Clear skies, abundant sunshine, dramatic mountains and lush landscapes have made Greater Palm Springs a popular escape for decades, with a sense of calm prevailing the minute you land. As a leading wellness tourism destination, Greater Palm Springs is taking it to new heights with recent initiatives that are also carrying over into the meetings realm.

Stretching from the Pacific coast’s Vancouver Island through the jaw-dropping scenery of majestic mountain ranges and the fertile plains of Canada’s breadbasket, Western Canada boasts every meeting setting imaginable aside from palm trees and sun-soaked beaches. The region has also upped the ante by adding or improving on an impressive number of meetings and events facilities.

Organized by the Hilton San Francisco Union Square Community Projects Manager Jo Licata, and Parc 55-A Hilton Hotel, the three-day immersion indeed found our group enjoying the amenities of both of these top-notch, popular convention hotels, but by venturing outside of their front doors we discovered the soul of a neighborhood and the unceasing dedication of the hotels and community leaders to improve the lives of its residents.

With a new wave of restaurants and properties featuring food-forward venues, San Diego is getting serious about its dining scene, which has changed drastically in recent years. Locals and tourists still love the hometown favorites like fish tacos and California burritos, but a sudden wave of high-end restaurants and elevated food has everyone trying new things.

Next-generation artificial intelligence and augmented reality solutions. Flying cars, hyper-pixelated 8K televisions and a controversial robotic massager. The reveals at CES 2019, the 180,000-plus attendee blockbuster tech show that powers up Vegas’ convention calendar each January, are pushing frontiers like never before. The same goes for Las Vegas itself, which is fast becoming its own showcase for daring new realities.

The Grand Canyon State’s mix of old and new offers compelling experiences for groups

With its impressive array of film studios, performing arts centers, theaters, museums and distinctive architecture, Los Angeles plays a starring role on the world stage of art and culture. For planners seeking group-friendly venues with an artistic or entertainment-oriented vibe, the city can deliver on these as well or better than any other destination, according to Darren Green, senior VP of sales for the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board.

The Pacific Northwest is a winning choice for adding some team spirit to any function, from attending a game with your group or hosting an event at a sports facility.

Anticipation is high in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area as the city’s Moscone Center introduces its long-awaited $551 million expansion, with the official debut on January 3, 2019. According to Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, 2019 is the city’s busiest year in history in terms of group bookings at Moscone Center.

The rich history of California’s state capital, Sacramento, as well as the Central Valley cities to the south and national parks of the High Sierra, is not gone nor forgotten. Groups can warmly embrace the region’s past in off-site venues that tell stories of grand, earlier times.