Smart Meetings

San Diego lures meetings and events with pristine beaches, a vibrant downtown, an accessible airport and a mild climate year-round. Less than an hour away, and lesser known, is North County, the city’s resort area—a 2,000-square-mile region where a kaleidescope of hotels, seaside villages and intriguing activities combine to create an endless variety of opportunities, tailored to your needs.

 “You can’t beat being in our natural settings,” says Cami Mattson, president and CEO of the San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau (sandiegonorth.com). “You see lagoons, the ocean, rocky foothills, avocado groves—all kinds of natural environments that lend themselves to a relaxed, serene feeling.”          

It’s a casual atmosphere, she continues, but there’s still a sophisticated element, especially as the city of San Diego is nearby for pre- or post-visits. Plus, she says, “it doesn’t take a train ride, a plane ride, a boat ride to get here. Your time and your costs are reduced, because we have this accessibility”—all good reasons to consider the area for your next meeting or event.

             

A LITTLE LOCAL FLAVOR
San Diego North encompasses 35 miles of coastline from La Jolla north to Oceanside, plus a number of inland communities and the Anza-Borrego Desert. “We have all these individual, unique communities,” Mattson says. “It’s not just one big urban sprawl.” Here are a few highlights to give you a taste.

LA JOLLA
Just 12 miles from downtown San Diego, La Jolla (translated into “little jewel” by the Spanish, who knew what they were talking about) hugs a coastal bluff above a series of picturesque coves and a glorious bay. It’s a posh, artsy village that begs to be explored, with art galleries, museums, a world-famous playhouse, numerous boutiques and fine, often outdoor, dining. La Jolla is a popular spot for surfers and kayakers; it’s also home to the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Nearby is world-renowned Torrey Pines, with two 18-hole golf courses.

 

DEL MAR
If you’ve seen the movie Seabiscuit, you’ll know what put this small seaside town on the map in the late 1930s. Noted for its racetrack—still very much in existence—Del Mar is located on a sandy mesa in between two coastal lagoons that are  ideal for beachcombing. The village is small, and charming, with narrow lanes—the vibe, low key (except for racing season and the San Diego County Fair).

 

RANCHO BERNARDO
Tucked into the foothills, Rancho Bernardo began as a master-planned community during the 1960s (the Rancho Bernardo Inn is said to have been its model home sales office). Along with the city’s high-end shopping, fine dining and golf courses is the Bernardo Winery, one of the oldest in Southern California.

 

ENCINITAS
Taking advantage of San Diego’s mild temperatures, Encinitas has become known as “the flower capital of the world.” Along with commercial nurseries and gardens, the town hosts Quail Botanical Gardens, which has an extensive collection of plants, trees and shrubs, plus numerous event possibilities.

 

ESCONDIDO
Escondido, located inland to the east, is one of the largest cities you’ll find in San Diego North, with big-city attractions such as the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, a world-class performing arts and event facility. Other cultural attractions are the Mingei International Museum, which showcases arts and crafts from cultures around the world, and the Niki de Saint Phalle sculpture garden, featuring the whimsical sculptures of this renowned artist. But perhaps the Escondido area is best known for its definitely nonurban, 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park.

 

CARLSBAD
Picturesque Carlsbad is a toes-in-the-sand experience, with several beaches and three lagoons. Here’s where you’ll find a cluster of luxury resorts and hotels, golf, bring-home-the-bargains shopping and the only Legoland theme park in the U.S. It’s also known for the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, 50 acres of giant ranunculus that bloom riotously in a much-anticipated annual display.

OCEANSIDE
Oceanside lives up to its coastal name with a 3.5-mile beach, one of the widest and sandiest in Southern California. Water sports are popular here, including surfing, sailing and fishing. (There’s even a surfboard graveyard, where dozens of wave-broken boards are set into the sand to honor the power of the waves and their fearless riders.) In addition to a small-crafts harbor, Oceanside has a record-long (by SoCal standards) over-water pier.

 

FALLBROOK
A small town 18 miles inland from the ocean, and an interesting country-road side trip off I-15, Fallbrook maintains its 1880s ambience with Western storefronts (some original, some revamped). It’s a 3-A town: arts (many galleries and performing arts), antiques (numerous stores), and avocados (thousands of lush, green acres that add to its rural ambience).

TEMECULA
Just as Napa and Sonoma are San Francisco’s Wine Country, Temecula, to the northeast, is San Diego’s. Approximately 20 wineries and vineyards comprise this up and coming area, which offers all the now-typical wine country amenities, from wine tasting and dining to hot-air ballooning and bicycling along its rolling hills. Depending on the time of year (possibly August into early November) and the size of your group, you may be able to take part in several grape-stomping events (this year held in September). The festivals feature live entertainment, food and, of course, some rousing grape-stomping contests. Contact the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association for more information.

