City in top 50 for the Fourth

July 1, 2003 12 AM PT

Paul Clinton

Costa Mesa ranks among the top 50 destinations for this Fourth of

July, but no one knows why.

City officials and civic leaders offered a number of probable

explanations for the city’s rank as the nation’s No. 30 destination

-- a ranking derived from a list of booked hotel rooms -- for the

holiday.

To Joe DeDio, the general manager of the city’s Holiday Inn and

president of the Costa Mesa Conference and Visitor Bureau, the

ranking is a validation of the city’s location and affordability.

“You are getting a heck of a value [in city hotels], and we are

centrally located,” DeDio said.

A night’s stay in one of the city’s 2,038 hotel rooms can run

between $89 and $129, DeDio said.

Priceline.com, an online do-it-yourself travel company, released

the list of top 50 locations on June 23. Costa Mesa placed above such

high-profile locations as Miami’s South Beach, the Las Vegas Strip

and San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf.

Newport Beach, which has a number of Fourth of July activities,

did not make the list. In addition to the Newport Dunes Waterfront

Resort’s annual fireworks display, a boat parade can also be seen in

Newport Harbor. And West Newport is usually party central.

Oddly enough, no major fireworks events are scheduled for Costa

Mesa, even though it’s one of the few cities where one can legally

purchase fireworks.

Are tourists booking hotel rooms in Costa Mesa and heading to

Newport Beach for Independence Day festivities?

“Not really,” Newport Beach Mayor Steve Bromberg said. “I can’t

really explain that one. We’ve got so many events going on here.”

DeDio and others attributed the city’s robust bookings in part to

a bureau promotion that has been offered since April. As part of the

“dive and drive” promotion, guests receive a package that includes a

discounted room rate, $40 toward a meal at one of 15 restaurants and

a $25 gas voucher.

On the Priceline.com survey, Chicago’s North Michigan Avenue took

the top spot, followed by Orlando’s Disney World, midtown Manhattan

and downtown Seattle.

Washington, D.C. barely inched out Costa Mesa, coming in at No.

29.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at