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Mission Valley / Old Town / Kearny Mesa / Miramar
Once filled with bucolic dairy farms, Mission Valley has become a centralized, rapidly growing community with town homes and irresistible shopping and dining centers on the banks of the San Diego River. The Mission Valley Regional Convention Center at the Town & Country Resort was one of San Diego’s first large meeting spaces when it opened in the 1970s. Thoroughly modernized, it continues to draw groups of every description, from physicians to musicians. The valley’s 6,743 tk hotel rooms, fabulous shopping centers, an excellent golf course and abundant theme restaurants make it a convenient headquarters. Its easy access to several freeways allows delegates to explore the whole region by car, trolley, bus or tour shuttles.
At the east side of the valley, the UFO-like QUALCOMM Stadium is home to the San Diego Chargers and a popular setting for everything from car shows to concerts. To the west is Old Town, San Diego’s first settlement. Presidio Hill, rising over the valley with 360-degree views of multiple neighborhoods and the ocean, was the site of the first mission church in California. The prestigious University of San Diego sits atop a nearby grassy hillside in Linda Vista. Nearby Kearny Mesa and Miramar offer numerous hotels, restaurants and meeting facilities as well as rambling parks and one of the biggest air shows in the country.
Early San Diego’s schoolhouse, stage line stables, newspaper office and adobe homes are preserved in Old Town State Historic Park, a 13-acre complex devoted to re-creating life in the 1800s. Several of San Diego’s most precious Victorian houses line the lawns at the adjacent Heritage Park. On July 1, 2009, Pacific Hospitality Group, Inc. (PHG) took over the park’s operations, with plans to construct four new Victorian-style buildings. At present, a Queen Anne-style home is now a charming B&B. San Diego’s first synagogue, the 1889 Temple Beth Israel, is available for events. Other park areas and buildings are also open for functions, and group tours of the area are available. Both practical and entertaining, this region offers all the right ingredients for a successful meeting.
Riding the Rails
The San Diego Trolley is a model modern light rail system copied by cities around the world. Bright red trolley cars traverse three color-coded routes covering the eastern part of San Diego County, San Diego State University, Mission Valley, downtown San Diego and the South Bay all the way to the border with Mexico. Trolley fares vary with the distance traveled; ticket machines are available at all stations including several important hubs serving Mission Valley’s shopping centers and QUALCOMM Stadium. Downtown, stations at the convention center and PETCO Park make it easy for delegates to get around quickly and inexpensively.
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Meetings and Events Neighborhood Guide
