Picturesque Marina del Rey is conveniently located near attractions such as Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, which offers a wide variety of restaurants and shopping. Courtesy of Marina del Rey Tourism Board

Renowned for its diverse landscapes and vibrant culture, California offers an unparalleled mix of natural beauty, world-class amenities and innovative spirit. The state’s pleasant climate, with abundant sunshine and mild temperatures year-round, ensures that outdoor events and activities can be enjoyed almost any time of the year.

Major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego are hubs of business and creativity, providing cutting-edge facilities, top-tier hotels, and exceptional dining and entertainment options. Each city boasts its own unique attractions, from Hollywood’s glitz and glamour to the tech innovation of Silicon Valley, ensuring a dynamic and engaging experience for attendees.

Kimberly Lewis Inkumsah, executive vice president of equity, engagement and events at the International WELL Building Institute, has organized numerous events in the state of California.

“I’ve had an abundance of experience in California throughout my career: San Francisco; Monterey, supporting the jazz festivals; Desert Springs, when I worked in corporate incentives, as well as nonprofits,” she says. “Annual citywide events in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, smaller places for retreats at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, Sacramento and Coronado, you name it. I am an East Coast girl, but California makes for a great spot to host.”

A native Californian, Cathy Mariano, CMP, head of the pharmaceutical client group with Bishop-McCann, has been planning meetings in the state since 2005.

“Many of the meetings I have planned in the past were primarily in Northern California, but I have done events throughout the state in Central and Southern California just as much,” she says. “There are many benefits to hosting a meeting in California. First of all, you can’t beat the climate. The state has a mild climate year-round that makes it an attractive destination any time you have a program without major concerns about weather-related disruptions.”

Additionally, she loves that California has great air lifts via major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego that makes it a great gateway for attendees traveling domestically or internationally.

California is a hub for innovation in tech, entertainment and healthcare, which makes it easy to find thought leaders to contribute to a program, and it’s often a state that is the initiator of emerging trends.

“The state is incredibly diverse culturally and in venues,” Mariano says. “You can find top notch hotels and resorts, conference centers, and indoor and outdoor space. From the warm beaches in San Diego all the way up to Lake Tahoe, you can find beautiful venues along the coast, inland or just about anywhere in between.”

Many attendees love to be able to explore this destination outside of meeting times. With the beautiful weather year-round, many enjoy taking the opportunity to be outside, Mariano says. “Outdoor venues are particularly popular. Depending on where you choose to host a meeting in California, there is natural beauty nearby. Spending time outside can be a natural hike in a state park, water sport/cruise on the water, or visiting art museums or aquariums throughout the state.”

Plus, many believe the culinary scene is like no other. There are great hubs with amazing cuisines gathered from chefs all over the world, and it’s also a state where sustainability, farm to table, and wellness are top of mind.

“Since the culinary scene is strong in the state, many groups like to do dine arounds or chef lead activities,” Mariano says. “You will find world-class dining and widely diverse cuisines in any major cities. With the close proximity to the water, California has great seafood options, while the inland offers a lot of local produce that allows chefs to be able to keep their menus hyper local with the best products available year-round.”

San Diego

From boutique hotels to the largest properties connected to a state-of-the-art convention center, San Diego is a city that is incredibly flexible with all group sizes.

For this and many other reasons, San Diego is Mariano’s favorite destination. “It’s a large city with access to a beautiful coastline, the iconic California beaches, and a great downtown to balance it all,” Mariano says. “Due to the nice weather, you can find many venues with rooftop or outdoor access to add to the diverse venues available in the city. Outdoor offsite activities are always top of mind and can be crafted into any program year-round.”

Wine Country

Napa Valley and Sonoma offer breathtaking scenery, rolling vineyards, picturesque landscapes and scenic vistas — not to mention some of the best wineries in the world.

“The natural beauty is unparalleled and hard to find within the U.S.,” Mariano says. “It is an area with some of the most luxurious accommodations varied in sizes or styles, including boutique hotels, resorts, bed and breakfasts and wellness retreats, to offer a unique experience to attendees. Food is top-notch, and not only is there an abundance of renowned restaurants, but groups can find great culinary activities for team building.”

Long Beach

Last spring, Inkumsah planned the International WELL Building Institute’s WELL Conference in Long Beach.

