The setting, climate and activity offerings of the coastal cities of Orange County provide that iconic Endless Summer atmosphere that lives in the imaginations of all attendees. Once a laid-back getaway to cool off from the inland, the coastal region, from San Clemente to Seal Beach, is now a full-fledged meetings destination with ample meeting space, accommodations and activity options far beyond catching waves.
Like many locals, groups that come to this Southern California region want to take advantage of their surroundings and get outside with active and thrilling outdoor adventures. Surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and bike beach cruising are all available, but there is much more to do along its 42 miles of coastline.
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach, or Surf City, offers 10 miles of uninterrupted coastline that includes new developments and major hotel renovations. The city has “grown up,” according to Scott O’Hanlon, director of marketing and advertising at The Waterfront Beach Resort, A Hilton Hotel.
“Huntington Beach has the largest collection of rooms on the coast in Southern California,” explained John Ehlenfeldt, CMP, executive vice president of sales and administration for Visit Huntington Beach.
A big 2016 addition is Pasea Hotel & Spa, which debuted in June on Pacific Coast Highway. The hotel, part of the Meritage Collection, features Tanner’s restaurant, with views of the Pacific and indoor and outdoor seating that includes the Treehouse, a bar and lounge on the second floor terrace. The hotel offers more than 34,000 square feet of meeting space.
Taking advantage of its location and the climate, groups can use the 14,000-square-foot Ocean Lawn for private yoga, or utilize the hotel’s beach butler, who can arrange for group surfing lessons with a local instructor. There is also a fleet of bikes guests can use to get around throughout their stay, and through the on-site Aarna Spa, groups can incorporate beach bootcamp classes, runs along the beach or customized fitness options into their program.
Next door, the Waterfront Beach Resort, A Hilton Hotel, is adding a new 152-all-suite tower scheduled to open in June 2017. The resort, along with the Pasea Hotel & Spa, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa and the Kimpton Shorebreak Hotel, will offer 1,400 rooms for Huntington Beach meeting attendees. Hilton’s new tower will connect with the existing hotel tower and add 20,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant, ocean-view rooftop lounge, pool deck and event lawn to the property.
Planners can work with the Hilton’s staff to incorporate pre- or post-meeting activities, such as rock-climbing on the beach (on a rock-climbing wall) or playing a giant Jenga game on the sand. Groups can also take advantage of a Huntington Beach staple—a beach bonfire with provided chairs, blankets and the fixings for s’mores.
“Guests can enjoy the benefits of a beach bonfire without having to do the work,” O’Hanlon said. “Just show up and enjoy.”
In addition to the endless beach and water-based activities, not many know that Huntington Beach has its own Equestrian Center. The Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center is set on 25 acres just two miles from the coastline and is home to 400 horses and access to public trails. Groups of all experience levels and abilities can choose a guided trail ride through the hills overlooking Huntington Central Park.
According to Ehlenfeldt, social corporate responsibility (CSR) programs are popular among groups that come to the city. Two favored options are beach clean-ups and wildlife refuge programs led by the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy. The wetlands include three marshes along the Pacific Coast Highway set aside for restoration and the protection of local wildlife.
Newport Beach
With one of the largest recreational harbors on the West Coast and 10 neighborhoods, each with their own distinct feel, Newport Beach boasts adventurous opportunities ranging from aquatic activities to helicopter tours.
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Newport Beach has more than 200,000 square feet of meeting space across hotels such as the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, the Fairmont Newport Beach, The Island Hotel and the Newport Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, so finding space isn’t hard, and getting out and enjoying the Newport Beach area is not a hard task either.
Newport Beach is known for its Duffy Boats, and through Duffy Electric Boat Co., groups can rent their own to cruise the bay. Each boat can accommodate up to 12 people and has a full canopy top and window enclosures, and guests can bring their own food and beverage aboard.
For a little more adventure, groups can fly above the water with Jetpack America. With the water-powered jetpacks, participants can fly 30 feet in the air, dive under water and “walk” on water. Before taking flight, groups watch a safety video and partake in an equipment briefing.
To take it even higher, teams can have a bird’s-eye view of Newport Beach with Revolution Aviation. The OC Coastal Tour takes groups over the beaches, rocky coastline and Pacific Coast Highway and it is possible to see dolphins and migrating whales.
To get an up-close look at the whales, Davey’s Locker, based in the Newport Beach Harbor, offers year-round whale-watching trips. In the winter and early spring months, groups can get a glimpse of the gray whale migration, and during summer and fall, blue and finback whales can be seen off the coast. Aboard the outfitter’s 65-foot whale-watching boat, equipped with an upstairs sundeck, wrap-around outdoor seating, indoor seating and a snack bar, groups can take a two-and-half hour cruise that includes lessons on the local marine life, environment and ecosystems from its knowledgeable captains and crews.
Laguna Beach
Like neighboring Orange County coastal cities, Laguna Beach’s varied offerings and amenities can be enjoyed year-round.
“What sets Laguna Beach apart is its quaint walkable downtown that’s easily accessible on foot or via free trolley service during weekends year-round (and daily in the summer months),” said Ashley Johnson, CDME, president and CEO of Visit Laguna Beach. “Away from the hustle and bustle of a large metropolitan city, you can explore this picturesque coastal village without having to rent a car.”
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, where attendees will find mountain bikers, hikers, birdwatchers and even plein-air painters working on their latest masterpiece, is a great open-space activity option. From the Nix Nature Center, the park’s headquarters, groups can arrange for guided hiking tours, scavenger hunts and educational classes on the wildlife and region.
“What you might not know is that in addition to 30-plus beaches and coves, there are more than 20,000 acres of wide open space to discover here,” Johnson said.
With La Vida Laguna, a local company that specializes in group activities and teambuilding—its tagline being “Happy Endorphin Making” after all—and a little effort, a team from six to 40 can get a 360-degree mountain and ocean view atop Bommer Ridge. This Laguna Summit Hike starts in downtown at the Festival of Arts, home to the city’s famed Pageant of Masters, an open-air fine-art show held each summer, and then heads up the ridgeline for views of Catalina Island to the west and Cleveland National Forest to the east.
La Vida Laguna can lead surfing and stand-up paddleboarding lessons and teambuilding activities like beach olympics and treasure hunts. The company also offers a more unique activity dubbed Shipwrecked, where teams work together to survive as if they were stranded on a deserted island. Groups must figure out a way off the “island” using teamwork.
The Ranch at Laguna Beach is scheduled to reopen in mid-October after a complete renovation. The 83-acre coastal property offers indoor and outdoor meeting space, along with the brand-new Sage Ballroom and Sycamore Spa, golf and several teambuilding options right on-site.
