Anaheim

The Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) is at 800 West Katella Avenue in Anaheim, California (Expo West). Visit Anaheim calls it the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast, with more than a million square feet of exhibit space across Halls A through E, ACC North and the Arena. The ACC uses the Claudina marshaling yard, about two miles away, for freight receiving and staging during events. Here's what I'd want to know before exhibiting here.

Anaheim Convention Center

The ACC opened in 1967. Today it covers 53 acres and offers 1.8 million square feet of total space, more than a million of it exhibit space (Visit Anaheim). The five main halls add up to 813,607 square feet (Visit Anaheim exhibit hall capacities):

• Hall A: 145,841 sq ft
• Hall B: 147,335 sq ft
• Hall C: 155,673 sq ft
• Hall D: 221,284 sq ft
• Hall E: 143,474 sq ft

ACC North opened in 2017. It has 100,000 square feet of carpeted space on the 100 level and another 100,000 square feet of column-free carpeted space on the 200 level, plus an outdoor balcony of more than 10,000 square feet (ACC Spec Guide 2026). The Arena has a 28,140-square-foot floor and seats up to 7,500. There are also 99 meeting rooms with 352,000 square feet of meeting space, and 200,000 square feet of outdoor space in the Arena Plaza, Palm Court and Grand Plaza.

Hotels on the convention center campus

Four hotels sit on the convention center campus: the Anaheim Marriott, the Hilton Anaheim, the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort and the Westin Anaheim Resort. Visit Anaheim says they have more than 3,700 guest rooms between them, all within walking distance of the halls (Visit Anaheim). If your show has a block at one of them, you can skip the shuttle and still get back to your room between the show and dinner.

Shows at this venue

• The NAMM Show: Jan 28-30, 2027, Anaheim Convention Center

Local labor rules and EACs

Who does what. The ACC's 2026 spec guide says union workers aren't required, but unions are represented in the building, and most general contractors use union workers and have union guidelines (ACC Spec Guide 2026). So your show's exhibitor manual and its general contractor decide which trades handle setup, rigging, electrical and freight in your booth.

What you can do yourself. How much you can set up yourself, and what you can carry in without paying material handling, is set by the building and your show. Check your show's exhibitor manual and the ACC's policies for the hand-carry rules before you plan to bring anything in yourself.

Using your own exhibit house (EAC). You normally file your show's EAC form with the general contractor or show management and have the EAC send a certificate of insurance. Deadlines are often around 30 days before move-in, but go by your exhibitor manual. My trade show logistics page has more on planning around these deadlines.

My advice: Rules vary by show, even inside the same building. Before you book labor or tell your exhibit house to show up, read your show's exhibitor manual front to back, find the EAC form and its deadline, and ask your insurance agent for the certificate of insurance early. If something in the manual isn't clear, ask the general contractor's exhibitor services desk before you ship, not on the show floor.

Exhibitor need-to-knows

Here's the practical stuff I'd want to know before exhibiting in Anaheim. Where I could check a venue- or city-specific detail against an official source, I've linked it. The rest is general advice that works in any convention city.

Advance warehouse or direct to show?

Your show will almost always give you two choices. You can ship to the general contractor's advance warehouse, which takes freight during a set window before the show and has it in your booth when you arrive. Or you can ship direct to show site, timed to arrive on your targeted move-in date. I'd use the advance warehouse for anything you can't afford to have show up late, because a direct shipment that misses its window can cut into your setup time.

In Anaheim, trucks headed to the show typically go to the Claudina Marshaling Yard at 1629 S. Claudina Way, Anaheim, CA 92805, about 2.1 miles from the convention center. It's a 6-acre lot off the I-5 that the ACC uses for freight receiving, move-in and move-out staging, and storage during events (ACC Spec Guide 2026). Give your carrier the marshaling address and check-in instructions from your manual, not the building's street address.

Material handling (drayage) and how to cut it

Material handling, which a lot of us still call drayage, is what the general contractor charges to move your freight from the dock or warehouse to your booth, store your empty crates during the show and bring them back at move-out. It's usually billed by weight, per 100 pounds (CWT), with a minimum charge per shipment. Expect extra charges for special handling (loose, uncrated or blanket-wrapped items) and for deliveries outside your targeted window. It's one of the reasons trade shows cost what they do. A few ways to keep it down:

• Consolidate into fewer, heavier shipments, since every shipment hits the minimum.
• Crate or palletize. Loose boxes and padded pieces usually cost more to handle.
• Weigh your freight before you ship and keep the weight ticket, so you can check the bill.
• Hit your targeted date so you don't pay overtime or late charges.
• Hand-carry small items when the building allows it, and print literature locally instead of paying to move boxes of it.

