Small Market Meetings January 2023

SO MUCH. SO CLOSE. SO NEVADA.

Trek along hundreds of miles of trails. Cruise or cast a line on the waters of Lake Mead. Paddleboard, jet pack, or kayak at Lake Las Vegas. Play at one of our nine championship golf courses. All of this, just minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.

SMALL MARKET MEETINGS is published monthly by Pioneer Publishing, Inc., 301 E. High St., Lexington, KY 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified meeting planners who plan meetings in small and medium size towns and cities. All other meeting industry suppliers may subscribe by sending a check for $39 for one year to: Small Market Meetings, Circulation Department, 301 East High St., Lexington, KY 40507. Phone (866) 356-5128 (toll-free) or (859) 253-0503. Fax: (859) 253-0499. Copyright SMALL MARKET MEETINGS, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

(Planning your next event in Kearney is no gamble.)

(Planning your next event in Kearney is no gamble.)

Kearney, where the Heartland gathers.

Kearney, where the Heartland gathers.

every event is a win!

every event is a win!

Why? Because Kearney has the best facilities between Denver and Omaha, and experienced staff that make sure every event is a win!

Why? Because Kearney has the best facilities between Denver and Omaha, and experienced staff that make sure every event is a win!

If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, make sure you look at Kearney, Nebraska.

If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, make sure you look at Kearney, Nebraska.

If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, make sure you look at Kearney, Nebraska.

If you’re looking for a host city for your next event, make sure you look at Kearney, Nebraska.

WheretheHeartlandGathers.com | 308-237-3178

WheretheHeartlandGathers.com | 308-237-3178

WheretheHeartlandGathers.com | 308-237-3178

WheretheHeartlandGathers.com | 308-237-3178

WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

HERE’S TO A HAPPIER NEW YEAR

The new year, thankfully, is looking a lot less like the past few. With people eager to get back together, conference attendance is poised to grow. And thanks to our increased comfort with technology, more conferences will include a virtual option.

As always, planners’ creativity will be called upon to find ways to save money in the face of rising costs, make their meetings more sustainable and entice attendees to bring the family along. Here are some trends meetings organizations have identified that point to a happier new year.

All signs are pointing to improvement in 2023

! !

Venues are getting serious about sustainability.

Planners are feeling upbeat about a bustling future.

If recent surveys of meeting pros are on point, 2023 is going to be bustling, which makes sense after two years of pandemic-related cancellations and interruptions. Results from the 2023 Global Meetings and Events Forecast show that the 580 planners from 23 countries who were surveyed feel upbeat about the future. Almost 75% said they were optimistic about the industry’s health; 67% believed in-person meetings would return to pre-pandemic levels fairly quickly. The planners also said they were seeing smaller meetings already surpass 2019 numbers.

Of course, an increase in demand shifts power back to hotels, convention centers and other meeting suppliers, and meeting planners know it — 64% of those who responded to MPI’s Meetings Outlook said they believe 2023 will be a seller’s market. Forecasters say concerns about business slowdown, fueled by inflation, might keep hotel room rates from rising quite as much as they did in the past year.

Eighty percent of respondents in a recent business poll said their organizations are serious about sustainability. For inspiration and good role models, organizations might look to corporations and nonprofits known for their successful sustainability efforts — nonprofits like the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council and corporations like Nike and Fisher Investments. Where are they meeting? How do they reduce their environmental impact when they do meet?

For guidance on venues that are sustainable in both their construction and practices, planners can look to the U.S. Green Building Council, which certifies buildings and even cities that are built sustainably through its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. More than 35 convention centers, 400 hotels and dozens of U.S. cities — many of them mid-size to small, like Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina — have achieved LEED certification. Major hotel brands Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Hyatt have made sustainability part of their corporate cultures.

Mixed meetings make sense.

After two years in which many, many meetings were virtual, people are ready to zoom away from convening via computer screen. So in-person meetings will return but with a caveat. In many cases in-person meetings will include a virtual option so meetings and conferences will be accessible to even more people. Over half those attending Skift Meetings’ Future of the Event Industry Summit in 2022 said they would be using this hybrid format through the end of the year, and very likely, many will use it beyond.

One good example is GSMCO, the largest social media conference for government agencies, to be held in Reno, Nevada, at the Grand Sierra Resort in May. In-person attendees will enjoy the typical conference agenda: breakout sessions, keynotes, luncheons, receptions, networking opportunities, etc., as online participants watch most keynote, general and breakout sessions in real time, participate in live question-and-answer sessions, attend virtual networking activities and have on-demand access to most of the content for 90 days after the event.

Creativity can counter rising costs.

Faced with rising costs, planners say they’ll look for ways to save or make more money. For example, 78% of planners responding to MPI’s survey are looking for new revenue opportunities. In the previous quarter, it was less than half that percentage. Partnerships tailored to the needs of suppliers, who are eager to get out in front of potential clients at trade shows again, could be effective. Another tactic might be to create new revenue streams by marketing conference content. At conferences, especially for nonprofits, volunteers will be more important than ever, helping ensure staff don’t get overwhelmed and paid part-timers aren’t needed.

In some destinations, CVBs will help planners save money with services and materials offered free or for a small fee such as registration assistance, welcome packets and airport greeters. Depending on their business goals, some CVBs may even offer financial incentives to draw meetings. Convention bureaus in Springfield, Missouri, and Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, were among those in 2022 that offered rebates based on the number of rooms booked for meetings that met certain criteria.

Bleisure is blossoming.

Most of us have traveled less in the past couple of years, and as we happily get on the road again for meetings and conferences, we might like to tack a short family vacation onto that business trip. The growing interest in what are being called “bleisure” trips and the possibility that bleisure-oriented meetings will be better attended could convince organizations to choose family-friendly destinations for their 2023 conferences.

Bleisure destinations generally have consistently nice weather, fun family activities, outdoor adventures, interesting history and appetizing culinary options. Coastal destinations are often naturals for bleisure — places like Wilmington, North Carolina, where there are pirate-led treasure hunts for kids and craft brews for Mom and Dad, and Newport Beach, California, with 10 miles of beaches, Disneyland 20 minutes away and whale watching from December through May.

MEETING LEADERS

YVONNE LONG

BY REBECCA TREON

Some people’s life stories read like novels. Yvonne Long’s reads like a boxed set.

“I'm working on my sixth volume,” Long said. “And I have always loved traveling, so that was always a little sidebar in my life.”

Long’s path to her current role as senior sales manager at Explore Branson has been a winding one, but she cites the culmination of all her experiences as having led her to the job, which she has held since 2015.

Long was born in Missouri but spent her childhood in Southern California. Her family frequently took road trips back to the Midwest via Route 66, which Long credits with her love of travel.

After high school, Long went to an allgirls design school in Southern California. She planned to design window displays for department stores, but a romance brought her back to Missouri, where she got married. They moved to a small town with only 15,000 residents and opened a custom drapery shop. In her spare time, Long worked with the chamber of commerce to coordinate local holiday parades on the town square.

Long then went to travel school with the intention of managing a hotel but landed in the Ozarks with the man who became her second husband. Together, they ran one of the area’s popular country music shows. Long not only worked in ticketing but also courted group tours to bring groups to the show. Eventually, she went to work at Lake of the Ozarks Chamber of Commerce as marketing director.

“That was a lot of fun, because I got to work with a lot of the people there that had businesses and form relationships with them,” said Long.

After her second marriage ended, Long moved to Branson expecting to quickly find work in a tourism-rich city. But it was harder than she thought.

“I came here thinking it wouldn’t be hard to get into one of the theaters or hotels,” she said. “Not so much — everybody here loves their jobs and loves what they do and working here. It was about six years before I actually got into something related to tourism.”

Long eventually landed a job as a concierge at one of Branson’s big hotels.

“That was great for what I do now because I really got to know the people in theaters and restaurants, and I was able to develop those relationships,” she said. “Then a position opened up at Explore Branson where I could do the sports sales side of things but also take on the SMERF market, and I developed those market segments so much they hired another person just to handle sports.”

Long likens her job to living in the middle of an amusement park. She loves building relationships with partners and being able to accommodate visitor requests thanks to her knowledge of the area. Her favorite part of the job is connecting groups to special experiences that are a great fit for their needs.

“It's been a winding path,” said Long. “I've had a varied background, but it always is someplace where there is a lot of tourism and activities. I learned all sorts of event management and got to work with business owners to make those connections.”

EXECUTIVE

• Sales manager, Comfort Inn, Springfield, Missouri (1992-94)

• Sales manager, Main Street Opry, Osage Beach, Missouri (1994-96)

• Marketing director, Osage Beach Chamber of Commerce (1996-98)

• Concierge, Chateau on the Lake, Branson, Missouri (2011-13)

• Senior sales manager, Explore Branson (2015-present)

“It's been a winding path. I've had a varied background, but it always is someplace where there is a lot of tourism and activities.”

TIPS FROM YVONNE LONG

• When looking at a new town, get in touch with the local chamber or CVB first.

• Have a phone conversation after the RFP has been shared. There is so much rich knowledge that can be gleaned, and the representative can really get the details.

• Follow up. Let the CVB know what struggles you are having with placement. They really do want to help you have the best event possible.

