The canvas of Northern California is painted in bold hues of rich ethnic diversity, strong lines of natural beauty and subtle undertones of communities devoted to creativity and inspiration.
This composition forms a portrait of one of the most culturally gifted regions in the world, the chosen home of one of the largest concentrations of artists, musicians, dancers, writers and chefs on the globe.
The treasures of art and culture available in Northern California have the power to engage and inspire groups. In venues from art galleries to symphony halls to sculpture gardens, at activities from wine classes to musical theater performances, each attendee is certain to learn a new, more creative way to look at the world.
Bay Area
In San Francisco, visitors experience a multitude of cities in one, as layers of culture change from neighborhood to neighborhood and from block to block. Groups can sample authentic food from nearly every ethnic cuisine; explore the largest Chinatown outside of Asia; take in the second-largest opera company on the continent; visit the recently re-energized Fillmore jazz and rock music district, and choose from more than 60 museums. That’s just the tip of the cultural iceberg that keeps San Francisco cool.
“San Francisco’s vast array of vibrant cultural attractions is what sets this city apart from all other destinations,” says Geraldine O’Brien, arts and culture director at the San Francisco CVB. “The range is unlimited, from the majesty of our opera house and symphony hall to colorful art galleries and neighborhood cultural centers.”
With so many riches to choose from, there is certain to be a world-class cultural venue geared to any group’s interest.
Three of the city’s newest attractions are also among its most unique and compelling.
The de Young Museum reopened in its copper-plated, architecturally significant new digs in 2005. Nestled in the greenery of Golden Gate Park, the museum houses important collections of art from the Americas, Africa and Oceania as well as a striking array of temporary exhibitions. The museum offers a variety of event spaces, including the 8,275-square-foot indoor Wilsey Court, the 269-seat Koret Auditorium and a 9,720-square-foot outdoor sculpture garden.
The Contemporary Jewish Museum also reopened in a new 63,000-square-foot facility in the Yerba Buena art district in June. Rental space includes the 5,200-square-foot lobby and the 2,200-square-foot Yud Gallery, patterned with sun and shade from 36 skylights.
Since its reopening across from City Hall in the Civic Center neighborhood in 2003, the Asian Art Museum has offered more gallery space and programs than ever before. It’s the largest museum in the Western world devoted to Asian art, boasting 17,000 artworks. The museum can accommodate 1,200 for receptions and 400 for seated dinners. Private docent-led tours for groups of up to 100 are also available.
Meanwhile, one of the city’s most historic landmarks, Bernard Maybeck’s Palace of Fine Arts, built in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, hosts events in its 1,000-seat theater and grand rotunda.
In the East Bay, across the bridge from San Francisco, the vibrant ethnic diversity of Oakland and the deep academic, political and cultural heritage of Berkeley create a climate of tolerance and open-mindedness that lends itself to meetings.
The fabulous Art Deco masterpiece known as the Paramount Theatre of the Arts has graced downtown Oakland since 1931. Built as a movie palace, the theater has enjoyed a second life as a live performance venue staging headline entertainment. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the theater offers a total of 3,040 seats, and it is available for private events.
Another standout live performance venue that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places is the University of California, Berkeley’s Greek Theatre, an open-air venue offering an 8,500-seat amphitheater.
Across the Golden Gate Bridge to the north of San Francisco, Marin County has beckoned artists for more than a century with its forested hills, bohemian houseboat community and tranquil way of life.
“Marin County has an outstanding history of arts and culture,” says Mark Essman, president and CEO of the Marin County Visitors Bureau. “Because of Marin County's distinctive demographics and natural amenities, we tend to attract very unique events to our area, such as the Italian Street Painting Festival, the Bioneers Conference/Event, the Mill Valley Film Festival and the Mountain Play Theatre, which is held on top of Mt. Tamalpais overlooking the entire Bay Area in an outdoor amphitheatre.”
Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael offers a contemporary art gallery dedicated to the work of local artists. The lovely, gabled Queen Anne Victorian building itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Set on 11 forested acres and graced with cross-beamed ceilings, decorative fireplaces and art glass windows, the gracious house can welcome a group as large as 100.
After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, the city’s wealthy began to look south down the peninsula to San Mateo County for space to build their country mansions and house their favorite investments: their private art collections. Art is still a local obsession 100 years later.
“A booming interest in public art and music abound,” says Anne LeClair, president and CEO of the San Mateo County CVB. “From the 250 annual art and music events held on the courthouse square in Redwood City, to the nightly music in our Half Moon Bay/coast-side area, to the endless cultural and music offerings held at Stanford University and in Palo Alto, our area has a passion for the arts.”
