While just a few miles from major urban centers and international airports, the quintessential California communities Pasadena, Pacifica and Redondo Beach are places where a small or midsize meeting will find first-rate amenities and a sense of ownership.
Pasadena
A leafy enclave that exudes timeless, small-town charm, Pasadena has long been an anomaly in the midst of bustling metro Los Angeles. With its expanded convention center, outstanding art museums and vibrant restaurant and hotel scenes, the city is coming into its own as a meetings destination.
“We have all the amenities a planner is looking for, all in a safe, compact and walkable destination,” says Jeanne O’Grady, director of sales and client services for the Pasadena CVB. “We’re convenient to both the Burbank and LAX airports, we have new state-of-the-art meeting space at the convention center and 1,200 rooms within walking distance of it. If you’re a midsize meeting that wants to feel like a big fish, Pasadena is the right pond for you.”
The city’s most famous attraction, Rose Bowl Stadium, celebrated its centennial with an extensive renovation. It is also now offering tours and expanded areas available for small and large events, including the Court of Champions Courtyard, Press Box, Locker Room and even the field itself.
Other popular off-site options include The Huntington Library, known for its art collection and rare manuscripts as well as outstanding gardens, which will unveil a new Education and Visitor Center with event space in 2015; the Norton Simon Museum, home to an outstanding collection of European art; and the Beaux Arts-style Pasadena Civic Center, where the ornate Gold Room is an elegant setting for events.
“Our restaurant scene is heating up,” O’Grady says. “A great new choice is Twin Palms, a unique space with tented ceilings and top-notch California cuisine. Another is Cousin’s Maine Lobster, which started as a food truck and now is co-located in a night club. People are thinking outside the box.”PageBreak
Pacifica
Less than a half-hour from downtown San Francisco and San Francisco International Airport, Pacifica is a hidden coastal gem often overlooked by Bay Area visitors. That is all set to change with a new marketing push to draw meetings and tourists to a destination surprisingly rich in dining, outdoor activities and venue options.
“Pacifica is a very rejuvenating place for a meeting. With the ocean just a few steps away, it’s a place where people can reconnect and get things in focus,” says Courtney Conlon, CEO of the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce. “We’re also very cost-effective, with reasonable hotel rates and plenty of free parking.”
Pacifica’s major group hotel is the Best Western Plus Lighthouse Hotel, which has 4,500 square feet of meeting space, a fine-dining restaurant and 97 guest rooms, most with sweeping ocean views. The hotel is steps away from the Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Nick’s Seafood Restaurant, which has 1,400 square feet of event space available for everything from banquets to parties with live music and a video screen.
Pacifica also boasts Surf Spot, one of the hottest new restaurants on the Northern California coast. It has two indoor dining rooms as well as an outdoor event and concert area accommodating up to 200 guests. Also winning rave reviews is Puerto 27 Peruvian Restaurant & Pisco Bar, a spacious restaurant at the Pacifica Beach Resort serving up an array of ceviches, imaginative cocktails and Peruvian small plates. Groups can buy out A Grape in the Fog, a wine bar with indoor and outdoor space for receptions or wine-pairing dinners.
Hiking, mountain biking, Segway touring or horseback riding on cliffs above the ocean are among the many outdoor options available, as are surfing lessons, deep-sea fishing and scuba diving. Pacifica also has Sharp Park Golf Course, considered one of the Bay Area’s best, with coastal fairways designed by Alister MacKenzie, who also designed Pebble Beach. PageBreak
Redondo Beach
Within minutes of Los Angeles International Airport, Redondo Beach is an under-the-radar Southern California beach community with growing appeal for meetings.
“Redondo Beach is unique as a waterfront destination in that we have both a harbor and a beach—you can go kayaking, surfing, sailing, whale watching or just sit on the sand,” says Marilyn Atchue, associate sales manager of the Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach, which recently completed a property-wide renovation. “And being just seven miles from LAX is a major plus. We host groups from all over the world.”
While small or midsize meetings are its niche, the Crowne Plaza often teams up with nearby properties such as Portofino Hotel & Marina to handle groups of up to 250. Set to open next year are The Shade Redondo Beach, a hip boutique hotel with a rooftop pool area and conference space; a 147-room Hilton Garden Inn; and a 172-room Residence Inn by Marriott.
Redondo Beach promotes the fact that it is compact and walkable, a place where attendees do not need to rent cars and planners don’t have to worry about transportation. Its waterfront area is lined with seafood restaurants, many with private dining areas, and attractions such as the Seaside Lagoon, a beach park often used for team-building events and theme parties, and the historic Redondo Beach Pier, currently undergoing a restoration.
“There’s a lot to see and do within a small area, so the meeting planner doesn’t lose people here,” says Deborah Shepherd, chair of Visit Redondo Beach. “Everyone here is very welcoming to meetings. The mayor will come in and talk to the group.”
