Small Market Meetings October 2022

(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!

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

WheretheHeartlandGathers.com | 308-237-3178 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

IN SIGHTS

WITH VICKIE MITCHELL

RECONNECTING CREATIVELY

Whatever you call it — offuntogether—bonding,teambuilding,networkingbringingpeopleincasual,waysisatthetopmeetingplanners’

lists these days. After more than two years of lost or missed connections because of lockdowns, work from home, and cancelled meetings and conferences, recon necting is a top priority.

There are, thankfully, many ways to bring people to gether, and they vary from city to city. Destinations are full of ideas; here are a few from some of the country’s smaller cities.

nextbuildingareorganizationsInnovativetakingteamtothelevel

Connect Through Creativity

In Corpus Christi, Texas, creativity connects people. At the Art Mu seum of South Texas, which is filled with American art housed in a Philip Johnson-designed building on the bay, groups start their visit with a tour of the latest exhibits, then try their hand at making art in a pottery class or a workshop led by local creatives. What they make, they take home. Aboard the USS Lexington Museum, creative collab oration is needed to save the day. The World War II carrier is now a museum, and one of its modern features is Escape Rooms, where groups put their heads together to get out of trouble. They can choose from missions like Beat the Blast, where they race the clock to defuse a nuclear bomb hidden on board, or Face Your Fears, where they must find out what happened to a group of ghost hunters who are lost on the visitcorpuschristi.comship.

Just Add Water for Fluid Fun

California’s coastal towns can deliver bonding experienc es literally by the boatload. In Long Beach, passengers play trivia or sip wine aboard the country’s oldest gondolas as they wind through the Naples-like canals in the Belmont Shore neighborhood. To be near the water but not on it, wheeled vehicles of all types — from surreys to beach cruisers — can be rented from a vendor near the convention center for group rides along the beachfront bike path. In the Bay area’s Marin County, teams quickly become a seaworthy crew aboard two sailing ships. Employees from Google, Fit-Bit, National Geographic and many other leading companies have learned the basics of sailing or simply relaxed with coworkers aboard the Schooner Freda B. Call of the Sea’s four-hour Aloft Sea manship Program builds shipshape skills and self-confidence. For those who prefer to command their own vessel, 101 Surf Sports’ paddling or kayaking trips on the bay conclude with a relaxing visitmarin.orgvisitlongbeach.compicnic.

18 Holes Downsized; No Caddy Required

Who knew that Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, home to fa mous Valley Forge and many picturesque villages, is also a hotbed of golf’s inexpensive, low-skill/no-skill cousin, mini golf? No carts, no special shoes, no caddies required; just a competitive attitude and appreciation for imaginative design. At Tee’s Golf Center, waterfalls tumble over granite boulders into streams along the course. Freddy Hill Farms’ courses are themed: One is all about water with rivers, wa terfalls and rustic buildings. The Discover America course pays hom age to U.S. landmarks. Homemade ice cream, milkshakes and flurries are the rewards at the end of 18. One course at Waltz Golf Farm has a farm theme with a mini-vegetable farm; the other has waterfalls, a lighthouse and a magic castle. For rainy days, Arnold's Family Fun Center has a black-light course with an underwater theme that feels like golfing in an aquarium. Like many miniature golf courses, the one at Manatawny Green Mini Golf is ADA accessible. valleyforge.org

DULUTH

Creating Among Others Connects

When we create surrounded by others, we just naturally engage. We encourage one another, offer help and advice, laugh and applaud accomplishments. That’s why Kalama zoo, Michigan, has compiled a list of team-building options that bring small groups together to do artsy projects. For example, the Kalamazoo Candle Company can bring groups on-site to concoct scented wax candles or bring the party to the meeting with its mobile sand candle-making option. At Glass Art Kalamazoo, groups can blow glass, make lamps or fuse glass. Colors and Cocktails combines art and a glass or two of something alcoholic. Participants can paint and customize their own wine glass or beer mug or opt to paint the same scene on a 12-by-16-inch canvas. After they retire their paint and brushes, everyone can compare their “mas terpieces” and toast their artistic accomplishments. discoverkalamazoo.com

Put the Focus on Fun

Remember where you made your best buds early in life? Often, it was at play, which is part of the thinking behind the Family Fun Day that was a highlight of Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union’s recent annual meet ing in Duluth. Instead of the usual one-day, employee-only gathering, the credit union invited employees and their families for a multi-day getaway in the city on the shores of Lake Superior. More than 1,000 people attended the meeting, held at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. The high light was the family day in Bayfront Festival Park, with food trucks, nine bounce houses, a bingo tent, activities by the Duluth Chil dren’s Museum and music. A credit union official called it an important investment to build culture, saying, “It’s less about work and more about humanity and connection. And connection leads to collaboration…it’s our secret visitduluth.comsauce.”

