Long Beach and the various other meetings-friendly communities in L.A.’s South Bay and Westside areas share good looks, pleasant year-round weather and easy accessibility to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Most of these destinations also have beachfront appeal, and a few even promise a more attractive price tag than downtown L.A.
From Long Beach to Manhattan Beach to Beverly Hills, the region is ripe with fantastic options for a standout meetings itinerary.
Long Beach
Long Beach, located in the center of Southern California within minutes of L.A. and Orange County attractions, is one of the few group-friendly cities that boasts an urban downtown waterfront, according to Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach Area CVB. He says the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center is an anchor of the waterfront, with panoramic views of Rainbow Harbor and more than five miles of sandy beachfront.
“Long Beach offers all the amenities and excitement of a big city with the relaxed atmosphere of a seaside resort,” he says. “Within an eight-block area around our convention center, attendees will discover shopping venues, entertainment and nightlife, plus more than 100 restaurants serving cuisine from around the globe.”
Near the convention center, which earlier this year completed a multimillion-dollar renovation that included enhanced lobbies, meeting rooms and hallway areas, are meetings-friendly Hyatt Regency, Westin, Renaissance and Hilton properties, as well as the Hotel Maya and the Queen Mary. Close to the Long Beach Airport, the Long Beach Marriott also welcomes groups.
Long Beach attractions include the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Museum of Latin American Art, both of which host off-site events.
“Long Beach is a water sport paradise,” Goodling adds, citing everything from kayaking and kite surfing to stand-up paddle boarding and whale watching as fun possibilities for visiting groups.PageBreak
South Bay
Like Long Beach, the South Bay’s meetings-friendly destinations are all waterfront locales situated within close proximity to LAX.
In addition to superb year-round weather, eclectic shopping and dining options, and a diverse portfolio of meeting spaces, a main selling point for Manhattan Beach is the convenience it presents in moving large groups to and from LAX, according to James O’Callaghan, president and CEO of the Manhattan Beach COC.
Group-friendly options here include the Manhattan Beach Marriott and boutique properties such as Shade Hotel and Belmar Hotel.
“With a mix of nationally recognized brands and boutique hotels, the needs of even the most discerning business travelers can be met here,” O’Callaghan says.
After the meeting, groups can wander the Manhattan Beach Pier, among other attractions, or schedule an outing to a local annual event like the International Surf Festival.
An active community where beach activities including surfing, paddle boarding and beach volleyball are popular, Hermosa Beach is well-suited to cater to groups of up to 100 people.
Local properties here include the Hotel Hermosa, Beach House Hotel and Grandview Inn.
Another fly-into-LAX and arrive-minutes-later beachfront community, Redondo Beach is one of the most affordable meetings destinations in Los Angeles County, according to Maris Somerville, spokeswoman for the Redondo Beach COC and Visitors Bureau.
“Our facilities provide top-notch service without an excessive price tag,” she says, adding that attendees often arrive early to bike along the scenic ocean, scuba dive, shop and dine on seafood. “It’s all within easy walking distance of major meetings hotels.”
Options include the Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach and Marina, which is on track to undergo a major renovation beginning this month and Portofino Hotel & Marina. A boutique Shade Hotel is scheduled to open in 2014.
Two popular off-site venues in the area are the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in North Redondo Beach, which is well suited for early evening receptions and nighttime soirees, and Seaside Lagoon, an enclosed beach that is home to the Redondo Beach Lobster Festival and better suited for more casual events.PageBreak
Westside
Highlights of L.A.’s Westside include posh Beverly Hills and the seaside communities of Santa Monica and Marina del Rey.
Marina del Rey’s waterfront locale in the heart of the Westside, accessibility to LAX and highly competitive hotel rates at group-friendly brands including Ritz-Carlton and Marriott are top draws for meeting planners considering the area, according to Tere Stamoulis, spokeswoman at the Marina del Rey CVB.
She adds that there are plenty of alternatives for planners seeking non-traditional settings for meetings, including a fleet of marina-based charter yachts via FantaSea Yachts, Hornblower Cruises & Events and Tiki Mermaid.
“They provide a great way to celebrate company achievements, show client appreciation or kick off a meeting with a delicious onboard dinner, theme party or cocktail cruise,” Stamoulis says. “Each offers planners seasonal packages and customized menus for groups at all budgets.”
Stamoulis says bird watching, fishing trips and bike rides are wonderful options for group outings year-round, and that team building in the marina is fun and affordable.
“We have many on-the-water options and our marina suppliers will help planners create terrific team-building programs from two hours to a full-day,” she says, citing a mini-sailing regatta with Blue Water Sailing or Blue Pacific Boating, kayaking at the UCLA Marina Aquatic Center or rowing lessons with Whitehall Spirit Rowing Club.
Situated in the heart of Southern California and equidistant to the beach, downtown Los Angeles, LAX and Southern California’s most sought-after cultural attractions is Beverly Hills, which is considered a “world-class village,” according to Mary De Hoyos, senior manager, business development, at the Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau.
“A combination of luxury, convenience and world-class amenities, Beverly Hills is the ideal location for group business,” she says.
Meetings-friendly properties here include the Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows, Beverly Hilton, Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel and Montage Beverly Hills.
Beverly Hills is also home to the Paley Center for Media, where groups might enjoy the Warner Brothers Television Out of the Box exhibit, which displays some of the most famous props and costumes from WB’s 50-year history.
De Hoyos adds that Bikes and Hikes L.A. facilitates fun and exciting tours around Los Angeles, during which participants learn the history of the area, including highlights of Beverly Hills.
“After the tour, they can relax poolside at the Beverly Hilton or Montage Beverly Hills during their summertime movies,” she says.
In Santa Monica, named one of the “Top 10 Beach Cities in the World” by National Geographic, meetings are done a bit differently, according to Lauren Rogers, director of sales and services at the Santa Monica CVB.
“The casual yet sophisticated setting and over 300 days of sunshine each year give meeting planners a variety of options for meeting spaces,” she says, citing everything from ocean-view conference rooms with breezy terraces to poolside cabanas equipped with flat-screen televisions.
Santa Monica is ideal for active groups, where they might enjoy group surf lessons or outings to the Santa Monica Pier for a trapeze workshop with the New York School of Trapeze Los Angeles.
“Wellness is a key issue for business travelers at the moment, so meeting professionals should know that when they hold a conference in Santa Monica, their attendees can easily eat healthy, find yoga classes at their hotels or within walking distance, and of course, use the gorgeous beachfront bike and running paths and ocean as their free outdoor gym,” Rogers says.
Among the area’s most popular group-friendly facilities are Fairmont Miramar, Loews, Shangri-La, Sheraton and Doubletree Suites by Hilton hotels, and event venues including L3 and Barker Hangar.
Over in Century City, a business hub for Twentieth Century Fox, MGM, law firms and other companies with ties to the entertainment industry, two major meetings players include the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza and InterContinental Los Angeles Century City, both of which accommodate large groups.
Carolyn Blackburn is a frequent contributor to Meetings Focus West.
