Landmark Signage
The world-famous Hollywood sign, standing in the hills above the town, was erected in 1923.
Anaheim/Orange County
The new Anaheim Convention Center Grand Plaza is set to open this month, offering planners 100,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space adjacent to the convention center. The $20 million project features innovative landscaping, walkways, water features and outdoor furniture. To help planners visualize their event at the site, the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau launched a new online application called Grand PlazaVille, where users can configure their own virtual setup, adding seating, concession stands and stages to a template of the Grand Plaza area.
The Anaheim Gardenwalk Hotel Project is expected to break ground this May. The development will include two high-end hotels scheduled to open at the end of 2015 with a combined total of 866 guest rooms.
Last June, Disney California Adventure Park opened the new 12-acre Cars Land, themed to the Pixar animated movie Cars. The space offers three new attractions and three new dining venues. The $1 billion project also included a makeover of the park's main entrance, which takes inspiration from 1920s Los Angeles.
The Discovery Science Center has announced plans for a $62 million expansion that includes a new 40,000-square-foot pavilion, an education wing and an expansion of the Grand Hall of Science. The new building is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification upon completion in fall 2014.
Meeting Hotels
Properties in Anaheim include the 1,576-room Hilton Anaheim, 1,100-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, 1,030-room Marriott Anaheim, 990-room Disneyland Hotel, 499-room Sheraton Park Hotel, 489-room Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel and 286-room Clarion Hotel Anaheim Resort.
Hotels in Huntington Beach include the 517-room Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort, 290-room Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort and 220-room Hotel Huntington Beach.
Costa Mesa has the 486-room Hilton Costa Mesa, 390-room Westin South Coast Plaza, 238-room Wyndham Orange County Costa Mesa and 228-room Hotel Hanford. Newport Beach offers the 403-room Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, 335-room Radisson Hotel Newport Beach and 250-room Marriott Suites.
Convention Center
Anaheim/Orange County Convention Center; exhibit space, 1.6 million square feet; meeting rooms, 51; (408) 792-4194
Airport Transit
John Wayne Airport, about 15 miles south of downtown Anaheim. Transfer cost by taxi, approximately $32
Taxes
Transit occupancy tax, 15%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15%
Contact
Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau, (714) 765-8888
Long Haul
The California coastline stretches 1,264 miles.
San Jose
The San Jose Convention Center is on target to complete a $120 million expansion project this fall that will add 125,000 square feet of flexible ballroom and meeting space, giving the facility a grand total of 550,000 square feet of event space.
The 352-room Fairmont San Jose has completed a $5 million renovation of its lobby lounge, sushi bar, guest rooms and meeting space. The property, which has 60,000 square feet of event space, is a short drive from more than 60 wineries tucked into the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Meeting Hotels
Properties with meeting space in the city include the 805-room Fairmont San Jose, 512-room Holiday Inn San Jose, 512-room San Jose Airport Garden Hotel, 506-room San Jose Marriott, 505-room DoubleTree by Hilton San Jose, 355-room Wyndham San Jose, 353-room Hilton San Jose, 239-room Hyatt Place San Jose Downtown and 196-room Radisson San Jose Airport.
Convention Center
San Jose Convention Center; exhibit space, 143,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 31; (408) 792-4194
Airport Transit
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, three miles from the center of the city. Transfer cost by taxi, $15-$20
Taxes
Room tax, 10%; sales tax, 9.25%; total tax on hotel rooms, 10%, plus the Convention Center Funding District Tax of 2% to 4% and a $0.75 to $2 per-night hotel business and improvement fee (based on location)
Group Venue
For a taste of history, planners can hold an event at the newly restored San Jose Civic. The 3,326-seat landmark theater recently underwent a $15 million renovation that resulted in refreshed lighting, concessions, paint and seats. (408) 792-4111
Contact
Team San Jose, (800) 726-5673
Long Beach
The 310-room Long Beach Marriott recently completed a renovation of its ground-floor public space, including its meeting rooms, grand ballroom, pre-function areas and restrooms. The project also added a 1,700-square-foot outdoor courtyard meeting and event space, giving the property a total 10,000 square feet for events.
The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center has completed a $35 million renovation of its lobbies, meeting rooms and hallway areas. New public-space furnishings create mini pod-style networking areas. Additional improvements include free Wi-Fi in public areas.
The City of Long Beach is partnering with Southern California-based Bike Nation to create a privately funded bike-share program. More than 250 kiosks and 2,500 bicycles will be installed throughout Long Beach for visitors and commuters to use for a small fee, providing an enjoyable way to reach the city's eclectic neighborhoods. The program is expected to begin this spring.
The Long Beach Arena is building a loft-style ballroom that will create 45,000 square feet of event space, which will host up to 3,500 for seated dinners and concerts. The venue already has 46,000 square feet of exhibition space.
Meeting Hotels
Among the many properties in the area are the 528-room Hyatt Regency Beach, 469-room Westin Long Beach, 397-room Hilton Long Beach & Executive Meeting Center, 374-room Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, 314-room Queen Mary Hotel, 310-room Long Beach Marriott, 222-room Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport Hotel and Conference Center, 216-room Courtyard Long Beach Downtown, 216-room Residence Inn by Marriott Long Beach, 194-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Maya, 178-room Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown and 135-room Holiday Inn Downtown Long Beach.
Convention Center
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center; total meeting and exhibit space, more than 400,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 34; (562) 436-3636; fax: (562) 436-9491
Airport Transit
Long Beach Airport, about six miles from downtown Long Beach. Transfer cost by taxi, approximately $20
Los Angeles International Airport, about 23 miles from downtown Long Beach. Transfer cost by taxi, $65
Taxes
Long Beach city hotel room tax: 12%, plus a 3% business improvement tax; sales tax: 8.75%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15%
Catering
For a local treat, let your group enjoy some mouthwatering baked delights from the kitchens of Scratch Baked Goods. Specialty items range from double-crusted apple pies to doughnut muffins, which are baked with spiced doughnut batter, dipped in butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. (562) 987-1500
Contact
Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, (800) 452-7829