MEETINGLEADERS

JACQUELINE GRENA

BY REBECCA TREON

Jacqueline Grena credits her mom with inspiring her to become an eventWhenplanner.Grena was still in high school, she worked on a project where she had to highlight her strengths and how they related to a possible career, but like many young people, she couldn’t quite see what her strengths were.

“All of my friends knew what they wanted to do. I had a friend whose dad was a den tist and she wanted to be a dentist. Another friend who was really good at math wanted to be a statistician. I didn’t feel like there was anything that I was really good at in that way, but my mom was the one that said, ‘You’re re ally good at organizing people and bringing them together,’” said Grena. “I didn’t know I could make a career out of that kind of thing — I didn’t know that event planning existed.”

Grena grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area but looked to Utah for college, where her mother had family and tuition was more affordable. Attending Utah State University in Logan, Grena decided that coordinating events was something she wanted to pursue. She majored in business, and her college job was the perfect complement to her studies. Grena worked as the catering manager at a local restaurant and then at the university it self as the conference registration coordina tor, a role that required managing all aspects of conference registration plus planning, organizing and coordinating meetings and other events, both on and off campus.

“During my last semester before I grad uated, I was doing full-time school and working full time as a venue coordinator for

a couple of different facilities,” said Grena. “I then worked briefly as a meeting plan ner, and that was the first experience I had sourcing destinations, hotels and venues, before the company went under.”

Grena used the downtime between po sitions to think about all the skills she had developed in those other roles, when her uncle, who works for Saint George City, sent her the job posting for the position at Great er Zion Convention and Tourism Office.

Grena said one of her biggest strengths is her natural affinity for logistics — which makes her great at planning all the details for an event.

“I like figuring out all the puzzle pieces to make timelines work, and I love bringing those visions to life for my clients on the lo gistics side of things,” she said. “It’s exhila rating to me to see all the work that leads up to an experience, then go to the destination and be there and experience it right along side the Whileattendees.”she’sbusyplanning events coordinat ed through the CTO by day, she has launched her own event-planning company that focuses on weddings, reunions, birthdays and other events where her expertise and familiarity with the local scene are a huge advantage.

“Each experience has been so valuable in its own way, and I’ve learned something new from each job that helped my desire to want to be an event planner,” she said. “My cur rent job checked all the boxes of everything I was looking for — being involved in events that touch people citywide, being able to use my skills with logistics to create incredible experiences for these planners. This was re ally just really where I was meant to be.”

EXECUTIVEPROFILE

NAME Jacqueline Grena

TITLE

Meeting and Convention Sales Manager

ORGANIZATION

Greater Zion Convention and Tourist Office

LOCATION

St. George, Utah

BIRTHPLACE Mansfield, Texas

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Utah State University

CAREER HISTORY

• Catering manager, Copper Mill Restaurant (2013-15)

• Conference registration coordinator at Utah State University (2015-16)

• Venue coordinator, Logan Steakhouse and Four Seasons Event Center (2016-17)

• Greater Zion CVB (2018-present)

“I like figuring out all the puzzle pieces to make timelines work, and I love bringing those visions to life for my clients on the logistics side of things.”

TIPS JACQUELINEFROMGRENA

• Embrace the local experiences available in the destination by building relationships early with your DMO partners and communicate your priorities.

• Do the things that make you smile! We all do better work when we love what we do.

• For those interested in working for a DMO/CVB, go out and explore the destination — you can’t sell it if you don’t know and love the area you’re in.

CENTRE’D AROUND YOU.

