If you haven’t already, you will mostly likely read a lot about the Global Business Travel Association’s annual convention that some of our team attended last week. Hopefully this post offers a different perspective and some added detail about our fabulous couple of days on the West Coast.

This was my second year attending the conference. Last year, I joined the industry at GBTA in Orlando, Florida, and this year I got to visit San Diego for the first time while attending the show at San Diego Convention Center.

Arriving in San Diego in early afternoon allowed for an exciting Uber ride to Carte Hotel San Diego Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton, where I would stay for the next three nights. I had a lovely king bedroom facing toward San Diego Bay, about four blocks away from the hotel’s front steps.

A beautiful welcome reception began at sunset on Sunday evening and offered entertainment, food and drinks. I was able to run into some of my clients and say hello before the expo part of the convention began on Monday.

The most exciting parts of the trip actually happened outside of the convention center while out and about in the downtown area of San Diego. It all began with a team dinner at Nobu San Diego for sushi and fun cocktails after the welcome reception. The next couple of days were filled with parties thrown by brands also exhibiting at the convention. Outside of our own event, The Trazees, I was able to attend The Parking Spot’s party in conjunction with Southwest, and the Posadas and Aeromexico party, complete with a tequila tasting and some of the best street corn I’ve ever tasted.

Of course, the top takeaway of the trip was our award ceremony, celebrating the best in travel as voted on by our millennial Trazee Travel readers, but the rest of the trip wasn’t too shabby. On my own time I was able to walk along the bay and enjoy a solo brunch at Queenstown Public House.

While I was in the area for work, I have definitely added San Diego to the top of my list of places I must return. I have heard great things about the beach areas, including Coronado Island, that I’ll just have to return for!

— Haley Fogarty, advertising manager