 

CONVENTION AND CONFERENCE VENUES
Don’t expect a centralized convention venue for this area—the beauty of San Diego North is, once you get there, you’re there. Its destination resorts and hotels are self-sufficient, although there are also three area hotel alliances that work together to support larger groups.

These destination resorts include the ultra-luxe, newly opened Grand Del Mar in Del Mar, the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, opening in January, the Four Seasons Resort Aviara and La Costa Resort & Spa, among many others.

The alliances—La Jolla Meeting Alliance, Del Mar Meeting Alliance and Escondido Meeting Alliance—offer facilities totaling accommodations for up to 3,500 attendees and 990 exhibit booths. While La Jolla’s is a joint effort of five La Jolla hotels, Del Mar adds to its attraction the Del Mar Fairgrounds, with a variety of venues that range from exhibit halls to skyboxes, the turf club and expo center (more than 300,000 sq. ft. of convention and meeting space, plus up to 990 exhibit booths). Escondido’s offerings also go beyond hotel rooms to the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, which includes a conference center, a 1,500-seat concert hall, a 400-seat theater and 34,000 sq. ft. of landscaped lawn. Contact the San Diego North CVB for more information.

UNIQUE VENUES AND ACTIVITIES
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more unusual event venue than San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in Escondido. From terraces and pavilions to picnic groves, the park provides ample opportunity to let your imagination run, um, wild. Among the offerings are catering, themed entertainment and decor, animal presentations and special tours. Venues can accommodate from 180 to 4,000 guests.

Go ahead, make an “ace” of yourself—or at least, that’s what they say at A 1 Biplane, Air Combat & Warbird Adventures, which will take your adrenaline junkies on air combat missions (or just a little sightseeing excursion for the faint of heart). They also offer receptions and other events for up to 125 in their working vintage aircraft hangar at the Palomar Airport in Carlsbad.

When it’s horse racing season at Del Mar, let your group catch racing fever at a storied track where “old” Hollywood (meaning Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, et al) used to gather to play the ponies, drink and generally have a good time. Arrange an afternoon at the track post-meeting (also held at the track) with lunch and a photo op with the winning jockeys.

Other race fans will get their spirits revved at K 1 Speed, a popular new indoor karting entertainment facility in Carlsbad. Reserve the track, then arrive and drive on their new-generation, high-torque zero-emission Electric Pro Karts (newbies must get training first—but all will get the feel of a formula race-car driver). Drive sessions last about 10 minutes and may include anywhere from one to 12 drivers. Afterward, break open the long-necks.

If you’re looking for a team-building opportunity, check in with Where You Want to Be Tours, a San Diego company that will arrange custom scavenger hunts for private groups—they’ll even tie in your product. They also offer walking tours, bike tours and photography tours, and you can package them with wine tasting and food, kayaking, water taxis and fun runs.

 

THEY’VE GOT GAME
Maybe you’d like to pack a little more action into your meeting package. If so, several casino resorts offer just what you’re looking for. For instance, Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort near Escondido features a 21-story hotel tower with 653 guest rooms, 13,500 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space—and first-class gaming.

Pala Casino Resort and Spa, a Four-Diamond resort in Pala, near Temecula, offers 507 rooms and 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 20,000-square-foot ballroom.

Also near Temecula is Pechanga Resort & Casino, another Four-Diamond resort with 522 rooms and 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, including a teleconference center. Plus, all offer plenty to do post-meeting to keep your attendees entertained—and you don’t have to arrange a thing!

“They’ve really stepped it up a notch with their meeting facilities, with spas and other elements,” the CVB’s Mattson says. “They’re not Vegas, but they have all of the Vegas-style amenities.” 

 

NEWS

•  Recent Wildfire Update: While the wildfires burned primarily open space in the outlying areas of San Diego North, no hotels or attractions were lost due to the fires. Several hotels closed down briefly to aid evacuees, and some were temporarily closed because of accessibility issues. However, all opened within days of closure. “The tourism sector was extremely lucky,” says Cami Mattson, president and CEO of the San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Those visiting [our area] in the near future will never know there was a fire in the region.”