Make an impact with your next event at Boise Centre. Our versatile meeting and event spaces, modern amenities, and expert event planning team is at your service to ensure an unforgettable event experience. Located in the middle of the city’s energetic, walkable downtown Boise Centre is surrounded by local breweries, restaurants, shops, hotels and is minutes from outdoor adventures.

• Convenient downtown location

• Numerous direct flights and seven minutes from the airport

• Surrounded by restaurants, breweries, and nightlife

• Over 1,300 hotel rooms within walking distance

• Outdoor activities close by hiking, rafting, biking, and more

JACQUELINE GRENA VISITS A WINERY WITH HER BOYFRIEND, ED KIRBY.

BY RACHEL CRICK

What’s more motivating than the prospect of a day relaxing by turquoise Caribbean waters or exploring a historic European castle?

Very little, which is why companies invest in incentive travel programs, designed to re ward their top-performing employees and encourage competition.

Incentive programs often feature breathtaking destinations, luxurious lodging and plenty of fun activities. Incentive travel may seem like more play than work, but designing the perfect trip to reward a company’s hardest-working players involves a lot of care ful Theseplanning.tips from industry experts will get any incentive program off to a good start.

DREAM DESTINATIONS

At first glance, choosing the perfect loca tion for an incentive event may seem as simple as locating the nearest beach resort, but there are a lot more factors for planners to account for when designing the perfect program. A glamor ous destination is a must, because the program needs to be based in a desirable location to inspire competition and hard work. But not just any desirable vacation spot will do.

“At the end of the day what our customers are looking for are locations that the winners wouldn't necessarily take their families on vaca tion,” said Michelle Crosby, account executive at Brightspot Incentives and Events, an event-ser vices agency based in Irving, Texas.

For example, if a company is located in Texas and its workers tend to vacation in popular do mestic destinations like Florida, a more exciting location such as the Caribbean or Europe may be a good alternative. The point is to hit items on their bucket list — rather than run-of-themill vacation sites — to truly inspire motivation among company employees.

Other factors, such as the potential attendee demographics, will inform the choice of locale, according to Crosby. The age, gender, travel his tory and activity level of a company’s employees are all factors that planners must consider when selecting a destination. A more active group of employees is more likely to enjoy a Experiences

“It's really all about the winners having fun and creating memories that really motivate.”

Ashley Glade

FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL Done Right,

with a lot of potential for outdoor activities than a group of se nior-level executives looking to relax.

Another important factor is the history of the incentive pro gram; for many companies, the top performers and winners of in centive trips end up winning the trips multiple years in a row.

“A lot of companies don’t like to repeat destinations,” said Ash ley Glade, independent hospitality contractor and the founder and principal of Events Done Right, Inc.

Glade also points to logistical factors such as safety as import ant considerations. It’s unwise to plan incentive events on the Gulf of Mexico during hurricane season, for instance. Factors such as group size are also important, because very large groups or very small groups exclude cer tain destinations by default.

While meetings often take place domestical ly, the point of incentives is to think big, mean ing international destinations are frequently on the“You’dtable. go to Florida for a meeting, but you'd much rather go to Paris for an incentive trip,” saidAmyCrosby.Beilke, director of business develop ment at Carrousel Travel, a Minneapolis-based travel company, pointed out international trav el comes with other considerations; factors like obtaining visas or other documents, dealing with air travel, variable exchange rates and fees, and even immunizations are all important to look into when planning an international incen tive program.

BUDGETING FOR BONUSES

Another area where planning an incentive differs from planning a meeting, conference or similar event is the budget. That’s because in centive planners need to plan for a lot of extra expenses to make the trip special.

The first major budgetary consideration is budgeting for two. After all, one of the big gest purposes of an incentive is “to not only recognize and reward the award-winner who’s going on the trip but also those who support the award winner,” said Crosby. In other words, well-designed incentive programs usually ac commodate a winner and their plus-one, which

“An incentive is about an experience, so my big focus is trying to provide experiences that surprise and delight … things people wouldn't necessarily purchase for themselves or provide for themselves but they've always wanted to do.”

MANAGING

means the budget needs to reflect that. All activities, meals and accommodations should be designed to include two people.

When it comes to incentive travel, the key to ensuring a reward ing experience for the winners is detail: Are they served welcome drinks? Is their luggage taken up to their room automatically? Do they have room credits for a spa visit? Are meals and transporta tion free? These details are what determines the level of luxury of an incentive program, and often these details don’t come cheap.

