While Los Angeles generally conjures images of the energized glitz of Hollywood and the glamour of star-studded nightlife, there are alternatives not too far from the epicenter of L.A. that provide planners with plenty of welcoming options for laid-back events.
Like L.A., the Los Angeles International Airport and South Bay areas offer all manner of shopping, dining and entertainment options while also providing groups with an array of facilities, many located right on the waterfront, as well as endless activities.
Airport Area
It’s a snap flying a group into the area via Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the fifth-busiest passenger airport in the world with more than 55 million people passing through each year, according to Carol Martinez, spokeswoman for LA Inc., The Los Angeles CVB. With an eye toward improving the passenger experience, LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal has been undergoing a $723 million renovation. Scheduled for completion in March 2010, it is part of a $1.8 billion airport capital improvement program.
Approximately 80 passenger carriers, including all major airlines, serve LAX, which is situated in close proximity to some of the South Bay’s most famous and beautiful beaches.
"Los Angeles is home to more than 75 miles of coastline and there are more than two dozen beaches in the L.A. area, in addition to marinas, famous piers and other coastal community diversions," Martinez says.
The LAX area’s high-quality hotels offer 15,000-plus guest rooms, the largest concentration of accommodations in Los Angeles County, Martinez says.
Among the meetings-equipped properties nearby LAX are the Westin Los Angeles Airport, which recently completed a major renovation of its guest rooms and 45,000 square feet of meeting space; the Los Angeles Airport Marriott, which features 37 meeting rooms for up to 1,700 people; the Hilton Los Angeles Airport, with 56 meeting room options for groups of up to 1,200 attendees; the Renaissance Montura Hotel Los Angeles, with 17 meeting rooms for up to 700 people; the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Airport, which has dozens of meeting rooms for up to 1,000 people; the Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Airport, with 15 meeting rooms for up to 700 people; and the Radisson Hotel at Los Angeles Airport, which features 42,000 square feet of meeting space for up to 1,500 people.
Marina del Rey
The breezy seaside community of Marina del Rey offers a peaceful and carefree atmosphere in the middle of L.A., with picturesque harbors, superb restaurants and a close proximity to LAX (four miles), Venice Beach (within walking distance) and Santa Monica (three miles), according to Beverly Moore, executive director at the Marina del Rey CVB.
"Marina del Rey is particularly attractive to groups because it offers four distinct and diverse types of banquet and meeting space options, each one encompassing the community’s waterfront location," she says, citing hotels, restaurants, charter companies and private yacht clubs.
The variety of group-friendly hotels in Marina del Rey suits all budget ranges, Moore adds.
To name a few, the 304-room Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey offers about 15,000 square feet of conference and banquet space, including poolside venues; the 370-room Marina del Rey Marriott has 18,000 square feet of renovated meeting space for groups of up to 700 people; and the 153-room Marina del Rey Hotel offers 10,000 square feet of event space.
According to Moore, some of the most unique off-site venues for group events in Marina del Rey include Tiki Mermaid, a casual Polynesian-themed party boat that is well suited for small groups of up to 75 guests, and the private, nautical-themed California Yacht Club, which is available for meetings and banquets.
Popular group activities in the area include renting electric Duffy boats to drive around the harbor and exploring Venice Beach.
Known for its Ocean Front Walk, Venice Beach is where you’ll find an eclectic array of street performers, along with shops and stalls selling everything from incense to socks, according to LA Inc.’s Martinez.
"As you stroll along the boardwalk, keep your eye out for Harry Perry, the turbaned guitar player on roller blades who has appeared in numerous films and TV shows," she says. "This is also the spot to see the rubber-snake wrangler, the chainsaw juggler and a full roster of palm readers, folk artists and other colorful characters."
Beach Cities and South Bay
Heading south beyond Marina del Rey are several more communities that accommodate group events: Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance.
Manhattan Beach, according to Terry Comber, administrative assistant at the Manhattan Beach COC, enjoys almost-perfect weather, plentiful shopping, a variety of restaurants and meetings-equipped hotels.
"Its location on the Pacific Ocean makes it one of the world’s most beautiful spots," she says.
Popular Manhattan Beach pursuits include walking along its pier, picnics on the beach, concerts in Polliwog Park during the summer months, and shopping at venues such as Metlox Town Square. The European-style shopping center opened a few years ago three blocks from the beach with courtyards, fountains, public art and a varied selection of shopping, dining and entertainment choices.
Hotels offering conference facilities in Manhattan Beach are the boutique Belamar Hotel and the larger Marriott Manhattan Beach, with 25,000 square feet of meeting space.
Seven hotels in Hermosa Beach are all within walking distance of the ocean. They include the Hotel Hermosa; Holiday Inn Express; Beach House, which has more than 2,600 square feet of meeting space; and Quality Inn Hermosa Beach.
The Hermosa Pier Plaza, with stores, restaurants and nightlife, is a great spot to set attendees free to wander. From the pier, attendees could gear up and take to the water for surfing, boogie boarding, swimming or fishing.
