A port city in Northern California, Eureka is the largest city north of San Francisco that's directly on the Pacific Coast. A cultural and business hub for the North Coast region, the city blends a vibrant downtown with a serene setting that's nestled among the most extensive preserves of California Redwood trees. In fact, Old Town Historic District, with more than 150 buildings and several Eureka event venues, is not to be missed. Groups can arrange historical walking tours through the Eureka Heritage Society. Some of these gems can even serve as event venues themselves, such as the Carter House Inns. These four Victorians lining Humboldt Bay feature an award-winning restaurant, 33 guest rooms and a dining room and parlor perfect for intimate, upscale gatherings.
With the Arcata/Eureka Airport offering direct flights to and from San Francisco and Sacramento, groups will have no trouble discovering the charm Eureka has to offer.
The Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center is one of the newest event venues in Eureka. The spacious center features three classrooms, two conference rooms and a main multi-purpose room, all of which feature light-filled spaces, waterfront views and clean, professional work spaces. Also by the bay, the Wharfinger Building is one of the largest event venues in Eureka: The building's 2,100-square-foot Great Room features waterfront views, a commercial kitchen and a complete audio system, while the more intimate Bay Room can accommodate up to 60 people. The largest hotel venue in Eureka is the 179-room Red Lion Eureka, which has 5,000 square feet of meeting space.
Eureka's Adorni Center is a multi-purpose venue with a conference room and a gym, both of which are available for private events. The conference room, which features a projector and PA system, has a 30-person capacity. The gymnasium can accommodate 400 people banquet-style and 630 people for receptions. The gym also has a commercial kitchen and customizable dance floor.
With its mild Mediterranean climate, Eureka lends itself well to outdoor events, and luckily the city has over five neighborhood park facilities available for rent. The 3.5-acre Halvorsen Park is one of the most popular outdoor venues for events, including summer concerts and community festivals. Comprising more than 67 acres of second-growth Redwood trees and the oldest zoo in the state, Sequoia Park Zoo has a multi-purpose room with room for 60 guests and state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment. Carson Park, Hammond Park, Ross Park and Sacco Amphitheater are among the other outdoor event venues in Eureka.
Eureka is home to one of the country's best preserved original Victorian-era commercial districts and was named the number-one best small art town in John Villani's The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America. Groups can take advantage of the city's artistic flair at a number of venues, including the Morris Graves Museum of Art. With seven galleries and a rotating selection of visual arts exhibits, the museum's rotunda and atrium encompass 1,000 square feet, or seating for up to 120 guests. The 770-seat Arkley Center for the Performing Arts features first-class acoustics and is ideal for large presentations or seminars.
