Nothing Finer
The finest city brings delegates back for sun, sand and business success
By JT Long
California’s southernmost county boasts recreational riches: Balboa Park, SeaWorld, USS Midway Museum, white sand beaches and downtown Petco Park, home of MLB’s San Diego Padres. But it is also a treasure trove of businesses. More than 1,100 life science companies and 80 research institutes in and around La Jolla and San Diego State University include Bristol Myers Squibb and AG Scientific. It is also home to communications giant Qualcomm and Sempra Energy. Innovation lives in San Diego.
Dubbed “America’s Brightest City,” it should be no surprise that an equally robust and sophisticated meetings infrastructure has built up in the area to host convention-goers before, during and after the sessions.
Insider Expert Tip
We are thrilled to see that San Diego tourism is back on track in a significant way.”—Julie Coker, president and CEO, San Diego Tourism Authority
5 Fabulous Places to Meet
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina A massive renovation unveiled in April featured beachy hues, organic materials, a new ground-floor M Club and a Top Golf Swing Suite in the Bayside Lounge. Set your sights on two spectacular 36,000-square-foot ballrooms, each capable of accommodating up to 3,700 guests.
280,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 1,366 guest rooms.
Kimpton Alma San Diego Sporting a new name and south of the border style, the pool deck now features custom street art and rooms include yoga mats and Japanese tea sets. The upgrades include the meeting space and the hotel’s new signature restaurant, The Desmond.
20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 211 guest rooms.
Pendry San Diego This Gaslamp Quarter beauty features a rooftop Pool House and award-winning pampering spa. Natural light brings the energy of the city into the two ballrooms and a sophisticated lobby welcomes visitors in style.
35,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 317 guest rooms.
Rancho Bernardo Inn This sprawling Spanish Revival classic in North San Diego County completely refreshed the guest rooms in February while preserving the amenities that make it a cherished retreat—grand fireplaces, fountains and foyers. Events are catered from the signature restaurants specializing in California cuisine. World-class golf and spa await after the meeting.
45,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 286 guest rooms.
Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton Affectionately known as The Del, this 130-year-young historic landmark on the beach just completed a $400 million renovation that added a thoroughly modern Southpointe Event Center to complement the historic spaces in the original resort building.
65,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 902 guest rooms.
Read More: Site Inspection: San Diego’s Finest
5 Reasons Meeting Profs Love the San Diego
Smooth sailing Getting to and around the city is easy. San Diego International Airport (SAN) is in the midst of a $3 billion expansion. Amtrak’s convenient downtown Pacific Surfliner train is the sophisticated way to travel to Los Angels and beyond. San Diego’s signature zero-emission red trollies are expanding.
Full steam ahead San Diego Convention Center’s 2.6 million sq. ft. of downtown waterfront space creates a sense of place with 525,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space; sunny, 90,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed Sails Pavilion and an 184,514-square-foot outdoor terrace.
Rest easy San Diego Convention Center is served by more than 65,000 hotel rooms citywide, 11,000 first-class hotel rooms within a mile and a half, including four headquarter hotels. While in 2022, it recorded the second-highest hotel occupancy in the country 74.4%, there is still room at the inns.
Concentrated innovation opportunities A new $1.6 billion, eight-acre Research and Development District (RaDD) will soon consolidate life sciences research resources on the waterfront with lab space and expertise.
High venue notes The city is blessed with unique venues, including head-turning The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. The beautiful bay is the backdrop for San Diego symphony concerts, private events and park-goers.
This article appears in the digital-only May 2023 and June 2023 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
