Orange County, California, provides that quintessential SoCal experience that is a surefire attendee draw, from inland standouts such as Anaheim, with the largest convention center on the West Coast and infinite event options at Disneyland Resort, to the authenticity of Santa Ana and the chill coastal vibe of Huntington Beach, which boasts nearly 10 miles of beach and surf breaks and carries the nickname “Surf City USA.”
Most groups headed to these destinations have one thing in common: the desire to get out from the four walls of their meeting venue to explore the offsite venue and activity options so plentiful in each.
Here are some great options for groups to get out and about before, during and after the meeting in these Orange County cities.
Anaheim
There’s lots going on in Anaheim, with the destination amped up to welcome so many major projects that Visit Anaheim has dubbed the next 10 years the “Golden Decade,” which will be highlighted by the truly transformative OCVIBE and DisneylandForward projects.
[Related: Anaheim Is Building on Its Momentum as a Top Meetings Destination]
Above and beyond all that’s currently offered or coming online in the destination, Anaheim has a few additional surprises up its sleeve for groups that crave an authentic destination experience.
“Anaheim may be best known for Disneyland and the largest convention center on the West Coast, but planners quickly discover the city’s incredible range of offsite options,” said Ronnie Collins, chief sales officer for Visit Anaheim. “From rooftop bars and speakeasies to team outings at Angel Stadium or the Honda Center, and culinary adventures through the Anaheim Packing District, we make it easy to create experiences that are fresh, memorable and uniquely Anaheim.”
[Related: Why the Future Is ‘Golden’ for Anaheim Meetings and Conventions]
For groups that want to take a break from their indoor meeting venue for a little SoCal fun and sun, these three Anaheim activity and offsite options could be just the ticket:
- Anaheim Ducks games and VIP fan experiences at Honda Center: From private suites to on-ice access, the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks offer a variety of immersive group experiences, including private buyouts of the Impact Lounge. Their home ice, the Honda Center, is undergoing a $1 billion renovation that will significantly improve the visitor and event experience.
Beer tasting in Anaheim Packing District. Credit: Visit Anaheim. Rooftop bar and restaurant experiences: These four venues offer sweeping views of Anaheim, including one of the key draws of meeting in the region—piggybacking off of Disney’s nightly fireworks spectacular for free: Parkestry Rooftop Bar, atop JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort; RISE Rooftop Lounge, on the rooftop of The Westin Anaheim Resort; Top of the V, on the roof of Viv Hotel, Anaheim, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel; and The FIFTH Restaurant & Rooftop, with 5,000 square feet of open-air space across the street from Disneyland Resort itself.
- Craft beer and Packing District tastings: Anaheim’s historic Packing District, loaded with more than 20 restaurants all under one roof, is an offsite event tour de force that will please any palate, with a sampling of the destination’s prolific and world-renowned craft beer scene the cherry on top.
Huntington Beach
With a prime location between Los Angeles and San Diego that affords it seamless connectivity via three major airports—John Wayne Airport (SNA, 11 miles away), Long Beach (LGB, 17 miles away) and Los Angeles International (LAX, 37 miles away, and great for international arrivals)—Huntington Beach boasts a nearly 10-mile-long beach and hotels and offsite options all within walking distance of each other.
[Related: Taking Off: California Dreaming on Huntington Beach]
“It’s year-round great weather. It’s quintessential California. It’s easy access,” said Michelle Devine, vice president of sales for Visit Huntington Beach, summing up three of the destination’s top qualities for meetings and events. “We are truly a one-mile-square-block footprint. When we do our site inspections we tell people, ‘Just wear your walking shoes.’ We’ve got a city feel where you can walk around right next to the beach.”
Devine said the destination’s proximity to regional lures such as Disneyland, Los Angeles or even the mountains also make it a great springboard for out-of-town options before or after an event.
One thing that truly sets Huntington Beach apart from other Southern California beach towns is its HB Collection hotels, with four meetings-friendly properties all within walking distance from downtown, the beach and each other: Kimpton Shorebreak Resort; Paséa Hotel & Spa; Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa; and The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel.
