Meetings just north of downtown Los Angeles have become increasingly popular over the years as planners have come to depend on the San Gabriel Valley and the San Fernando Valley for first-rate event spaces, lower room rates and plenty of off-session attractions, including those found in nearby Hollywood and downtown L.A., which are easily accessible via mass transit.

While excursions to L.A. proper find their way into many agendas, the group-friendly product in the valleys stands perfectly well—and enveloped by greenery, hills and mountains—on its own.

"We’ve heard positive feedback from meeting planners and attendees that it feels so different than what is expected of L.A.," says Monica Smith, director of sales and client services at the Pasadena CVB. "There is an appeal to being close to downtown and Hollywood, but we have our own vibe."

In addition to a more laid-back atmosphere that’s removed from the hustle and bustle of a major metropolitan star like L.A., area airports make getting to the valleys a snap. Plus, major film and television studios are available for memorable group events, and the valleys boast an array of fine-dining, championship golf and shopping opportunities.

San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley, home to more than 100 soundstages as well as ABC, CBS, NBC, NBC Universal Studios, the Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., is nicknamed "Valley of the Stars." When in the valley, according to Bruce Ackerman, CEO and president of the San Fernando Valley Conference and Visitors Bureau, you’re in the entertainment capital of world.

"There is more production in the San Fernando Valley than in Hollywood," he says, citing the opportunity to watch live tapings of TV shows for free, as well as random celebrity sightings. "The odds of running into stars on Ventura Boulevard are greater than in Hollywood."

Of the 400 or so restaurants in the valley, ranging from eclectic fare to more standard options like Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Morton’s Steakhouse, many are located on Ventura Boulevard. Groups might also see celebrities when they’re out and about shopping at Westfield Promenade, the Sherman Oaks Galleria or the Northridge Fashion Center. And star sightings are almost always guaranteed during a Warner Bros. studio tour, which encompasses its back lot, stages, sets and craft shops, and ends at the Warner Bros. Museum.

One upcoming cultural lure is the 1,700-seat Valley Performing Arts Center, a 160,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility set to open later this year on the campus of California State University, Northridge. Symphony, dance, opera, theater and film will be showcased, and the center will be available for meetings and events.

While much of the San Fernando Valley is actually in the city of Los Angeles, its main group-friendly communities are nestled within the valley, including Burbank, Glendale, Woodland Hills and Universal City.

Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City features a theme park and Universal CityWalk, a shopping and entertainment center with, among other attractions, an IMAX theater, Dodgers Clubhouse Store, the Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood and various other eateries.

"Universal CityWalk is a huge draw," Ackerman says, explaining it’s also where the Gibson Amphitheatre resides. "Universal City is central in the valley and within three to four miles of the Hollywood Bowl."

Its top meetings properties are the Sheraton Universal Hotel, with more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space; the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, with 60,000 square feet of function space; and the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn, all of which recently unveiled significant upgrades.

Burbank, where the Bob Hope Airport resides, is home to a lot of fly-in, fly-out corporate gatherings, according to Ackerman. The Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, featuring 50,000 square feet of space, often hosts groups, as does the nearby Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, which recently renovated its ballrooms.

In the western portion of the valley, meetings-equipped options can be found at the Warner Center at Woodland Hills, where the choices include the Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills, which has 25,000 square feet of function space and recently finished a renovation of its meeting space and guest rooms, and the Hilton Woodland Hills, with 17,000 square feet of meeting space.

Other noteworthy valley hotels include the newly renovated AirTel Plaza Hotel near Van Nuys Airport, the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City and Hilton Garden Inn Valencia Six Flags, which recently completed a renovation of its guest rooms, meeting space and public areas.

When the meeting is over, San Fernando Valley offers a great mix of attractions that double as off-site event hosts, including Six Flags Magic Mountain and The Japanese Garden, which Ackerman calls a "gorgeous landscaped" spot that attendees will enjoy.

Additionally, Ackerman adds, there are hundreds of golf courses to choose from, and the valley is 40 minutes from Disneyland Resort and 30 minutes from L.A. Live.

"What planners really seem to like about the valley is the Bob Hope Airport, which is much easier than LAX, our hotel rates run 10 percent to 15 percent lower, and we’re immediately adjacent to L.A. via Metrolink," he says.

San Gabriel Valley
Situated east of Los Angeles and only 10 miles from Burbank, San Gabriel Valley is named after the San Gabriel Mountains.

"It’s appealing that it’s green, clean and walkable here, with a lot of interesting architecture," the Pasadena CVB’s Smith says.

Pasadena, the valley’s main meetings hub, is linked like San Fernando Valley is to L.A.; the Metro Gold Line light rail effortlessly carries travelers between Pasadena and downtown L.A.

"Aside from the Rose Bowl, we’re most known for cultural attractions and architecture," Smith says, citing several venues that double as off-site event spaces: the Wrigley Mansion, built by the chewing gum magnate; the Fenyes Mansion on the grounds of the Pasadena Museum of History; the Gamble House; the Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens; the Pasadena Museum of California Art; and the Pacific Asia Museum.

Another cultural gem that is available for events is Descanso Gardens, which plans to open the environmentally friendly Stuart Haaga Gallery of Art this year. The gallery will showcase local, national and international artists.

The Pasadena Convention Center, a LEED-certified facility that wrapped up a $150 million expansion in April 2009, is within walking distance of several attractions as well as group-friendly hotels. The Sheraton Pasadena Hotel is on the same campus as the convention center, the Hilton Pasadena is two blocks away, and five blocks away is the Westin Pasadena.

"Also within walking distance a bit farther away is historic Old Pasadena, one of the key districts here, primarily known for shopping, dining and entertainment," Smith says, noting the Old Pasadena Courtyard by Marriott is available for groups.

The city’s original commercial hub in the 19th century, Old Pasadena nowadays is a bustling, 22-block urban center listed on the National Register of Historic Places that encompasses two city parks, a historic performance band shell and the circa-1898, Moorish-influenced Castle Green, which is one of Pasadena’s first grand hotels and is now available for off-site events.

Another group-friendly option about one mile from the convention center is the Langham Huntington Hotel, a luxury property with 380 guest rooms and 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.

There is no shortage of group activities in Pasadena to unwind the group after a meeting, including a round of golf at Brookside Country Club near the Rose Bowl.

There is also Melting Pot Food Tours, Smith says.

"It’s a culinary tour of Old Pasadena that incorporates information about the area’s architecture and history combined with food and beverage tastings at some unique restaurants," she explains.

Urban Shopping Adventures provides another fun group tour that teaches attendees how to navigate the Rose Bowl Flea Market, one of the world’s largest, occurring the second Sunday of every month.

With upward of 2,500 vendors selling everything from vintage jewelry and handmade quilts to antiques and plants, the Urban Shopping Adventures guide will help groups maximize their time and find bargains. Planners can also book an Express Preview Tour to get the group in before the crowds arrive.