When you meet in the Golden State, your attendees can enjoy everything from beaches and mountains to vineyards and theme parks. And while some of California’s hottest destinations have been financially out of reach in the past for SMERF groups, the lagging economy means that even those traditionally more expensive locales are slashing prices and negotiating with planners to fill space vacated by cancellations. In other words, there couldn’t be a better time for SMERF groups to give California a try.
Anaheim
If your group likes to bring family members along to the meeting, Anaheim is a family-friendly destination to consider. “Conference attendees can conduct business while family members visit world-famous theme parks, shop or enjoy a day at the beach,” says Elaine Cali, Vice President of Communications for the Anaheim/Orange County CVB. “Also, accessibility and affordability make us unique, as we have a wide range of properties to choose from and shuttle service from four area airports.”
Anaheim, home of Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure theme parks, has 20,000 guest rooms – and a total of 55,000 in all of Orange County. Meeting space is available in a number of local hotels, and groups often use the newly renovated Anaheim Convention Center Arena, the Grove of Anaheim and even the Honda Center and Anaheim Stadium. Large religious gatherings such as Harvest Crusade and Women of Faith have recently hosted events in Anaheim’s meeting facilities.
In addition to Disneyland and California Adventure, attendees in Anaheim will want to visit Knott’s Berry Farm and South Coast Plaza, a popular shopping destination. The CVB’s online Anaheim/Orange County “Tool Kit” is a great resource for meeting planners looking for off-site venues or ideas for pre- or post-event tours.
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Sacramento
As California’s capital city, Sacramento is a favorite destination for SMERF groups, especially those in the education field. The city’s most popular visitor attraction, Old Sacramento, is a 28-acre historic district along the Sacramento River. During the Gold Rush, Old Sacramento was the central point for arriving prospectors and home to many businesses that served these fortune-seekers. Today it’s home to 110 restored or reconstructed buildings from that era that house 125 retailers and restaurants, as well as six museums, eight nightclubs, guided history tours, a riverfront promenade, a theater, river cruises and steam train rides.
As for accommodations, there are numerous hotels (including the Delta King, a riverboat hotel) in the Old Sacramento area, and Sacramento’s Point West area includes Radisson, Hilton, DoubleTree and Red Lion hotels, plus Cal Expo, a 350-acre exposition facility. When your delegates check into their hotels, tell them to ask for a Sacramento Gold Card, which provides two-for-one admission to most museums and attractions, as well as Rivercats baseball games, discounts at many restaurants, VIP shopping coupon books and other benefits.
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San Diego
While San Diego’s Mission Valley has long been popular with SMERF groups, even the city’s more expensive downtown properties are now affordable. “Because of the economy, we have availability and a better price point,” says Margie Sitton, Senior Vice President of Sales and Services for the San Diego CVB. “Some groups couldn’t afford to be downtown before, but the hotels and venues they thought were out of their reach aren’t anymore.”
In fact, Sitton recommends that planners call hotels or the CVB and ask to fill in for a cancelled meeting – there may be very affordable rates available if you can get the right dates.
In addition, local resorts and coastal destinations have more available space and lower rates than they once did, and Sitton says she and her team are available to locate the right space at the right price for meeting planners.
While in San Diego, SMERF groups have much to enjoy. Military groups are especially interested in the many military attractions, including the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar, which is available for group functions up to 6,000 people. Groups with families in tow always want to visit SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, Seaport Village and Legoland. Other popular attractions include the museums at Balboa Park, Old Town “where California started,” Hornblower cruises on the bay and the Midway.
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Santa Clara
When meeting in Santa Clara, SMERF groups can take advantage of year-round special hotel and event rates over holiday and weekend periods, says David Andre, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Santa Clara CVB. And there are numerous recreational activities to take advantage of, as well as technological prowess (and potential speakers) from the Silicon Valley area.
The city has a wide array of hotels with meeting space, and the Santa Clara Convention Center spans 302,000 square feet and can accommodate groups up to 4,500 banquet-style or 7,000 people theatre-style. The Center’s hallmarks include a 100,000 square foot exhibit hall, a 607-seat theater, 25 breakout rooms, 2,000 free parking spaces and wireless Internet access throughout the building.
After the meeting, groups can easily walk to the 100-acre Great America theme park, the only theme park in California to offer a complete indoor water park – free with admission. Other entertainment options for meeting groups include watching a professional men’s or women’s soccer game at Santa Clara’s Buck Shaw Stadium or visiting the Intel Museum, a free museum where groups can learn how Silicon chips are made. And don’t forget Mission Santa Clara de Asis, the de Saisset and Triton Art Museums and Westfield Valley Fair shopping mall.
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