn.com), a fantastic century-old building that fuses Spanish architecture with Asian-themed add-ons, a state-of-the-art spa and an amazing chapel. It’s no surprise that meetings are a regular occasion here. The historic areas of the Inland Empire are also where you’ll find some of the best dining options, not to mention antique shops and a regular lineup of local festivals. 

Getting There

Not To Be Missed

In Los Angeles:

• A visit to the beach—it’s Southern California, after all.
• Star-searching in Hollywood or at any number of trendy restaurants.
• A walk through the new downtown Los Angeles.

In San Diego:

• A visit to the San Diego Zoo or SeaWorld.
• A tour on the USS Midway.
• A taste of nightlife in San Diego’s hip Gaslamp Quarter.
  

In Palm Springs:

• A round of golf at one of Palm Spring’s iconic championship courses.
• A ride up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
• A visit to one of several new casinos.
  

In Orange County:

• Watching the surfers at Huntington Beach.
• A shopping spree at South Coast Plaza.
• A day trip to Disneyland.

In the Inland Empire:

• Wine tasting in Temecula Valley.
• A hot-air balloon ride near Ontario.
• Antique shopping in downtown Riverside.