“Your incentive budget is all about how the winner and their guest don’t have to open their wallets,” said Crosby.

Another extra to budget for is gifts for winners and their guests. Gifts, which can be simple or more elaborate, depending on the company’s requests, are one more thing that leave winners feeling rewarded and appreci ated for their hard work. Whether it’s a pair of sunglasses or a sweater, paying for a little extra something adds a level of detail and luxury to any incentive program.

One more factor to consider is paying for travel costs; while this may not be automatically included for attendees of a conference, travel to the destination should be included in the incen tive program. Since many destinations for incen tive travel are international, that means airfare, which can be pricey. There’s also transportation from the airport, as well as to and from activi ties. Planners should include all these expenses in their budgets so that incentive winners don’t have to pay for them.

The budget for an incentive trip is usually go ing to be larger than that for another kind of trip, but the point of having an incentive program is to motivate employees to work harder, meaning it all evens out in the end.

“The whole purpose of an incentive is that it’s a self-funded marketing initiative,” said Bielke.

CRAFTING AN EXPERIENCE

Just like it’s fitting to choose a destination that guests wouldn’t normally go to for vacation, it’s important to choose activities they might not necessarily be able to do on their own, especially activities that may otherwise not be affordable or accessible to the average traveler. Activities like parasailing or scuba diving are great, as are other excursions or activities unique to the area.

Michelle Crosby

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Brightspot Incentives and Events Experience: 25 years

On the difference between planning a meeting and an incentive program:

“It's more about a luxury, highend experience as opposed to a meeting, which is more regulated and regimented.”

MANAGING

“We're always looking for things off the beaten path, things they can’t do on their own,” said Bielke.

When it comes to designing the agenda, the big difference between planning meetings and conferences and planning an incentive program is what the participants get out of them.

“Meetings have an objective, but incentives are about an experience,” said Glade.

Creating a rewarding experience is all about making good memories. Fun and unique activities, delicious meals and beautiful settings are what create these memories, so giving participants the time and ability to enjoy them is critical.

Some organization leaders might want to combine the in centive trip with a sales meeting or other business session. However, there’s a balance. Too much structure or too many activities may take away the relaxation aspect of an incen tive trip. Too few activities may make the trip seem boring or poorly designed, so a good compromise is to offer the winners and their plus-ones choices on how to spend their time.

Whether they want to relax on the beach all day or partic ipate in local adventures, they should participate at their lei sure, “almost like there’s no agenda,” said Crosby.

When it comes to creating an ideal mix of work and fun, it depends on the company hosting the incentive. While some companies want to incorporate a meeting or ceremony into the agenda, or even a half-day of meetings before the fun be gins, programs that include too much work may not be as re warding for winners.

“Some kind of business can be accomplished, but the big difference is that incentives are more fun-focused,” said Glade.

There are other ways to build in work without it over whelming the purpose of the trip. Some incentive programs accomplish this by building in time to recognize the winners’ achievements with a group breakfast with the executive team or a presentation honoring them. Group dinners or excursions are also a great way to include networking that’s productive without taking away from the rewarding aspects of the trip.

Chandler’s entrepreneurial spirit energizes meetings and events

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

Dr. Alexander Chandler is long gone, but his entrepreneurial spirit lives on in the Arizona city that bears his name and many of his creative touches.Dr.Chandler developed the state’s first grass golf course, still in play at the edge of downtown Chandler. The town’s main street follows his early 1900s design, shaded by palms, flanked by his toric buildings. The hotel Dr. Chandler masterminded remains an anchor, serving meetings that enjoy its ambiance, meeting space and walkable downtown location.

Visitors who expect a suburb of Phoe nix will be surprised. Chandler is a city in its own right, founded by Dr. Chan dler only 30 years after Phoenix was es tablished. There’s no doubt though that proximity to the metropolis is an advan tage. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, a major hub, is a 20-minute drive. Interstate 10 is 10 minutes from downtown.

Bordering the Phoenix metro on the southeast, Chandler is home to global cor porations, start-ups and small business es. It’s a thriving city where Dr. Chandler would feel at home among minds that, like his, buzz with new ideas.