•  The Grand Del Mar: The long-anticipated opening of The Grand Del Mar took place last October—to the tune of $270 million. Located on a coastal canyon preserve near the coastal village of Del Mar, the Mediterranean-style resort offers 218 luxurious rooms and 31 suites, a 21,000-square-foot spa with 11 treatment rooms and impressive landscaping featuring more than 10,000 mature trees. It hosts The Grand Golf Club, San Diego’s only Tom Fazio-designed course, and a newly renovated 50,000-square-foot clubhouse; meeting and event space encompass 20,000 sq. ft., including a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, divisible by six. Other event venues are an expansive outdoor lawn and four wine rooms.

•  Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa: Opening on January 17 is the brand-new Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, a contemporary Mediterranean resort with 129 guest rooms, plus an additional expansion of 121 rooms coming online in April 2008 (a total of 350 rooms and 13 suites are planned for completion in 2010, making it Carlsbad’s second-largest resort after La Costa Resort and Spa). The resort, which also features a 4,600 square-foot spa, is adjacent to The Crossing at Carlsbad, an18-hole Greg Nash golf course, and Legoland theme park.                   
   Developed by Grand Pacific Resorts, the hotel features more than 25,000 sq. ft. of flexible indoor-outdoor function space, including a 7,875-square-foot Grand Pacific Ballroom accommodating 600 banquet style, a smaller ballroom for 400 and eight smaller breakout rooms.

•  L’Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa has closed until June 2008, when the property will unveil the results of a $25-million renovation. The historic seaside resort will see upgrades to its entry, lobby, exterior and interior. Its 12,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space will be transformed, including six uniquely designed meeting rooms and several outdoor venues with views of the Pacific Ocean. A new outdoor area will feature 2,000 sq. ft. of space for private events. All guest rooms will receive a complete makeover, and a new 4,100-square-foot luxury spa will be added.

•  La Jolla Shores Hotel (formerly the Sea Lodge Hotel) will soon begin a remodel of its guest rooms (128 rooms, each 19 with kitchenettes) to include new furniture, flat-screen televisions, new carpeting, pillow-top beds and other amenities. The hotel, one of only two beachfront hotels in the exclusive La Jolla Shores community, anticipates completion of the renovation in the first quarter of 2008.  

•  Legoland California, in Carlsbad, has unveiled plans to open the two-story Sea Life, an interactive, 36,000-square-foot aquarium, the 29th to open in the world and the first in the U.S. The aquarium, which opens in summer 2008, has a separate entrance (and admission).

 

 

YOU SPOKE, THEY LISTENED

When you want advice, you go to the experts. And that’s what Rancho Bernardo Inn, located in north San Diego County, did in 2005. Making plans for a $25-million renovation and expansion, the management team invited 12 meeting planners to visit the property and give their professional input on everything from meeting and event space to guest rooms and spa design. Planners included those from Fortune 500 corporations, associations, third-party companies and independents. And, not surprisingly, the experienced planners had a lot to say.          

   Two years later, the Customer Advisory Board—as they were dubbed—met again this past fall to tour the property and see the end results of their advice. And what results they were! The resort had incorporated a whopping 88 percent of their suggestions. For example:

Regarding the ballroom

The planners said:

• Ideally, they wanted 7,000 sq. ft. to maximize rooms
• Have a client office adjacent to the ballroom
• Make certain you have business center needs nearby
• One third of the room should be divisible by three
• Need outside space to congregate during breaks
• Have the ability to create good food—no hot boxes

 

The resort did:

• Built a 10,160-square-foot ballroom
• Built two client offices, complete with furniture and golf course view
• Furnished offices with PC, fax, copier—all complimentary
• Both sides are divisible by three—creating many options
• All three sides have golf-course views, trellises and fireplace
• Installed a complete state-of-the-art kitchen (a $700,000 item not originally in the plan)

 

Regarding the spa

The planners said:

• Current spa doesn’t have a waiting area
• Should have a “female only” waiting area
• Any way to use your outside space?
• Would be nice to have a separate spa pool

 

The resort did:

• Built a large waiting area inside and one outside
• Built the “female only” just outside the steam room and spa
• Built five outside casitas, complete with water runnel and outside waterfall
• Created expansive pool, with a shallow center to encourage aerobics

   After the tour, the Rancho Bernardo team once again invited the group to voice their opinions about plans for the future, including the importance of the green trend (very important), having more retail shopping (for those days when the suitcase doesn’t arrive), building a cyber cafe, and much more. We’ll see what the next round of changes brings...

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Getting There

GETTING THERE

San Diego International Airport is served by more than 20 airlines in three terminals. McClellan-Palomar Airport , in Carlsbad, features service by two airlines, United Express and American West, offering daily flights connecting through Los Angeles and Phoenix. San Diego North is also easily accessible via Amtrak and by the drive market from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego proper.

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