From the bustling streets of San Francisco to the serene vistas of Napa Valley, Northern California is home to a wealth of experiences and offerings, making it an ideal destination for meetings and events. Take, for example, the East Bay city of Concord. Though it may not be a household name, the destination (also known as Diablo Valley) has become a popular spot for groups looking for strong meeting facilities and Bay Area charm, without the high costs of bigger cities.
"You can easily say that Concord is half or even a third of the price of what you would pay in San Francisco," says John Montagh, economic development and housing manager for the City of Concord. About 35 minutes from San Francisco by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and from the Napa Valley by car, the city's central location has proved attractive for a number of companies, such as those "coming from Sacramento or San Jose -- we're the middle ground geographically."
But there's plenty in Concord itself. (As a Concord native myself, I can attest to how much the city has developed since I lived there.) Among the city's offerings is the 329-room Hilton Concord, with 20,000 square feet of event space, as well as an exclusive executive room floor. The expansive Concord Pavilion can hold up to 12,500 attendees for a major event, or serve as a great spot to catch a music concert. The city's historic downtown, including Todos Santos Plaza, is also undergoing a renaissance of its own, with new restaurants, taprooms, and entertainment offerings popping up.
Concord just broke ground on a new 330,000-square-foot retail and dining center, about two blocks from the Hilton. It will include a wide range of restaurants and shopping options.
Wine Country
Groups looking to capitalize on Northern California's famed wine country have more options than ever, including a new wine experience, unusual venues, and hotels. For example, The Carneros Inn, a 27-acre resort in Napa Valley, recently completed $6.5 million in renovations. This includes adding an elevated deck and landscaping around its family pool, as well as enhancing the guest reception area with a new porte cochère, water feature, and modern outdoor seating. The old guest reception area has been converted into a 500-square-foot lounge and 500-square-foot boardroom.
The property's main outdoor meeting space, The Arbor, received a $1 million renovation of its own, including a new water feature and landscaping that complements the surrounding vineyards and scenery.
Groups seeking more hands-on wine experiences can consider B Cellars' new Wine and Wellness Experience, which organizes a three-mile hike through the area vineyards, followed by a healthy vegetarian or vegan meal -- sourced from the winery's own gardens and paired with B Cellar wines. Peju Province Winery has launched a new culinary experience of its own, in which guests can sample seasonal small bites that pair with their drinks.
In Sonoma County, Rodney Strong Vineyards opened a terrace where it provides education and food pairings. Eco-conscious wine lovers can sign up for a Sustainable Winery Cycling Tour in which guests take a self-guided tour of sustainable wineries and learn about their green practices.
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This article appears in the July 2016 issue of Successful Meetings.