San Diego trade show venue

City guide · San Diego, California · Updated

San Diego convention centers and trade show venues

Exhibiting in San Diego usually means the downtown waterfront, where the San Diego Convention Center runs one 1,918 ft exhibit floor along the bay and two big hotel towers next door, the Marriott Marquis and the Manchester Grand Hyatt, run expos of their own. The newest hall is 7 miles south in Chula Vista, at Gaylord Pacific. California is not right-to-work, and the convention center's union rules leave little room for self-setup.

  • 735Ksq ft of exhibit and ballroom space across 4 venues (our guides' figures)
  • 4venue guides on this page, 4 in our newest format
  • 20dated shows listed for 2026–2027, from our venue guides
  • Feb 2027busiest month in the calendar below (5 shows start)
  • $176per cwt, Purple planning rates for drayage, not tariffs
  • 8hotels for exhibitors named in our guides

Venues with guides

San Diego convention centers and trade show venues

Most San Diego shows land on the bay downtown, in the convention center or one of the two hotel towers beside it. The newest exhibit hall is not downtown at all: Gaylord Pacific opened in 2025 on the Chula Vista Bayfront, about 7 miles south, and many organizers still list it as San Diego. This page compares the four guides we have.

Side by side

San Diego venues compared

Largest space, ceiling, labor and a planning drayage rate for each venue we have a guide for. Drayage figures are Purple planning rates, not published tariffs; the last column is the straight-line distance from the Convention Center.

VenueTypeLargest spaceCeilingLaborDrayage (plan)AirportFrom Convention Center
San Diego Convention CenterSan DiegoConvention center525,701 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–H27 ft 4 in A–E · up to 64 ft F–HUnion · check kit≈ $176/cwtSAN · 3 mi—
Manchester Grand Hyatt San DiegoSan DiegoHotel ballrooms34,000 sq ft Grand Hall~14 ft Grand Hall · 18–21 ft ballroomsUnion dock · check kit≈ $176/cwtSAN · 3 mi≈ 0.5 mi
Marriott Marquis San Diego MarinaSan DiegoHotel ballrooms35,631 sq ft Marriott Grand and Pacific ballrooms26 ft Grand · 16 ft PacificUnion · check kit≈ $176/cwtSAN · 3 mi≈ 0.3 mi
Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention CenterChula VistaResort ballrooms140,049 sq ft California Exhibit Hall34 ft hall · 27–28 ft ballroomsCheck show kit≈ $176/cwtSAN · ~10–12 mi≈ 6.3 mi

Figures come from each venue guide; open a guide for its sources, hall tables and dock details. “Not listed in our guide” means that guide does not give the figure.

Where they are

Map of San Diego trade show venues

Each venue plotted from its coordinates: three downtown on the waterfront, within about half a mile of each other and drawn again in a close-up, and Gaylord Pacific down the bay in Chula Vista.

San Diego trade show venues on a mapMap of 4 San Diego venues with guides. North up, plotted from coordinates. 4. Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, about 6.3 miles southeast of the Convention Center. Venues 1–3 are grouped as Downtown and drawn in a close-up map. Roads are not drawn.N02 mi1–3Downtown4Gaylord Pacific
Area map: straight-line positions, roads not drawn. The dashed circle marks the Downtown San Diego venues in the close-up.
Downtown San Diego venues, close-upClose-up map of 3 venues in Downtown San Diego. North up, plotted from coordinates. 1. San Diego Convention Center. 2. Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, about 0.5 miles northwest of the Convention Center. 3. Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, about 0.3 miles northwest of the Convention Center. Roads are not drawn.N00.2 mi1Convention Center2Manchester Grand Hyatt3Marriott Marquis
Close-up: Downtown San Diego. Distances are straight-line, not walking.
  1. 1San Diego Convention CenterSan Diego
  2. 2Manchester Grand Hyatt San DiegoSan Diego · ≈ 0.5 mi northwest of the Convention Center
  3. 3Marriott Marquis San Diego MarinaSan Diego · ≈ 0.3 mi northwest of the Convention Center
  4. 4Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention CenterChula Vista · ≈ 6.3 mi southeast of the Convention Center

The calendar

Shows at San Diego venues, 2026–2027

The calendar below collects the dated shows from our four San Diego guides. Medicine and life sciences fill most of the convention center's year, with defense, energy, gaming and the auto show in between, and Comic-Con takes over the building in July. The two downtown hotels and Gaylord Pacific run association expos in their own ballrooms and halls. Dates come from each organizer; confirm the venue, room and contractor in your kit.