“There’s a lot of entrepreneurial ener gy that runs through our community,” says Kimberly Janes, tourism program manager for Visit Chandler. “It’s great to incorporate that energy into meetings; it really helps them blossom.”

GOOD VARIETY OF CONFERENCE HOTELS

A top choice for meetings is the 249-room Crowne Plaza Phoenix Chan dler Golf Resort, with its 32,000 square feet of meeting space and the San Marcos Golf Course at its edge. When Dr. Chandler opened the resort and golf course in 1913, the then-San Marcos Resort was the first true resort in Arizona. Since then dozens of hotels have opened in Chandler, especially in the last 20 years, when its 1,300 total hotel rooms increased to today’s 3,900.

Among the newest is the 264-room Marriott Phoenix Chandler, which opened in 2019 in the Price Road Corridor, where many companies are locat ed. Its 28,000 square feet of meeting space, all on the main floor, adjoins the lobby and a popular bar. The hotel’s west side faces the desert and mountains so sunsets are knockouts by the pool or on the poolside event lawn.

Other conference hotels include the 192-room Hilton Phoenix Chan dler with 16,000 square feet of meeting space and the 106-room Holiday Inn Phoenix Chandler, with 2,000 square feet of meeting space. Limited-ser vice properties are plentiful, including a number near the city’s popular Chandler Fashion Center mall, home to 200 stores and restaurants. The first Arizona location of destination sporting goods retailer SCHEELS will open there in fall 2023.

LOCAL IS THE NORM

Local businesses are abundant, includ ing restaurants, which tend to cover a lot of culinary bases thanks to residents from many countries and cultures.

“Our diverse workforce really helps us, especially as far as dining options and the variety of things to do in the area,” says Janes.

In downtown, some 40 restaurants and bars serve meals to suit most every taste: Thai, Mexican, sushi, ramen, Ital ian, American steak and burgers, Irish and BBQ, to name a few. It can make planning for a group easy. “For an offsite dinner, they could just turn people loose downtown to explore for themselves,” says Janes.

There’s also plenty of post-dinner en tertainment. “About 14 venues have live music. So every night live music is avail able,” she said.

Dining out can also be an adventure. At the Perch, guests meet exotic birds rescued by the bar and restaurant’s owner. The lush gardens and a massive rooftop bar feel like an oasis in the desert. And speaking of fowl, there’s also the Ostrich, a subterranean speakeasy named for one of Dr. Chandler’s business ventures. He hatched a plan to raise ostriches for their feathers during the roaring 20s. While the business didn’t work out, it did inspire an ostrich-theme festival, held each year in Chandler.

A lush patio is a feature at The Hidden House, a remade 1930s cottage with three dining areas with different atmospheres. It’s a favorite for cele bratory and upscale dinners.

One of Uptown Chandler’s big surprises is SanTan Brewing, Arizona’s largest independent brewery and distillery combo. It can work its way into meetings in several ways. Tours of its 35,000-square-foot production facility tell its story, describe brewing and distilling processes and offer samples of beers and spirits. SanTan is also a popular events space, with a private room and extensive options from its kitchen--anything from passed appetizers to taco and slider bars and full-out buffets.

Another locally inspired off-site venue, Greenhouse Gardens, is a small ur ban farm run by a local couple. They are happy to arrange farm-to-table din ners prepared by a local chef and served at tables outdoors or in a restored barn.

Crowne Plaza Phoenix Chandler Golf Resort

Bear Creek Golf Complex

Crust Simply Italian

To add Western spirit to an evening, there’s the Eddie Basha Collection, a corporate gallery that surrounds guests at private receptions with 3,000 pieces of Western and American Indian art.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

As people begin to travel again, Janes is seeing more families tag along to meetings. They find plenty to fill their free hours in Chandler. Younger chil dren love the Crayola Experience, one of five locations in the U.S., where kids can spend hours dashing among 20 hands-on Crayola-themed projects.

In the heat of the summer, indoor activity centers offers cool retreats for fun, with everything from bowling and climbing walls to escape rooms and tram polines. Many public pools in the area are like mini water parks, with elabo rate water slides and lazy rivers. Chandler’s position on the desert’s edge, with mountains nearby, opens up opportunities for hikes, horseback rides and hotair ballooning.Allinall,it

is a friendly, relaxed city for meetings and events.

