Contrary to popular belief, Orange County wasn’t named for its abundance of orange crops. The warm, sun-kissed area would eventually sprout orange groves, but when it was named in the late-1800s, its most promising products included sheep, corn and hogs. Rather than naming it "Corn County," real estate folks looking to attract settlers tagged the area "Orange" to suggest a semitropical paradise, a place where anything could grow and everything was possible.
Today, Orange County, nicknamed "the OC," could safely say it’s lived up to the meaning behind its name. And when it comes to meetings, planners can count on it as a destination that will grow attendance and make memorable events more than a possibility, but a reality.
While Anaheim and Disneyland Resort are responsible for drawing major crowds as well as the bulk of the area’s group business, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Irvine and the coastal communities of Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Dana Point also attract their fair share of tourists and group gatherings.
Whether enjoying the status quo or changes via the development of hotels and attractions, the OC’s meetings players welcome planners who are after affordability, easy access and fun in the sun for their next event.
Anaheim
Home of Mickey Mouse and the Disneyland Resort, which draws visitors and groups of all ages from near and far, Anaheim is centrally located in the middle of Southern California, within easy driving distance of 20 million people.
According to Elaine Cali, spokesperson for the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, the destination boasts sunny weather year-round, meeting facilities cozy enough for small groups and large enough to accommodate over 100,000 people at the Anaheim Convention Center (ACC), and a wonderful variety of things to do, including visits to Disneyland Resort, museums, shopping districts (namely the Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk, within walking distance of the ACC) and award-winning restaurants.
"Additionally, the Anaheim Resort District—1,100 acres surrounding the ACC and Disneyland—has gone through a $5 billion transformation, including new boulevards; new lush landscaping featuring over 1,000 palm trees; new uniform resort signage; as well as visitor shuttles connecting all the hotels to city entertainment and dining venues," Cali says. "So if you haven’t been to Anaheim recently you’ll be surprised by its all-new look and feel."
The upgrades don’t stop there, as area hotels are constantly being updated and expanded, Cali adds, such as major plans for the Disneyland Resort, including the recent addition of 203 guest accommodations at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and a recently completed $70 million renovation at the 1,572-room Hilton Anaheim, which has 100,000 square feet of meeting space.
The Hilton and the 1,030-room Anaheim Marriott, which features 82,000 square feet of function space, are both adjacent to the ACC, one of the largest convention centers on the West Coast at 1.6 million square feet.
In addition to fulfilling group housing and meeting needs, nearby attractions for intriguing off-site events include Bowers Museum, the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, the Discovery Science Center and Mission San Juan Capistrano, as well as Anaheim Angels baseball games and concerts at the Honda Center, the Grove of Anaheim and the House of Blues.
Cali adds that Anaheim has a new certified tourism ambassador program in place that trains hospitality industry employees, providing them with more in-depth destination knowledge as well as fine-tuning customer service skills.
"This is a growing, nationally recognized training program giving Anaheim area employees an opportunity to shine and provide exceptional service for visitors," she says.
Buena Park
Buena Park, located in the heart of the OC, ranks as a key Orange County group destination, says Julie Toledo, interim executive director at the Buena Park Visitor & Convention Bureau.
Planners, she says, are drawn to hosting meetings in Buena Park for several reasons, including its accessibility, affordability, sun-and-fun Southern California culture and abundance of attractions, namely Knott’s Berry Farm, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, and Pirate’s Dinner Adventure.
"Groups enjoy shopping, dining and entertainment at Buena Park Downtown mall," Toledo says.
The destination’s top meetings-equipped facilities are Courtyard Anaheim Buena Park, which will unveil a new business-friendly lobby in April; Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel, which just completed a renovation of its meeting space; Holiday Inn Buena Park; Radisson Suites Hotel Buena Park; and Hampton Inn & Suites L.A. Buena Park.
Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa provides a viable alternative to booking meetings at resort locations, offering excellent facilities and superior services in an easy-to-reach destination near a variety of shopping options, entertainment venues, restaurants and the beach, often at a fraction of resort prices and without the potentially negative perception of meeting at a resort during troubling financial times, says Shaun Robinson, president of the Costa Mesa Conference and Visitor Bureau and general manager of the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa.
"In fact, Costa Mesa has one of the lowest transient occupancy taxes in the Western United States," he says. "As meeting planners seek to get the most value for meeting dollars, Costa Mesa continues to be a budget-conscious destination that quite literally delivers more bang for the buck."
Among the destination’s meetings-ready properties are the 486-room Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa, with 48,000 square feet of function space; the 393-room Westin South Coast Plaza, with 26 meeting spaces that accommodate up to 900 people; and the 225-room Hotel Hanford, with 11,000 square feet of combined indoor and outdoor meeting space.
"In addition to ample meeting space in our hotels is the magnificent Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall [at the Orange County Performing Arts Center]," Robinson says, citing its Orchestra Lobby as a great location for gala events and its Box Tower as ideal for pre-performance receptions.
