'California Games' preview California's global sporting decade in London
Amy Alpers
July 16, 2026
As California prepares to welcome the world for a decade of major sporting events, Visit California is finding new ways to introduce international travelers to the experiences that await beyond the stadium.
In June, Visit California partnered with Virgin Atlantic Holidays to transform London’s Outernet — a vibrant West End arts and culture space billed as the city's most visited tourist attraction — into “California Games,” a two-day immersive experience celebrating the state's spirit of adventure, entertainment, and play. Timed with the opening weekend of the World Cup, the activation invited visitors to step inside The Ultimate Playground while highlighting California's road trips, iconic destinations and world-class attractions.
The event marked the culmination of a months-long integrated campaign to position California as the premier destination for travelers planning future visits around the state's unprecedented lineup of global sporting events, including the World Cup, Super Bowl LXI and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Bringing California to the heart of London
For two days, Outernet became a window into California.
Towering LED screens surrounded visitors with sweeping footage of the state's coastlines, redwood forests, vibrant cities and scenic highways, creating a six-minute cinematic journey through California's diverse landscapes. Throughout the weekend, more than 95,000 visitors experienced California Games, spending 9% longer at the venue than the average Outernet guest — a sign that the activation successfully captured attention in one of Europe's busiest public spaces.
Throughout the venue, visitors explored interactive installations inspired by California's culture of play. Guests posed in a classic California convertible, tested their skills in a reimagined version of the iconic “California Games” video game, sampled California-inspired cuisine from a vintage Airstream trailer and explored interactive NFL experiences highlighting California's status as home to more professional sports franchises than any other state.
Live DJs, marching bands and pop-up performances kept the venue energized throughout the weekend, creating an atmosphere that felt more like a California street festival than a tourism event.
The experience resonated with attendees. Post-event surveys found that 98% of visitors enjoyed California Games, while 78% said the activation made them consider visiting California in the future.
Showcasing California through partnership
California Games was developed in collaboration with Virgin Atlantic Holidays, the London Standard and several California destination partners, including Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Universal Studios Hollywood, Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Greater Palm Springs and the San Diego Tourism Authority.
Rather than highlighting individual destinations separately, the activation presented a unified story of California — one that connected urban experiences, coastal escapes, outdoor recreation, entertainment, dining and legendary road trips into a single visitor journey.
The event also marked the first major consumer activation through Visit California's partnership with Virgin Atlantic Holidays.
Visitors began inside a custom Virgin Atlantic Holidays lounge inspired by the airline's signature Clubhouse before entering the larger California Games experience. The weekend opened with a preview event for U.K. consumer and trade media, helping generate early coverage before the public opening. Following the activation, 61% of surveyed visitors said they were more likely to research California and book their trip through Virgin Atlantic Holidays.
Extending California's reach
California Games extended well beyond Outernet itself. The campaign generated 12.2 million digital out-of-home impacts across London's Underground network while Outernet's iconic screens delivered an additional 5.5 million impressions, introducing California to millions of potential travelers throughout the city.
While the activation coincided with the World Cup, sport served as the invitation rather than the destination. Every element encouraged visitors to imagine what a California vacation could include — from beaches and national parks to entertainment, food, outdoor adventure and legendary road trips.
As global attention increasingly turns toward California over the next several years, California Games demonstrated how strategic partnerships, immersive experiences and statewide collaboration can inspire future travel. More than a celebration of sport, the activation showcased the breadth of experiences that await visitors across the Golden State and offered an early glimpse of how Visit California will engage international audiences on the road to LA28.
