SNAPSHOT: SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA
Author: By Natelle Fitzgerald
October 2007
Features
It’s a tall order to please a varied group of attendees after the meeting. Some prefer a trip to the beach or a whale-watching cruise, while others would rather catch a professional football game or play a round of golf. Maybe some are interested in sampling a glass of delicious California wine, straight from the barrel. But with a meeting in San Mateo—you can have it all.
Go-karts, ghosts and goat cheese
The county (a.k.a. the peninsula just south of San Francisco) offers something for everyone—from eight pro athletic teams in the Bay Area to metropolitan attractions, to 90 miles of shoreline (60 on the coast, 30 on the bay side) and quiet retreat centers. Anne LeClair CAE, CDME, president and CEO of San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau, calls it an “embarrassment of riches.” And with the introduction of three low-cost airlines into San Francisco International Airport, accessing the peninsula has become even easier. “More meeting planners have discovered our area,” says LeClair. “The outlook has become tremendous.”
THE PLACE TO MEET
San Mateo certainly has a fair share of meeting and event space. Big, small, fancy, high-tech or versatile venues—the needs of your meeting will be well served. For example, with a maximum capacity of 16,500 people, the Cow Palace in Daly City is ideal for major exhibits and shows. Exhibit halls, multiple buildings and an arena have hosted a variety of events—from the U.S. Heavyweight Boxing Championship and political conventions to Evel Knievel and a Beatles concert—even troops heading for the Pacific back in 1941.
The San Mateo County Event Center is a 48-acre facility only 15 minutes from San Francisco International Airport, with seven indoor buildings and a grassy mall for outdoor receptions. Groups looking for an upscale facility with high-tech capabilities should check out the South San Francisco Conference Center. Only five minutes from the airport, the conference center offers 16,500 sq. ft. of meeting space in all sorts of configurations. Plus, the rooms are decked out with the latest Britelite and Xenon technology, illuminating the screens for a clearer and more brilliant presentation. Perfect! If you need catering, you’ve got it—all food is prepared on-site.
Convenient nearby lodging accommodates groups of almost any size. Stay at the largest airport convention hotel in Northern California—the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, which has begun a $21-million guest-room renovation this fall to complement last November’s upgrades to the meeting space (52,623 sq. ft.). On-site rental cars, free trolley rides into downtown Burlingame and complimentary shuttles to and from SFO make getting around easy for its guests.
Another option when your group touches down is the San Francisco Airport Marriott, with 27 meeting rooms and 661 guest rooms. Previous guests will notice many changes at the hotel, including a second phase of renovations to the public space (set for completion in early 2008) to offer a better view of the bay while dining. Good news for drive-market pet-lovers: If you can barely go a day without your dog, the Marriott is happy to host four-legged travel companions.
For a cozier locale, go westward across the peninsula to unwind in one of 54 deluxe suites at the Beach House Hotel in Half Moon Bay. Hear the wood-burning fireplace pop with delight inside your suite as waves crash the shoreline beyond the private balcony.
PLENTY OF PERSONALITY
The terrific advantage of San Mateo County is that, as much as it offers the riches of a metropolitan area (just a short BART ride from The City, as locals call San Francisco), there are also plenty of venues to get away from it all. We challenge your cell phone to pick up a signal at the Elkus Ranch (650-712-3151). A quiet spot for a day retreat, the ranch’s 4,400-square-foot conference center sits among 600 acres of rolling hills just five miles south of Half Moon Bay on the coast (Google it for a visual). It’s the place to unplug and get down to business (no Internet access here). Don’t worry, though: You can hop online at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, just up the road, which offers grand seaside lodging and more meeting space. For a touch of history (and a brand new sound system), consider the Fox Theatre in Redwood City. With its circa-1928 vaudeville origins, mighty Gothic Revival exterior and three floors of function space, the theater is a dynamic alternative for your next corporate event; six months’ advance reservations are recommended. Surround yourself with the beautiful grounds and architecture of Burlingame’s Kohl Mansion or Ralston Hall Mansion in Belmont, or consider having a special event at the old restored San Mateo County Courthouse, which can accommodate a 400-person reception beneath a striking stained-glass dome.A TASTE OF THE COUNTY
Got foodies in your group? They’re in for a treat. San Mateo County is all about spreading the word on fresh, local food. Efforts to support the local farmers, fishermen, vineyards and beer makers are evident in the growing number of restaurants and corporations subscribing to the new program, “San Mateo County: As Fresh As It Gets.” The San Mateo CVB, County Farm Bureau and the Harbor District give awards to those businesses (34 percent more winners than last year) that focus on buying and serving local fare grown or produced in the county or caught just off its shores. This year’s winners include Google, Oracle, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay and several local restaurants. Award-winner 231 Ellsworth, also voted one of the top 20 restaurants in Northern California, will blow your socks off with its seasonal menu and long list of delectable wines (800 selections daily).
