Columbia SC Meeting Planner Guide

COLUMBIA SC REAL SOUTHERN HOT SPOT

MEETING PLANNER GUIDE

IN COLUMBIA’S HIS TORIC CONGAREE VIS TA SOUTH CAROLINA

S TA Y W H E R E A R T & E N T E R TA I N M E N T M E E T H I S T O R Y & S O U T H E R N C U LT U R E

Hilton Columbia Center www.Hilton.com 924 Senate Street, Columbia SC 803-744-7800

• Complimentary Wired & Wireless Internet • Over 6,000 sq. ft. of State-of-the-Art Banquet Space • Located in the Heart of the Historic Vista • Ruth’s Chris Restaurant, a Full-Service Fine Dining Restaurant • Heated Outdoor Pool

IN THE HEART OF SOUTH CAROLINA, tradition and tomorrow pair perfectly in Columbia SC. It’s got all the charm you’d expect from a Southern destination—nothing saccharine, just good-old fashioned kindness. It’s a creative hub that’s fed by university and capital city communities, yet it’s manageable without the headaches and hassles common to larger cities. With a carefully cultivated culinary scene, eclectic nightlife, and outdoor excursions, it’s the real Southern hot spot that will leave you looking forward to what’s next.

PHOTO CREDITS (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT): SEAN RAYFORD, SEAN RAYFORD, SEAN RAYFORD, CHQ PRODUCTIONS, CHQ PRODUCTIONS, SEAN RAYFORD, FORREST CLONTS, SEAN RAYFORD.

GETTING HERE DIRECT FLIGHTS TO COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN AIRPORT (CAE) NEW YORK

CHICAGO

PHILADEPHIA WASHINGTON, D.C.

CHARLOTTE

ATLANTA DALLAS/FT. WORTH

HOUSTON

INTERSTATES CHARLOTTE

GREENVILLE

COLUMBIA

AUGUSTA CHARLESTON

MACON

SAVANNAH

FAYETTEVILLE

TOURS RIVER RAT BREWERY

FOOD AND BEVERAGE TOURS 1. Two Gals and a Fork Seeks to entertain and educate locals and visitors alike offering a combined cultural and culinary walking tour of the Vista area of Columbia.

2. Columbia Food Tours Experience downtown Columbia one bite at a time on this 2-3 hour walking tour. Sample local cuisine while learning about the Capital City.

3. Columbia Brew Bus The best way to discover Columbia’s craft breweries and distilleries. Available for private parties or public “sampler” tours.

KAYAKING ON THE CONGAREE

THE VISTA

PHOTO CREDITS (DESCENDING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT): SEAN RAYFORD, SEAN RAYFORD, HISTORIC COLUMBIA, BRETT FLASHNICK, BRETT FLASHNICK

HISTORIC COLUMBIA TOURS 1. Happy Hour History Tours Adventure through historic Columbia with a refreshment in hand. For an interactive experience, catch the Water Balloon Battle, a spin on the tour that uses water balloons to learn about historical military tactics.

2. Guided River Tour River Runner Outdoor Center offers daily rental equipment for self guided river adventures, as well as custom private group tours. A knowledgeable tour guide, equipment, and a shuttle service are all included.

3. Moonlight Cemetery and Secrets from the Grave Tours Tour Elmwood Cemetery before or after dark. You will get to explore this historic cemetery with tombstones of families and prominent citizens of Columbia in the 19th and 20th century.

UNEXPECTED EVENT SPACES

SPIRIT COMMUNICATIONS PARK

SPIRIT COMMUNICATIONS PARK With the option for an indoor or outdoor space and capacity ranging from 30-400 guests, Spirit Communications Park is great for any group seeking a venue with various vistas.

701 WHALEY

701 WHALEY

A versatile meeting space with several floor plans designed to accommodate the gamut for your event needs. Offering up flexibility in the logistics and aesthetic details, this is a stunningly customizable space.

COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART Able to accommodate parties ranging from 10-1,000, this venue has unique touches, like exclusive special exhibitions and an outdoor plaza at the center of Main St., making for captivating backdrops.

THE GRAND COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART

With a self-serving tap room, bowling, board games, and seriously good eats, this spot is ideal for groups of 10-80 to bring out their playful side.

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER A venue designed specifically to meet your group’s needs down to the little details that make for a big impact. It combines convenience and ingenuity to make an unforgettable event.

THE GRAND

PHOTO CREDITS (FROM TOP): CRUSH RUSH; JEFF BLAKE; FORREST CLONTS; FORREST CLONTS; FORREST CLONTS. RIGHT: FORREST CLONTS

For more unconventional meeting spaces, visit ExperienceColumbiaSC.com/Facilities

CONVENTION CENTER FARM TABLE IMAGE

A FARM-TO-TABLE DINNER IN COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER’S TERRACE GARDEN

DELI IOUS

BOURBON

HENRY’S

Start your day with brunch at Café Strudel.