For the ACC, check your show's exhibitor manual for the hand-carry rules (see the labor section above).

Move-in and move-out

Most big shows use targeted move-in. Each exhibitor gets a date and time window, often based on booth location or size, and trucks check in at the marshaling yard before they're sent to the docks. Give your carrier the targeted window and the marshaling address from your manual, and warn the driver there may be a wait. If your freight is running late, call the general contractor's service desk before the window closes.

Early and late hours cost more here, as they do everywhere. The ACC's spec guide says electrician and HVAC labor calls that start before 7 a.m. and end after 11:30 p.m. are billed at double time, and holidays at time and a half (ACC Spec Guide 2026). Those charges go to the event, but they're one reason shows guard their move-in hours closely.

Peak seasons and big annual shows

Two of Anaheim's biggest shows come early in the year. The NAMM Show runs Jan. 26-30, 2027, with exhibits open Jan. 28-30 (NAMM). Natural Products Expo West runs March 2-5, 2027, with exhibits open March 3-5 (Expo West). If your show is near either one, book early. You can find more 2027 dates on our trade show pages.

Hotel strategy

Book through your show's official housing link and stay in the room block. It helps your show meet its hotel commitments, and block hotels are usually the ones on the shuttle routes. Watch out for "housing pirates," companies that call or email exhibitors pretending to be the show's housing bureau. If the offer didn't come from the link in your exhibitor manual, don't book it.

In Anaheim, try for one of the four campus hotels first. After that, ask your show which block hotels are on its shuttle routes.

Neighborhoods for client dinners

Anaheim GardenWalk is close to the convention center, and the Anaheim Packing District is a short drive away. Visit Anaheim's site is the place to start for restaurants near the campus.

Last-minute printing and supplies

I couldn't verify a business center inside the ACC, so don't count on one. For anything big, like a banner or a replacement graphic, send the files before you travel and have it waiting for you. Bring a small kit of your own too: tape, scissors, zip ties, a power strip, phone chargers, business cards and a few printed copies of your order confirmations.

Wi-Fi and internet

Smart City Networks is the exclusive internet and telecom provider at the ACC. Visit Anaheim describes a "10-gigabyte connection" and says "Free Wi-Fi accessibility is available throughout the ACC" (Visit Anaheim on-site services). Smart City's ACC order form for Oct. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025, offered an incentive rate on orders received with payment 14 days before the first move-in day (ACC Order Forms 2025). I couldn't find a newer form, so check the deadline on the Smart City form in your exhibitor manual.

My advice is to order a wired connection before the advance deadline if a demo or your lead scanners depend on the internet. Booth Wi-Fi and phone hotspots share the air with thousands of other devices, so they're less dependable than a wired line when the hall fills up.

Food sampling and outside food

Aramark is the exclusive food and beverage provider at the ACC (Visit Anaheim on-site services). I couldn't verify the ACC's sampling rules, such as sample sizes or forms, so check your show's exhibitor manual and get written approval from Aramark through your show before you plan to hand out food or drinks. Assume outside food and beverage for your booth isn't allowed unless your manual says otherwise. For your own lunch, Visit Anaheim says the plazas can host food-truck events with up to 27 trucks.

Weather and time of year

NAMM is in late January and Expo West is in early March. Check the forecast before you pack, and bring a layer for early mornings and evenings.

Sales tax on show services

The CDTFA lists Anaheim's combined sales and use tax rate at 7.75%, for rates effective Oct. 1, 2026 (CDTFA).

Whether a particular show service, like labor, furniture rental, material handling or internet, gets taxed depends on state and local rules. Look for the tax lines on your general contractor's and the venue's order forms, and put them in your budget. If you plan to sell product on the show floor, check with your show whether you need a California seller's permit. The CDTFA says that if you plan to make sales in one location for 90 days or less, you must apply for a temporary seller's permit (CDTFA).

Electrical

The ACC works with approved electrical providers, and your show's selected provider supplies booth power (ACC Spec Guide 2026). Order it from the form in your exhibitor manual at the advance rate, and bring the booth drawing that shows where your outlets go.

Parking

The ACC's 2026 spec guide lists convention center parking at $25 a day, with no in-and-out privileges and no overnight parking, and notes the rate is subject to change. NAMM's parking page lists $25 a day at the ACC, Toy Story and GardenWalk lots, with validation needed for the GardenWalk rate (NAMM). The spec guide says the most accessible parking is in Car Park 1 and Car Park 4; tell the attendant you need ADA parking.

