Why California for Your Next Meeting or Event?
The Golden State offers limitless possibilities to planners, including the revitalized Downtown Los Angeles and nearby coastal cities, the tech mecca of the San Francisco Bay Area, the stunning natural beauty of Northern California wine country and the outdoor wonderland of Lake Tahoe.
Venue Additions & Renovations
Functional Art
The Rainbow Bridge, a 605-foot elevated pedestrian walkway on Long Beach's downtown waterfront, debuted last month. The span takes convention center attendees from one side of campus to the other, but it's an attraction in its own right, with bench seating and 3,500 LED lights that illuminate at night to create musical light shows.
The Westfield Century City shopping center wrapped up a $1 billion makeover this past September. In addition to its more than 200 shops and restaurants, the mall now offers celebrity-friendly secret elevators and automated luxury-car parking. An outdoor event space, Atrium, can seat 1,000 people.
The 889-room InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown at Wilshire Grand, which debuted last June, soars for 1,100 feet, making it the tallest building in the United States west of Chicago. The 73-story building features a sky lobby on the 70th floor and an open-air Skydeck atop the structure that can accommodate as many as 548 people for a reception. The property offers 95,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Downtown L.A.'s renaissance continues with the planned opening late this month of the 241-room NoMad Hotel Los Angeles. The much-anticipated property will open in the historic Giannini Building and offer 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a rooftop pool and gathering space overlooking the downtown cityscape.
Alpine Lux
North Lake Tahoe's iconic
Squaw Valley Inn is being redeveloped and will debut as the PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn and Residences in December 2019. The newly luxe inn will have 60 guest rooms and 34 residences.
The 268-room Hotel Figueroa will have a debut of its own this month, in the form of a $30 million transformation of the property. The original Moroccan décor is being remade into a more contemporary look with a Spanish accent. Other new features will include 57 suites, a pool bar and a rooftop garden. New F&B options will include Breva, a tapas-style restaurant with influences from Northern Spain and Southern France, and Bar Alta, a 28-seat bartender's table
Meeting Hotels: Properties include the 1,358-room Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, 1,234-room Hilton Los Angeles Airport, 1,004-room Los Angeles Airport Marriott, 878-room JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles L.A. Live, 869-room InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown at Wilshire Grand, 802-room Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles, 740-room Westin Los Angeles Airport, 683-room Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles, 580-room Hyatt Regency LAX, 569-room Beverly Hilton, 496-room Sheraton Grand Los Angeles, 495-room Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, 469-room L.A. Hotel Downtown and 350-room Hotel Indigo Downtown Los Angeles.
Convention Center: Los Angeles Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 720,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 64; (213) 741-1151
Transportation: Los Angeles International Airport, 17 miles from Downtown Los Angeles. Transfer cost by taxi, about $47; Uber service from LAX to the convention center starts at $24
Taxes: Sales tax, 9.25%; room tax, 14%; Tourism Marketing District assessment, 1.5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15.5%
Looking to Plan a California Meeting?
Learn everything you need to know about this exquisite locale at
Destination California, Northstar’s premier event for meetings and incentive pros looking to book biz in the area.
Event Venue: The latest large hotel to open near the airport, the Hyatt Regency LAX offers 580 guest rooms and a hefty 52,000 square feet of meeting space. Among the meeting venues on-site are two large event lawns and the largest ballroom in the area, spanning 14,000 square feet. (424) 702-1234
Contact: Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, (888) 733-6952
California's Top 10 Beaches
Whether you want to catch some waves, take a walk, or enjoy the view, California's has the best beaches to meet your interests.
- Asilomar State Beach, Pacific Grove
- Bodega Head (Sonoma Coast State Park), Bodega Bay
- Carmel River State Beach, Carmel
- Trinidad State Beach, Trinidad
- Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach
- Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur
- Moonlight State Beach, Encinitas
- Dog Beach, Del Mar
- Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego
- South Carlsbad State Beach, Carlsbad
- Best CVB/DMO, Far West: Visit Anaheim, Los Angeles
- Best Convention Center, Far West: Anaheim Convention Center, Los Angeles
- Best On-Site Support Staff, Far West: Anaheim Marriott, Los Angeles
- Best Food and Beverage, Far West: Anaheim Marriott, Los Angeles
- Best Green Initiative, Far West: Anaheim Marriott, Los Angeles
- Best On-Site Tech/Wi-Fi, Far West: Anaheim Marriott, Los Angeles
- Best DMC, Far West: 360 Destination Group, Irvine
- Best CVB/DMO, Far West: Destination Irvine, Irvine
- Best CVB/DMO, Far West: Long Beach Convention and Visitor Bureau, Long Beach
- Best Convention Center, Far West: Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, Long Beach
- Best Boutique Property, Far West: The Ranch 4.0 Westlake Village, Malibu
- Best Decor/Design, Far West: The Ranch 4.0 Westlake Village, Malibu
- Best Food and Beverage, Far West: The Ranch 4.0 Westlake Village, Malibu
- Best On-Site Support Staff, Far West: The Ranch 4.0 Westlake Village, Malibu
- Best Golf Resort, Far West: Park Hyatt Aviara, Carlsbad
- Best Hotel/Resort, Far West: Carmel Valley Ranch, Carlsbad
- Best Golf Resort, Far West: Carmel Valley Ranch, Carlsbad
- Best Boutique Property, Far West: La Playa Carmel, Carmel
- Best Green Initiative, Far West: Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Fish Camp
- Best Boutique Property, Far West: Laguna Beach House, Laguna Beach
- Best DMC, Far West: Destination Concepts inc, A Global DMC partner, San Diego
- Best DMC, Far West: Access Suppliers, San Diego
- Best CVB/DMO, Far West: San Diego Tourism Authority, San Diego
- Best Boutique Property, Far West: Argonaut Hotel, San Francisco
- Best Décor/Design, Far West: Argonaut Hotel, San Francisco
- Best On-Site Support Staff, Far West: Argonaut Hotel, San Francisco
- Best Green Initiative, Far West: Argonaut Hotel, San Francisco
- Best Renovation (within past year), Far West: Hotel Spero, San Francisco