In the spirit of fresh feasting, Rogue Chefs also fosters the connection between farmer, chef and diner, offering on-site catering for corporate events (even cooking classes). Speaking of spirits, if the mouth-watering Oysters Rockafella at the Moss Beach Distillery Restaurant doesn’t amaze you, stories of the resident ghost will. The legendary “Blue Lady” has been linked to several unexplainable (and benign) events—a great conversation piece while you sun yourself on the seaside patio. Inside, three separate dining rooms have space for up to 150 (plus the one, of course). The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, just seven minutes south, also offers space for 150, and the new outdoor beer garden has a full stage and seating for 70. “We brew up to 10 beers on-site,” says Wayne Meyer, director of sales and marketing. “And there’s live music five nights a week.” Bring the group for some tasty Mavericks Amber Ale and watch the orange sun sink into the Pacific during a live blues show. Of course, if vino is more your style, a handful of wineries dot the county’s mid and south coast, including the family-owned Woodside Vineyards, the oldest winery in San Mateo County, and Thomas Fogarty Winery, equipped with elegant meeting rooms and a list of local musicians, florists for hire and audiovisual rentals.
POPULAR PASTIMES
Along the coast there are plenty of day trip ideas to soak in the California sunshine. In El Granada, Huli Cat Sportfishing & Charter Boats takes groups to the Farallon Islands where seasonal humpback and gray whale sightings are common. Or, opt for the wine and cheese cruise—a mellow way to spend a post-meeting afternoon. Farther down the coast you’ll find several farms, an unexpected yet charming way to shake off the day’s business. Farmer John’s Pumpkins hosts special group dinners, depending on the time of year. Slow down for the simple pleasures in Pescadero at Harley Farms, where 220 American Alpine goats roam the countryside. After a two-hour tour of the farm, nibble on award-winning artisan goat cheese adorned with edible flowers in the newly renovated hay loft, which seats up to 22.
At the southern end of San Mateo County, the Año Nuevo State Reserve is the place to be from December to April—especially if you’re a northern elephant seal. The largest mainland-breeding colony in the world comes to the reserve each year to mate and give birth. You can get a good look at the whiskered pups learning to swim in spring, when most of the adults have already gone. Farther inland, roam the 16 acres of formal European-inspired gardens at the Filoli Estate in Woodside, which was a private home in 1917. Established 30 years earlier, Stanford University also has a gorgeous campus with several sculpture tours available to visitors. Be sure to check out the university’s robust event calendar, including visitors such as Spike Lee, Rosanne Cash and Wynton Marsalis in 2008. While history buffs will love the Hiller Aviation Museum—home to 50 aircraft exhibits—there’s a fast-paced option for those who crave hands-on action. GoKart Racer in Burlingame will get you revving that team-building engine. Sit back, buckle up and watch which personalities take off in this thrilling group event featuring high-caliber racing machines.
GETTING THERE
• San Francisco International Airport offers nonstop service to more than 60 U.S. cities on 27 domestic airlines. Oakland International Airport is located across the bay, to the east, while Mineta San Jose International is just south of the county. Public transportation connects all three airports to San Mateo County, via either Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) or Caltrain.
NEWS
• San Mateo is easier than ever to get to, with the addition of three low-cost airlines into SFO: JetBlue, Virgin America and Southwest.
• The San Mateo Marriott just completed a $10-million renovation, upgrading more than 24,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and guest room amenities.
• Larkspur Landing Home Suites Hotel in South San Francisco now offers shuttle service to and from the airport, as well as weekday transportation to local hotspots and shopping within three miles of the hotel.