Every San Diego trade show for 2027, with booth options: see our San Diego show pages →

Dates are copied from each venue guide's calendar (organizer and venue sites, checked October 2026); only shows ending on or after October 29, 2026 are listed. Confirm dates, halls and the general contractor with each organizer. More notes on other recurring shows are in the Convention Center, Manchester Grand Hyatt, Marriott Marquis, Gaylord Pacific guides.

Busy seasons

When San Diego is busiest for trade shows

Counting the dated shows above by the month they open, February 2027 is the busiest month in our listings, with 5 shows starting, ahead of December 2026 with 3. Plan freight and hotel rooms early for those weeks.

San Diego trade shows by month, 2026–2027Bar chart of shows listed in our San Diego venue guides, by the month they start: October 2026: 1, November 2026: 2, December 2026: 3, January 2027: 1, February 2027: 5, March 2027: 1, April 2027: 0, May 2027: 3, June 2027: 1, July 2027: 1, August 2027: 0, September 2027: 2, October 2027: 0.0123451Oct20262Nov3Dec1Jan20275Feb1MarApr3May1Jun1JulAug2SepOctSHOWS STARTING EACH MONTH · OUR SAN DIEGO GUIDES

Late fall is full downtown. TCT opens the run at the convention center at the start of November 2026, followed by TwitchCon, the American Society for Cell Biology meeting in December and the San Diego International Auto Show over New Year. Next door, the Marriott Marquis hosts the ASDS Annual Meeting in its Grand Ballroom and then HARDI, whose booth program of 254 suppliers is waitlisted. The NAGGL Fall Conference uses the Manchester Grand Hyatt, and AMCP Nexus holds its expo at Gaylord Pacific in late October.

Winter is the hotels' busy season. In a few weeks of early 2027 the Hyatt hosts WORLDSymposium, MBA CREF and NTCA RTIME, the Marquis hosts AUTM in its Pacific Ballroom, and the convention center runs the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, SLAS, Intersolar and WEST, the defense and naval show. Spring brings CROI, ASCRS, ARVO and the American Urological Association to the center, NHIA and FinovateSpring to Gaylord Pacific, and the AACE meeting to the Marquis, along with the MCAA convention, whose dates come from trade press.

Summer centers on Comic-Con International, July 22–25, 2027. It fills the convention center, uses the Marquis's ballrooms for its own programming and fills downtown hotels months ahead, so book crews and rooms early for any show near those dates. The Esri User Conference comes in July and the ACS Fall meeting in August. In June, IFM's conference runs at the Hyatt and AIAA AVIATION uses it as headquarters hotel. In fall 2027 the ODs on Finance Summit returns to the Marquis and AAID brings its exhibit hall to Gaylord Pacific.

Planning guide

Exhibiting in San Diego: what to plan for

Four unions hold exhibit work at the convention center, the Manchester Grand Hyatt's dock is union, and the other venues leave the rules to each show's kit. The sections below pull together what our 4 San Diego venue guides say about labor, freight, move-in, travel and hotels, venue by venue, with a link to the guide each fact comes from.

Labor & union rules

San Diego union labor and booth setup rules by venue

California is not a right-to-work state, and San Diego's labor picture depends on the building. At the convention center, a 2004 exclusive-jurisdiction agreement gives specific exhibit work to IATSE Local 122, IBEW Local 569, IUPAT Local 831 and Teamsters Local 542, and one recent kit let one full-time employee work one hour, without tools. The hotels and Gaylord Pacific publish no labor rules of their own: each show's general contractor sets them, and the center's agreement does not carry over to the Marquis next door.