YVONNE LONG (LEFT) POSES WITH COLLEAGUES FROM THE BRANSON CVB DURING A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENT AT FINLEY FARMS.

MYRTLE BEACH

MILES OF BEACHFRONT AND DOZENS OF HOTELS, VENUES AND ACTIVITIES

Beautiful coastal scenery, a wealth of resorts and genuine Southern hospitality — meeting attendees can experience the best of South Carolina during an event in Myrtle Beach.

That’s what 13 meeting planner readers of Small Market Meetings discovered on a site inspection tour as guests of Visit Myrtle Beach in November. Over the course of four days, they got to know the Grand Strand area, a 60-mile stretch of the South Carolina coast that includes Myrtle Beach and surrounding communities such as North Myrtle Beach and Murrell’s Inlet. They toured the convention center and numerous hotel and resort properties in the area. Along the way, they also enjoyed some of Myrtle Beach’s most distinctive dining and activity options.

Home to only about 37,000 permanent residents, Myrtle Beach is among the most popular vacation destinations in the Southeast, welcoming some 19 million visitors a year. Though most of those are leisure travelers, the area’s many meeting hotels stay busy hosting events year-round. The Myrtle Beach International Airport features 59 nonstop flights each day, and the Myrtle Beach Convention Center is capable of hosting large trade shows and exhibitions.

There are hundreds of hotels in Myrtle Beach, offering well over 10,000 guest rooms total. Meeting planners will find a variety of full-service properties up and down the coast that have on-site meeting space, catering and other meetings services.

Finally, Myrtle Beach offers meeting attendees an endless menu of dining and activity options. From quick service to fine dining, restaurants in the area showcase fresh local seafood. And the many museums, amusement attractions and shopping developments will give them plenty to do when not in session.

Follow along with the site-inspection group in the coming pages to discover the opportunities Myrtle Beach offers for your meetings.

Courtesy Visit Myrtle Beach

MAKE MYRTLE BEACH AN APPEALING DESTINATION FOR MEETING PLANNERS.

Myrtle Beach Convention Center

Situated just blocks from the ocean in the heart of the city, the Myrtle Beach Convention Center is ideally situated for bringing full-service meeting capabilities within easy access of dozens of area hotels. Meeting planners will find all the space they need, as well as professional catering and audiovisual and other events services on site.

MEETING SPACES

| Planners have a variety of options for events, large or small, at the convention center. The main exhibit hall offers just over 100,000 square feet of column-free exhibit space, which can be broken into three separate rooms seating up to 2,500 people each. There are 11 loading docks and drive-in access to facilitate complex, large-scale exhibitor setups.

Just around the corner from the main exhibit hall on the same level, the Grand Ballroom features 17,000 square feet of newly renovated space for up to 1,000 attendees. The space is ideal for meal functions, general sessions or smaller trade shows. Also adjacent to the ballroom are 17 smaller meeting spaces that can be used for breakout rooms, event staff, storage or other applications.

To take advantage of Myrtle Beach’s ocean breezes, planners can arrange for events in the convention center’s 30,000-square-foot outdoor plaza. The center’s catering team can arrange for oyster roasts, barbecues and other fun events in the outdoor space.

DINING | Catering at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center is provided exclusively by the food and beverage staff at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Hotel, which is located adjacent to the convention center. In addition to standard banquet fare, the catering menu can include classic Southern dishes or low-country cuisine. Meeting planners can alternately choose to have food and beverage available from concession outlets at the convention center, with options ranging from sandwiches and wraps to pizza, nachos and even breakfast foods.

OTHER SERVICES

|

The Myrtle Beach Convention Center allows meeting planners to use their choice of vendors for audiovisual services. The staff can also recommend professional A/V companies that work there frequently. Complimentary internet service is available to meeting planners and promoters, and the center’s technicians can arrange for Wi-Fi to be provided to attendees as well.

THE MYRTLE BEACH CONVENTION CENTER LOBBY

A DANCE BREAK AT THE HANGOUT

Courtesy Visit Myrtle Beach

ZIPLINING ACROSS THE LAKE AT BROADWAY AT THE BEACH

SCULPTURE AT BROOKGREEN GARDENS

By Brian Jewell

By Brian Jewell

Courtesy Visit Myrtle Beach

ACTIVITIES

With more than 60 miles of beaches, the Grand Strand area beckons meeting attendees to stick their toes in the sand and surf in their free time. But there’s much more to do in town. Myrtle Beach features some distinctive activity options meeting planners will want to consider.

• BROADWAY AT THE BEACH — The most visited development in the Grand Strand, Broadway at the Beach is a 360-acre complex built around a man-made lake. It features 80 shops; dozens of restaurants, including Hard Rock Café, Margaritaville, and Dave and Busters; and landmark attractions such as WonderWorks and Ripley’s Aquarium. broadwayatthebeach.com

• BROOKGREEN GARDENS — With more than 9,000 acres, Brookgreen Gardens is the largest garden in the country. It features thousands of varieties of plants native to the Carolinas. In addition to impressive floral displays, the garden is filled with more than 3,000 sculptures, many by artist Anna Hyatt Huntington. During the holidays, the Nights of a Thousand Candles event fills the gardens with music, festivities and millions of sparkling lights. brookgreen.org

• MYRTLE BEACH ART MUSEUM — Located in a quaint villa built in 1924, the Myrtle Beach Art Museum is the only arts institution on the Grand Strand. It specializes in collecting and exhibiting Southern and coastal art, with a special emphasis on work by area artists. Meeting planners can arrange for groups to have a Gullah Geechee cultural demonstration and low-country boil at the museum myrtlebeachartmuseum.org

• SUNSET AND SEALIFE ECO-TOUR — In Murrel’s Inlet, a fishing village at the South end of the Grand Strand, the Sunset and Sealife Eco-Tour offers visitors the chance to explore the area’s saltwater marshes aboard a 54-foot pontoon boat. Cruises are led by naturalist guides, who showcase the diverse flora and fauna of the biologically rich area. visitmurrellsinlet.com

Marina Inn at Grande Dunes

Situated on the Intracoastal Waterway, the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes offers an elegant alternative to the bustle of a beachfront resort. It opened in 2007 and has earned a four-diamond rating from AAA.

ROOMS | 185 guest rooms

MEETING SPACES | The facilities at Marina Inn are ideally situated for small-to-midsize events. Its 10 meeting spaces include a 5,000-square-foot ballroom with a capacity of 450 theater-style. Also available are several breakout rooms and a finely appointed boardroom surrounded by windows. An event lawn offers space for outdoor functions overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

DINING | Helmed by executive chef Byron Bundoc, the restaurants at Marina Inn put an emphasis on fresh, sustainable ingredients. WaterScapes is a fine-dining restaurant, while Anchor Café offers more casual experiences overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. There is also a lobby bar and a coffee shop.

RECREATION | Although it is not situated directly on the beach, Marina Inn offers shuttle service to a private beach with included chair and umbrella service. The hotel also has a golf course, tennis courts and access to the Grande Dunes Marina.

MORE INFO

Courtesy Marina Inn

MARINA INN AT GRANDE DUNES

MARINAINNATGRANDEDUNES.COM

Kingston Resorts

With two hotels, two condominium towers, a conference center, 135 acres and three-quarters of a mile of oceanfront, Kingston Resorts presents a wide range of opportunities for meeting planners. The complex includes a Hilton and an Embassy Suites, each with its own meeting space, as well as more than 100,000 square feet of combined meeting space.

ROOMS | The Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort has 387 guest rooms with ocean-view balconies. Embassy Suites offers 255 suites with separate sitting areas. Additionally, organizations hosting large meetings have access to 137 units in the Royal Palms condominium tower at the resort complex.

MEETING SPACES | Each of the hotels at the Kingston Resorts has its own meeting space, as well as a conference center situated between the two hotels. The Hilton has 28,800 square feet of meeting space in the hotel, including a 6,500-square-foot ballroom that can accommodate up to 800 guests. At the Embassy Suites, there’s more than 25,000 square feet of additional space. The Kensington Ballroom can accommodate up to 2,000 guests in 4,520 square feet of space. Both hotels have smaller ballrooms and breakout space as well.

DINING | Each of the hotels at Kingston Resorts offers its own dining program. The Embassy Suites offers the brand’s signature made-to-order hot breakfast in the mornings and complementary reception in the evenings. Between the two hotels, there are numerous dining concepts, including Southern fare at Coastal Grill and Bar; Mediterranean fare at Café Amalfi, and al fresco drinks and dining at Beachcombers. Coming soon to Kingston Plantations is Black Drum Brewing, which will feature fresh local seafood, house-smoked meats and a selection of 40 craft beers from the Carolinas.

RECREATION | Both the Hilton and Embassy Suites have impressive pool complexes. The hotels share access to a three-quarter mile stretch of beach, as well as a recreation complex with a huge fitness center, a spa and indoor golf simulators. Other outdoor experiences include a putting green, tennis courts and bike rentals.

THE HILTON LOBBY AT KINGSTON RESORTS

THE BEACH AND BOARDWALK AT SUNSET

Courtesy Kingston Resorts

Photos by Brian Jewell

CHECKING OUT THE MARRIOTT POOL DECK

ENJOYING A RECEPTION AT THE SHERATON

DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront

Located at the southern end of Myrtle Beach a short drive from the airport, the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton sits on 27 acres adjacent to Myrtle Beach State Park. This location gives guests unobstructed views of the Atlantic, coupled with easy access to the park, Springmaid Pier, the Market Common and a variety of other attractions.

