San Diego's meeting room pricing spans from $30 per hour at the San Diego Law Library's small meeting room to $35,000 per day for premium ballrooms at the Convention Center during peak season. Downtown coworking spaces like Downtown Works start at $45/hour, while WeWork offers on-demand rooms from $8 per seat/hour. Mid-range hotel meeting rooms at properties like the Westin Gaslamp Quarter typically run $1,200-$5,000 daily. For comparison, Fleet Science Center publishes transparent rates: their boardroom costs $200/hour with a two-hour minimum, while full museum buyouts reach $12,500 for four hours.
The Gaslamp Quarter and Marina district form San Diego's meeting epicenter, housing the Convention Center's 72 rooms, Marriott Marquis's 83 spaces, and Hilton Bayfront's 34 meeting rooms within a 10-minute walk. The Core-Columbia area near Santa Fe Depot clusters business hotels with coworking options like Industrious and WeWork's 600 B Street location. For biotech and pharma meetings, UTC/La Jolla provides specialized venues including Hyatt Regency La Jolla's 26 meeting rooms and Estancia La Jolla's 47,000 square feet across 16 indoor spaces.
The Blue and Green trolley lines connect most downtown meeting venues with stations typically 2-8 minutes' walk away. UC San Diego Park & Market sits just 1-2 minutes from its namesake station, while the Convention Center has its own dedicated stop. Properties like Marriott Marquis and Hilton Bayfront connect via the Seaport Village station. However, venues in La Jolla and Torrey Pines require rideshare or driving, as the Alexandria at Torrey Pines sits 30-35 minutes' walk from the nearest Blue Line station. The Coaster commuter rail adds regional connectivity for Town and Country Resort near Fashion Valley station.
San Diego's creative meeting options include Fleet Science Center's Giant Dome Theater seating 248 for immersive presentations, WNDR Museum's 12,000-square-foot experiential space for unconventional brainstorms, and the University Club Atop Symphony Towers offering panoramic skyline views. The San Diego Central Library provides civic spaces like the 300-seat Neil Morgan Auditorium with transparent government pricing starting at $100/hour for commercial groups. For outdoor-focused meetings, Liberty Station Conference Center offers free parking and purpose-built training facilities, while the historic Lafayette Hotel in North Park brings 1940s character to creative offsites.
Budget-conscious teams find excellent value at San Diego Law Library with boardrooms at $80/hour, or Downtown Works starting at $45/hour with included amenities. WeWork's 600 B Street location offers hourly flexibility from $8 per seat, while Industrious near America Plaza provides premium service from $50-55/hour including AV and refreshments. For full-day sessions, Liberty Station Conference Center's classrooms run approximately $300-900 daily with free parking. The Guild Hotel's council boardroom seats 12 in an intimate historic setting, offering boutique atmosphere without convention center pricing.
The San Diego Convention Center dominates large-scale meetings with two 40,000-square-foot ballrooms each accommodating over 3,000 theater-style, plus the 90,000-square-foot Sails Pavilion. Marriott Marquis offers 276,000 total square feet with its largest ballroom seating 3,718, while Hilton Bayfront's Sapphire Ballroom spans 33,072 square feet for up to 3,773 attendees. Town and Country Resort in Mission Valley provides 295,000 square feet including the 40,027-square-foot Golden State Hall. Manchester Grand Hyatt adds capacity with its 34,000-square-foot ballroom supporting 3,700 theater-style.
With only 43 rainy days annually, venues like InterContinental San Diego confidently offer 60,000 square feet of outdoor terrace space alongside 35,000 indoor square feet for backup. The Westin Gaslamp Quarter's Garden Terrace includes retractable coverage options, while Hilton Bayfront's 61,200-square-foot Bayfront Park provides adjacent indoor overflow. Most properties maintain flexible booking policies for outdoor spaces, with venues like Hard Rock Hotel's 8,700-square-foot rooftop featuring partial coverage. The Alexandria at Torrey Pines combines its 12,500-square-foot lawn with indoor theater and boardroom alternatives.
The Alexandria at Torrey Pines stands out with its purpose-built Illumina Theater seating 205 and specialized catering for pharma launches. Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine positions itself near UCSD and biotech corridors with 42,000 square feet of meeting space. Estancia La Jolla provides retreat-style settings across 47,000 square feet for multi-day research symposiums. UC San Diego Park & Market downtown offers university credibility with tech-forward facilities including LED walls and broadcast capabilities. Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines adds 60,000 square feet overlooking the famous golf course, popular for medical device demonstrations.
THE US GRANT, a 1910 Luxury Collection landmark, provides 33,000 square feet including the Presidential Ballroom with capacity for 900. The Guild Hotel transforms a former YMCA into boutique meeting spaces with the Society Ballroom accommodating 300. The Lafayette Hotel showcases revived 1940s glamour across 15,000 square feet of Art Deco-influenced rooms. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park combines mid-century architecture with modern meeting amenities. The San Diego Central Library's contemporary design features light-filled spaces with sustainable elements, offering the 300-seat Neil Morgan Auditorium.
Downtown hotels like Marriott Marquis and Hilton Bayfront typically book large meetings 6-12 months ahead, especially during convention season from March-May and September-November. Flexible spaces at WeWork and Industrious accept same-day bookings for small rooms, while Downtown Works often has availability within 48 hours. Unique venues like WNDR Museum and Fleet Science Center recommend 2-3 months' notice for buyouts. The Convention Center's major events book 2-3 years out, though smaller meeting rooms may have openings 3-6 months ahead. Summer months and December generally offer better availability and negotiating power.