San Diego Convention Center

Union (four locals)

Who builds: Carpenters/decorators install and dismantle displays, riggers handle machinery, Teamsters move all other material and electricians or decorators hang signs. Rigging is only by the in-house AV contractor or approved contractors under an ETCP-certified supervisor.

Your own staff: In one recent kit, one full-time employee could work one hour on installation and one on dismantle, with no tools at any booth size, plus one hand-carry trip.

San Diego Convention Center guide →

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego

Union dock · check kit

Who builds: A 2024 kit put the loading dock and material handling under union jurisdiction through the show's contractor. Booth labor is ordered from the general contractor's kit, and Encore supplies electrical and AV.

Your own staff: One person may hand-carry in one trip, without a dolly, through the main entrance. Full self-setup depends on the kit; one 2023 kit said union labor may be required.

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego guide →

Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

Union · check kit

Who builds: Each show's contractor supplies freight, furnishings and booth labor: Shepard at ASDS 2026, Expo Outfitters at ODs on Finance 2027. Encore supplies power, AV and Wi-Fi, and hotel catering is exclusive.

Your own staff: The hotel publishes no labor rules, and one older kit bound exhibitors to the show's labor agreements. Self-setup or your own I&D company: check your kit.

Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina guide →

Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center

Check show kit

Who builds: At AMCP Nexus 2026, Shepard handled material handling and general services, the resort supplied power and internet, Encore did rigging and Freeman did AV. Catering is exclusive to the resort.

Your own staff: No venue rules are published. AMCP Nexus 2026 allowed your own installation company if it registered with Shepard and carried $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate insurance.

Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guide →

Your show's general contractor and its exhibitor kit set the final rules for your booth; these notes come from the venue guides and the venues' own rules.

Free tool · plan your San Diego budget

San Diego drayage rates and show budget estimator

All four San Diego guides plan drayage at about $176 per hundredweight for crated freight, with a 200 lb minimum, because the hotels and Gaylord Pacific work in the same San Diego contractor and labor market as the convention center. That is a Purple planning rate, not a published tariff; no venue here publishes one, and your show kit carries the real rate. Loose or pad-wrapped freight adds about 30 percent in our estimators. At 2,000 lbs crated, our convention center estimate comes to about $3,520.

Drayage planning rates by San Diego venue
VenuePlanning rateWhat to know
Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention CenterCheck show kit≈ $176/cwtThe AMCP Nexus 2026 warehouse was in Chula Vista, and freight for the Level 2 and 4 ballrooms rides an elevator of unpublished size.
Manchester Grand Hyatt San DiegoUnion dock · check kit≈ $176/cwtThe union dock weighs freight and bills per 100 lbs from a 200 lb minimum; only a one-person, one-trip hand-carry avoids it.
Marriott Marquis San Diego MarinaUnion · check kit≈ $176/cwtThe package room refuses exhibit freight, and shipments that arrive before move-in day collect venue fees on top of handling.
San Diego Convention CenterUnion · check kit≈ $176/cwtNo marshaling yard on site: the official contractor runs marshaling off site and calls trucks to the docks.
Booth size
Booth type

The fields below fill in from size and type. Change any of them.

Packaging

Purple planning estimate · not a quote

Drayage + I&D labor, San Diego Convention Center

 
Shipping weight planning estimate
 
Drayage planning estimate
 
I&D labor hours planning estimate
 
I&D labor planning estimate
 

 

Get a real San Diego quote San Diego Convention Center guide

How these planning numbers work

  • Shipping weight, drayage and labor assumptions load with the estimator.

All drayage numbers are Purple planning estimates per hundredweight (100 lbs), not quotes or published tariffs. The general contractor for your show publishes the actual material-handling rates in the exhibitor kit. See all venues on the drayage rates page.

Freight

Shipping and advance warehouse basics for San Diego shows

In San Diego the rule is simple: ship to the general contractor's advance warehouse, not to the building. Neither downtown hotel receives exhibit freight, and direct show-site deliveries were accepted only from the first move-in day in kits at both hotels and at Gaylord Pacific. The warehouse address and cutoff come from your show kit, and the warehouse may not be local: one Hyatt show used a Freeman warehouse in Anaheim.