ROOMS |

MEETING SPACES | The DoubleTree’s on-site conference center offers nearly 30,000 square feet of indoor events space. Its 22 meeting rooms include three ballrooms of 8,532 square feet each, accommodating up to 750 attendees theater-style. Each of those ballrooms can be divided into smaller spaces, and some other salons are available for breakouts. Some of the meeting rooms at the hotel feature floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the Atlantic.

DINING | The hotel’s primary restaurant, Ocean Blue, is open year round for all-day dining. Another restaurant, Southern Tides Bar and Grill, is open during the spring and summer. There’s also a pool bar during warm-weather months.

RECREATION | The hotel’s 27 acres offer plenty of beachfront, popular for relaxation. Guests can rent private cabanas at the beach or on the pool deck.

Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort and Spa at Grande Dunes

Located in the somewhat secluded Grande Dunes area of town, the Marriot Myrtle Beach Resort and Spa brings Marriott’s signature level of luxury and sophistication to the beach. Elegant guest rooms, extensive meeting space, an impressive pool deck and easy beach access are among the attributes that attract meeting planners to this full-service property.

ROOMS | 405 guest rooms in various configurations

MEETING SPACES | The hotel is equipped to handle sizeable meetings in its 45,000 square feet of events space. Its largest ballroom is 15,000 square feet and can seat up to 1,665 people theater-style. That ballroom can break down into eight smaller rooms. There’s also a junior ballroom and four other smaller conference rooms.

DINING | Guests at the Marriott Myrtle Beach have a variety of dining options, depending on the timing of their visit. The primary restaurant, Ocean’s on 82, is open for three meals a day year round and features ocean views and international cuisine. Open during the high season is the Cove, a beachfront restaurant serving American fare.

RECREATION | The hotel has a large beach and extensive pool deck. Guests can also take advantage of a large fitness center or book a treatment at Hibiscus Spa.

MORE INFO

MARRIOTT.COM

Courtesy Marriott Grand Dunes

THE BEACH AND POOL DECK AT MARRIOTT MYRTLE BEACH RESORT AT GRANDE DUNES

Courtesy DoubleTree Resort

DOUBLETREE RESORT BY HILTON MYRTLE BEACH

HILTON.COM

Sheraton Myrtle Beach

Owned by the city of Myrtle Beach and connected to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, the Sheraton Myrtle Beach is the primary host property for large meetings and conferences at the convention center. The hotel is located two blocks from Myrtle Beach’s coastal boardwalk, a bustling area full of activities, retail and dining opportunities.

ROOMS | 400 guest rooms, including 19 suites

MEETING SPACES | Since the Sheraton Myrtle Beach is connected to the convention center, it doesn’t have any separate meeting space of its own. The convention center is immediately adjacent to the hotel’s lobby, and the two facilities work together closely to create seamless experiences for meeting attendees.

DINING | The Sheraton’s primary restaurant, Vidalia’s serves three meals daily from an open kitchen specializing in Southern fare. Also on site are Coffee and Cream, serving Starbucks coffee and pastries in the morning; Kilwins Myrtle Beach, an ice cream and chocolate shop; and the M Bar.

RECREATION | The hotel features a fitness center and indoor pool. It is also an easy walk to the beach and boardwalk attractions.

Island Vista Resort

Situated beachfront near the center of the Grand Strand, Island Vista Resort is an ideal fit for groups seeking to maximize family fun and minimize the amount of time spent in meeting sessions. Its variety of one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums afford the comforts of home for families, making it a great destination for an extended stay built around a day or two of business events.

ROOMS | 249 units in one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations with full kitchens, dining areas and living rooms

MEETING SPACES | The Island Vista offers just enough meeting space for small groups to congregate between romps in the pool or waves. The hotel has two meeting spaces of 2,300 square feet, which can accommodate 88 guests for banquets or 125 theater-style.

DINING | The Island Vista Resort’s primary restaurant, the Cypress Room, is open daily for breakfast (featuring its signature sweet potato pancakes) and dinner. There’s also an adjacent lounge with indoor and outdoor seating. Vista Pizza offers take-out or in-room delivery for lunch, and a poolside tiki hut is open during the summer months.

RECREATION | The hotel has a large indoor and outdoor pool complex, as well as a lazy river and a lawn overlooking the ocean.

MARRIOTT.COM

THE SHERATON MYRTLE BEACH LOBBY Courtesy Visit Myrtle Beach

ISLANDVISTA.COM

Courtesy Visit Myrtle Beach

MORE INFO

A BANQUET SETTING AT ISLAND VISTA RESORT

RESTAURANTS

As a popular leisure travel destination, Myrtle Beach has hundreds of restaurants, ranging from casual to upscale. Meeting attendees can choose locally owned establishments, national chains, fresh seafood, foreign fare and much more. Here are four standout restaurants meeting planners enjoyed during their site inspection.

• THE HANGOUT — At Broadway at the Beach, the Hangout is a recently opened casual restaurant with an emphasis on music and fun. A sister restaurant to the original Hangout in Gulf Shores, Alabama, the 40,000-square-foot restaurant features hundreds of seats on two levels, plus ample outdoor space and a huge gift shop. Highlights include inventive tropical cocktails and staff-led dance breaks. thehangout.com/hangout-myrtle-beach

• CROOKED HAMMOCK BREWERY — In the Barefoot Landing development, Crooked Hammock is an all-in-one attraction featuring a microbrewery, a restaurant and fun outdoor recreation areas. Groups can tour the brewery, sample some of the dozen or so beers brewed on-site, and enjoy a menu of classic American fare. crookedhammockbrewery.com

• HOOK AND BARREL —Centrally located on North Kings Highway, Hook and Barrel is an eclectic locally owned eatery serving a combination of fresh seafood and modern twists on Southern classics. Adjacent to the restaurant and operated by the same company is Croissants Bistro and Bakery, which serves wonderful homemade pastries, has a full breakfast menu and roasts its own coffee. hookandbarrelrestaurant.com

• 21 MAIN PRIME STEAKHOUSE — In Myrtle Beach’s North Beach neighborhood, 21 Main offers one of the area’s most distinguished fine dining experiences. Elegant and modern decor is fitting for an upscale restaurant featuring fresh takes on classic steakhouse dishes, as well as an array of fresh seafood and sushi. The bar features hand-crafted cocktails, as well as sommelier-selected pairings from the on-site wine cellar. 21mainatnorthbeach.com

By Brian

Here’s the Dish on Catering

MEETING EXPERTS SHARE TIPS ON HIRING OUTSIDE FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROVIDERS

BY RACHEL CRICK

Good catering can make the difference between a room full of eager, alert attendees and crabby, unmotivated participants.

Food is fuel, but it’s also so much more when it comes to meetings and events. A creative breakfast buffet can start the day out right, a well-thought-out snack can provide the energy to get through a tough meeting, and beautiful plated dinners can reward employees for a job well-done. Many planners are used to working with venues that have in-house catering, but some events, particularly those in unique venues, require outside caterers.

Hiring an outside caterer can be intimidating because of all the additional moving parts it introduces, but it can also be a recipe for a rewarding and creative culinary experience for attendees. Here are some pointers from seasoned planners and industry experts to get it just right.

VENUE MATTERS

One of the most influential factors for planners to consider when choosing a caterer is the venue of the meeting or event. This is because not all caterers are equipped for certain spaces, and some of the more interesting venues can pose a challenge for caterers.

“When we do our site visit, we’re always looking on the caterer’s behalf about kitchen space, especially if you're going for a unique venue,” said Whitney Butler, director of business development and event planning at Platinum XP, a full-service event planning agency in Kansas City.

It’s important to note everything of consequence to caterers. If a venue does come with kitchen space, its dimensions and appliances should be recorded. Planners should ask if they have a large enough refrigerator or oven, or if they have ice. Even parking logistics are important. If a caterer has a delivery truck that’s too large to fit into the venue’s loading dock, that may pose a problem.

If a venue’s spaces are not sufficient for an event, the caterer will have to pick up the slack, and not all companies have the right tools or capacity to do that. For events held at venues where kitchen space is small or nonexistent, the caterer will also need to be self-contained and bring their own tools to keep food hot or cold and even reheat food if necessary.

Angela Bancalari

“When you're hiring an offpremises caterer, the logistics become much more crucial.”

Mel Park

FOUNDER

Melissa Park Events

Experience: 22 years

Another factor to consider is a venue’s table and chair rentals, or lack thereof.

“More often than not when you hire an off-premises catering company, you're bringing them to a venue where there are no rentals,” said Angela Bancalari, expert catering consultant and founder of Angela Bancalari Hospitality Recruitment and Consultancy.

While it’s not a given that a catering company will provide tables, chairs, china or linens, some catering companies can, so it’s important to know what a venue offers and does not offer.

Another challenge with interesting venues is they often lack alcohol licenses; if that’s the case, it’s good practice to hire a catering company with its own alcohol license.

QUALIFYING CATERERS

When choosing an external caterer, a planner should be looking for a company that’s experienced, professional and high-quality. The food should look and taste great and be presented beautifully, while the caterers should be timely and professional.