Also popular with delegates is the 500-seat Hermosa Beach Playhouse, which offers group rates and features performances ranging from musicals to plays.
According to Maris Somerville, spokeswoman for the Redondo Beach COC and Visitors Bureau, the area offers ample meeting facilities and a full range of services and amenities, including team-building water sports at the Redondo Beach Marina and creative breakout activities at area hotels.
"Redondo Beach is a fly-in-arrive-minutes-later meeting destination just seven miles from LAX," she says. "Conferees get settled into beach destination accommodations within minutes of collecting their luggage."
Among the area’s group-friendly properties are the Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel and the Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club, both of which offer team-building activities, according to Somerville, in addition to the Best Western Redondo Beach Inn and the Palos Verdes Inn.
Just off the beach, meeting attendees can check out Riviera Village, which covers six blocks with unique shops and restaurants. At the city’s east end is the three-level South Bay Galleria, which offers more shopping opportunities.
Redondo Beach Pier, an attraction in itself, also acts as a jumping-off point for groups to take to the ocean via glass-bottom boat tours, whale watching tours or deep-sea fishing excursions. There are also plenty of annual waterfront events, including a Summer Concert Series on the pier, the Redondo Beach Lobster Festival in September and a Christmas Boat Parade in December.
At the city’s 1,450-seat Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, groups can take in a performance or take advantage of the facility’s state-of-the-art theatrical space for high-tech meetings of up to 1,500 people. Torrance, two miles from Redondo Beach, boasts the mile-and-a-half-long Torrance Beach. The Torrance Marriott South Bay, Holiday Inn Torrance and Hilton Torrance South Bay are among the destination’s many properties.
Fun group activities in Torrance include bowling outings at Lucky Strike, visits to the South Bay Botanical Garden or shopping at the 300-store Del Amo Fashion Center.
Secluded on nearby Palos Verdes Peninsula is the brand-new oceanfront Terranea Resort, which has 582 guest rooms, more than 63,000 square feet of event space, including an 18,000-square-foot grand ballroom, a variety of restaurants and lounges, a 25,000-square-foot spa, a fitness center and a golf academy.
Port Cities
Among the highlights of meeting in Long Beach are its affordability, a downtown waterfront, more than 11 miles of beachfront, including inland waterways and bays, and more than 100 restaurants serving everything from hot wings to haute cuisine within an eight-block area surrounding the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, according to Steve Goodling, president and CEO at the Long Beach CVB.
Additionally, more than $1 billion has recently been invested in a revitalized pedestrian-friendly downtown, Goodling says.
Three distinctive new properties near the convention center in Long Beach are Hotel Maya and AVIA Hotel, two boutique properties opening this summer, and the new 11-story Residence Inn Long Beach Downtown, which opened in May with views of the Pacific Ocean, Rainbow Harbor and the downtown skyline.
Standby hotels with meeting facilities in Long Beach are the Hyatt Regency Long Beach, Westin Long Beach, Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, Hilton Long Beach, Courtyard by Marriott Long Beach Downtown and Queen Mary Hotel.
The Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, with more than 300,000 square feet of meeting space, recently underwent an $8 million renovation, and after an extensive renovation, the historic 1920s Dolly Varden Hotel has reopened as The Varden, a boutique property located blocks from the convention center.
Meanwhile, the Laugh Factory comedy club recently opened in Long Beach and is available for private parties, charity events and luncheon presentations. And the Long Beach Museum of Art, perched on a picturesque bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, can accommodate large groups for special events.
San Pedro is home to Ports O’Call Village, which is reminiscent of a New England fishing village complete with art galleries, souvenir shops and restaurants, according to LA Inc.’s Martinez, who adds that attendees have plenty more to do if they’re meeting in San Pedro.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, which recently underwent a $10 million renovation, accommodates big and small events with marine life as the backdrop. History and film buffs, Martinez says, will enjoy a visit to Warner Grand Theatre, which is a lavish Art Deco venue that screens films and hosts live performances.
Two of San Pedro’s top meetings hotels are the 244-room Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor, with 6,900 square feet of meeting space, and the Doubletree Hotel San Pedro, which features a 5,000-square-foot ballroom.
Catalina Island
Situated 22 miles off the coast, "Catalina Island is a relaxing island destination, so close, yet so far away from the mainland of Southern California," says Donna Harris, marketing manager at the Catalina Island COC and Visitors Bureau.
While the destination has no new hotel facilities to report, the Santa Catalina Island Company is adding some new tours this summer and upgrading its Golf Gardens miniature golf facility with new landscaping and lighting, Harris adds.
Catalina Island’s meetings-equipped hotels include the Best Western Catalina Canyon Resort & Spa, Hotel Metropole, Seaport Village Inn and Hotel St. Lauren.
The Art Deco Casino Building’s ballroom and the Descanso Beach Club can each handle groups of up to 1,200 people, and the Catalina Island Country Club can accommodate groups of up to 100, while a number of restaurants also have event space.
Fun activities that planners can arrange for groups on the island include golf outings, golf cart scavenger hunts, underwater tours and casino tours.
