Guide to Meeting & Event Planning in

Huntington Beach

Learn why you should hold your next meeting, event or conference in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Why Huntington Beach for Your Next Meeting or Event?

"Surf City USA," the epitome of Southern California cool, offers so many options for meetings and incentive groups. The gorgeous beachfront setting, the HB Collection of four resorts offering a total of 1,400 guest rooms and 185,000 square feet of event space and two exciting entertainment districts make this destination the perfect destination for memorable events.

Only in Huntington Beach

Known for its wide, sandy beaches and ideal surfing conditions, Huntington Beach features ideal year-round weather that allows for an abundance of outdoor options for meetings and group activities. 

Travel Essentials
Taxes: Room tax, 10%; sales tax, 7.75%; Huntington Beach tourism tax, 4%; total tax on hotel rooms 14.195%.
 
Contact:  Visit Huntington Beach (714) 969-3492

Transportation In & Around the Area   

The two closest airports to Huntington Beach are John Wayne Airport (11 miles) and Long Beach Airport (17 miles), while Los Angeles International Airport (36 miles) offers the most daily domestic and international flights into Southern California. Transportation costs are approximately $30 from John Wayne and $45 from Long Beach via Uber and Lyft, with taxis running $40 and $55. Uber/Lyft costs from Los Angeles International Airport run around $65, with taxis costing $108.

Meeting & Event Venues

New & Coming Soon to Huntington Beach

• Visit Huntington Beach’s annual holiday program, 12 Blocks of Cheer, is back with new offerings. Located just north of the Huntington Beach Pier, Surf City Winter Wonderland has a 4,100-square-foot rink that can host up to 162 skaters. The Ice Rink at the Pasea Hotel & Spa features extras that include holiday cocktails and bites, theme nights, luxury fire pit experiences and performances. Group packages and rink buyouts are available for groups of 35 people or more. The 12 Blocks of Cheer program, which also includes dining and retail discounts, seasonal menus and photo opportunities, is scheduled to run through January 3, 2022.

• The new Huntington Beach House at Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway features 13 dine-in fire pits spread throughout a secluded section of the sand and a 120-foot counter with seats overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Part of a partnership between the Prjkt Restaurant Group and California State Parks, the venue can host events for up to 350 people.
 
• Entertainment districts that have opened in Huntington Beach in recent years include The Strand and Pacific City. The latter venue has added a number of new eateries, retail outlets, pop-up shops, community-minded kiosks and art installations. For groups that want a true taste of the area, the new 4,163-square-foot Open Market OC features a variety of local artisans and small businesses—both craft and culinary—under one roof. New art installations include the Surfing Walk of Fame Honor Wall (befitting the city’s “Surf City USA” moniker) and a large interactive mural created in partnership with Visit Huntington Beach [https://www.surfcityusa.com] where visitors can customize their own Huntington Beach experience. Gatherings of up to 500 people can be accommodated on Pacific City’s Surf Deck event space.

More Meeting & Event Venues

• Located within a 350-acre park, the Huntington Beach Central Library offers private event space that includes seven meeting rooms that can host groups of up to 134 guests and a 319-seat theater. Catering is available via an onsite commercial kitchen and local referrals. Originally designed by Richard & Dion Neutra in 1975, the library features spacious reading areas and indoor fountains surrounded by a spiral ramp. The meeting space and theater are located in a 43,000-square-foot wing that was added in the mid-1990s.

• With a wide variety of spaces and activities for groups of up to 1,500 people, Off the Wall Social Huntington Beach offers a lively venue for private parties and team-building events. Attendees have access to arcade games; table tennis; bumper pool; corn hole; bowling; bocce; laser tag, and virtual reality attractions, along with a full menu, bar and private meeting room.

• The largest of the oceanfront hotels that make up The HB Collection, the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa features 517 guest rooms and 110,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 20,000-square-foot ballroom. Available activities include on-site bike rentals from Toes on the Nose.

Looking to Plan a Meeting in California?
Learn everything you need to know at Destination West, Northstar's premier event for meetings and incentive pros looking to book business in the region.

The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel provides more than 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space in 16 venues that range from intimate boardrooms to ballrooms and outdoor terraces that can accommodate up to 650 guests. The resort’s two towers — one of which opened two years ago as part of the resort’s expansion project — hold 437 guest rooms, 294 of which are suites. The hotel’s Waterfront Adventures kiosk can organize beach-cruiser rentals and bonfires on the beach. 

The Paséa Hotel & Spa opened five years ago with 250 guest rooms and more than 34,600 square feet of oceanfront meeting space that includes a ballroom able to host up to 900 guests. The hotel, which is located adjacent to the Pacific City entertainment district, also features a 5,800-square-foot Balinese-inspired spa.

• The Kimpton Shorebreak Resort can accommodate gatherings of up to 200 people in 10 venues ranging from dedicated suites to a large ballroom. The 157-room boutique hotel is located just north of the Huntington Beach Pier in the Strand entertainment district.
 
• The site of year-round, large-scale concerts and events, SeaLegs at the Beach is also available for private gatherings. Located on Bolsa Chica State Beach, the venue offers cabanas, fire pits and production services for events of up to 800 guests.

Things to Do in Huntington Beach

• With a moniker like Surf City USA, it’s not surprising that many of the activities available for groups meeting in the destination revolve around the beach. But two new options offer a little something different (to say the least): axe throwing and silk-scarf designing. At Stumpy’s Hatchet House, groups can reserve nine axe-throwing pits (training is provided) or buy out the whole venue. Food and drink are available via the on-site restaurant and bar or groups can bring their own. For those seeking a more serene activity, Mayu Silk Art teaches attendees how to design and create their own silk scarves via a technique that blends the ancient art of water marbling with modern, eco-friendly and upcycled materials.

• With its temperate climate and 10 miles of uninterrupted coastline, Huntington Beach offers plenty of options for groups that want to head outside — from bicycle, scooter and Segway rentals to beach yoga to self-guided harbor tours on electric Duffy boats. Planners can also book private boat charters from Prince Charters LLC; electric bike rentals from Pedego Huntington Beach; kayak and stand-up paddle board rentals from OC Paddlesports; and surf and stand-up paddle board lessons from McKinnon Surf & SUP Lessons
 
• Attendees looking for something a little less outdoorsy might enjoy touring some of the city’s local breweries and distilleries. The four HB Collection resorts all offer guided tours.
 
• For groups that want to add a corporate social responsibility component to their program, Visit Huntington Beach can provide a list of options. These include beach clean-ups in town or at nearby Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and Wetlands, and numerous other community programs. 

Where to Eat

The following restaurants available for group events offer inspired settings and fare:
 
1. BLK Earth Sea Spirits — Seafood, American
2. Bluegold — American
3. Duke’s Huntington Beach — Seafood, American
4. Fred’s Mexican Cafe & Cantina — Mexican
5. Main Street Wine Bar — Wine Bar
6. Ola Mexican Kitchen — Mexican
7. Old Crow Smokehouse — BBQ
8. Puesto Huntington Beach — Mexican
9. Sandy’s Beach Shack — American
10. The Bungalow Huntington Beach — Casual