Orange County is a Meeting Planner's Oasis

With stellar hotels, extensive meeting space and activities galore, the OC has it all.
With stellar hotels, extensive meeting space and activities galore, the OC has it all.
My dog Carlos and I celebrated the recent holiday weekend by taking a road trip to a trio of Kimpton properties in Southern California. I’m always happy when an invitation to check out a new property includes a “dog welcome” plus one. And I’m sure many dog owners attending corporate meetings are, too.
Fresh sea air, salty breezes, the sound of breaking waves, a view of sailboats on the horizon, sand between your toes on morning beach walks. When it comes to restorative surroundings for meetings and retreats, it doesn’t get any better than California’s coastal havens. And with 3,427 miles of shoreline, the Golden State off ers havens galore. Here are some of our favorites.
La Jolla
At the turn of the 20th century, the oceanfront town of Pacific City, which sat along what would become the Pacific Coast highway, would have been the perfect setting for a western by director John Ford. This photo was taken in 1904, the year the first pier opened and the community renamed itself Huntington Beach in honor of Henry E. Huntington, who brought the Pacific Electric Railway to the coast. Today, Pacific City is the name of a new 191,000-square-foot retail, dining and entertainment destination.