To make sure the catering company is well-prepared, Bancalari recommends “making sure the company has been in business for a good amount of time as opposed to starting with a brand-new catering company, especially if it’s a sizeable event."

Another way to vet a company is to use the internet. In the age of social media and online reviews, planners have a wide world of feedback at their disposal. A company’s website and socials give planners a glimpse at their style and the final product. Praises or complaints can let planners know what to expect or whom to avoid.

Word of mouth is still one of the most reliable ways to tell if a caterer is up to standard. Venues may recommend companies they’ve worked with before, and sometimes other planners will personally refer you.

Finally, a taste test or trial run may be the best way for a planner to personally ensure the quality of the caterer.

“If you’re trying to get to know someone and their brand, let them serve you the food,” said Butler. “Let them interact with you and see how the food tastes.”

However, sometimes when planning an event, it’s simply not possible to taste the food or meet with the caterers in person. This can sometimes occur with destination meetings or events. In this case, reviews, references and recommendations are essential. Destination management companies and convention and visitor bureaus can provide these.

“I don't do it very often, but if I cannot possibly taste the food, then I lean on strong recommendations from reputable people,” said

“I'm not on the ground doing catering every single day. The caterers are, so for me I always lean on them and say, ‘here's our program, this is our audience, what have you seen work, what's new, what's different?’”

Whitney Butler

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND EVENT PLANNING

Platinum XP

Experience: Eight years

Mel Park, founder of Melissa Park Events, a global end-to-end events management company.

BRINGING THE WOW FACTOR

Planners often know what to expect when they use in-house caterers because some set limits to the services and products they provide. However, external caterers provide planners with opportunities for providing memorable meals to their attendees.

“When I’m using an external caterer, I really want a partner in this; and I really want them to push their creativity into the program based on what they know works and based on the feedback,” said Park.

Collaborating with an external planner can elevate an event because external caterers often have lots of experience and variety under their belt, meaning they’re up to date on the industry’s trends and popular foods. delicious, visually appealing food that’s infrequently served or has the potential to delight all who attend.

“Generally speaking, the uniqueness of the event is more interesting when you’re bringing in an off-premises catering company because you have the ability to be a lot more innovative and creative with the end result of the event,” said Bancalari.

According to Bancalari, this creativity can be especially important when it comes to meetings. While attendees are being shuffled from meeting to meeting, something as simple as a snack break with brightly colored, healthy and delicious options can break up the day in a positive way. Finding a caterer that presents appealing, brightly colored and creative snack bars or breakfast buffets can ensure a meeting’s success.

Bancalari said that for attendees “that creative factor really becomes a big variable, because they do go to so many meetings that aren’t memorable.”

STAY ORGANIZED

It may seem like a no-brainer, but staying organized is especially important when hiring outside catering companies because the additional factors to consider also bring countless opportunities for things to go awry.

It’s important to keep little details in mind. Sometimes the things planners take for granted with in-house caterers can lead an event to unravel. Asking about easily overlooked items such as the uniform of a catering company’s waitstaff or whether they will provide soft drinks can keep the event from being thrown off course.

A client’s budget can determine which company or menu items to go with, but with external caterers there may be additional costs to look out for, such as delivery fees or additional waitstaff charges. Park recommends verifying the budget with the caterer up front to make sure there are no surprises.

Timelines are important as well. Planning an event as far in advance as possible ensures that you’re able to select the caterer that’s right for the event rather than the only company that’s available. At least six months to a year out is ideal for corporate events.

On how to qualify caterers: “After the budget, consider what's most important to the client. Is it the health aspects? Is it things that are trending and cool and neat?”

WARMING UP THE WINTER

These sunny destinations offer meeting attendees a break from the cold

BY RACHEL CRICK

When temperatures begin to drop, meeting-goers start to dream of sunnier, warmer climates. Popular destinations for winter meetings are known as such due to their warm weather in the traditionally cold season, but many also offer a wide selection of venues and exciting local attractions.

There are few better ways to drive up meeting attendance than offering a reprieve from the elements, so planners can select the perfect setting for their next winter meeting in these cities with temperate climates.

TUCSON, ARIZONA

With average temperatures resting comfortably in the 60s and 70s from December through February, Tucson has the perfect climate for a winter meeting. This high desert town is surrounded by a national park on both sides, which protects the Saguaro Cactus in the Sonoran Desert.

“The No. 1 reason people come here is the warm weather,” said Mary Meade, director of sales at Visit Tucson. “The second thing they really come here for is the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert.”

Visitors to Tucson can enjoy the plentiful natural beauty of cactus forests, canyons and waterfalls in the nearby national parks. Miles of hiking trails, scenic drives and golfing are all ways attendees can enjoy their downtime while soaking up the sunshine. Tucson was also designated the City of Gastronomy, or the city of good food, because of its long history of cultural influences at work today in its culinary scene.

The Tucson Convention Center is the largest venue in the city, with over 205,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including 10 meeting rooms, a 20,000-square-foot ballroom and three performing venues. Tucson also features many full-service conference hotels, such as the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa and the Westward Look Wyndham Resort

Above: With lots of sunshine and beautiful resort properties, Tucson makes an attractive meeting destination in winter.

Courtesy Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort and Spa

IDEAS

and Spa. For a less conventional venue, planners have their pick of museums and outdoor spaces. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a botanical garden and living zoo, is the second most visited attraction in the state after the Grand Canyon and offers beautiful panoramic views of the desert and banquet space for up to 700. visittucson.org

“The No. 1 reason people come here is the warm weather. The second thing they really come here for is the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert.”

— Mary Meade, Visit Tucson

Henderson highlights, clockwise from left: The M Resort pool deck; a sunny day at Green Valley Ranch; the Green Valley Ranch entrance at nightfall

HENDERSON, NEVADA

Just up the road from the Las Vegas Strip, Henderson, Nevada, offers attendees all the amenities of Vegas without the cost or the hassle. This beautiful Nevada town enjoys mild and cloudless conditions in the colder months, with the temperature, on average, running between 50 and 70 degrees on winter days.

“You wake up every morning and it's not overcast, it’s always sunny,” said Ed Kirby, national sales executive at Visit Henderson.

While attendees are certainly welcome (and expected) to visit the Las Vegas Strip for at least one evening during their stay, a meeting in Henderson can provide similarly appealing restaurants, live music, shopping, craft breweries and golf, ensuring attendees stick together.

Henderson is home to five full-service hotels for planners to choose from. Green Valley Ranch, located just minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, features just under 70,000 square feet of meeting space.

Photos courtesy Visit Henderson

VCB

Punta Gorda sites, clockwise from top left: Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor; downtown Punta Gorda; Charlotte Harbor event and Conference Center

This elegant, sprawling property features a spa and a casino, as well as catering services and multiple restaurants. Another gaming property, the M Resort offers a beautiful, modern backdrop for meetings. Its 17,000-square-foot ballroom can seat over 1,200 banquet-style, while its outdoor terraces, lounges and pool decks provide plenty of space for a memorable outdoor receptions and events.

Sunset Station, located in downtown Henderson, has 13,000 square feet of meeting space and is perfect for smaller meetings.

visithendersonnv.com

PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA

The small town of Punta Gorda, Florida, is located in the Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast area near Englewood Beach. This community, in addition to having excellent winter weather, has a broad appeal for travelers because of its walkable downtown, delicious seafood, small-town charm and preserved natural scenery.

“Over 80% of our shoreline is protected, so it’s a less congested area, and of course, we’re in beautiful southwest Florida,” said Jeff Berg, senior sales manager at the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor and Convention Bureau.

Sunseeker Charlotte Harbor, just minutes away from Punta Gorda, is a new, full-service resort that’s scheduled to open at the end of 2023. The property will have 60,000 square feet of upscale meeting space, an abundance of dining options, a golf course and a spa. Nearby, the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center is a stately waterfront venue in Punta Gorda that can seat up to 900 for a banquet and offers flexible meeting spaces and breakout rooms.

In addition to the conference hotels in Punta Gorda, nontraditional venues such as the Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens provide scenic backdrops for outdoor functions. Attendees can enjoy the warm weather on the Gulf Coast with sunset harbor tours or by exploring Punta Gorda’s numerous shops, restaurants, breweries, museums and galleries.

pureflorida.com

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS

Planners can find a year-round tropical beach destination in South Padre Island, Texas. Thanks to its location at the state’s southernmost point, the island boasts winter average temperatures near 75 degrees. These warm days are perfect for the beach, where planners can schedule team-building exercises of building sand-

Photos courtesy Punta Gorda-Englewood Beach

IDEAS

castles. Or, attendees can relax in the sand during their downtime while they watch for dolphins off the coast.

“We're the only tropical island in Texas, and we have 30 miles of pristine beach,” said Mayra Nunez, sales and services manager at the City of South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The South Padre Island Convention Centre includes a 22,500-square-foot exhibit hall, a conference theater seating up to 260, seven meeting rooms and a covered terrace, making it ideal for meetings, conferences and events of all sizes. The island has five full-service hotels, including the Pearl South Padre Resort and the Island Grand Beach Resort, with over 7,000 square feet and 10,000 square feet of meeting space, respectively. Some of the island’s unique venues for meetings include the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, where attendees can watch some of the island’s most colorful and fascinating wildlife, such as alligators, reddish egrets and peregrine falcons.

