NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
VisitSacramento.com; @VisitSacramento; @SacFarm2Fork—“Easy to get to, Sacramento is a convenient meetings destination and an affordable option for your California events,” says Brandon Darnell, director of marketing for Visit Sacramento. “SAFE Credit Union Convention Center is a top-notch, LEED Silver-certified venue that is flexible to provide a custom meeting experience for you and your delegates. Furthermore, Sacramento is one of the most diverse cities in the nation, where all are welcome.”
This past summer, Sacramento International Airport (SMF) began construction of a pedestrian walkway connecting Terminal B and Concourse B and, in October, broke ground on a new 5,500-space parking garage east of Terminal B. These constructions are part of a $1.3 billion expansion project also bringing additional gates, a new ground transportation center, and a consolidated rental care center.
SAFE Credit Union Convention Center reopened in 2021 following an extensive renovation. In addition to a new 40,000-square-foot ballroom and outdoor activities plaza, it offers 240,000 feet of programmable space, 160,000 square feet of exhibit space, 80,000 square feet of meeting room space, and a 15,000-square-foot outdoor plaza. The facility can accommodate multiple events simultaneously, thanks to separate entrances, ballrooms, and meeting spaces at three separate lobbies. A new convention center hotel is expected to break ground in fall 2025.
Memorial Auditorium, opened to the public in 1927 and located just a few blocks from the convention center, features a 3,849-seat auditorium, a 100×37-foot stage, a 113×79-foot main floor, and a vertically moving floor. Memorial Hall and the intimate 272-seat Jean Runyon Little Theater are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel and Hyatt Regency Sacramento have more than 500 rooms each and are within walking distance of the convention center. Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel offers more than 19,000 square feet of event space, including a 10,508-square-foot ballroom accommodating 1,000 guests for receptions or 750 for banquets. The Hyatt Regency, located across from California State Capitol Park, has more than 27,000 square feet of event space, including a 15,544-square-foot ballroom with a capacity of 1,400 guests for receptions or 1,080 for banquets. Its 15th-floor, 1,716 square-foot Capitol View Room features floor-to-ceiling windows and can host 120 guests for banquets.
The Exchange opened in 2021 in the 100-plus-year-old Fruit Building. The 100-room boutique property is a half-mile from Old Sacramento Waterfront District and is convenient to Golden 1 Center, home of NBA’s Sacramento Kings. Its 972-square-foot Tower Room can host 82 guests for receptions or 60 for banquets. Also opened in 2021, Fort Sutter Hotel, located across from Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park in midtown’s artsy Sutter District, offers 105 guest rooms, a boardroom with two flexible breakouts, and more than 1,800 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space. The 172-room Hyatt Centric Downtown, featuring Art Deco design elements, is located adjacent to Golden 1 Center and is convenient to the capitol and Old Sacramento Waterfront. Event spaces include a 2,000-square-foot ballroom, a private dining room for up to 30 guests, and a 3,000-square-foot rooftop lounge for up to 160 guests.
The Kimpton Sawyer Hotel is also adjacent to Golden 1 Center and offers 250 guest rooms and 22,000 square feet of event space. Its nine meeting rooms include the 4,240-square-foot Magnolia Ballroom, which can accommodate 500 guests for receptions or 290 for banquets. Its Magnolia Terrace makes an attractive setting for pre-function cocktails.
Golden 1 Center offers meeting rooms and lounges in addition to the main 17,500-seat arena. It is conveniently located six blocks from the convention center and within Downtown Commons (DOCO), a shopping and entertainment destination. Cal Expo hosts hundreds of events every year, including the California State Fair in July. The facility offers 242,000 square feet of exhibit space and a 22,000-seat grandstand.
“Sacramento is a hot California destination, drawing visitors from all over the state and beyond,” Darnell says. “Many have recently discovered its dining scene, with more than 14 restaurants receiving Michelin recognition.” Known as America’s “Farm-to-Fork Capital,” Sacramento has two Michelin 1-star restaurants: Localis, which serves a 12-course menu of Californian cuisine; and The Kitchen, offering a six-course prix fixe contemporary cuisine menu.
“We always suggest delegates get out and explore a taste of Sacramento. Local Roots Food Tours offer a delicious way to get to know the city and taste the cuisine at the same time. After the work is done, many of our convention guests enjoy excursions to local wineries like Bogle or Silt, located just 15 minutes outside of downtown,” Darnell says.
Silt, in Clarksburg, is a private wine company featuring vineyards, gardens, and a 1910 vintage barn. It can host private events for up to 300 guests.
California’s capital city is also known for its role in America’s Gold Rush. Explore Sacramento’s Gold Rush past at Old Sacramento Waterfront, where the sidewalks are wooden and shops are old Victorians. Visit one or more of the city’s 32 renowned museums, like California State Railroad Museum, Crocker Art Museum, California State Capitol Museum, or California Auto Museum. Get outdoors and bike along the 32 paved miles following the American River, or enjoy a whitewater rafting trip in the river.
Notable events in Sacramento include the California State Fair in July; the Farm-to-Fork Festival, a three-day food and music festival on the Capitol Mall in late September; and the Aftershock Festival and GoldenSky Country Music Festival, both held in October at Discovery Park, a 302-acre park at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers. October concludes with IRONMAN California.