  • Never address freight to the hotelsThe Manchester Grand Hyatt cannot receive or store exhibit materials; shipments sent there go to the contractor with handling charges, and the hotel may add its own. The Marriott Marquis package room does not accept exhibitor freight.

    From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego and Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina guides

  • Direct freight from move-in dayKits at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, the Marriott Marquis and Gaylord Pacific all accepted show-site deliveries only from the first move-in day. Earlier shipments collected venue fees or could be refused.

    From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

  • Crate to the warehouse limitsFor a 2023 show at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, Freeman's Anaheim warehouse refused single pieces over 108 in high, 93 in wide or 5,000 lbs. Check your own kit's limits before you build crates.

    From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego guide

  • Write Chula Vista on the labelGaylord Pacific is at 1000 H Street, Chula Vista, 7 miles south of the convention center, though organizers often say San Diego. For AMCP Nexus 2026 the advance warehouse was in Chula Vista too, on Faivre Street.

    From our Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guide

  • Parcels at Gaylord PacificA FedEx Office runs inside the resort, with a 150 lb maximum package weight and fees by weight. Use it for boxes and literature, and send booth freight to the warehouse.

    From our Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guide

  • Paperwork the center wants earlyThe convention center asks for contractor lists 30 days before move-in. Booth cleaning is SDCC-exclusive, so EACs and your own staff may not provide it; ordering 14 days out gets the advance discount.

    From our San Diego Convention Center guide

Move-in & move-out

Loading docks, move-in traffic and dock tips in San Diego

Downtown, the convention center is the only venue that publishes its dock: about 50 docks with drive-on access into the halls. The two hotel towers show a loading dock on their plans but publish no bay counts, door sizes or freight elevators, so ask convention services before you design large pieces. At Gaylord Pacific the dock is on Level 1 with the exhibit hall.

Convention Center

Drive-on docks along the halls

About 50 docks and eight access points give drive-on access into the halls. Freight doors are 20 × 16 ft in Halls A–C and 23 × 16 ft in D–H, and Hall H has the 23 × 30 ft Elephant Door. All ramps must stay clear.

From our San Diego Convention Center guide

Manchester Grand Hyatt

Union dock, unpublished size

Hotel floor plans show a Seaport loading dock, but bay counts, door sizes and freight elevator sizes are not published. The dock is union; hand-carry goes in through the main entrance instead. One kit accepted direct freight only from move-in day.

From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego guide

Marriott Marquis

One dock bay on the plans

Event floor plans show only a loading dock bay. Ask the event team about access to the Grand Ballroom on the lobby level. ODs on Finance 2027 sets a 6–11 p.m. advance set-up, pallets in by 8 p.m., and a 7 a.m.–2 p.m. move-in.

From our Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina guide

Gaylord Pacific

Level 1 dock beside the hall

The loading dock shares Level 1 with the exhibit hall and the La Perla Ballroom. The Port of San Diego and Chula Vista ballrooms on Levels 2 and 4 need an elevator move, and the elevator size is not published.

From our Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guide

Getting there

Getting to San Diego's convention venues

San Diego International (SAN) is about 3 miles from the downtown waterfront; our convention center guide calls it one of the closest airports to any major U.S. convention center. A new Terminal 1 is under construction, so allow extra time. The MTS Trolley reaches all four venues: the Green Line along the bay downtown and the Blue Line to H Street in Chula Vista.

VenueAirportTransit, shuttles and parking
San Diego Convention CenterSan DiegoSAN · 3 mi, 10–15 minTwo MTS Trolley stops in front of the center, and FRED, a free downtown ride. 1,950-space garage off Harbor Drive, no in-and-out, no RVs.
Manchester Grand Hyatt San DiegoSan DiegoSAN · about 3 mi, roughly 10 minThe hotel puts the Green Line's Seaport Village stop across the street; Santa Fe Depot (Amtrak) is about 0.5 mile. Garage clearance listed at 6 ft 7 in.
Marriott Marquis San Diego MarinaSan DiegoSAN · about 3 miConvention Center trolley station at First Avenue and Harbor Drive, across from Hall A. Hotel garage; Cvent lists $55 self-parking and $75 valet per day.
Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention CenterChula VistaSAN · about 10–12 mi, 15–30 minMTS Blue Line to H Street, about a 0.7 mile walk. Downtown is roughly 15 minutes by car without traffic. Garage at $45 a day self-park, $65 valet (2026).