Events can also be held at Sea Turtle Inc., a sanctuary and hospital for sea turtles, where visitors can learn about these protected animals and meet some of the sanctuary’s patients and its long-term resident turtles. sopadre.com

MOBILE, ALABAMA

Mobile, Alabama, is known for its long history and vibrant arts and culture scene. This port city on the Gulf Coast enjoys mild weather in the 60s

Mayra Nunez, City of South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau

South Padre Island scenes, clockwise from left: A sunny day at the beach; South Padre Island Convention Center; a baby sea turtle making its way to to water

hotos courtesy South Padre Island CVB

“We're the only tropical island in Texas, and we have 30 miles of pristine beach.”

—

during the cooler season, making it an enticing setting for a winter meeting. A city as old as Mobile gives attendees lots of history to explore, in addition to its vibrant nightlife and delicious culinary scene. A trip to the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park allows visitors to climb aboard and explore this retired battleship from World War II. Visitors can glimpse the French architecture on Dauphin Street, tour Mobile’s historic mansions and visit the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, known for its beautiful design.

The Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center is right on the Mobile River. Its mostly glass exterior fills the center with natural light while allowing attendees to enjoy unmatched views of the water and downtown Mobile. With over 100,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, multiple terraces and easy access to the rest of downtown via covered walkways and crossways, this expansive venue can accommodate a variety of conferences, expos, events and meetings.

Planners seeking an opulent venue for a banquet or reception will find one at the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa, with nearly 30,000 square feet of meeting space, ranging from gilded ballrooms to sophisticated and simple conference rooms.

mobile.org

See why Tucson’s one-of-a-kind culture creates an experience that extends beyond the ballroom.

Book now through 2025 and earn up to $15,000 OFF your Master Account.

Find out more:

Courtesy Visit Mobile

GULFQUEST MUSEUM ON THE MOBILE RIVER

BORDER ON THE

Booming

All photos courtesy Visit El Paso except where noted

San Jacinto Plaza is in the center of the action in El Paso and is adjacent to the El Paso Convention Center.

El Paso offers a cultural, colorful setting for West Texas meetings

BY TOM ADKINSON

Legendary country singer Marty Robbins had a huge hit on country and pop music charts with a song titled “El Paso.” To paraphrase the opening lines of that song: Out in the West Texas town of El Paso/You’ll fall in love with a great destination.

In the song, a cowboy singer’s affection is for a beautiful Mexican girl. Yours will be for a city that delivers a colorful blend of cultures, updated meeting spaces, centuries of history, creative cuisine and honest-to-goodness streetcars. And it is all set against the dramatic backdrop of the Franklin Mountains.

CITY EL PASO AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: West Texas

ACCESS: Interstate 10; El Paso International Airport

HOTEL ROOMS: 10,000 (1,200 downtown)

CONTACT INFO: Visit El Paso 915-534-0600 visitelpaso.com

EL PASO CONVENTION CENTER

BUILT: 1964; renovations 2002-04, 2015-17 and 2022

EXHIBIT SPACE: 80,000 square feet

OTHER MEETING SPACES: 17 breakouts, 15,000 square feet

MEETING HOTELS

Hotel Paso Del Norte GUEST ROOMS: 350 MEETING SPACE: 32,000 square feet

Wyndham El Paso GUEST ROOMS: 272 MEETING SPACE: 17,000 square feet

Marriott El Paso GUEST ROOMS: 296 MEETING SPACE: 13,400 square feet

WHO’S

Destination Highlights

El Paso is the sixth largest city in Texas, but it’s a long haul from the other five (Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin and Fort Worth). It’s so far west that it’s the only Texas city in the Mountain Time Zone. In a sense, it’s strategically located — equidistant between Houston and San Diego on the interstate, if you can imagine that.

This spot on the Rio Grande River has been important for centuries. It was along the El Camino Real, the colonial route from Mexico City to Santa Fe in what now is New Mexico. Native Americans traversed that route long before the Spanish conquistadors and empire builders named it. American pioneers and soldiers followed.

Today’s city is a treat for convention and leisure visitors alike. It’s leisure attributes translate well into facilities and activities for convention-goers — both during meetings and outside of meeting dates.

The El Paso Convention Center is the place for bigger meetings, and it is within walking distance of an array of hotels, restaurants and museums, plus the urban oasis of San Jacinto Plaza.

(El Paso trivia: You may hear the plaza called Plaza de Los Lagartos — Alligator Plaza. That’s because the city once kept gators in a pond there. The last resident reptiles went to the El Paso Zoo in the 1970s, but that at least explains the impressive alligator statue in a desert city.)

A key to El Paso’s appeal and identity is its symbiotic relationship with Juarez, Mexico. El Paso (population 974,000) and Juarez (population 1.5 million) make this the largest combined city on the U.S.-Mexico border. You can walk across the Paso del International Bridge to visit the Kentucky Bar (purportedly where margaritas were first mixed) or take a tour to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a vibrant mercado or restaurants serving top-flight Mexican cuisine.

“Juarez is very much part of our regional promotion,” said Rene Wong, Visit El Paso’s director of marketing and communications. “Our relationship with Juarez has never been better.”

Distinctive Venues

Getting away from your meeting space for special events is easy in El Paso. Many venues are within walking distance of the downtown hotels.

The one with the best name is the city’s soccer and baseball stadium: the Wooftop Deck at Southwest University Park. Why Wooftop Deck? That’s a tip of the hat to the El Paso Chihuahuas AAA baseball team.

The Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of the Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Center sets the stage for several event types. The open-air Alcantar Sky Garden works well for a reception or dinner, and the lobby of the main theater works for receptions, too. The 2,000-seat Kendall Kidd Performance Hall is ideal for special entertainment, and the intimate 200-seat Philanthropy Theatre works for smaller groups.

The diverse exhibits at the El Paso Museum of Art make it a noteworthy candidate for off-site events, and the El Paso Museum of History offers an opportunity to learn about the entire region. The history museum’s permanent exhibition, “Changing Pass: People, Land and Memory,” traces 1,000 years of the El Paso del Norte region.

Barely a half-hour from downtown is a place for a truly Western experience. It is the Cattleman’s Steakhouse at Indian Cliffs Ranch. Put on your blue jeans and cowboy boots for hay wagon rides beneath the ranch’s stark cliffs before settling down for a steak hot off the grill and a cold beer. It’s easy to see why the ranch has been a movie location several times over.

A surprise to many is the El Paso region’s winemaking history. Spanish colonists planted grapes here long before other Europeans were arriving on North America’s Atlantic coast. That heritage lives at Zin Valle Vineyards, where you can sample its wines or — better yet — enjoy some wine and live music on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS

DISTINCTIVE VENUES Alcantar Sky Garden

Deadbeach Brewery

Major Meeting Spaces

The world slowed during the pandemic, but El Paso showed signs of looking ahead during the slow time. Completion of a $3.1 million renovation at the El Paso Convention Center and the opening of two downtown hotels helped the city prepare for new business.

The convention center has 133,100 square feet of usable space (including 80,000 square feet without columns), 17 breakout rooms and 14,900 square feet of additional meeting space.

One of the Southwest’s most storied hotels, the Hotel Paso del Norte, took on new life in 2020 after a $100 million renovation. It opened in 1912 with 195 rooms. Its recent transformation created a gem with 350 rooms and 33,000 square feet of meeting space. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and its guest register includes Amelia Earhart, Will Rogers, John Wayne, Franklin Roosevelt and, yes, Poncho Villa.

Smaller, and perhaps even more glittery, is the reborn 130-room Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park. It opened in 1930 as Conrad Hilton’s first high-rise hotel. Elizabeth Taylor once lived in the penthouse, now transformed into La Perla, a bar on the 17th floor. The building was shuttered for almost three decades until a $78 million renovation in 2020 restored the hotel’s luster and added 7,600 square feet of meeting space.

A trio of distinctive properties — the art-centric Stanton House, the Aloft El Paso and the Hotel Indigo — are just on the other side of San Jacinto Plaza from the convention center and provide even more room variety. A DoubleTree and a Courtyard by Marriott are nearby.

The Wyndham El Paso (272 rooms, 17,000 square feet of meeting space and a water park) and the Marriott El Paso (296 rooms and 13,400 square feet of meeting space) are near El Paso International Airport.

AFTER HOURS

After the Meeting

Even if you have to depart El Paso when your meeting ends, hop on a streetcar to explore at least part of the city. El Paso’s streetcar system, which operated from the 1950s into the 1970s, is back and operating on 4.8 miles of track. It’s free, so hop off at any of the 27 stops to explore a bit. The cars, by the way, are both retro and real. They are restored vehicles from the old days, now air-conditioned and with Wi-Fi.

If your meeting doesn’t include an excursion to Juarez, take the time afterward. You can walk across the Paso del Norte International Bridge for individual exploration or take an organized tour. Highlights near the border are the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (modern in the sense it was built from 1941-57) and the adjacent Franciscan mission (historic since it was founded in 1659). The Museum of the Revolution offers insights into Mexican history.

