From restored vintage yachts and aerial tramways to wine trolleys, event planners are transforming transportation from a logistical necessity into a memorable part of the attendee experience across California.
With California’s vast outdoor spaces and diverse ecosystems, there are many distinctively local methods of transit that inspire collaboration, teamwork and, overall, more enjoyable business travel experiences. Here are a few options:
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Palm Springs Aerial Tramway The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway offers unique meeting venues at 8,516 feet above sea level. Surrounded by the beautiful 14,000-acre Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness Area, the Tramway offers two banquet rooms for professional meetings and events. Located in the Tramway’s Mountain Station, the Culver Nichols Room (accommodates up to 24) and the Francis Crocker Room (accommodates 25 to 136), overlook the State Park and Wilderness Area with a backdrop of blue skies, dramatic mountain peaks and an alpine forest. Above the clouds at 8,516 feet, groups enjoy lunch or dinner with daytime views of sweeping desert vistas or evening views of twinkling city lights.
Angels Flight Railway - Blending convenience with a strong sense of place, groups can time-travel to the Victorian era by riding Angels Flight Railway, the word’s shortest railway. This 125-year-old cable car in Downtown Los Angeles takes passengers between Hill Street and Grand Avenue/Olive Street on Bunker Hill, offering a charming way to connect attendees with nearby downtown attractions, restaurants and event venues.
The Northwind Experience yacht. - In Marina Del Rey, The Northwind Experience gives event planners the opportunity to woo attendees with exclusive buyouts of a beautifully restored 135-foot yacht, originally commissioned in 1930 and once a host to distinguished guests including Winston Churchill and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The storied vessel has been reimagined as an immersive waterfront destination featuring elevated dining, handcrafted cocktails and panoramic harbor views.
- Nestled in the charming South Santa Clara County Wine Country, the Morgan Hill Wine Trolley becomes a moving private event, rolling between family-run wineries, farms and breweries across Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy.
The Morgan Hill Wine Trolley The open-air cable car trolley seats 30, and the enclosed, ADA accessible El Toro Trolley holds 20, both available for full private buyout. Planners can work directly with the operator to build a custom itinerary with stops at restaurants, event venues or hotels.
- In Oceanside, Oceanside Adventures’ 63-foot luxury catamaran is available for unforgettable coastal adventures. Departing from Oceanside Harbor, private charters can be customized as scenic harbor cruises, coastal excursions or whale and dolphin watching experiences led by an expert captain and certified naturalist. Along the way, guests may spot dolphins, whales, sea lions and other marine wildlife while enjoying panoramic Pacific views from the vessel’s spacious decks and elevated viewing platform.
More on California: visitcalifornia.com