“As a public health organization focused on well-being in people-first places through healthy buildings, we saw an opportunity to provide an experience from a less “traditional” destination in southern California,” she says. “It’s a city of art, a city that’s conscious about how they conduct themselves as one of the largest port cities in the world.”

She designed the event so attendees had full access to nature, meaning no one was trapped in a stodgy, stuffy conference room for hours on end.

“The theme of the conference was RECHARGE, and this was a place that lent itself to bringing this idea to life,” Inkumsah says. “People could enjoy their space and place in Long Beach, settle in and recharge.”

Long Beach also boasts several of the 10 concepts of WELL — it’s close to water, a walkable city that encourages movement, fresh air — while also presenting opportunities for the healthy building movement. “A big boon was its climate — no one was locked up in a convention center; our entire conference was connected to fresh air,” Inkumsah says. “You could walk to the beach on breaks, and enjoy tented sessions.”

Pasadena

Conveniently located 10 miles from downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena offers easy access to major airports like Los Angeles International Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport. It’s also part of a robust public transportation network, that includes the Metro A Rail Line, which makes getting around a breeze, further enhancing the accessibility and allure of this dynamic city.

“Pasadena’s appeal extends beyond its pleasant climate and beautiful gardens,” says Kristin McGrath, executive director of Visit Pasadena. “It boasts iconic landmarks like the Rose Bowl Stadium and architectural gems such as The Gamble House. The city also offers diverse shopping experiences, a vibrant arts and culture scene, and incredible culinary offerings.”

Meeting planners are impressed by the 130,000-sf Pasadena Convention Center, centrally located with 1,200+ hotel rooms within walking distance, and another 1,300 rooms a short drive away.

Jennifer Minzey, senior meeting planner, SCPMG Meeting & Events and MPISCC vice president of education for Kaiser Permanente, has been producing events in Pasadena throughout the past two decades.

“Everyone loves coming to Pasadena,” she says. “It serves as a central hub for a lot of attendees from Southern California. Attendees enjoy exploring Old Pasadena — the restaurants and shops that are solely Pasadena-centric.”

Using Pasadena as their home base, attendees also like to venture out to Universal Studios, Disneyland and other area attractions that they to try to squeeze in while in SoCal. Recently, Minzey was charged with an event for a client that had a conference of about 1,200 people. “We were able to use the Pasadena Convention Center for our meetings and then easily switched to another portion of the Convention Center for our evening event,” she says. “It was a great success, and many people enjoyed the fact that there was a local golf course, a downtown and that the city was very walkable, as this was an international conference. “For interesting venues, I recommend Hilton Pasadena for their enormous ballroom and El Cholo for a great outdoor area for a private reception,” Minzey says.

Marina Del Rey

Marina Del Rey, L.A.’s premier waterfront playground, is an event planner’s coastal dream. With mesmerizing sunsets and fresh ocean breezes, it is the perfect backdrop for a successful meeting or event.

Located just four miles from Los Angeles International Airport [LAX] and with quick access to the region’s major freeways, the Marina offers an unmatched level of convenience. For planners looking for hotels by the beach, Marina Del Rey Marriott is just five blocks from Venice Beach. It offers 370 newly renovated modern guest rooms and suites, 18 unique meeting spaces, including a rooftop ballroom with panoramic views of the Los Angeles coastline.

After meetings, attendees may relax by the hotel pool, take up paddleboarding in the harbor, or grab a drink at Sinder, the hotel’s ultra-trendy outdoor lounge.

Monterey

Located in California’s rugged central coast is Monterey. With its natural beauty known around the world, Monterey is an iconic destination that consistently increases event attendance. With over 220 lodging facilities and 11,800 rooms, planners will find a wonderful variety of venues for all budgets. Monterey County’s full-service resorts are a destination in themselves, comfortable enough to host from large scale events to smaller groups. A top favorite in the meeting industry is the Alila Ventana Big Sur.

This iconic property — perched at the edge of the continent overlooking the majestic Pacific — features 59 guest rooms, plus suites and villas, Spa Alila, two pools with outdoor Japanese hot baths, The Sur House restaurant, Big Sur Smokehouse, and 12,000 sf of event and meeting space surrounded by the stunning beauty of Big Sur. Among 160 acres of rolling meadows, towering redwoods and ocean views, attendees can indulge in complimentary Signature Activities such as fitness classes, daily guided nature walks, yoga, Tai Chi, meditation, and s’mores at Social House.