El Paso’s Zin Valle Vineyards is only one stop on a wine trail that leads to other wineries in New Mexico. The drive on Highway 28 to Mesilla, New Mexico, takes you past chile farms, pecan groves and cattle ranches and is an excuse to roll on into Las Cruces and then on to attractions such as White Sands National Park.

White Sands, upgraded from national monument to national park status in 2020, is your chance to go sledding on sand instead of snow. It is one of three national parks that might make you linger longer.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park (115 miles from El Paso) contains the four highest mountains in Texas and a surprise in this part of the country — a fall-color season. Only 150 miles away is Carlsbad National Park for an underground experience. The big attraction here has a simple name. It’s the Big Room, America’s largest cave chamber by volume.

The distances to these national treasures seem modest since you’ve probably already taken the biggest leg of your trip getting to El Paso in the first place. A little extra time and a few miles on a rental car are worth the effort.

MAJOR MEETING SPACES The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park

By Tom Adkinson

Sledding at White Sands National Park

‘SOUTHERN PLAYGROUND’California’s

BY REBECCA TREON

With 250 days of sunshine, a thriving winery scene and plentiful outdoor opportunities, Murrieta is Southern California’s playground.

Tucked between San Diego and Los Angeles in California’s Temecula Valley, Murrieta is an ideal location for groups looking for affordable meeting options. Murrieta boasts 250 days of sunshine a year, is surrounded by wine country and stunning natural landscapes, and is easily accessed by three regional and two international airports, and via Interstate 214 or State Route 15.

“We have a lot of options in Murrieta and the surrounding areas,” said Patrick Ellis, president and CEO of Explore Murrieta. “We’re a great fit for groups looking for the same amenities you’d get in a city. We have world-class beer, wine, and outdoor recreation, and we offer this for an affordable rate. We’re very creative in finding opportunities where groups can use venues you wouldn’t normally think of.”

Murrieta’s hotels and resorts offer space designed to accommodate meeting groups, from reliable standbys like Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Residence Inn by Marriott and Courtyard by Marriott to all-encompassing resorts that have on-site meeting spaces and activities. The city also recently invested $3 million in Town Square Park, which offers a stage with A/V capacity, and Heritage Hill, a local venue with panoramic views. Additionally, the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort, a favorite of starlets in Hollywood’s golden age, recently changed ownership and is getting a facelift — including meeting spaces.

There’s no shortage of things to engage attendees in Murrieta. Historic Old Town is host to community events from concerts to car shows.

The area is also popular with outdoor lovers. Hikers of any skill level can find something to suit their fancy, from Tenaja Falls to the challenging Cole Canyon Trail. Murrieta is a hotspot for some of the region’s most scenic and varied mountain biking — Engelmann Oak Loop Trail is known for its breathtaking views, while La Alba offers single and double tracks.

“The Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve has something for everyone,” said Ellis. “Once you’re up there, you feel like you’re completely away from civilization. We’ve started to become a foodie destination, too. We’ve always been a destination for wineries and breweries, but in the past five years, we’ve seen Murrieta creating new opportunities especially for those who want to incorporate food experiences in their meetings.”

Groups can whet their whistles at any of the area’s wineries or breweries. Wineries like Wilson Creek Winery, Vitagliano Vineyards and Winery, and Robert Renzoni Winery each offer diverse experiences. Local breweries like Inland Wharf Brewing Co. and 8 Bit Brewing Company offer games, recreation spaces and, of course, good beer.

Photos courtesy Explore Murrieta

EXPLORING A MURRIETA WINERY

Carlsbad

MURRIETA CALIFORNIA

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

Murrieta Community Center

Boasting a 3,600-square-foot multipurpose room, a kitchen, theatrical stage and space for 250, the Murrieta Community Center is a favorite local gathering place. In addition to the variety of rooms to rent, it offers athletic facilities, picnic areas and recreation space. The property is also home to the Murrieta Museum: A Center for Culture and History, housed in a historic farmhouse, the Hunt House. In addition to its exhibits about the area, its spaces are available for events, classes and group rentals.

South Coast Winery Resort and Spa

Twelve miles from downtown Murrieta, South Coast Winery Resort and Spa is situated on 63 acres of rolling hills covered in lush vineyards. It offers more than 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 7,025-square-foot ballroom and an outdoor amphitheater. There are more than a dozen meeting rooms with unique configurations and varied capacities. Many have unique features, like being in the barrel room of a wine cave or on a spacious garden patio. In addition, they offer wine tastings; an in-house restaurant, the Vineyard Rose; and a world-class spa.

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

Just minutes from Murrieta, the 7,500-acre Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve is a nature lover’s haven full of undisturbed oak woodland, chaparral, vernal pools, native grassland and historic adobe structures. It is home to a range of unique flora and fauna and makes a great destination for team building or as an after-hours option. With its miles of trails, the reserve is a popular destination for both hikers and cyclists (and includes options for road and mountain biking alike). Other activities include interpretive exhibits at the visitor center, horseback riding and guided hikes led by a naturalist.

Old Town Meeting Room and Coworking Connection

Murrieta has two unique coworking concepts. At Old Town Meeting Room, two spaces can accommodate four or 16, including a whiteboard and A/V equipment, an all-access kitchen in a historic building. At Coworking Connection, the fully equipped conference room accommodates up to six, while the training room seats up to 45. The space includes a full kitchen and a lounge area. These coworking spaces can be used for networking, workshops, training, or collaborative work days.

GROUPS MEETING IN MURRIETA LOVE ITS BEAUTIFUL HOTEL PROPERTIES AND SCENIC NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

New in the Heartland

Meeting Guide

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

America’s Heartland has seen a spate of new meeting venues or renovations post-pandemic. Here are some of the newest event venues from Iowa and Minnesota to Missouri, Indiana and Ohio, offering everything from lodging and fun activities to state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces.

THE MONROE

West Des Moines, Iowa

Named after iconic actress Marilyn Monroe, The Monroe is a new event center about 10 miles west of Des Moines that held its grand opening November 17. Abbott Events, which started in Kansas City, bought a number of event venues that used to be owned by Noah’s Event Venue and has transformed them into boutique event spaces that are all named after legendary actresses.

The company made cosmetic updates to the building to give it a clean, pristine and luxurious appearance. The footprint of the building didn’t change, but Abbott added a custom bar to the space that is a “show stopper,” said Gracie Defore, client relationship manager for The Monroe. The bar is hunter green, has granite countertops and brass shelving to hold drinkware. The building, which is split down the middle by a wide hallway, has a grand ballroom on one side that can seat 200 guests comfortably. On the other side, there is a billiards room and a ceremony room that many groups use for their buffet line because it has doorways on both ends for better traffic flow.

There is an outdoor patio space adjacent to the grand ballroom that is perfect for outdoor wedding ceremonies or cocktail receptions. It has a brick fence around it, giving it a courtyard feel. The patio overlooks the beautifully landscaped Des Moines Golf and Country Club.

themonroevenue.com

Courtesy the Monroe

OPENED IN NOVEMBER, THE MONROE IN WEST DES MOINES IS INSPIRED BY THE GLAMOUR OF MARILYN MONROE.

ELMS HOTEL AND SPA

Excelsior Springs, Missouri

The historic Elms Hotel and Spa originally was built to take advantage of natural mineral waters discovered in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, in the late 1800s. The first hotel was built in 1888, but both it and a second hotel that opened in 1909 were destroyed by fire. The current hotel was built in 1912 and was a favorite destination of politicians, professional athletes and criminal figures such as Al Capone and Pretty Boy Floyd. Harry S. Truman stayed at the hotel in 1948 as he awaited news about whether he would become president of the U.S.

The 153-room property recently underwent a major renovation to its guest rooms, lobby, spa, ballroom, fitness center, outdoor space and dining areas. The property has 11,000 square feet of event space, including 16 acres of grounds shaded by massive elm trees, the Elms Gazebo, which can seat up to 300 guests; a grand ballroom that can accommodate 300; and the Regent Ballroom that can host 225.

Newly added spaces include the Café Soterian, which serves coffee drinks, pastries and lunch daily and transforms into a wine bar in the evening, serving craft beers and flatbread pizzas. Snacks and souvenirs are available at an onsite market. As part of its renovation, The Spa at The Elms introduced a new sanctuary space for clients to unwind ahead of their treatments.

elmshotelandspa.com

IRON TRAIL MOTORS EVENTS CENTER

Virginia, Minnesota

Iron Trail Motors Event Center is an ice arena and event center that was completed in September 2021. The two-story, 144,000-square-foot facility has two ice rinks and a 6,400-square-foot ballroom for weddings and events. The ballroom can host a full-service banquet up to 300 guests, or it can be split into four 1,500-square-foot breakout spaces. There are two smaller meeting rooms and a boardroom that seats 16 right across the hall. The two ice rinks can be used for exposition space, large receptions or meetings. The mezzanine can also be used as meeting or banquet space if needed.

The facility can host groups as large as 1,000 people. Virginia is in the heart of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range, a heavily industrial area known for its industrial open pit iron mining. Companies in the area were clamoring for a convention center of some kind so they could host corporate meetings and events without having to travel great distances.