[Related: Meet at the Beach: The Latest Trends and Renovations Along the Southern California Coast]
Want to get your group in on some of the fun afforded by Huntington Beach’s annual festival and event calendar? These events are a great way to join the crowd:
- Life Rolls On’s They Will Surf Again (late summer), which celebrates and supports getting disabled people surfing
Surf City Nights (weekly street fair), which finds downtown cordoned off into a farmers market with merchants and craftspeople - Corgi Beach Day (various times), celebrating the adorable fluffy little canines and their enthusiastic owners for a “pawty” at the beach
- The Vans US Open of Surfing (summer), billed as the world’s largest surf competition, held just south of Huntington Beach Pier
- Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach (early fall), the destination’s signature three-day affair featuring top guns from around the world, including the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, Canadian Forces Snowbirds and the Royal Air Force
Hands-on Surf Culture Experiences
Group surf lessons are held right at Huntington Beach Pier and can be combined with private bonfire and s’mores experiences on the sand. Other options include a behind-the-scenes look at the International Surfing Museum or Surfing Walk of Fame/Surfers’ Hall of Fame.
Wellness and Outdoor Activities
Having an active lifestyle is part and parcel of Southern California living, and wellness components have become a key aspect of many meetings. On the wellness side, a good option is beach yoga at Paséa Hotel & Spa’s Aarna Spa. Other fresh-air options include electric bike tours, whale-watching or Duffy boat cruises in Huntington Harbour.
Santa Ana
Only two miles from SNA, historic Santa Ana is brimming with eclectic art and authentic cuisine celebrating its Mexican heritage.
“Santa Ana offers a mix of venues, from historic landmarks to Art Deco gems. Our unique spaces are perfect for offsite events,” said Wendy Haase-Roberts, president and CEO of Travel Santa Ana. “For activities, our adventure-themed attractions allow groups to test their agility while having fun together. For a more cultural connection, a self-guided art tour through downtown Santa Ana reveals dozens of vibrant murals that reflect our community’s diversity.”
Unique offsite venues include The1912, a sophisticated, industrial-style downtown space that offers a 6,000-square-foot event hall with high ceilings and wide windows overlooking downtown.
For an open-air event option, Spanish-style The Green Parrot Villa serves up some of the destination’s best Mexican food and is across from the Bowers museum. Its courtyard can accommodate up to 180 guests for dinners, with an adjacent indoor Banquet Room that can hold an additional 140.
The Victorian-era Heritage Museum of Orange County can accommodate outdoor sit-down events for up to 650 on its beautiful lawn.
Orange County Hotel and Meeting Venue News
Anaheim
Disneyland Resort, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, is jumping headlong into the future with the launch of a multidecade, $1.9 billion DisneylandForward development that will greatly expand its offerings on the west side of Disneyland Drive, adding new lands, hotels, shopping and dining options in addition to a revamped transportation infrastructure.
OCVIBE, a transformative 100-acre entertainment district near the Honda Center, is slated to open as early as late 2026 and be fully operational before the 2028 Olympics.
Honda Center, home of the Anaheim Ducks NHL franchise, is undergoing a $1 billion renovation scheduled for completion at the end of 2027. Key features include a new five-story South Entrance; new all-inclusive club on the club level with curated F&B options; new opera box suites; and four new entry plazas.
Hilton Anaheim, the largest hotel in Orange County and located next to Anaheim Convention Center, is set to unveil a comprehensive multiphase renovation that is transforming the more than 40-year-old, 1,574-room property via completely redesigned guest rooms and suites; upgrades to its 105,959 square feet of meeting and event space; a rebrand of its restaurant and bar; and improvements to outdoor spaces.
Huntington Beach
Huntington’s on the Pier, scheduled for a 2026 opening, is located halfway down the iconic Huntington Beach Pier and will offer oceanfront dining and events with 360-degree ocean views, along with live-streamed surfing action from below the pier.
Playground, located in downtown Huntington Beach, opened in August and features a 9-hole mini golf course; a full cocktail bar with chef-driven shareables; a retro arcade; and rotating pinball games. The venue offers private event spaces for 200-plus guests.
The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel’s Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge reopened in July. Perched atop the 9th floor, the venue is touted as Orange County’s highest coastal rooftop bar. The remodel features retractable roofs.
Jolie, a restaurant right across the Pacific Coast Highway from Huntington Beach Pier, opened The Belle rooftop events venue atop the fifth floor with sweeping views of all of the action in and around the iconic pier.
Holistic Lounge at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach’s Pacific Waters Spa opened in May. Wellness menu highlights include red-light therapy, an infrared sauna, vitamin D light, Avacen Therapy and Sedona PEMF, or pulsed electromagnetic field therapy.
Connections