“Chandler is a very personable community,” says Janes, who’s worked there nearly 20 years. “You get to know folks and part of that goes back to that entrepreneurial spirit. Have you ever met an entrepreneur? They’re al ways happy to keep talking about what they love.”

“There’s a lot meetings;energyentrepreneurialofthatrunsthroughourcommunity.It’sgreattoincorporatethatenergyintoitreallyhelpsthemblossom.”

— KIMBERLY JANES Rush Extreme rock climbing wall

VISIT CHANDLER

Patio at The Hidden House

SanTan Brewing Company

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Pool at the Marriott Phoenix Chandler

Crayola Experience

HOTSPOTSREGIONAL

These regional meeting destinations are situ ated perfectly to accommodate different markets across the country. They’re also worth looking into for their excellent venues, local activities and dis tinct charms.

HAMILTON COUNTY,INDIANA

Above: Just aroundgroupsdestinationisIndianapolis,outsideCarmelapopularmeetingforcomingfromtheMidwest.

BY RACHEL CRICK

Location, location, location — every plan ner knows that’s what’s important when it comes to designing a meeting or con ference, especially one accommodating groups from a regional market.

After all, even the most elegant events have the potential to flop if they’re not accessible to attend ees. To solve this problem, many meeting planners seek out destinations centrally located in the re gions where their attendees live.

Hamilton County, Indiana, is a northern suburb of Indianapolis, representing four cities: Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville and Westfield. Because of its central location in both Indiana and the country, it’s a great location for Midwestern markets. It at tracts plenty of regional association and SMERF groups thanks to the abundance of national cor porate headquarters in the area, as well as its low hotel tax and free hotel parking.

“Because of our central location and proximity to several major metropolitan areas, we are easy to drive to and offer big city amenities at a much low er cost,” said Laura Kelner, director of sales at Visit Hamilton County Indiana.

Embassy Suites Noblesville is the area’s largest convention hotel, with over 31,000 square feet of

Meeting groups flock to these cities from nearby states

Courtesy Hamilton Co. Tourism

event space in total and a conference center that can accommodate up to 1,550 attendees banquet-style. Another popular destination for smaller to midsize meetings is the Hotel Carmichael, an upscale Mar riott Autograph Collection hotel in Carmel featur ing a musical theme and plenty of live entertain ment for attendees to enjoy. The Hotel Carmichael also has a 2,400-square-foot ballroom seating 200 and several smaller meeting rooms that provide an elegant setting for any event.

In the winter months, Hamilton County has an ice rink and inflatable igloos for attendees to check out in their downtime. The county is also home to a thriving performing arts district and a bourgeoning restaurant and brewery scene.

ORANGEvisithamiltoncounty.comGULFSHORES/BEACH,ALABAMA

Serving the market in the Southeast is Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. In addition to its most notable feature — its 32-mile whitesand, sun-soaked Gulf Coast beach — it offers plenty of venues for regional meetings and con ferences. Also known for the ecosystems of its waterways and the nation’s largest artificial reef program, it’s a beautiful slice of the Gulf Coast for attendees to enjoy.

“Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is an ideal lo cation for meetings, conventions and board re treats, being within an eight-hour drive of many major Southeast markets,” said Michelle Russ, vice

Gulf Shores scenes, clockwise from left: The pool deck at Perdido Beach Resort; a beachfront lodge at Gulf State Park; public beach access

“Because of our central location and proximity to several major metropolitan areas, we are easy to drive to and offer big city amenities at a much lower cost.”

— Laura Kelner, Visit Hamilton County Indiana

Photos courtesy Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

president of sales, sports and events at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism.

The Orange Beach Event Center at the Wharf is located in the Wharf Entertain ment district. It offers 18,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, a cater ing kitchen and audiovisual equipment. Gulf Shores also features several full-ser vice hotels and resorts ideal for hosting meetings and events, such as the Perdido Beach Resort. It has 44,000 square feet of newly renovated indoor and outdoor spaces for meetings, banquets and oth er events, including a 7,800-square-foot beach deck with a view of the water that can accommodate 400 banquet-style. The Lodge at Gulf State Park offers 40,000 square feet of sophisticated event space, featuring the largest beach-view ballroom on the Gulf Coast, which can seat 800 banquet-style.

