Beyond the Beltway: San Diego

As part of an ongoing series, we're looking at unique event locations in cities nation-wide. With government travel budgets cut, holding smaller events in multiple locations is a prudent way to continue to reach people with live events.

San Diego has a huge population of military personnel and employees. The metro areas boasts three Marine Corps bases, three Navy installations, and a large Coast Guard presence. The military presence is so large in the area, that the professional baseball team, the San Diego Padres, wear camouflage uniforms for every Sunday home game. The city is also within easy driving distance from Los Angeles and is easily accessed from Nevada and Arizona.

As with any major city, there are a host of national chain hotels and large conference facilities for meetings. Here, we wanted to list a couple of venues that are a bit unique.

• Paradise Point - located on Mission Bay, 10 minutes from the city, this location gives off an island feel with metropolitan convenience. It is a large facility with plenty of options for different locations within the property to meet the needs of any group.
• Maritime Museum - for an event geared toward Navy or Coast Guard, the Maritime Museum of San Diego may be a fun venue that allows attendees to get a look at historical ships and maritime gear. They even offer sailing charters as an extra social activity.
• San Diego Zoo - the world famous zoo has event space suitable for corporate meetings. Holding an event here, you'll actually be happy to hear your attendees say, "that event was a zoo!"
• Prada at Balboa Park - this historic location has a large array of meeting spaces and can accommodate events large and small with unique spaces.

What are your go-to meeting spots in San Diego? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Image: http://sdpublic.sdcounty.ca.gov/