The Westworld offsite experience at SDCC 2017 was easily one of the most unforgettable activations I have ever seen or experienced at Comic-Con.
HBO didn’t just create an exhibit. They built Sweetwater, the Old West town from Westworld, and invited us to step inside as guests of the park. When I say “invited us” I mean we waited hours from 6pm the evening before to 9:30am the next morning and slept on the cold hard floor of the San Diego Bayfront Hotel for our confirmed time slot.
From the moment you entered Westworld, everything felt intentional and immersive. Actors stayed completely in character as hosts, guiding you through the town, striking up conversations, and subtly pulling you into storylines that unfolded differently depending on where you went and who you spoke to.
One of the first choices you made set the tone for the entire experience: white hat or black hat. I purposely chose a white hat, knowing my husband would go with black, because I wanted to have hats in both colors for my collection. Picking the hat made the experience feel personal, like you were part of the narrative rather than just observing it.
What truly elevated the experience, though, were the actors. They were incredible. Every performer knew the Westworld lingo inside and out and responded seamlessly, even when we mischievously tried to throw them off character. No matter what we asked or how we phrased it, they always had an in-universe response ready, which made the experience feel even more real and impressive. It was clear they weren’t just hired to look the part, but to fully embody it.
The attention to detail was remarkable. You could wander through the Mariposa Saloon, peek into the sheriff’s office, browse the general store, or sit quietly in the church while hosts whispered clues and secrets. If you paid attention and followed certain characters, you were rewarded with deeper interactions and one-on-one moments that made the entire thing feel more like live theater than a TV promo.
What stood out most was how earned the experience felt. This wasn’t just about branding or photo ops. It captured the essence of Westworld by blurring reality and fiction and letting us choose how far we wanted to go.
The Westworld offsite at SDCC 2017 is probably one of the best Comic-Con activations of all time. It didn’t just promote a show. It let you live inside it, if only for a little while.
What made the whole thing even more amazing was what happened right after. As we were leaving the Kimpton Hotel Palomar hotel (where the activation took place), the Westworld cast was arriving (I’m guessing they were staying at that hotel). We ended up getting selfies with the actors, which was already unreal, but then Ed Harris totally stole the show. He was in a car driving away, noticed us waving, had his driver stop, rolled down the window, and said hi to us. It was such a surprise and the perfect ending to an already unforgettable experience. We also saw Thandiwe Newton in the lobby, but she didn’t look like she wanted to be bothered, so we admired her from afar. Unrelated to Westworld but related to HBO, Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Throne‘s Missandei) was also in the lobby; she was so sweet (and extremely beautiful) and took a selfie with me. Plus a surprise selfie with the Doctor, Peter Capaldi!