In their downtime, attendees can en joy the beach or a sunset cruise to view dolphins and other marine life. gulfshores.com

PADDLING IN GULF SHORES

courtesy Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

HOST YOUR SMALL TO MID-SIZE MEETING COMFORTABLY IN HAMILTON COUNTY

Whether you’re hosting a conference or a meeting, whether you’re organizing a trade show or putting on any other type of special event, we can comfortably accommodate all of your meeting needs. We have a diverse array of event spaces, from barns to boardrooms to ballrooms—not to mention more than 5,000 hotel rooms and 30,000 sq. ft. of contiguous event space for your larger events.

IDEAS NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

Conveniently located between Boston, and New York City, Newport, Rhode Island, is an excellent destination for East Coast groups to meet. This well-known historic sailing town hosts meetings and events within every industry, from pharma ceuticals to associations, because of its accessibility and its array of offerings for attendees. In addition to its large selection of full-service meeting hotels, there is an impressive selection of elegant off-site settings for any event.

“There’s so much to choose from in this little town for activities and for the venues,” said Tim Walsh, vice president of sales at Discover Newport.

One of the area’s top meeting hotels is the Newport Marriott, located in historic downtown Newport. This hotel, which is within walking dis tance from many of Newport’s local attractions, is the town’s largest, with 16 meeting rooms and over 24,000 square feet of meeting space. The Hotel

Viking is an elegant, historic setting for meet ings and events, with ballroom seating 400 ban quet-style and 12 total meeting rooms. There are plenty of other historic and boutique inns and ho tels for planners to choose from, such as the Chan ler at Cliff Walk and Castle Hill Inn, which features panoramic ocean views. Other popular venues in Newport include its many historic Gilded Age mansions, Newport Vineyards and the Internation al Tennis Hall of Fame.

Newport scenes, clockwise from left: A corporate event at the Elms; dusk at Hotel Viking; NewportMarriott

Courtesy Newport Marriott

Courtesy Hotel Viking

Courtesy Discover Newport

“There’s so much to choose from in this little town for activities and for the venues.”

— Tim Walsh, Discover Newport

IDEAS

Attendees can spend their free time soaking up the area’s history while they enjoy the harbor breeze and fresh seafood.

SPOKANE,discovernewport.orgWASHINGTON

Spokane is the second largest city in Washing ton and a jewel in the region known as the Inland Northwest. The city’s charm is enhanced by its abundant water features, including Spokane Falls and the Spokane River, which run through down town. The Spokane International Airport and its easy interstate access, along with local gems like its historic carrousel, make it a delightful and conve nient destination for conferences and meetings.

“We serve a pretty big regional population that is part of eastern Washington and also northern Idaho, western Montana and even parts of southern Alber ta, Canada,” said Ruth Fitzgerald, vice president of sales at Visit Spokane. “We’re kind of the place where everybody comes to meet and rest and recreate.”

The Spokane Convention Center is a bright, modern facility next to a river gorge that features 300,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, including 41 meeting rooms and two con nected hotels. The First Interstate Center for the Arts is connected to the convention center but pro vides a separate event venue with 2,600 seats and a lobby with a capacity of 700 reception-style.

Another member of the Marriott Autograph Collection, the Davenport Grand is a full-service meeting and convention hotel with nearly 64,000 square feet of sophisticated meeting space. For smaller meetings, the Ruby River Hotel has 3,000 square feet of meeting space with a relaxing view of the Spokane River. Other notable off-site venues include Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, a stunning win ery on a historic property, and the Pavilion at Riv erfront Park, an open-air venue with a unique light display and views of Spokane’s skyline.

visitspokane.com

Spokane scenes, clockwise from left:

Riverfront Park

Carousel; Arbor Crest Wine Cellars; Spokane ConventionCenter

Photos courtesy Visit Spokane

The premier event and meeting venue in Kentucky.

Centrally located between Louisville and Lexington, the Shelbyville Conference Center melds versatility, beauty, and modern amenities to provide a welcoming and accommodating venue for events of all types.

