The gorgeous seaside town of Newport Beach, CA makes a fantastic showing for itself as an ideal place to bring group meetings: it’s sophisticated, beautiful, cultural, charming, sporty, and fun! It’s home to Kobe Bryant, Jay Leno, and Dean Koontz. It has provided the backdrop for many movies, and TV shows. It has a mild climate and miles of beaches that combine to give it a comfortably relaxed and inviting ambiance. Visit once and you’ll want to bring your group back again and again.

If that’s not enough to have you buzzing about this stunning coastal destination, then read on. Here are our top reasons to hold your group meeting in Newport Beach, CA:

Location, Location, Location
Newport Beach’s 10-mile coastline is a delightful mix of golden sand beaches, scenic hiking trails, exquisite shopping and luxury resorts. Nature flaunts its stuff here: from the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific and the serene estuary of the Upper Back Ecological Reserve, to the rugged bluff tops along Crystal Cove State Park, Newport Beach offers groups many diverse experiences.

Easy Access
Newport Beach is conveniently located near three major airports: LAX, Long Beach and Orange County’s John Wayne airport. John Wayne Airport offers direct flights from most major cities and is about 10 – 15-minutes from Newport Beach hotels.

Hotel Properties
Leading hotel brands such as Marriott, Hyatt, The Duke Hotel Newport Beach and The Carlton Hotel Newport Beach, along with the comfortably chic properties, Balboa Bay Resort and Island Hotel, provide plenty of options for groups. Newport Beach’s newest addition, Lido House, is set to open in summer 2017. This 130-room upscale boutique hotel located in the quaint harborside village of Lido Marina is close to both the activities of Newport Harbor and the warm sand of the Pacific coastline.

Venues
Luxury properties and distinctive venues combine to offer over 200,000 square feet of meeting space including private yachts, local vineyards, historical sites, exclusive clubs, waterfront ballrooms and even a bay front beach perfect for a ‘toes in the sand’ party!

Activities
Numerous estate-lined waterways along with the serene upper Back Bay estuary provide a spectacular setting for group activities such as outrigger canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddleboarding. The most popular group adventure involves the quietly comfortable, Duffy boats. Voted the top teambuilding activity by California Meetings + Events, a Duffy scavenger hunt through Newport Harbor gives groups a close up look at Newport Beach’s history and beauty while providing an afternoon of team bonding fun! These boats seat up to 10 passengers and easily glide through the harbor. If it’s land-based activities you’re after, you’re in luck. Newport Beach is home to Crystal Cove State Park where the El Moro Canyon hike is located. This lush canyon is laced with over 17 miles of hiking trails that weave throughout the beautiful, mountainous canyon to reveal spectacular ocean views. El Moro Canyon is also ideal for mountain biking excursions.

Need something a little more relaxing? A cruise along the coast may be just what you’re looking for. For a twist on traditional biking, try cruising the area on the wildly popular Pedegos. These electric bikes offer a leisurely way to visit the eclectic communities of Newport Beach.

Active Harbor
Featuring the largest small craft harbor in the United States, Newport Beach is casually luxurious. Surrounded by coastal bluffs, dotted by seven islands and lined with private yachts, Newport Harbor is perfect for a meeting on the water, a dinner cruise, group activities and teambuilding adventures.

Iconic
In the 1920’s Newport Beach provided an escape for Hollywood’s elite. The iconic Balboa Pavilion hosted many parties attended by such noted celebrities as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and of course legendary actor and longtime Newport Beach resident, John Wayne. Wayne often entertained his Rat Pack buddies aboard his private yacht, the Wild Goose, which is still docked in Newport Harbor today and available for private events.

Shopping
Very few places in the United States offer the variety of shopping that you’ll find in Newport Beach. From the sophisticated, open-air and ocean-view luxury shopping of Fashion Island to the charming boutiques lining Balboa Island, shopping here is as relaxing as the destination.

Restaurants
When it comes to dining, Newport Beach is in a class of its own. Several dock and dine options along the harbor put a twist on the traditional corporate dine around. Your group can begin the evening with a sunset cocktail cruise aboard a private yacht or get a bit closer to the water in comfortably quiet, electric boats. Next, dock at one of the many group friendly restaurants lining the harbor. With a vast selection of acclaimed restaurants throughout the destination, meeting planners may have a hard time choosing just where their group should dine.

A Fantastic Destination Partner
When you are ready to bring your program to Newport Beach, start by involving Visit Newport Beach. As a destination partner, Visit Newport Beach has the knowledge and expertise that can simplify the planning process and offers incentives and resources to extend the meeting budget.

Come enjoy a little slice of heaven and relax with the knowledge that you’ve chosen one of the west coast’s most loved destinations.