Anaheim

Anaheim stands as a premier destination for corporate meetings and incentive trips, offering an unrivaled combination of accessibility, climate and amenities. Located in the heart of Southern California, Anaheim benefits from nearly perfect weather year-round, “Our city is a gateway to world-renowned attractions and cultural experiences, with the beach, mountains, and desert all within a short drive,” says Ronnie Collins, Visit Anaheim’s senior vice president of sales and services. “Anaheim offers something for every attendee, ensuring a memorable experience beyond meeting hours. From world-renowned theme parks and signature dining options to local breweries, upscale shopping and diverse neighborhoods rich in culture, there’s no shortage of activities.”

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park provide unique, customizable spaces that cater to a wide range of group sizes and preferences, while Anaheim’s Grand Plaza, connecting the Convention Center campus, is an ideal location that can be transformed with gourmet food trucks, live entertainment and immersive experiences. “For groups planning events in 2026 and beyond, there will be a new multibillion-dollar entertainment complex called OCVIBE,” Collins says. “It will include state-of-the-art concert venues, open park spaces, two new hotels, and a variety of signature retail and dining options.”

Earlier this year, the NAMM show, hosted by the National Association of Music Merchants, marked its return to regular programming since the pandemic. The event welcomed more than 62,000 attendees, including 10,000 international participants from 125 countries. “NAMM utilized every hall of the Anaheim Convention Center and featured over 150 musical performances across a 5,000-seat arena, outdoor plaza stages and hotel lobbies,” Collins says. “The seamless organization and continuous musical experience made NAMM 2024 a standout success, building on nearly 50 years of rich history in Anaheim.”

Carmel

Mariano recently held a meeting for a group of 150 people that had a four-day sales meeting in Carmel Valley within Monterey County. “Carmel Valley is a small seaside town that features an amazing coastline view that is hard to beat,” she says. “We selected a luxurious resort not only with the world-class amenities and impeccable service they offered, but it was also situated in a 500-acre land that had an incredible list of indoor and outdoor activities for our guests to enjoy on property. Since this program was part business and part as a team recognition, we built in more free time within the agenda for guests to enjoy all the onsite activities.”

Carmel Valley features some of the best restaurants in the world, especially seafood, so Mariano coordinated dine arounds for one of the evening activities.

“Mid-week we had offered one day of offsite activity options to our guests,” she says. “Each person was able to choose their own adventure from doing a wine blending class, a cooking class on property, a hike along the scenic coast trail, a kayaking excursion in Monterey Bay, or simply a spa treatment in the award-winning spa onsite.”

Carlsbad

Carlsbad is a charming city near Tamarack Surf Beach. Known for its picturesque Sea Wall and the tranquil South Carlsbad State Beach, this destination offers a serene atmosphere perfect for relaxation and team-building activities. Additionally, Carlsbad is home to the famous Legoland California, featuring exciting rides, a water park and the Sea Life Aquarium, providing a unique and entertaining backdrop for events.

Michelle Zwirek, director of sales and marketing at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, notes the resort offers a large number of function spaces flexible enough to accommodate events featuring large general sessions with dazzling audiovisual presentations, intensive breakout programs, large vendor exhibit shows, and unique settings for meals, entertainment and team-building activities.

West Hollywood

Everything is conveniently located within West Hollywood’s 1.9-square-mile, with most of the larger meetings and group hotels situated along the iconic Sunset Strip.

“You can opt for a headquarters hotel, and adjacent or nearby, you’ll find additional sleeping rooms and breakout spaces of equal quality and uniqueness, offering flexibility to expand the group as needed,” says Sean Keliiholokai, chief sales officer for West Hollywood Travel + Tourism Board. “We offer traditional meeting rooms with many boasting natural light and stunning views, along with rooftop areas suitable for meals, receptions and more.”

The city boasts iconic restaurants, music venues, nightlife and a vibrant atmosphere unlike any other. Situated at the geographic Heart of LA, West Hollywood offers easy access to nearby attractions, including Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica Beach, local museums, hiking to the Hollywood Sign, Universal Studios and more. Some notable venues include The West Hollywood EDITION, Andaz West Hollywood, 1 Hotel West Hollywood, and Kimpton La Peer Hotel.

California is the ultimate meeting destination. From coastal elegance to urban innovation, the Golden State’s diverse landscapes and year-round sunshine offer unmatched venues for every event. C&IT