Pleasanton Travel and Things to Do Guide

Welcome to Cvent's Meeting and Event Planning Guide to the Tri-Valley region, an area guide for meeting professionals. A remarkably beautiful East Bay area spanning the cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, and San Ramon and the town of Danville (as well as the Amador, Livermore, and San Ramon valleys), the Tri-Valley greets meeting and convention delegates with a spectacular blend of old and new. The region features historic downtowns, world-class shopping, bountiful outdoor recreation, sprawling wine country, scrumptious cuisine, a moderate year-round climate, a variety of unique venues, and a superbly convenient location within 30 minutes of three international airports. Situated along the I-680 and I-580 junction, the Tri-Valley sits 18 miles southeast of Oakland, 33 miles east of San Francisco, and 35 miles northeast of the Silicon Valley, making it easy to navigate the East Bay region and take day trips to a number of major northern California attractions. Visitors to the Tri-Valley region can fly into Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), or Oakland International Airport (OAK). Situated 27 miles from the Tri-Valley, three miles north of downtown San Jose, and fresh off a $1.3-billion modernization project, SJC provides nonstop service to destinations throughout the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Japan. Located 24 miles from the Tri-Valley, OAK provides nonstop service throughout the U.S., Mexico and Europe. SFO, located 39 miles from the Tri-Valley, offers nonstop service to more than 75 U.S. airports and more than 30 international airports. Both OAK and SFO offer direct access to Bay Area Regional Transit (BART), the Bay Area's heavy-rail public transit and subway system that runs on five lines along 104 miles of track, serving 44 stations in four counties, including two Tri-Valley area stations in Dublin and Pleasanton. In addition to BART, meeting delegates can ride Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority's WHEELS bus service, which serves Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton along 17 daily rapid, local, and express bus routes, as well as connects to BART and takes passengers to such major area locations as the Alameda County Fairgrounds. The Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) also provides passenger rail service from the Central Valley to the Bay Area.Nestled in downtown Pleasanton, within minutes of 4,000 hotel rooms, the sprawling Alameda County Fairgrounds offers 10 buildings and more than 131,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space set on 267 landscaped acres. Host of the annual Alameda County Fair, the fairgrounds feature a nine-hole golf course, driving range, and the Pleasanton Fairgrounds Racetrack, the country's oldest one-mile racetrack still in use. Meeting spaces include a 2,700-seat amphitheater, Palm Pavilion, with 5,000 square feet of indoor space and three adjoining patios; the 5,000-square-foot Wine Garden; and the 150-person Director's Lounge above the grandstands. The fairgrounds' largest building, the Young California Building, measures in at 32,500 square feet, accommodating 3,500 people, while its smallest building, The Jockey Clubhouse, measures in at 1,368 square feet, accommodating 100 people.Aside from the Alameda County Fairgrounds, the Tri-Valley is home to a variety of special event venues for group functions, events, and team-building. Also in Pleasanton, the elegant Palm Event Center in the Vineyard features 20,000 square feet of event space in a luxurious vintner’s estate atmosphere. Set amid 120 acres of vineyards, the Palm Event Center in the Vineyard features an 8,000-square-foot ballroom, 2,000-square-foot Estate Room, and an outdoor patio. Situated at Danville's Blackhawk Plaza, one of the most beautiful shopping areas in the East Bay, Blackhawk Museum showcases an ever-changing collection of stunning classic cars and rotating Smithsonian exhibits. The museum welcomes private events in a variety of spaces, including its 1,000-person Automotive Dining Room, 600-peson Cultural Plaza, and 250-person Lobby. Dublin's Shannon Park & Community Center is a Mission-style building, complete with terracotta-colored roof tiles and cream walls, housing the 5,940-square-foot Ambrose Hall, 546-square-foot classroom, and two 1,275-square-foot, multi-purpose rooms. Shannon Park welcomes visitors to enjoy its natural creek and picnic and barbecue areas, as well as view its public art.Livermore features a number of special event-venues in both its downtown and wine country areas. Set in downtown Livermore, Bankhead Theater brings world-class arts and entertainment to the Tri-Valley, as the home to such organizations as Livermore Valley Opera, Pacific Chamber Symphony, and Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre. The theater welcomes conferences, seminars, meetings, and private events in its 507-seat auditorium, 500-person foyer, and 100-person patio. Surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills, the family-operated Garre Vineyard and Winery features a tasting room and outdoor bocce courts, as well as corporate team-building activities and a number of event spaces. Groups of up to 275 can gather in the 6,000-square-foot Grand Pavilion, while the on-site Cafe Garre can accommodate 49 people indoors and 75 people outdoors, and the hacienda-style Martinelli Event Center, complete with an outdoor cobblestone courtyard, fireplace, and fountain, as well as a ballroom with vaulted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and oak wainscoting, can accommodate up to 250 guests.