Locals and tourists agree, the Hangover Hashbrowns are a go-to. Served with onions, banana peppers, tomatoes, cheddar, and 2 eggs, these Hashbrowns are unlike any other.

Just a quick jaunt from the State Capital building, Bourbon’s creole/cajun flavor-infused menu will spice up your weekend. The musthave item here: the Biscuit of Champions, found on the coveted brunch menu.

For lunch, savor a fresh take on an American classic at Henry’s Restaurant and Bar. Order the Carolina Burger topped with homemade pimento cheese and bacon, and see why this decadent spread is a staple in Columbia, SC.

BOILED P-NUTS, Y’ALL

Grab a snack at Boiled P-Nuts Y’all, often seen at the weekly Soda City Market. These hot boiled peanuts are a fan favorite.

Bone-in-Barbeque is essential for an authentic SC barbecue experience. There are lots of shareable plates to choose from, so bring a friend, and don’t skip out on the mustard sauce!

Cromer’s

BONE-IN BARBECUE

For dinner, enjoy Terra’s ambiance with a perfectly paired cocktail and the Lamb Mac and Cheese. A cheesy smoked lamb shoulder dish that will make your evening extraordinary.

Cap off your night by giving into your sweet tooth at Sweet Cream Company. The Secret Handshake flavored ice cream is a sweet treat you will not regret, which changes seasonally.

PHOTO CREDITS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): FORREST CLONTS, CRUSH RUSH, BRETT FLASHNICK, FORREST CLONTS, FORREST CLONTS, SEAN RAYFORD,

TERRA

SWEET CREAM CO.

UN ONVENTIONAL

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER Think convention centers are just filled with boring, oversized meeting rooms?

Not in Columbia SC. Our team specializes in producing custom events (whether for 20 guests or 2,000!) with all of the tiny details that attendees will be talking about for years.

SIX WAYS TO WOW YOUR ATTENDEES

COMPLIMENTARY WIFI

FRESH CUSTOM CATERING

With newly increased fiber and access points, we’re proud to offer fast, free WiFi. All attendees and tech-heavy groups will be glad to know we provide internet speeds up to 600 mbps.

Definitely fit for foodies, we customize over 85% of our menus to meet your taste and budget, as well as focus on fresh, regionallysourced products.

FLEXIBLE MEETING SPACE

ACCESSIBLE

Our 142,500 sq. ft. of space is designed with the utmost versatility in mind and can be configured to accommodate up to 19 individual rooms, including a 16,700 sq. ft. ballroom and a 23,700 sq. ft. column-free exhibit hall.

Three interstates that intersect the city and a regional airport make getting here straightforward. For easy access, our facility is equipped with 270 free parking spaces as well as hundreds of additional spaces nearby.

CONVENIENT DOWNTOWN LOCATION

RENTAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

Within one mile of CMCC, you’ll find more than 1,500 hotel rooms and 60+ restaurants and bars in the Vista and on Main Street.

Ask your Sales Manager about opportunities to receive a credit back on the cost of your meeting space based on either your catering needs or total room nights.

ACCOMMODATIONS & FACILITIES A SAMPLING OF THE VARIETY OF OPTIONS IN COLUMBIA SC For details, visit ExperienceColumbiaSC.com/meeting-planners Name of property/ meeting space

Total Sleeping meeting rooms space (sq. ft.)

Max Max capacity capacity for for theater classroom

Max capacity for banquet

Distance from CMCC

Aloft Columbia Downtown

107

600

N/A

24

N/A

0.3

Columbia Marriott

300

27,000

700

350

500

0.8

Courtyard Marriott Cayce

100

636

70

25

50

6.4

Doubletree by Hilton and 237 Conference Center

21,762

1,500

700

800

6.3

Embassy Suites by Hilton Columbia-Greystone

218

18,000

1,200

550

550

3.4

Hampton Inn Downtown Historic District

123

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

0.2

Hilton Columbia Center

222

6,817.5

240

168

220

0.1

Hilton Garden Inn Columbia/Harbison

143

3,800

250

150

176

11.3

Hyatt Place Columbia/ Harbison

127

750

75

50

50

11.2

Hyatt Place Columbia/ Downtown/The Vista

130

1,876

120

65

80

0.2

Inn at USC

116

3,125

130

72

80

0.9

TownePlace Suites SE Columbia/Fort Jackson

91

540

35

25

32

6.5

Wingate by Wyndham Columbia/Lexington

97

2,000

200

100

130

9

348,000

500

15,500

400

Spirit Communications Park

N/A

Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center (CMCC)

N/A

5,000

5,000

outdoor

outdoor

outdoor

indoor

indoor

indoor

58,971

2,100

outdoor

400

400

1,200

1,136

(miles)

2.4

indoor

N/A