Founded by the prosperous railroad magnate Leland Stanford, Cantor Arts Center in Palo Alto houses 24 galleries with art objects collected from all over the world in a restored 1893 building. The facility offers a wide array of event spaces, including its historic lobby that is capable of hosting receptions of 120; a 120-seat auditorium; and a rotunda that can welcome 75. Its Rodin Sculpture Garden features 20 bronzes by the great master and can accommodate receptions of 700.
Filoli Mansion and Gardens offers a 36,000-square-foot Georgian country house and a 16-acre formal Renaissance garden. The house itself is filled with 17th and 18th century English antiques and artworks, and the garden is one of the best examples of its kind in the world. From February to October, two-hour group tours are available for 12 or more, and group lunches can be arranged for eight or more. The visitor and education building is available for private events.
At the south end of the bay, San Jose holds the title of Northern California’s largest city. Walkable and diverse, the city’s thriving Japanese, Vietnamese and Latino communities produce numerous ethnic festivals and art events throughout the year. Many museums and cultural attractions are close to the convention center.
“The San Jose arts scene is hotter than ever, and delegates can walk or take a short rail ride to a wide variety of activities—from Broadway-style musicals and first-rate opera to a new American symphony and several acclaimed museums and galleries,” says Dan Fenton, president & CEO at the San Jose CVB. “The city’s rich mix of performing arts and cultural attractions is pure Silicon Valley, marked by growth, innovation and the unique blending of technology and art.”
Another palatial 1920s cinema and vaudeville house celebrating a renaissance as a performance venue, California Theater was restored in 2004 to house Opera San Jose and Symphony Silicon Valley. The grand, 1,119-seat edifice is located downtown and also offers separate meeting rooms that accommodate up to 125 people and are equipped with state-of-the-art audio and video technology.
San Jose Museum of Art offers a permanent collection of 20th and 21st century artworks as well as flexible event space for meetings, receptions and other events. Combined with the Fairmont Plaza, the site expands to accommodate 3,000.
Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz
The beach communities of Santa Cruz, Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea have lured poets and artists for nearly a century with their natural beauty and tranquility.
“Santa Cruz is most commonly known for its coastal location and surfing history, maybe not as recognized for the incredible number and variety of artists that call our community home,” says Maggie Ivy, CEO and executive vice president of the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council. “A couple of our annual events are Shakespeare Santa Cruz, held in summer in a redwood glen on the UC Santa Cruz campus, and Open Studios every fall, featuring 300 participating artists’ studios.”
The Museum of Art and History at the McPherson Center, located in downtown Santa Cruz, can welcome groups as large as 250. Private events include access to all galleries and exhibitions.
The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas is dedicated to the literary contributions of John Steinbeck and also spotlights changing art exhibits. The center can accommodate private events of up to 600.
Pajaro Valley Performing Arts Association offers seating for 778 in the Mello Auditorium. The Watsonville facility showcases musical concerts, theater and dance performances.
Napa and Sonoma Counties
“Art compares to nature like wine to the grape,” said Austrian poet Franz Grillparzer. Northern California’s Wine Country has successfully combined all four of those ingredients for decades and served them to delighted visitors.
“Sonoma County has a thriving arts and entertainment scene that permeates the entire area,” says Kenneth J. Fischang, president and CEO of the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau. “Visitors and residents alike can experience live entertainment and the arts at festivals that occur almost every weekend in the summer. Winter activities that celebrate cultural heritage, arts as well as live entertainment offer a wide array of choices.”
Sonoma County will soon offer a new arts venue: Green Music Center. The Rohnert Park facility, expected to open on the campus of Sonoma State University this spring, will be a venue for concerts, lectures and private event rental for groups as large as 384.
The Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa celebrates the life and art of the beloved Peanuts creator. The 22-acre campus includes an ice rink as well as the museum, which can welcome as many as 250 for receptions.
In the town of Sonoma, the historic Sebastiani Theatre, originally built in 1933 and restored over the past several years to its original grandeur, stages movies and performing arts, and is available for receptions, meetings and other events.
In Napa County, groups can learn about wine, cuisine and the culture surrounding them at Copia, the American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts. Its art galleries feature contemporary works and artifacts relating to wine and food. Groups can schedule private tours and classes or rent the entire facility for as many as 1,000.
Built in 1879, the recently restored Napa Valley Opera House is once again a bright jewel in the county’s cultural crown. The property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, hosts musical and theater performances and can seat audiences as large as 500.
Mendocino and Humboldt Counties
Farther north up the coast, the inspiring ocean vistas and heavy redwood forests of Mendocino and Humboldt counties nurture an opera company, three theater companies, three art centers and a circus, as well as a flourishing population of individual artists.
“The North Coast is an arts region,” says Anna Kvinsland, executive director of the Arts Council of Mendocino County. “Every weekend, in fact every day, there is something to see, hear and do in Mendocino County. Many of our coffee houses and pubs offer live music nightly. Many of our restaurants and inns display and sell artwork by local artists. Many of our artists have studios that are open to the public where you can witness the artistic process at hand.”