So far, the center has been well received. Groups hosting events there can participate in ice skating or indulge their competitive sides by facing off against their colleagues with ice bumper cars, which look like colorful innertubes on wheels. A Marriott TownePlace Suites hotel and lofts will break ground

Courtesy Elms Hotel and Spa

ELMS HOTEL AND SPA

Courtesy

IRON TRAIL MOTORS EVENT CENTER

next to the convention center in spring 2023, including 70 hotel rooms and 61 extended stay lofts.

irontrailmotorseventcenter.com

GLASS CITY CENTER

Toledo, Ohio

Toledo’s Glass City Center was built in 1987 with a 75,000-square-foot column-free exhibit hall, an executive conference room for 16 and 25 private meeting rooms that can seat 40 to 400. The facility recently completed a $60 million renovation that included building a brand new 16,000-square-foot ballroom with 25-foot ceilings, which opened in August, as well as a large pre-function space with amazing city views and a terrace overlooking downtown Toledo. The existing 400,000 square feet of space received upgrades to lighting, décor and artwork.

The exhibit hall can accommodate 3,000 people for a banquet, while the ballroom has seating for up to 900. Located in the heart of downtown Toledo, the facility is connected to a new combined Hilton Garden Inn and a Homewood Suites with 217 guest rooms. A Renaissance Hotel just two blocks away has 240 rooms.

The center is strategically located near interstates 75 and 80/90, making it a great regional destination, and it is within walking distance of Fifth Third Field, home of the Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball team, and Huntington Center, an 8,000-seat arena. An on-site caterer provides all of the meals, snacks and beverage service for attendees.

“Toledo was one of the rustbelt cities that went into a bit of disrepair for a while,” said Steve Miller, ASM global general manager for Huntington Center and Glass City Center. “It is on its way back. This convention center renovation will bring visitors into town; and they will have such a great experience, it will keep increasing our opportunities.” glasscitycenter.com

THE CAMP AT ARC

Jeffersonville, Indiana

The brainchild of Alan Muncy, the owner of ARC Construction Management, the Camp at ARC is a truly unique indoor event space that was designed to look like a campsite next to a beautiful lake in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Murals of pine trees and a lakefront complete with a beach line the walls and meeting attendees can utilize a pontoon boat, shiny silver Airstream trailer and picnic tables for breakout sessions.

Courtesy Glass City Center

GLASS

Pictured: Janesville Womans Club

Meeting Guide

A stage on one end of the space is built to resemble a wooden deck with a large fireplace. There are Adirondack chairs and custom-built swings throughout and upside-down metal canoes hanging from the ceiling to provide mood lighting after the sun goes down.

The 10,000-square-foot space can accommodate 250 guests. When attendees aren’t participating in conference activities, they can hang out and socialize in the pontoon boat, shoot pool, play video games or table tennis. In the evening, the space can be turned into a dinner party or reception space. The camp plans to add a pickleball court and other fun activities. The facility has state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, including a huge projection screen that takes up the entire stage space. There are also 75-inch TVs on each side of the room that can simulcast whatever is on the projector.

Guests staying at the camp can choose from an approved list of caterers for food service. A nearby bar, The Alcove, provides bar service for the venue, curating drink menus depending on the vibe of the party or event, from beer and fine wine to bourbon tasting.

thecampatarc.com

THE CAMP AT ARC

Courtesy The Camp at ARC

Meeting Guide

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

America’s Heartland encompasses beautiful natural surroundings and history dating back to before the founding of the United States, making it a perfect spot for meeting planners to find unique venues to give their events added flair. From well-preserved woods and historic mansions to a former open pit iron mining operation, here are a handful of off-site venues that offer more than just meeting spaces.

JOSLYN CASTLE AND GARDENS

Omaha, Nebraska

Completed in 1903, Joslyn Castle got its start as a 35-room Scottish Baronial mansion on the outskirts of Omaha. It was built by George and Sarah Joslyn. George was in the newspaper business and

Heartland Originals

counted the Rockefellers, Carnegies and Hearsts among his friends. He was the richest man in Nebraska when he passed away. After Sarah died in 1940, the mansion served as administrative offices for the Omaha Public Schools for 45 years and was later owned by the state.

Since 2010, the mansion has been managed by Joslyn Castle Trust. Meeting planners can rent the first floor for smaller meeting, banquets, weddings or receptions of up to 80 guests. The second floor is available for additional dinner seating. The facility has Wi-Fi, a sound system, and a large television for presentations or slide shows. Larger groups can use the first floor of the mansion and put up tents on the grounds.

The trust is raising money to repair the conservatory and redo the basement and hopes to turn the third-floor ballroom into an archive area to display furniture, photos and artifacts that once belonged to the Joslyns.

Tours are available, and special themed events are held there throughout the year, including murder mystery parties; a program called “A Little Dinner Music,” which offers

Courtesy Joslyn Catstle and Gardens

COMPLETED IN 1903, OMAHA’S JOSLYN CASTLE WELCOMES SMALL GROUPS FOR A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.

a fancy dinner and live music; and “Speakeasy,” where guests sample different kinds of liquor paired with hors d’oeuvres. Another program called “Unlocked” offers a tour of the entire house, even locations typically closed off to the public, along with a nice dinner.

joslyncastle.com

BRUSHWOOD CENTER AT RYERSON WOODS

Riverwoods,

Illinois

Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods is nestled in 565 acres of preserved woodlands in Lake County, Illinois. The center was founded in 1984 to support preservation of the woods following transfer of the property from Edward and Nora Ryerson and several neighboring families to Lake County Forest Preserves.

The nonprofit works with community partners to offer art and nature programs. Meeting planners can rent rooms in or rent the entire former vacation home for meetings or events. Surrounded by pristine woods, the site is perfect for getting out of the corporate boardroom and into nature. Guests to the preserve can kayak, canoe, hike or go bird watching.

Every room in the home offers beautiful views of the surrounding woods, and the Des Plaines River is only five minutes away. Groups of up to 400 people can rent the entire house. Cocktail receptions with hors d’oeuvres set up in different rooms can accommodate 80 to 200. There are three smaller rooms in the house that can be used for groups of six to 65 people. The Education Room can accommodate up to 30 lecture-style, while the Great Room can host groups of 48 seated at tables for a corporate meeting. Larger groups that want to use the space can set up tents in the parking lot area and garden.

The center markets itself as a place for wellness retreats. Staff can assist groups in developing wellness programs, such as yoga or meditation, or put together custom classes that nurture creativity, such as writing, exploring literature, nature journaling, painting or other art forms.

brushwoodcenter.org

KEMPER CENTER

Kenosha, Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, Kemper Center sits on the grounds of a 17.5-acre Kenosha County Park overlooking Lake Michigan and includes a 10-room Italianate Victorian mansion, a fine art gallery, a conference center and an observatory. The mansion was built for Wisconsin’s first U.S. senator, Charles Durkee, during the Civil War era. He sold the property in 1865, and it was expanded to serve as an all-girls school for 100 years.

Now it is a conference center. The original mansion is open for tours part of the year, with much of the original building preserved, and groups of 50 to 150 people can rent different rooms in the house. Simmons Auditorium can seat up to 150. It has hardwood floors, a large stage and murals dating to the 1800s. Founders Hall is a two-level area with a brick patio that can accommodate 115.

Courtesy Brushwood Center

BRUSHWOOD CENTER AT RYERSON WOODS

Courtesy Kemper Center

KENOSHA’S KEMPER CENTER

Ambrose Hall and the former Study Hall are additional small meeting locations.

Because of its location on the water, many groups choose to host private outdoor events in tents. The Kemper Grounds can accommodate 250 for an outdoor event with lake views, and Anderson Arts Center Grounds can host up to 500. Kemper Chapel, which was built in 1875, has beautiful stained-glass windows and detailed woodwork. It can seat 150. Groups can add on a guided history or architecture tour of Kemper Hall, Durkee Mansion and the grounds. Tours normally last about 90 minutes.

kempercenter.com

OLD COWTOWN MUSEUM

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita’s Old Cowtown Museum is a Western attraction that is also available for small meetings or large events. The museum, which opened in 1952 on the banks of the Arkansas River, features buildings from 1865 to 1880 that were brought to the property from Wichita and Sedgwick County for preservation. Designed to look like an Old West town, the facility features both residential and commercial buildings, including the first home built in Wichita, a blacksmith shop, 1880 working farm, dressmaker shop and a cowboy camp.

Every building houses period artifacts. Groups can take guided tours of the 23-acre site with a costumed interpreter, explore the town on their own or set up special tours of different shops to see how they operated in the 1880s. The visitor center has a great room that can seat 150. When paired with the outdoor patio, it can seat 200. For receptions, the combined space can accommodate groups up to 300.

The First Presbyterian Church, an authentic wood-frame church built in the 1870s, can seat 49. Fritz Snitzler’s Saloon can seat 68 guests at tables, and Turnverein Hall, a Victorian hall with stage, piano and kitchenette, can seat 82. Groups that want to rent out the entire museum after hours can accommodate groups of any size and add on wagon rides, gunfights, saloon or Victorian dancers, or music for entertainment.

oldcowtown.org

MINNESOTA DISCOVERY CENTER

Chisholm, Minnesota

One of the most unique museums in Minnesota, Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm is situated in an area of the

By Nichole Conard, courtesy Old Cowtown Museum

A STAGECOACH RIDE AT WICHITA’S OLD COWTOWN MUSEUM

The Perfect Meeting Place

Caesars Southern Indiana is perfect for business meetings, corporate events, banquets & more.