Drive times are the guides' figures and change with traffic; the area map above shows where each venue sits.

Where to stay

Hotels for San Diego trade shows

Downtown, the hotel question is mostly about the walk. The Marriott Marquis sits about 0.1 mile from the convention center and the Manchester Grand Hyatt about 0.3 mile along the bay, with a public outdoor walkway between the two hotels. Gaslamp Quarter hotels are a 5 to 15 minute walk. At Gaylord Pacific the 1,600 rooms are in the same building as the hall, and downtown is a daily drive.

Next door · about 0.1 mi

Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

1,366 rooms including 55 suites in two 25-story towers, with its own expo ballrooms. During Comic-Con its ballrooms carry convention programming, so rooms and parking are hard to get that week.

From our Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and San Diego Convention Center guides

0.3 mi walk · street level

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego

1,628 rooms in the 40-story Harbor Tower and the 33-story Seaport Tower by Seaport Village. It is on Comic-Con's walking-distance hotel list and runs its own expos in the Grand Hall.

From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego and San Diego Convention Center guides

Near the Hyatt

Embassy Suites San Diego Bay Downtown

341 rooms at 601 Pacific Highway. Our Hyatt guide's map estimates about a 5-minute walk to the Hyatt; no covered link is stated.

From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego guide

Gaslamp Quarter

Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter

286 rooms at 401 K Street, about a 7-minute walk from the Marquis by our map's estimate.

From our Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego guides

Gaslamp Quarter

Hard Rock Hotel San Diego

420 rooms at 207 Fifth Avenue, an estimated 9-minute walk from the Marquis.

From our Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina guide

Skybridge to Petco Park

Omni San Diego Hotel

511 rooms at 675 L Street. Its skybridge goes to Petco Park, not to the convention center; our map estimates an 11-minute walk to the Marquis.

From our Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina guide

Broadway Circle

The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter

450 rooms at 910 Broadway Circle, about 11 minutes on foot from the Hyatt by our map's estimate.

From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego guide

Same building as the hall

Gaylord Pacific Resort

1,600 rooms including 89 suites in a 22-story tower joined to the meeting space. Downtown hotels are about 7 miles north, so teams staying there need a car or a ride each day.

From our Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guide

Room counts, links and walking times are the venue guides' figures; ask the hotel or your show's housing bureau about room blocks.

In pictures

San Diego trade show venues in pictures

Photos from our San Diego venue guides. Each one opens the guide it comes from, with the full-size photo and its story.

A cosplayer with a giant red scythe walking past comic-book dealer tables in a San Diego Convention Center exhibit hall at Comic-Con 2012
San Diego Convention Center"San Diego Comic-Con 2012 - Cosplay" by W10002, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source
The two Manchester Grand Hyatt towers rising behind the red-roofed shops of Seaport Village on the San Diego Bay waterfront under a clear blue sky
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego"Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel" by Prayitno, CC BY 2.0. Source
The two curved blue-glass towers of the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, the taller one topped with a red Marriott sign, against a clear blue sky
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina"Marriott Hotel, San Diego, CA" by Juan Carlos!, CC BY 2.0. Source
Sailboats and motor yachts moored along a floating dock in a Chula Vista marina in soft evening light, under a blue sky
Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center"Marina Park - Chula Vista" by Felipe Valduga, CC BY 2.0. Source
A packed aisle under numbered booth banners in the San Diego Convention Center exhibit hall during Comic-Con 2014
San Diego Convention Center"San Diego Comic-Con 2014 - Exhibit Hall" by W10002, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source
People crossing Fifth Avenue at night under the lit Gaslamp Quarter arch, with pedicabs glowing at the curb
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego"Gaslamp Quarter" by pasa47, CC BY 2.0. Source

Choosing a venue

Which San Diego venue is right for my show?