Planners appreciate that Costa Mesa is a premier cultural, shopping and dining destination, and that there is so much to do after the meeting has ended, according to Robinson.
"Attendees can enjoy breathtaking sunsets, award-winning performing and visual arts in our Theater & Arts District, championship-quality golf courses and tennis facilities, and Southern California’s finest cuisine served in many award-winning restaurants," he says.
Irvine
A safe, business-friendly destination with particularly affordable rates Thursday through Sunday, Irvine’s motto, according to Jennifer McLaughlin, director of tourism marketing at the Irvine Chamber Visitors Bureau, is "minutes from everywhere and close to perfect."
"We are located in the center of Orange County, and we are minutes from all of Orange County’s top attractions," she says.
When in town, groups are encouraged to enjoy a round of golf at Oak Creek Golf Club or Strawberry Farms Golf Course, shopping at the Irvine Spectrum Center, horseback riding at the Irvine Ranch Land Reserve or a show at Irvine Improv or Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.
Among Irvine’s group-friendly hotels are the new SpringHill Suites Irvine John Wayne Airport/Orange County, Irvine Marriott, Hyatt Regency Irvine, Hilton Irvine and Atrium Hotel at Orange County Airport, as well as Bren Events Center and the Mabel Beckman Conference Center.
Coastal Orange County
The four seaside communities along the scenic Orange County coast, including Dana Point, which is home to The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, are popular with groups that like to be in the lap of luxury.
Newport Beach, according to Kim Severini, vice president of marketing at Visit Newport Beach, is a seaside oasis situated in what is often described as the "Hamptons of Hollywood."
"Regarded as fashionable and affluent, it is also remarkably casual and affordable," she says. "The destination’s temperate Mediterranean climate, charming history, iconic harbor, waterfront activities, outdoor adventures, retail options and culinary delights assure attendees a well-rounded and delightful experience."
One of the most exclusive group-friendly properties in the destination in Newport Beach is the AAA Five Diamond Resort at Pelican Hill, with over 20,000 square feet of meeting space. Other favorites for meetings include Balboa Bay Club and Resort, Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, Island Hotel Newport Beach, Newport Beach Marriott Bayview, Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa, Fairmont Newport Beach and Radisson Hotel Newport Beach.
And some of the most unique off-site venues for group events, Severini says, are Balboa Pavilion, Newport Beach Sports Museum, The Wild Goose, a luxuriously appointed yacht that’s available for private charters for corporate parties and events of up to 150 people, and Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina, which features a banquet room for up to 150 attendees and outdoor beachfront pavilions, cabanas and a gazebo to accommodate up to 3,000 people.
Huntington Beach, known as "Surf City USA," offers the quintessential California beach experience, according to Donna Mulgrew, vice president of sales and marketing at the Huntington Beach Marketing and Visitors Bureau.
"The concept of Surf City USA embraces the entire spectrum of surf culture, from surf music to surf apparel to surf competitions," she says, citing more than 50 competitions each year, including the U.S. Open, the largest professional surf competition in the world.
Probably one of the most unique concepts in meetings marketing is the Surf City Conference Collection, Mulgrew adds. It offers the combined campuses and amenities of the destination’s two premier properties, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa and Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort.
"This ideal campus-like setting boasts 140,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space, and amenities including multiple on-site restaurants, shops, the award-winning Pacific Waters Spa and Slyders Water Playground," she says.
Another Huntington Beach property is the Shorebreak Hotel, America’s first "Surf Couture" hotel, with 8,000 square feet of function space.
Unique off-site venues for group events include the Huntington Beach Art Center and the Newland House Museum.
Mulgrew adds that team-building activities on the beach, such as relay races and sandcastle-building contests, and other oceanfront outings like beach bonfire bashes that include roasting s’mores around fire pits, are popular with groups.
Outdoor activities in Laguna Beach range from golfing at Aliso Creek Golf Course to a sightseeing catamaran tour of Laguna Beach via Dana Point-based Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching.
"A group can start the day on the beach with a yoga session, join in a drum circle under a full moon, or embark on an eco tour to enjoy our outdoor offerings," says Judith A. Bijlani, executive director at the Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau.
Aside from seven miles of coastline, Laguna Beach offers breathtaking sunsets, a walkable downtown, more than 100 galleries and an art museum to browse, and a variety of restaurants and boutique shopping experiences.
"We also have our own winery [Laguna Canyon Winery], where you can hold private events, and Laguna Culinary Arts school for a group cooking class," Bijlani says, adding Fun is First, a Laguna Beach-based DMC, can organize a variety of team-building exercises, dine-arounds, art and culture tours, and innovative corporate programs for visiting groups.
Among Laguna Beach’s meetings-friendly properties are Surf & Sand Resort, Montage Laguna Beach, Aliso Creek Inn, Hotel Laguna, Inn at Laguna Beach, La Casa del Camino, Pacific Edge Villa, Hotel Seven4one and Sunset Cove Villas.
San Francisco-based freelancer Carolyn Blackburn is a frequent contributor to Meetings West.
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