Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1483470
YEAR ROUND BEAUTIFUL WEATHER MAKES MEETING IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA A SNAP! B Y C L E T U S R A M S E Y Northern California contains Redwood Forests, along with the Sierra Nevada including Yosemite Valley and part of Lake Tahoe, Mount Shasta and the north- ern portion of the Central Valley. Comprised of destinations like Oakland, Sacramento, and San Francisco just to name a few, conference attendees are sure to have an amazing time both in the city and in the rural areas of this gorgeous region. Planners have an abundant choice of venues favoring meetings and events of all sizes and themes. • • OAKLAND • • Located in the heart of downtown Oakland, the Oakland Convention Center is just minutes from San Francisco. Featuring 100,566 sq. ft. of total meeting space, the facility is connected to the Oakland Marriott City Center, offering an additional 33,000 sq. ft. of flexible meet- ing space and 500 deluxe guest rooms. The Oakland Convention Center is a world-class exhibition hall within walking distance of Jack London Square, Chinatown, Oakland Museum of California, Preservation Park and Oakland City Center. The venue is also surround- ed by beautifully restored Victorian build- ings and the finest shops, restaurants, art galleries and museums that this exciting city has to offer. Lake Merritt is known as the jewel of Oakland. Want to feel the vibe of Oakland? Hit up the Grand Lake Farmers market and hang by the lake on a Sunday afternoon. You'll see a real mix of Oaklanders, from joggers, bikers, picnick- ers, paddleboaters and the brunch crowd soaking up the sun. While in Oakland be sure to have con- ference attendees explore the African- American sites and cultural centers that tell a story of Oakland's rich history. The African American Museum and Library at Oakland is a museum and non-circulating library dedicated to preserving the history and experiences of African-Americans in Northern California and the Bay Area. Looking for something to do when the workday is done? From neighborhood food tastings and retro cocktail tours to urban winery bike rides and guided histo- ry walks, tours will let visitors in on the best of Oakland. Segway around Lake Merritt, tour the USS Potomac, or visit the Mountain View Cemetery, designed by famed architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Like everything else in Oakland, the tours are never ordinary and always unexpected. The Oakland International Airport (OAK) is the second largest airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, offering over 300 daily passenger and cargo flights. • • SAN FRANCISCO • • San Francisco is a powerful magnet for meetings of all sizes, from self-con- tained meetings based at one hotel to citywide conventions utilizing multiple properties and The Moscone Center. Why do meeting planners find San Francisco so appealing? Because the city boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, with 19,000+ rooms within walking distance of The Moscone Center; 70+ hotels, with 1,100+ new hotel rooms coming by 2024; great hotel availability and promo- tion dates; lower average daily rates than Los Angeles, New York and Boston (as of 10/13/21); new and limited time-only incentives for meeting at The Moscone Center; and, the San Francisco Travel convention sales team is a one-stop resource for information on hotel room availability and promotions for meeting planners. Anchoring San Francisco's meetings industry is the Moscone Center. Located just off I-80 and blocks from Union Square, the facility is about as central as it gets in San Francisco's seven-mile-by- seven-mile grid. It's walking distance to hotels, restaurants, museums, attrac- tions, public transit and more. The recently completed Moscone expansion has added more than 170,000 gross sq. ft. of flexible meeting space to the Center, including a 50,000-sq. ft. ball- room. The center now also features an enclosed pedestrian bridge connecting B M & T ••• November/December 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 48 AREA GUIDES N O R T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Oakland Marriott City Center 500 Hilton Oakland Airport 363 Holiday Inn & Suites Oakland Airport 145 Days Inn Hotel by Wyndham Oakland Airport Coliseum 140 Ramada by Wyndham 64 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Oakland Convention Center Total Exhibit Space 100.566 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 37 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Oakland – (510) 839-9000 www.visitoakland.org Oakland African American Chamber https://oaacc.org/contact-us/ (510) 268-1600 Oakland, Lake Merritt, photo credit: Oakland C.C