Orange County

Welcome to the Cvent meeting and event planning guide to Orange County, a guide for meeting professionals. Less than two hours away from Los Angeles and San Diego, Orange County has plenty to offer when it comes to conventions and events. With world-famous attractions, the largest convention center on the West Coast, spectacular weather, and an unparalleled reputation as a family-friendly locale, Orange County is home to distinct regions and vibrant neighborhoods.

Arriving in Orange County is easy, as it is served by four airports. John Wayne Airport, the gateway to the county, offers nonstop service to over 15 domestic locations; Los Angeles International Airport is just a 40-minute drive away; and Long Beach Airport is only 20 minutes away. Within the county itself, the Orange County Transportation Authority operates efficient bus and rail service to top attractions, all at an inexpensive, visitor-friendly cost.

One huge draw for Orange County is the 1,100-acre Anaheim Resort District, which includes the Anaheim GardenWalk, featuring 400,000 square feet of restaurants, shops, and nightlife. Another essential part of the district is the Anaheim Convention Center, which offers world-class meeting space within a 1.8-million-square-foot facility. Marked by its wave-shaped wall of glass that spans the entire length of the building, the convention center has over 1 million square feet of exhibit space and 99 meeting rooms. A full suite of amenities, including full in-house catering and wall-to-wall 10-gigabyte Wi-Fi, along with an earth-friendly operations plan, makes the Anaheim Convention Center a premier meeting facility on the West Coast.

For smaller functions and events, Orange County boasts a wide variety of hotels, resorts, museums, gardens, and historical sites for group use. Travel back to where it all started at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, regarded as the birthplace of Orange County. This historic landmark, which encompasses 10 acres of lush gardens and fountains, is available for events for up to 1,000 guests. Another option is the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa, which offers 110,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including an exhibit hall, sun-lit lobby areas, high-tech boardrooms, and beautiful outdoor venues that are perfect for evening receptions and sunset dinners.

Liven up receptions and banquets by hitting the venues at the Downtown Disney District, home to a unique variety of retail, dining, and nightlife options. Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen brings the Big Easy to Anaheim, serving up traditional and contemporary Creole cuisine and nightly jazz entertainment to groups of up to 130 people, while up to 250 people can enjoy authentic Italian dishes at the district's Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria.

Demonstrated by its wealth of fantastic meeting spaces, Orange County can certainly get down to business. An entrepreneurial powerhouse, the county's businesses are pioneering the surfing, sportswear, biomedical, aeronautical, coffee, and theme park industries. Businesses such as Quiksilver, Pacific Life, Blizzard, Gateway Inc., Linksys, Oakley Inc., and Hurley Inc. are based in Orange County. It is also home to several universities and colleges, including Anaheim University, California State University-Fullerton, University of California at Irvine, and Trinity Law School.