Sponsored by Discover Los Angeles
Plan to have charging stations handy at all times for meetings in Los Angeles, because attendees will need to juice up throughout the day after snap, snap, snapping away. In the land of fame, fortune and excess, people will most certainly play paparazzi to document their time.
According to Instagram’s 2017 Year in Review, the City of Angels is the sixth-most Instagrammed city in the world, trailing only New York City, Moscow, London, Sao Paulo and Paris. Within its county borders, Los Angeles is easily accessible by three major airports—Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) and Long Beach Airport (LGB)—as well as small regional airports in Van Nuys and Santa Monica for private jets.
Meeting professionals can rely on Los Angeles as a destination prepared to host large-scale events, such as the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Planners have a range of choices, including the 867,000-square-foot Los Angeles Convention Center, 400,000-square-foot Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, 54,000-square-foot Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall (with a 6,300-seat theater), 125,000-square-foot Pasadena Convention Center and Pasadena Civic Auditorium (with a 2,997-seat theater). #discoverLA #meetLA
Calamigos Ranch
Malibu Conference Center at Calamigos Ranch is a rustic and chic locale straight out of a 130-acre Pinterest paradise. The on-site cafe has a lake with complimentary paddleboats, a giant chess board and photo ops galore. There’s an assortment of private event venues throughout the property, including a field with an old Ferris wheel, and Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club offering team-building activities. #calamigosguestranch #iamcalamigos #malibu #thebu
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
The 42,226-square-foot Saban Media Center opened in June 2016. Its Wolf Theatre seats 600 and features the latest in Dolby technology. Sheraton Universal Hotel, Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, The Garland and Sportsmen’s Lodge Hotel and Events Center are nearby. #emmys #theenvelopeplease #noho
Griffith Observatory
See real stars in Los Angeles through the mighty telescope at beautiful Griffith Observatory (make sure to get an Instagram shot with the iconic Hollywood sign in the background). Meetings cannot be held at the observatory, but this is a great side trip for meetings in Hollywood, Burbank or Downtown Los Angeles hotels, such as Millennium Biltmore Hotel and Ace Hotel. #griffithobservatory
Malibu Wine Safari
Stanley the giraffe is one of Malibu’s most famous residents. He has 26,000 Instagram followers. Tag him in a selfie at Malibu Wine Safari on Saddlerock Ranch. The property has five venues, with the largest accommodating 500 guests, situated among vineyards, exotic animals and breathtaking views of the Santa Monica Mountains. #malibuwinesafari #stanleythegiraffe #malibuwines #saddlerockranch #roseallday #yeswayrose
Oue Skyspace LA
This isn’t for the faint of heart! The transparent 45-foot Skyslide at Oue Skyspace LA connects the 70th and 69th floors of US Bank Tower almost 1,000 feet above downtown. The “terrace for the team” experience includes the slide, dinner with the chef, a string quartet and a helicopter tour of the city. There’s 13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space available for a buyout. InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown is in the vicinity. #skyspacela #intercontinentallife
The Last Bookstore
Peek through a circle of books at the whimsical The Last Bookstore in downtown. It has 6,000 sq. ft. of event space for a dinner reception or guest speakers. It’s California’s largest used and new bookstore, with 250,000 titles and tens of thousands of vinyl records. Nearby are JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles L.A. Live and The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles. #bookworm #readingisfundamental #indiebookstore #jwlalive #rcmemories
The Broad Museum
Honey, I shrunk the guests! Downsize your meeting with an after-hours group visit to The Broad museum for more than 60. Take a pic of artist Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog or walk “Under the Table” of Robert Therrien’s oversized dining set. Area hotels include Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza and The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites. #dtla #attheomni
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botantical Gardens
The Huntington attracts 750,000 visitors annually. There are many photogenic locations throughout the gardens and estate grounds. Meeting professionals can select from 30 venues for private affairs. For accommodations, check out the statement-making The Langham Huntington Pasadena, Los Angeles. #lovinglangham #pasadena
Santa Anita Park
Odds are, your event will be a winner at Santa Anita Park. The racetrack can accommodate groups big and small with 1 million sq. ft. of function space. #offtotheraces #giddyup #winnerscircle #horseracing #thegreatraceplace
Pacific Park
You’ve seen it on screen, so why not get a pic on the famous Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel? Make childhood dreams come true by renting out the entire amusement park! The event pavilion offers 3,600 sq. ft. Also along the Pacific Coast Highway, Annenberg Community Beach House is available for groups. Two go-to hotels for planners are Hotel Casa del Mar and Shutters on the Beach Hotel. #santamonicapier #shuttersonthebeach #etchotels #lhwtraveler
Marina del Rey
Slightly south of the touristy Venice and Santa Monica beaches rests Marina del Rey. Its calm, serene setting is the perfect place to admire boats, enjoy waterfront dining and go stand-up paddleboarding. The marina offers 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Hotels include Marina del Rey Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey. #fishermansvillage #waterfront
Beverly Gardens Park
Masses of people gather daily at the Beverly Hills sign on Santa Monica Boulevard for a quick snapshot. Across the street, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in the historic former post office is available for select rentals. Rodeo Drive is also within walking distance. Area hotels include Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Montage Beverly Hills and The Beverly Hilton. #90210 #liveunforgettable #waldorfmoment #montagememory #beverlyhilton
Eataly L.A.
You may not want to admit it, but let’s be honest; we’re all guilty of posting food photos. Upscale food hall Eataly L.A. opened in November at the newly renovated Westfield Century City Mall. Restaurants, shops and classes encompass the two-floor, 67,000-square-foot food haven. The Peninsula Beverly Hills and InterContinental Los Angeles Century City at Beverly Hills are convenient hotel options. #eatalyla #peninsulabh #penmoments
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Artist Chris Burden restored 202 cast-iron antique street lamps for his “Urban Light” installation at the museum. Los Angeles visitors often pull over for an impromptu photo-shoot with the lamps, or spend the day exploring the museum. Docent-led private tours are available. Two area hotels are Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills-A Four Seasons Hotel and Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. #lit #miraclemile #museumrow #beverlywilshire #fourseasons #fscalifornia
Magic Castle
Magic Castle is one of the hottest tickets in town. The members-only club features shows by the world’s top magicians. A strict no-photo policy is enforced inside, so snap a shot before entering. Buyouts for groups of up to 500 guests are available. The Hollywood Roosevelt, Loews Hollywood Hotel, W Hollywood and Dream Hollywood are nearby. #abracadabra #cardtricks #doyoubelieveinmagic #palaceofmystery #hocuspocus #awonderfulplace #dreamhollywood
Catalina Aerial Adventure
This might be a job for your GoPro! Catalina Island is but a ferry ride from Long Beach, and if your group is looking to swing like monkeys, Catalina Aerial Adventure ropes course just debuted as a team-building activity. The island has four main meeting venues—Catalina Casino, Catalina Country Club, Catherine’s Terrace at Descanso Beach and Descanco Beach Club. #catalinaisland #visitcatalina
Wayfarers Chapel
If you want to offer your meeting guests a place to pray, try Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes. Entirely enclosed by glass and surrounded by greenery, worshippers will be transported to a tranquil place for spiritual connection. It looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale forest. #wayfarerschapel #secretplaces #ranchopalosverdesca
The Queen Mary
Make Long Beach your meeting’s port of call aboard The Queen Mary. The historic docked ship has 80,000 sq. ft. of meeting and conference space, and 355 state rooms and suites to stay overnight. The Aquarium of the Pacific is within walking distance and is available for private events among sea creatures. #qmcomesalive