Set on 11 acres of redwoods, the 15,000-square-foot Gualala Art Center has several spaces to choose from. Groups who want to get their hands dirty in a sculpture or other art class can arrange workshops.
Hudson Museum in Ukiah preserves and displays Pomo Indian artifacts, the paintings of Grace Hudson, who produced many portraits of members of the local tribe, and the work of her ethnologist husband, who studied them. It accommodates 100 for receptions.
In Eureka, Morris Graves Museum of Art can welcome groups of 120. The facility houses a permanent collection of Pacific Northwest art as well as rotating exhibitions.
Lake Tahoe
The western side of Lake Tahoe, rich in natural splendor, supports a very active arts community with many events throughout the year.
“Arts and cultural opportunities can play a very large roll in driving someone to consider Lake Tahoe for a meeting,” says Jason Neary, director of sales at North Lake Tahoe Visitors & Convention Bureau. “With events like the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival, Lake Tahoe Summer Music Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival and the Snow Festival, just to name a few, there is always something going on here in Tahoe that a group can incorporate into their program.”
The Gatekeeper's Museum and grounds in Tahoe City preserves the early culture of the area. Exhibits include a collection of 800 Native American baskets and artifacts from the logging era and the establishment of tourism. The facility is located in three-acre Layton State Park and can welcome 300 guests.
Built in the 1930s as the country estate of a wealthy San Franciscan, Thunderbird Lodge is a showpiece of architecture and a prime example of the opulent lifestyle enjoyed by tycoons in the early 20th century. The mansion offers more than 3,000 square feet of indoor space.
“Meeting groups in search of a unique cultural experience could attend an art exhibition, a concert, a play, a film or even a book signing and reading by an author,” says Mike Frye, sales and events manager at the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. “There are over 65 different events during the festival season. The Valhalla Arts and Music Festival features art exhibitions, concerts, film and theater.”
Valhalla at Lake Tahoe also welcomes dozens of craft fairs, ethnic cultural festivals, open mike nights and concerts through the year. The facility, located steps from the lakeshore and adjacent to the historic Camp Richardson Resort, has space for groups as large as 125.
Sacramento/Davis Area
The state capital and nearby college town of Davis have long been bastions of culture and learning in the central region of Northern California.
“Increasingly, Sacramento is being recognized for its arts and cultural scene, ranging from the oldest public art museum west of the Mississippi to avant-garde galleries staging the popular Second Saturday art walk,” says Steve Hammond, president and CEO of the Sacramento CVB. “On the performing arts front, Sacramento boasts professional ballet and opera companies and a thriving theater scene anchored by the Sacramento Theatre Company and the B Street Theater.”
California Museum for History, Women and the Arts gives visitors a glimpse into life and culture in the state from its early beginnings to today. The museum offers reception space for 200 and a 250-seat auditorium.
Crocker Art Museum is one of the oldest and finest art museums west of the Mississippi River, boasting 14,000 pieces focusing on both California artists and the works of the old masters. The museum plans to triple its size when an expansion opens in 2010. During construction, the maximum size for private rental groups is 49, but that number will increase to hundreds when the expanded facility debuts.
On the campus of University of California, Davis, Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts offers a 250-person theater studio and a 1,800-seat concert hall that welcomes nationally touring music, dance and theater performances. The center is also available for private rentals.
For More Info
Berkeley CVB 510.549.7040 www.berkeleycvb.com
Humboldt County CVB 707.443.5097 www.redwoodvisitor.org
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority 775.588.5900 www.bluelaketahoe.com
Marin County Visitors Bureau 415.925.2060 www.visitmarin.org
Mendocino County Alliance 707.462.7417 www.gomendo.com
Monterey County CVB 831.657.6400 www.montereyinfo.org
Monterey Meeting Connection 831.646.3388 www.montereyconnection.com
Napa Valley Conference and Visitors Bureau 707.226.7459 www.napavalley.org
North Lake Tahoe Visitors and Convention Bureau 530.581.8703 www.gotahoenorth.com
Oakland CVB 510.839.9000 www.oaklandcvb.com
Sacramento CVB 916.808.7777 www.discovergold.org
San Francisco CVB 415.391.2000 www.sfvisitor.org
San Jose CVB 408.295.9600www.sanjose.org
San Mateo County CVB 650.348.7600 www.sanmateocountycvb.com
Santa Clara CVB 408.244.9660 www.santaclara.org
Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council 831.425.1234 www.santacruzca.org
Sonoma County Tourism Bureau 707.522.5800 www.sonomacounty.com
Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau 707.996.1090 www.sonomavalley.com
