SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
VisitAnaheim.org: @VisitAnaheim—“Now, more than ever before, the boundaries between work and fun are blurred, making it a great time for travelers to reinvent the traditional business trip and bring their families to explore a destination as vibrant as Anaheim,” says Bre Flores, communications manager for Visit Anaheim.
Following its 2017 expansion, the LEED-certified Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) is now the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast. Its 53-acre footprint includes 1.8 million square feet of function space, more than 1 million square feet of exhibit space, arena seating for 7,500, a 38,000-square-foot ballroom, and 352,000 square feet of meeting space in 99 meeting rooms. Its 200,000 square feet of outdoor event space includes the Grand Plaza, featuring palm and orange trees and two fountains, and 64,000-square-foot Arena Plaza, with a 5,500-guest capacity.
The convention center is anchored by four hotels, offering more than 3,700 guest rooms.
Anaheim Marriott offers 1,030 guest rooms and 169,662 square feet of event space, including two ballrooms, the 24,694-square-foot Marquis Ballroom, for receptions for up to 3,515 guests or banquets for up to 2,040, and the 25,410-square foot Platinum Ballroom, which can host 3,585 guests for receptions or 2,040 for banquets. The hotel’s signature restaurant and bar, nFuse, offers a California cuisine menu and an extensive whiskey and bourbon collection. Hilton Anaheim, Orange County’s largest hotel, offers 1,572 guest rooms, 150,000 square feet of event space, two outdoor event decks, and a pair of 28,542 square-foot ballrooms, each accommodating 2,500 guests for receptions or 2,000 for banquets. After a $40 million renovation in summer 2022, Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort now features 490 guest rooms and 30,274 square feet of event space. Its 10,934-square-foot Park Ballroom can accommodate 900 guests for reception or 680 for banquets. The AAA Four Diamond Westin Anaheim Resort offers 618 guest rooms and 47,542 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor space, including the 16,120-square-foot Anabella Ballroom and 8,343-square-foot Carousel Ballroom. Additional spaces include 23 event rooms and the 3,500-square-foot RISE rooftop lounge, which can accommodate receptions for up to 250 guests.
Event planners considering Disneyland Resort have a few in-park options. The Craftsman-style Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa in the heart of the park offers 948 guest rooms. Its 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space includes the 11,900-square-foot Sequoia Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 1,200 guests, and the 1,080-square-foot California Boardroom, which can accommodate up to 24. The 2,660-square-foot Trillium Room is adjacent to an outdoor terrace and can host up to 300. Overlooking Disney California Adventure Park®, the hotel’s award-winning Napa Rose restaurant serves Southern California cuisine. Disneyland Hotel offers 973 guest rooms, 215,800 square feet of flexible meeting space, two ballrooms (18,000 and 14,400 square feet), a 28,968-square-foot exhibit hall, and 52 breakout rooms. Also inside the park is Pixar Place Hotel, a bright and whimsical redesign of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, which opened this past January.
Planners should keep their eyes on news from Anaheim’s neighboring city of Garden Grove.
Groundbreaking for two 4-star hotels from Le Méridien by Marriott and Kimpton Hotels, on 4.3 acres on Harbor Boulevard, is expected in Q3 of 2025. Le Méridien will offer 39,000 square feet of meeting space and 40,000 square feet of retail space. The 200-key Kimpton hotel is expected to be one of the country’s largest Kimpton properties.
When the day’s business is over, Anaheim offers plenty of reasons for visitors to explore the town.
Anaheim Packing House, a former processing plant for Sunkist oranges, is now a destination food hall where visitors can sample an eclectic array of flavors from Mexican and Cajun to American soul food, Indian, and beyond. Anaheim Packing District also includes the Packard Building, MAKE Bldg, and Farmers Park, where more food and live music can be enjoyed. Visitors also can get a taste of Anaheim’s German beer heritage and growing craft beer scene.
In 2019, Disneyland® debuted Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, adding 14 acres to the theme park’s footprint. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is billed as a climactic battle against the First Order, while Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run allows guests to participate in an interactive smuggling mission. Disney California Adventure® Park’s new Avengers Campus features Marvel characters, inviting visitors to discover their inner superhero.
Visitors can explore Anaheim’s cultural diversity in Little Arabia, where the culinary options include Syrian, Palestinian, Lebanese, Egyptian, and other Middle Eastern flavors. In Little Saigon, visitors can explore shopping centers teeming with specialty shops, restaurants, and other Vietnamese-American businesses.
Annual events include Taste of Japan in June and Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade, held the Saturday before Halloween.
Sports fans can catch an Anaheim Angels MLB game at Angel Stadium or an Anaheim Ducks NHL game at Honda Center.
Conveniently for air travelers, Anaheim is located just 13 miles from John Wayne Airport (SNA) and within an hour’s drive (traffic permitting) of California’s Long Beach Airport (LGB), Ontario International Airport (ONT), and Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR).
Once on the ground in Anaheim, visitors can use Anaheim Regional Transportation’s (ART) micro-transit fleet of electric vehicles. FRAN (Free Rides Around the Neighborhood) makes 18 stops throughout downtown Anaheim, including Anaheim Packing District, City Hall, and Central Library. In 2023, ART launched EVE (Everyone Ventures Everywhere) to provide transportation between Anaheim and John Wayne Airport using the A-Way WeGo app. Roundtrip fare for adults is $15.
“There is much on the horizon for a dynamic destination like Anaheim, and we invite all visitors in the years to come to explore our vibrant and expanding city,” Flores says.