Short answers drawn from our venue guides. Your show's organizer picks the venue; these help you plan the booth for it.

A large show on one waterfront floor

The San Diego Convention Center runs one exhibit floor 1,918 ft along the bay: 525,701 contiguous sq ft in Halls A to H, divisible into up to seven halls. Ceilings are 27 ft 4 in in Halls A–E and up to 64 ft in Halls F–H, the end Comic-Con made famous, and about 50 docks give drive-on access to each hall.

Who may build the booth downtown?

Since 2004 the convention center has recognized four unions' exclusive jurisdiction over exhibit work: stagehands, electricians, painters/decorators and Teamsters. One recent show kit let one full-time employee work one hour on installation, without tools. Our Manchester Grand Hyatt guide lists union labor at the dock and our Marriott Marquis guide lists union labor; both point you to the show kit for what your staff may do.

A hotel expo beside the convention center

Both hotel towers run their own expos, not just overflow. The Manchester Grand Hyatt's Grand Hall is 34,000 sq ft with a ceiling of about 14 ft, and one 2027 show caps booths at 12 ft; the convention center is a 0.3-mile walk with no skybridge. The Marriott Marquis next door stacks two ballrooms of the same size, 35,631 sq ft each: the Marriott Grand with a 26 ft ceiling and the Pacific with 16 ft, so which one your show is in decides how tall you can build.

A real exhibit hall with the hotel under one roof

Gaylord Pacific has a 140,049 sq ft exhibit hall on Level 1 with a 34 ft ceiling, splitting into eight sections, under the same roof as 1,600 hotel rooms. It opened May 15, 2025 at 1000 H Street in Chula Vista, about 7 miles south of downtown, so check the address, the advance warehouse and the drive before you book crews.

Parking and vehicles on show days

The convention center's 1,950-space garage is entered from Harbor Drive, with no in-and-out privileges and no RVs. The Manchester Grand Hyatt's garage clearance is listed at 6 ft 7 in. The Marriott Marquis lists $55 self-parking and $75 valet per day on Cvent, and Gaylord Pacific's 2026 event rates are $45 self-park and $65 valet.

FAQ

San Diego trade show FAQ for exhibitors

Answers from our San Diego venue guides. Each answer links the guide it comes from.

What are the main convention centers and trade show venues in San Diego?

Our guides cover four. The San Diego Convention Center on the downtown waterfront is the main hall. The Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina next door and the Manchester Grand Hyatt about 0.3 mile along the bay both run their own expos, not just room blocks. Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center, opened May 15, 2025, has a 140,049 sq ft exhibit hall on the Chula Vista Bayfront, about 7 miles south.

From our San Diego Convention Center, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

How big is the San Diego Convention Center?

About 2.6 million gross sq ft, with 525,701 sq ft of contiguous exhibit space in Halls A to H, one run 1,918 ft long, divisible into up to seven halls. The center's guides count 615,701 sq ft of exhibit space with the 90,000 sq ft Sails Pavilion. Ceilings start at 27 ft 4 in in Halls A to E and rise to 64 ft in Halls F to H.

From our San Diego Convention Center guide

Is San Diego union for trade shows?

Yes, at the convention center. California is not a right-to-work state, and since 2004 the center has recognized the exclusive jurisdiction of IATSE Local 122, IBEW Local 569, IUPAT Local 831 and Teamsters Local 542 over specific exhibit work. The Manchester Grand Hyatt's loading dock is union, according to a 2024 kit. The Marriott Marquis and Gaylord Pacific publish no labor rules of their own, so check your show kit.

From our San Diego Convention Center, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

Can I set up my own booth in San Diego?

Only within tight limits downtown. One recent convention center kit let one full-time employee work one hour on installation, at any booth size, with no tools, and one person make one hand-carry trip without a dolly. The Hyatt allowed a one-person, one-trip hand-carry in 2024. At Gaylord Pacific, AMCP Nexus 2026 let exhibitors hire their own installation company if it registered with Shepard.

From our San Diego Convention Center, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

How much does drayage cost in San Diego?