Hiring local booth staff

If you need extra hands, local staffing agencies can supply booth hosts, lead-capture help, product demonstrators and bilingual staff. Book early for big shows. Brief them before the doors open, give them a one-page cheat sheet on your products and your qualifying questions, and register them through the show so they have exhibitor badges. My booth staffing page has more.

Getting there

By air: The ACC's spec guide puts John Wayne Airport (SNA) about 13.5 miles or 20 minutes away, Long Beach (LGB) about 18 miles or 30 minutes, and LAX about 35 miles or 50 minutes. If you have a choice, SNA is the closest.

By train: The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) is about 2.5 miles from the convention center, with Metrolink, Amtrak and OCTA bus connections.

The ACC hosts big shows like NAMM and Expo West, and a campus hotel keeps you within walking distance of the halls. For other cities, see our convention center guides, including Las Vegas and San Diego.

Anaheim Convention Center FAQs

Where is the Anaheim Convention Center?

It's at 800 West Katella Avenue in Anaheim, California.

How big is the Anaheim Convention Center?

Visit Anaheim lists 1.8 million square feet of total space, with more than a million square feet of exhibit space. Halls A through E total 813,607 square feet, and ACC North adds two 100,000-square-foot levels.

How much is parking at the Anaheim Convention Center?

The ACC's 2026 spec guide lists $25 a day with no in-and-out privileges and no overnight parking. The rate is subject to change, so check your show's parking page.

Where do trucks go for Anaheim Convention Center move-in?

The ACC uses the Claudina Marshaling Yard at 1629 S. Claudina Way, about 2.1 miles away, for freight receiving and staging. Follow the check-in instructions in your exhibitor manual.

Does the Anaheim Convention Center have free Wi-Fi?

Visit Anaheim says free Wi-Fi is available throughout the ACC. For a booth demo or lead scanners, order a wired connection from Smart City Networks, the exclusive provider.

Which hotels are closest to the Anaheim Convention Center?

The four campus hotels are the Anaheim Marriott, the Hilton Anaheim, the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort and the Westin Anaheim Resort.

What is the closest airport to the Anaheim Convention Center?

John Wayne Airport (SNA), about 13.5 miles away. Long Beach and LAX are farther.

Written by Michael Flavin. Facts checked against official sources on Oct. 8, 2026.

Sources

All checked Oct. 8, 2026.

1. Visit Anaheim, Anaheim Convention Center: https://www.visitanaheim.org/meetings/anaheim-convention-center/
2. Visit Anaheim, ACC Spec Guide 2026 (PDF): https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/anaheimca/ACC_Spec_Guide_2026_singles_701cb92a-9b24-448c-9bf5-e007efa8aec2.pdf
3. Visit Anaheim, On-Site Event Services: https://www.visitanaheim.org/meetings/anaheim-convention-center/on-site-event-services/
4. Visit Anaheim, Exhibit Hall Capacities: https://www.visitanaheim.org/meetings/anaheim-convention-center/floor-plans-and-specifications/exhibit-hall-capacities/
5. CDTFA, California City & County Sales & Use Tax Rates: https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx
6. Smart City Networks, Anaheim Convention Center: https://smartcitynetworks.com/venues-we-operate-in/anaheim-convention-center/
7. ACC Order Forms 2025 (PDF, Visit Anaheim): https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/anaheimca/004_ACC_Order_Forms_2025_ca26be0e-039d-4612-98ca-9a683168b121.pdf
8. Natural Products Expo West, General Information: https://www.expowest.com/about/general-information/
9. The NAMM Show, Parking and Transportation: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/info/parking-and-transportation
10. The NAMM Show (2027 dates): https://www.namm.org/thenammshow
11. ACC Campus Map (PDF, Visit Anaheim): https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/anaheimca/ACC_Campus_Map_d479c9c5-b246-4885-aa7d-a13698182eb7.pdf
12. CDTFA, Permits & Licenses (temporary seller's permits): https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/services/permits-licenses.htm
13. Visit Anaheim, Anaheim GardenWalk: https://www.visitanaheim.org/listing/anaheim-gardenwalk/1540/
14. Visit Anaheim, Anaheim Packing District: https://www.visitanaheim.org/restaurants/anaheim-packing-district/

Hero photo: "Anaheim convention center 2021" by Troutfarm27, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized.