Whether strolling the tranquil town of Hidden Hills or exploring bustling Pasadena, the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys span nearly as wide a profile as the whole of Los Angeles. World-class museums, expansive parks and gardens, celebrity appeal, and easy regional access all contribute to the popularity of the Valleys for groups.
The once-sprawling farmlands transformed into suburban communities in the ’40s and ’50s and have long since developed into urban destinations in their own right.
“The San Fernando Valley is the entertainment industry’s backyard,” says Carol Martinez, associate vice president, media relations for LA Inc., The Convention and Visitors Bureau. “A lot of creative minds are in the Valley.”
The Valleys offer ample venue space, and multiple hotels are often used for Valley-wide meetings, according to Michael Krouse, senior vice president for sales and client services at LA Inc.
There is also a push to attract more weekend corporate business, Krouse notes.
“Cost-conscious groups can get great rates on weekends,” he says.
San Fernando Valley
Surrounded by five ranges of mountains and hills, the San Fernando Valley is home to nearly 2 million people and could fit the cities of Boston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., combined into its geographic area.
Incorporated cities within the Valley include Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando, Los Angeles, and Calabasas, while other cities within the Valley such as Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood and Van Nuys are part of the city of Los Angeles itself. The famed Mulholland Drive draws the line between the Valley and the communities of Hollywood and L.A.’s Westside.
Dubbed the “Valley of the Stars,” San Fernando Valley is home to Warner Bros. Studios, Walt Disney Studios, ABC, CBS, and NBC, as well as Universal Studios Hollywood. It is also a celebrity magnet; everyone from Ron Howard to ET has at one time called it home.
“There are more stars living in the Valley than any other area of L.A.,” says Jay Aldrich, president of the San Fernando Valley Conference and Visitors Bureau.
Aldrich also notes the ease of access to the Valley, with Bob Hope Airport in Burbank at its center. The Van Nuys Airport is open to private jets and is situated near the AirTel Plaza Hotel, with 21,000 square feet of function space. Its FlyAway Bus shuttles passengers to and from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
In addition, the Metro Orange Line bus runs along a dedicated transit way and connects Warner Center with the North Hollywood Metro Red Line subway.
“The Orange Line is breaking all records for capacity,” Aldrich says. “It’s doing so well they are planning on expanding with a north-south route to connect to the Woodland Hills area.”
Aldrich says the San Fernando Valley is perfect for smaller meetings and conferences of up to 2,500 people.
“We have so many unique facilities,” he says.
The area’s biggest attraction, and also one of its most unique group venues, is Universal Studios Hollywood, including Universal CityWalk, which features dining, retail and entertainment—everything from virtual NASCAR racing and salsa dancing to skydiving.
The Sheraton Universal Hotel and the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City are meetings-ready properties that are within walking distance of the park.
The Beverly Garland Holiday Inn Universal Studios is a smaller meetings hotel. The property installed stadium seating last year in the 130-seat Beverly Garland Theater and recently renovated its grand ballroom, guest rooms and lobby.
Shopping is another draw of the Valley, with massive retail centers such as the Glendale Galleria, Woodland Hills Promenade, Sherman Oaks Galleria, and Fashion Square Sherman Oaks. The Westfield Shoppingtown Topanga in Canoga Park is adding a 120,000-square-foot Neiman Marcus store next spring, as well as over 100 new shops, restaurants and other amenities.
Woodland Hills is also home to the Warner Center, where groups can find space at the Hilton Woodland Hills and the Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills, which upgraded its Hidden Hills Ballroom last year and plans to finish a guest room renovation by the end of this year.
For a more cultural experience, the one-square-mile NoHo Arts District in North Hollywood is home to the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which produces the Emmy Awards, as well as art centers, cafes, coffeehouses, boutiques, and live theaters.
Burbank, whose roots date to the 1880s Southern California land boom, touts itself as the “Media Capital of the World” and offers group options such as the Warner Bros. Studio VIP tour and tapings of NBC’s The Tonight Show.
The Burbank Marriott Airport Hotel and Convention Center features 50,000 square feet of meeting and convention space and 488 guest rooms.
To visit stars of yestyear, Glendale’s Forest Lawn Memorial Park is home to the graves of Walt Disney, Jean Harlow and Clark Gable, among others.
Nearby properties include the Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale & Executive Meeting Center, which is undergoing renovations this year.
In 1874, San Fernando became the valley’s first organized community, earning the title “First City of the Valley.” Today, the town is most known for its San Fernando Mission Rey de Espana, established in 1797.
Despite urbanization, the Valley retains a number of natural escapes, including the 4,100-acre Griffith Park, which skirts the Valley’s boundaries. Though fire ravaged parts of the park earlier this year, the Los Angeles Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Museum of the American West, Greek Theatre, and the Griffith Observatory are all open. The observatory reopened to the public last year following a $93 million renovation and expansion.
Calabasas, on the northern slope of the Santa Monica Mountains, boasts views of the Valley. Outdoor art and shopping are top draws, and properties with meeting space include the Country Inn & Suites by Carlson Calabasas.
Hiking is popular at Coldwater Canyon Park near Studio City, which is also known for its Sunday Farmer’s Market and shopping along Ventura Boulevard.
The 200-room Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City, a staple for celebrity musicians on the road, is being taken over by Joie de Vivre Hospitality, which expects to make major changes in a couple of years.
San Gabriel Valley
The ethnically diverse San Gabriel Valley spans 200 square miles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains and has developed from citrus, dairy and cattle farms into 31 cities and five unincorporated communities. A number of Chinese and Taiwanese businesses have opened in recent years in the communities of Monterey Park, San Gabriel, Alhambra, and Rowland Heights.
Parks and recreational areas abound throughout the Valley, including the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia across from the Santa Anita Racetrack.
The region’s arts and culture center lies in Pasadena, which features attractions such as the Norton Simon Museum; The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens; and Pasadena Playhouse. The city is also home to more than 500 restaurants, and it gains world renown every year with its Tournament of Roses parade and Rose Bowl.
Pasadena is accessible via the Gold Line light rail system, which transports passengers between Pasadena and downtown L.A., with stops in Old Pasadena.
For all its attractions, Pasadena is still relatively unknown.
“I don’t think we have enough visibility,” says Nan Marchand, executive director of the Pasadena CVB. “We have to raise our awareness…Pasadena is the hidden gem of L.A.—a dynamic, thriving city.”
Growth is apparent in the $121 million expansion at the Pasadena Convention Center, which began last year. The project involves replacing the current exhibition hall with a new building, increasing the center’s exhibit space to 85,000 square feet; adding a new 25,000-square-foot ballroom; and restoring an existing 17,000-square-foot ballroom in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
The project will also upgrade the center’s exterior architecture to match surrounding historic buildings such as the Pasadena City Hall and the Pasadena Central Library, as well as provide a single grand entryway to the facility. The project is slated for completion in January 2009.
During construction, portions of the convention center, including the 26,650-square-foot East Pavilion, will remain open.
In another development, The Huntington Library, in conjunction with the Chinese government, is constructing an $18 million, 12-acre Chinese garden that will be one of the largest outside of China. Attractions will include nine gardens as well as a lake, a tea house, pavilions, and bridges. The first phase is scheduled to open in spring 2008.
Last year, the 392-room Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel and Spa completed a $19 million renovation that included enhancements to guest rooms, meeting space and exterior grounds.
Other meeting-ready hotels include the Westin Pasadena and the Hilton Pasadena, each of which completed renovations over the last two years, as well as the Sheraton Pasadena.
A variety of other meetings-oriented properties are available in other nearby communities of the Valley, including the Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel, the Radisson San Gabriel Valley, the Wyndham Garden Hotel Monrovia, and the Pacific Palms Conference Resort.
The star attraction in the town of San Gabriel is the San Gabriel Mission Arcangel, one of California’s oldest missions. It is located in the San Gabriel Mission District, which also features the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium, the San Gabriel Historical Association Museum and the Ramona Museum of California History.
Nearby, the Hilton Los Angeles/San Gabriel offers 222 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting space.
For More Info
LA Inc., The Convention and Visitors Bureau 213.624.7300
www.seemyla.com
Pasadena CVB 626.795.9311
www.pasadenacal.com
San Fernando Valley Conference and Visitors Bureau 818.377.6388
www.visitvalleyofthestars.org
