Irvine Travel and Things to Do Guide

Welcome to Cvent's meeting and event planning guide for Irvine, the center of California's celebrated Orange County. Irvine is where natural beauty, perfect weather, and a rich business climate serve to enhance a sophisticated community. Irvine event venues offer an enticing package for meeting planners: state-of-the-art meeting facilities alongside an eclectic blend of outdoor recreation, culture, shopping, diverse dining, and historical points of interest.

Widely considered the business capital of Orange County, Irvine is the world headquarters for Fortune 1000 companies such as Broadcom, Allergan, Blizzard Entertainment, Western Digital, and Vizio. It is a leading business center with more than 100 global corporations. Institutes of higher education include the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Concordia University, Irvine Valley College, the Orange County Center of the University of Southern California (USC), and a branch of Pepperdine University. This combination of high-tech, medical, and lifestyle industry professionals, coupled with a large academic population, provides access to speakers and group activities, as well as ensuring a lively mix of culture and dining.

While John Wayne/Orange County Airport is located within two miles of the majority of Irvine hotels, Long Beach Airport and Los Angeles International are also within close proximity, allowing for multiple travel choices. Once in the city, attractions are easily accessible by car.
There are 21 hotels in Irvine, including three major hotels with impressive meeting facilities: Irvine Marriott, with more than 38,000 square feet of space; the Hilton Irvine/Orange County Airport, with nearly 30,000 square feet, and the Marriott Irvine Spectrum with nearly 19,000 square feet.

For offsite facilities, planners can take their pick from a wide selection of diverse properties. Some of the facilities are specialized for meetings in the medical, technology, and science fields, including the Beckman Center, which offers 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, as well as a 200-seat auditorium. Others, such as the versatile, 22,000-square-foot Bren Events Center, can be adapted for concerts, large meetings, small conferences, or sporting events.

Thanks to Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, Orange County is known the world over for its family-friendliness. Family-friendly sites that are particular to Irvine include, the Orange County Great Park, with its helium balloon ride that takes guests of all ages 400 feet above Orange County; the Pretend City Children's Museum, where children use props and amenities to "play grown-up"; and nearby Irvine Regional Park, home to the Orange County Zoo. Each of these attractions also doubles as an event space, allowing attendees to enjoy the great California outdoors — and to get in touch with their inner child.

For longer meetings or an enjoyable extended stay, Irvine is only 9 miles from Orange County beaches and 45 miles south from downtown Los Angeles.