Plan about $176 per hundredweight for crated freight, with a 200 lb minimum, at all four venues. That is a Purple planning rate, not a published tariff; no San Diego venue publishes one, and the official contractor's show kit carries the actual rate. On our numbers, 2,000 lbs of crated freight comes to about $3,520 at the convention center. Loose freight, late freight and special handling cost more.

From our San Diego Convention Center, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

Can I ship my booth directly to a San Diego hotel?

No. The Manchester Grand Hyatt cannot receive or store exhibit materials, and the Marriott Marquis package room does not accept exhibitor freight. Ship to the general contractor's advance warehouse. Direct show-site deliveries at both hotels and at Gaylord Pacific were accepted only from the first move-in day in the kits we read; earlier freight collected fees or could be refused.

From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

When are the big San Diego trade shows in 2026 and 2027?

Comic-Con International, July 22–25, 2027, is the biggest, with a planning figure of 130,000+ attendees. The convention center is busy almost all year with medical meetings such as TCT, ASCB, AUA and ARVO, plus Intersolar and WEST in February. The two downtown hotels are busiest in winter, with WORLDSymposium, MBA CREF, NTCA RTIME and AUTM in early 2027, and Gaylord Pacific adds NHIA, FinovateSpring and AAID.

From our San Diego Convention Center, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

Which hotels are closest to the San Diego Convention Center?

The Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina is about 0.1 mile away and the Manchester Grand Hyatt about 0.3 mile along the bay; a public outdoor walkway links the two hotels. Gaslamp Quarter hotels are a 5 to 15 minute walk across Harbor Drive. Comic-Con fills downtown hotels months ahead each July, so block rooms early if your show falls near those dates.

From our Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego and San Diego Convention Center guides

Which airport is closest to San Diego trade show venues?

San Diego International (SAN), about 3 miles and 10 to 15 minutes from the convention center, with the two downtown hotels about the same distance. A new Terminal 1 is under construction, so allow extra time. Gaylord Pacific in Chula Vista is farther out: organizers quote 10 to 12 miles, about 15 to 30 minutes by car.

From our San Diego Convention Center, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

Which San Diego venue suits a smaller expo or a hotel ballroom show?

Both downtown hotels run expos on their own. The Manchester Grand Hyatt's 34,000 sq ft Grand Hall has a ceiling of about 14 ft, and NTCA RTIME 2027 caps booths there at 12 ft. The Marriott Marquis has two 35,631 sq ft ballrooms, the Marriott Grand at 26 ft and the Pacific at 16 ft. Gaylord Pacific's hall splits into eight sections, the smallest 6,552 sq ft, under a 34 ft ceiling.

From our Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

What should I know about parking and move-in in San Diego?

The convention center's 1,950-space garage is entered from Harbor Drive, with no in-and-out privileges and no RVs, and a 2,000-space structure sits at Harbor Drive and Park Avenue. Trucks are called in from the contractor's off-site marshaling. The Manchester Grand Hyatt's garage clearance is listed at 6 ft 7 in, so a high-roof van may not fit. Gaylord Pacific's 2026 event rates are $45 a day self-park and $65 valet.

From our San Diego Convention Center, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego and Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guides

Is Gaylord Pacific in San Diego?

No. Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center is at 1000 H Street in Chula Vista, on the Chula Vista Bayfront about 7 miles south of downtown San Diego, though many show sites just say San Diego. Put Chula Vista on every bill of lading, check where your show's advance warehouse is, and plan a drive of roughly 15 minutes without traffic if your team stays downtown.

From our Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center guide

Exhibiting in San Diego?

Exhibiting on San Diego Bay?

Purple ships to San Diego and coordinates crews and freight for San Diego shows, downtown at the convention center and its two hotel towers and down the bay at Gaylord Pacific. Purple ships and installs from New York. Send us your show and booth number to start.

More guides

More venue guides

Other city guides

Written by the Purple Exhibits team from our San Diego venue guides: San Diego Convention Center, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center. Each guide lists its own sources (venue rules, exhibitor kits, organizer sites). Drayage figures are Purple planning rates. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 season.