Only 30 minutes from Louisville, KY & two hours from Indianapolis, IN.

stacyp@thisisindiana.org | www.thisisindiana.org

state with a 125-year history of open-pit iron mining. The miners dig deep holes in the ground that fill up with crystal clear water from the aquifer, lending themselves to all sorts of recreational activities. Visitors can kayak in the pits or mountain bike in Redhead Mountain Bike Park.

The museum has beautiful views of the surrounding area and several meeting venues to choose from. A trolley system that used to connect many of the small towns in this part of the country now takes visitors along the edge of a mining pit to a former mining location where they can walk around and explore the buildings that are left, including a homestead, a boarding house and train station.

The museum includes information about the geology of the region, Native American History and immigration. A three-season pavilion outside the museum is enclosed in glass and has a stage. It can seat 240 people at round tables. Taconite Square can seat 135, and the theater, library and restaurant are also available as breakout spaces. Groups that rent out space in the museum can explore the exhibits as part of their event.

mndiscoverycenter.com

MINNESOTA DISCOVERY CENTER

Courtesy Minnesota Discovery

OUTCOMES.

SMALL MEETINGS NEED b g

HOST YOUR ORGANIZATION’S NEXT SMALL-SIZED MEETING OR CONFERENCE IN HAMILTON COUNTY AND REST EASY.

In Hamilton County, we know how big a small meeting can be. Whether it’s a conference, trade show, or any other type of special event, we can comfortably accommodate all your organization’s needs. With a diverse array of gathering places—barns to boardrooms to ballrooms—more than 5,000 hotel rooms, and 30,000 sq. ft. of contiguous event space for larger events, you can rest easy when you select Hamilton County to play host.

J U S T N O R TH O F I N DY

Waterfront in the Heartland

Meeting Guide

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Cities across America’s Heartland are situated on rivers, lakes and streams, making them wonderful waterfront destinations for meetings and events and great locations for enjoying the great outdoors. These five waterfront destinations offer plenty of traditional and unique meeting venues along with locally owned restaurants, boutique shops, and a chance to get out on the water and explore.

HOLLAND, MICHIGAN

Holland, Michigan, a quaint Dutch community, sits along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Guests love walking its cobblestone sidewalks as they peruse more than 100 shops, restaurants and galleries. It is best known for its Dutch attractions, including Windmill Island Gardens, which features beautiful Dutch architecture and a large working windmill that was brought over from the old country. Nelis’

Dutch Village is a re-creation of a Netherlands community from 100 years ago with canals, a Friesen house, and a barn where activities like Dutch klompen dancing and cheese making take place. De Klomp Wooden Shoe and Delft Factory in Holland makes traditional wooden shoes and The Netherlands’ famous hand-painted, glazed blue and white delftware. The Holland Museum has a large collection of Dutch art and furniture.

Holland Civic Center Place in the heart of downtown has 55,000 square feet of meeting space and recently underwent a $20 million renovation. Three hotels are within walking distance of the civic center, including the Haworth Hotel at Hope College (with 10,000 square feet of meeting space and several breakout rooms), Courtyard Holland Downtown and CityFlatsHotel Holland.

Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant has a huge conference space and a patio where guests can watch the boats go by. Windmill Island Gardens has a large pavilion that can host meetings, dinners and weddings for 300 people. Dutch Village has several meeting options for more casual, outdoor events with a Dutch ambiance. The city has

Courtesy Holland Area VB

THE HOLLAND HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE, ALSO KNOWN AS BIG RED, IS A HOLLAND LANDMARK ON THE SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN.

2,000 hotel rooms, with three new hotels being built in 2023 that will add an additional 300 rooms.

holland.org

DUBUQUE, IOWA

The oldest city in Iowa, Dubuque got its start because of its prime location on the Mississippi River. Located in the southeast corner of the state, adjacent to Wisconsin and Illinois, the city has become a regional hub for meetings or events.

Meeting planners have their pick of traditional meeting spaces, casinos and riverboats. Port Dubuque, a reclaimed industrial site, is home to the Grand River Center, the city’s 86,000-squarefoot conference center, as well as a large aquarium and museum and a beautiful trail called the Mississippi Riverwalk.

The convention center has a 30,000-square-foot exhibit hall for large trade shows or meetings and a 12,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom that can host groups up to 1,000 guests. The third-floor River Room features stunning views of the Mississippi River from its floor-to-ceiling windows and large balcony.

The Grand Harbor Resort is a full-service meeting hotel attached to the convention center via an enclosed, climate-controlled skywalk. It has 193 guest rooms and some smaller meeting spaces that can accommodate groups up to 100 guests. The resort has a 25,000-square-foot indoor waterpark to keep attendees entertained in their free time.

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The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium tells the stories of early settlers and Native Americans who called the area home. The aquarium has a 40,000-gallon saltwater tank that features animals native to the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. Meeting planners can host events up to 1,500 people among the exhibits or plan a picnic on the outdoor plaza facing the harbor.

The 750-passenger Celebration Belle offers scenic cruises with food and entertainment along the Mississippi River. traveldubuque.com

DAYTON, OHIO

Dayton is the birthplace of aviation. Many people don’t realize the Wright brothers were raised in the city. They began their study of flight and even attempted their first takeoffs there but were stymied by the lack of wind. Their legacy fueled many aviation-themed attractions, including the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, which features four hangars of aircraft from the beginnings of flight to the present. Visitors can see one of only two stealth bombers on display and the Air Force One plane that was used to bring John F. Kennedy’s body back from Dallas.

The city is known for its many waterways, including the Great Miami River, which runs through the heart of town. During the spring and summer, visitors can use kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards to explore the area. Four riverfront parks are another way to enjoy this waterfront destination.

The 150,000-square-foot Dayton Convention Center is the largest meeting venue, with a 68,352-square-foot column-free exhibit hall, a 672-seat theater and several smaller breakout spaces. The full-service Radisson Hotel Downtown Dayton, with 200 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space, is attached to the convention center.

Off-site venues include Carillon Historical Park, which has outdoor spaces that can host larger groups and an elegant two-tiered ballroom that seats up to 500 people. The Dayton Art Institute has several event spaces for up to 600 guests, and America’s Packard Museum is a fun place for receptions where guests can walk among the cars.

daytoncvb.com

KENOSHA, WISCONSIN

Lake Michigan is Kenosha’s No. 1 attraction, with nearly 90% of Kenosha County’s lakeshore publicly accessible. There are beaches, parks, bike paths, marinas and places to host festivals. The city itself has five beaches on Lake Michigan, so visitors have plenty of waterfront activities to participate in, including charter fishing and sailing.

smallmarketmeetings.com

“Grand

Visitors can rent standup paddleboards and kayaks to use in the harbor and duck-shaped paddleboats, which were added in 2022. The North Pier Lighthouse, which was built in 1906, is one of the most recognized landmarks in the area and is now privately owned and used as a studio. An older lighthouse, built in 1866, is open for visitors to climb and is part of the Southport Light Station Museum.

The city has an electric streetcar system traveling along the lakefront that includes a mix of vintage streetcars and more modern urban vehicles. The streetcars do a two-mile loop through downtown, stopping at three museums, as well as shopping and dining hotspots.

The city has a mix of full-service hotels and off-site venues that can fit the needs of any meeting group. Wyndham Garden Kenosha features two banquet halls and a lakeside deck that can host groups up to 200 people. The Stella Hotel and Ballroom downtown has 8,000 square feet of flexible event space and 80 guest rooms. The Civil War Museum, which overlooks the lake, and the Kenosha Public Museum both offer event space.

visitkenosha.com

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS

Evanston fancies itself an urban suburb of Chicago since it is a 30-minute jaunt to the city via train. Situated on Lake Michigan, Evanston is known for its pristine beaches and water-based activities, including swimming and boating. Northwestern University,

Courtesy Dayton CVB

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE IN DAYTON

residential neighborhoods and the only Baha’i House of Worship in the Western Hemisphere take up most of the lakefront property.

Evanston is a major meetings destination due to its proximity to Chicago and O’Hare International Airport. It has several full-service meeting hotels, including Hilton Garden Inn Chicago North Shore/Evanston, with 178 guest rooms and 5,800 square feet of meeting space; Hilton Orrington/Evanston, with 269 rooms and 26,705 square feet of meeting space; and Holiday Inn Chicago North-Evanston, with 159 rooms and 6,578 square feet of meeting space.

The Westin Chicago North Shore in nearby Wheeling is the largest full-service hotel in the area with 35,000 square feet of venue space and 412 guest rooms. Altogether, there are 4,500 hotel rooms in Chicago’s North Shore.

Palmhouse is a new meeting venue in Evanston that can host meetings and weddings, and the Double Clutch Brewing Company makes for an interesting off-site venue. Northwestern University has plenty of meeting options on campus, and Rotary International’s headquarters features several event spaces and meeting spaces equipped to translate meetings into any language from around the world.

In their free time, groups can tour the Baha’i House, which is right on the lake and features beautiful architecture, or the Illinois Holocaust Museum, which is one of the largest outside of Washington, D.C.

visitchicagonorthshore.com

Courtesy Chicago North Shore CVB

EVANSTON’S GROSSE POINT LIGHTHOUSE