SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
DiscoverLosAngeles.com; @DiscoverLA—“From beaches to the downtown core, there is always something new for event planners and their attendees to discover in Los Angeles. Each region of LA provides a unique vibe for any event throughout the city,” says Darren Green, chief sales officer for Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism). “As the ‘Storytelling Capital of the World,’ LA is where ideas and creativity thrive, and planners feel that. While we are incredibly proud of the unique venues and activities across our destination, planners are even more impressed with the diversity of our talent and are increasingly interested in our corporate social responsibility efforts. They see their events not only as a way to connect with the city but also as an opportunity to give back to the community.”
In the heart of downtown, the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) attracts more than 2 million visitors each year and offers 720,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, 64 column-free meeting rooms, and a 299-seat theater.
Los Angeles County boasts an estimated 115,454 guest rooms. Recent additions downtown include The Conrad, part of The Grand LA, a residential and retail block designed by architect Frank Gehry. The Conrad offers 305 guest rooms and 13,135 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. Its largest space, Grand Park, includes a 4,855-square-foot divisible ballroom, a foyer, and a terrace. Three private spaces on the 10th floor offer indoor and outdoor options with views of Grand Avenue and the spectacular Walt Disney Concert Hall across the street. Chef José Andrés’ San Laurel restaurant blends the flavors of Spain and Southern California.
Hotel Per La, Autograph Collection is located at 7th and Olive streets and housed in a restored 1922 building. It features 241 guest rooms, a rooftop pool and bar, and 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Mezzanine, the property’s main 2,800-square-foot event space, can accommodate 225 guests for receptions or 160 for banquets. Receptions for up to 35 guests and banquets for up to 26 can be hosted in the speakeasy-esque 388-square-foot Parlour Room. Café Ora, reminiscent of Venice’s Caffe Florian, can accommodate 35 guests for receptions or 20 for banquets.
Moxy + AC Hotel, a co-branded property across the street from the convention center and Crypto.com Arena, is wrapped with an attention-grabbing 15,000-square-foot video display. Featuring a combined 727 guest rooms, they offer six event rooms and 9,716 square feet of meeting and event space. The 4,045 Main Events Space can accommodate 500 guests for receptions or 200 for banquets. Other spaces include the walnut-paneled, 731-square-foot Fig Boardroom, with a seated capacity of 22 (50 standing), and two 250-square-foot Meeting Studios, which can be used separately or together and can accommodate 50 guests (standing) or 16 for seated events. La Lo La Rooftop, 34 floors above the city, offers cocktails, tapas, and spectacular views. The bistro-light-lit, 3,704-square-foot space can accommodate up to 250 guests. Moxy + AC Hotel also features Level 8, an eclectic collection of dining options, from teppanyaki to oysters, a nightclub, Mr. Wanderlust piano bar and jazz lounge, and a pool deck cocktail bar.
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites offers more guest rooms—1,358—in its postmodern glass towers than any other downtown hotel and is conveniently located less than 1.5 miles from the convention center. The property’s 166,553 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space includes 40 breakout rooms and 26,108-square-foot California Ballroom, which can accommodate 3,000 guests for receptions or 2,120 for banquets. The 45,000-square-foot Plaza Pool Deck can accommodate up to 3,000 guests for outdoor receptions or 1,200 for banquets.
Los Angeles County recently got a little easier to navigate without a car with the summer 2023 opening of new LA Metro routes from Azusa to Long Beach on the A Line, which combined the former Blue and Foothill Gold lines, and from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica on the E Line, which combined the Expo and Eastside Gold lines. Three new underground stations were also added: Little Tokyo/Arts District, Historic Broadway, and Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill, eliminating transfers through central LA for the A Line’s 49.5 miles and the E Line’s 22.5 miles.
An Automated People Mover is under construction at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). When complete, the elevated system will transport passengers 2.25 miles in 10 minutes and make six stops at three stations inside the Central Terminal Area (CTA) and three outside the CTA at parking, car rental, and regional transportation facilities.
Intuit Dome, home of NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, opened in October in Inglewood. The brand-new facility features training and practice facilities and an outdoor plaza with live music stages and public basketball courts. With the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers both playing at nearby SoFi Stadium, Inglewood is building its reputation as a sports destination. SoFi Stadium will host the opening ceremonies for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Events to plan around include the Tournament of Roses (Pasadena) and Golden Globe Awards (Beverly Hills) in January; GRAMMY Awards and Film Independent Spirit Awards (February); LA Marathon and Academy Awards in March; Battleship IOWA Memorial Day and LA County Fair in May; LA Pride in June; July 4th Spectacular at Hollywood Bowl; Nisei Week Japanese Festival in August; Emmy Awards in September; AIDS Walk Los Angeles in October; LA Auto Show, Dia de los Muertos, and USC vs. UCLA football game in November; and Hollywood Christmas Parade and LA County Holiday Celebration in December.
There is much more to California’s largest city than can be summed up in this guide—we have given you just a peek. To get your bearings in this sprawling place, Green highlights some of Los Angeles’ most-visited areas:
LAX/Beach Cities: Proximity to the airport, the Pacific Ocean, and unique shopping and dining.
Westside: Shopping, proximity to art institutions like Getty Center and Hammer Museum.
The Valley: Immersed in San Fernando Valley’s rolling hills, hiking/outdoor opportunities, proximity to Universal Studios Hollywood, Warner Bros. Studios, and a burgeoning dining scene.
Hollywood: Only-in-LA experiences, including the Hollywood Sign, nightlife, and hiking trails.
Downtown Los Angeles: Continuously evolving sports and entertainment hub, historic theatres, proximity to the convention center, and world-class dining establishments.