Flexible floorplans and state-of-the-art technology allow for all groups of any size — from as intimate as 10 guests to as grand as 400 attendees — to gather together in the premier event and meeting venue in Kentucky.

Call (502) 633-6388 to discuss availability and for all inquiries.

FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS

Centrally located within easy driving distance of all major metropolitan areas in Texas, Freder icksburg is the ideal location for regional groups in the South and Southwest. The town was founded in 1846 by German immigrants and is still home to a thriving German culture, in addition to its Texas charm. Fredericksburg is also famous for its spot in the heart of Texas wine country and features plenty of wineries with event space in addition to hotels, ranches and other traditional Texas venues.

The small town is “where Texan hospitality and German traditions thrive,” said Amanda Koone, director of communications at the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau.

The Hangar Hotel is an aviation-themed hotel and event space. Its Pacific Showroom can accom modate up to 250 attendees, while its conference center can hold up to 350. It also offers full-ser vice catering. Another popular hotel for events is the Fredericksburg Inn and Suites, featuring 3,700 square feet of total function space.

Some of the area’s most prominent wineries to host events at include Lost Draw Cellars and Signor Vineyards, both of which offer tastings and outdoor event space. Other off-site venues include the Contigo Ranch, a working ranch with 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space in the rolling Texas hills, and the National Museum of the Pacific War, a 55,000-square-foot museum campus that can host events for up to 200 guests.

visitfredericksburgtx.com

Centrally located within easy driving distance of all major metropolitan areas in Fredericksburg is the ideal location for regional groups in the South

By Trish Rawls, courtesy Fredericksburg CVB

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All photos courtesy Experience Grand Rapids

The Grand River shapes the contours of downtown Grand Rapids, a thriving city in western Michigan.

Grand Rapids is a thriving destination for meetings

BY ELIZABETH HEY

People who know Grand Rapids charac terize it as cool, clean and friendly with soft edges. Imagination and energy per meate this city’s arts, food and culture scenes, and beautiful natural areas lie at its doorstep. The Grand River flows through the city cen ter, and numerous venues take advantage of pan oramic river views. A mere 35 miles away, Lake Michigan’s shoreline beckons with sand dunes and dazzling sunsets.

CITY GRAND RAPIDS AT A GLANCE

LOCATION: West Michigan

ACCESS: Gerald R. Ford International Airport

HOTEL ROOMS: 10,300 CONTACT INFO: Experience Grand Rapids experiencegr.com877-847-4847

D E VOS PLACE

BUILT: 1997 EXHIBIT SPACE: 240,000 square feet

OTHER MEETING SPACES: 21 meeting rooms

MEETING HOTELS

Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton GUEST ROOMS: 659 MEETING SPACE: 48,195 square feet

JW Marriott Grand Rapids GUEST ROOMS: 336 MEETING SPACE: 20,000 square feet

Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown by Marriott GUEST ROOMS: 214 MEETING SPACE: 10,000 square feet

WHO’S MEETING IN GRAND RAPIDS

American Fisheries Society: JASM 2022 ATTENDEES: 3,500

US Travel Association: ESTO 2022 ATTENDEES: 900

National Forum for Black Public Administrators ATTENDEES: 700

Destination Highlights

Creativity and a big-city vibe embody Grand Rapids. Halfway be tween Chicago and Detroit, in the western corner of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Grand Rapids boasts a walkable downtown with more than 200 restaurants, breweries, shops, museums and entertainment venues. Public art is everywhere. Some pieces were originally installed as part of the annual ArtPrize competition and festival. ArtPrize takes place each Sep tember on varied spaces within a three-mile radius of downtown, which is also home to two art museums.

Artistic license extends to the dining scene. The World Food Travel Association has named Grand Rapids one of the world’s best dining and beverage destinations. The Grand Rapids Food Trail spotlights a wide variety of deliciousness, including the Downtown Market, touting artisan food vendors, classroom kitchens and a dizzying schedule of food events under one greenhouse-covered roof. Known as Beer City USA, the city’s “Ale Trail” encompasses more than 80 breweries.

“We’re fortunate to have a culinary school as part of our community col lege, and many chefs are trained here,” said Janet Korn, senior vice president of Experience Grand Rapids. “We embrace locally owned, farm-to-table and culturally interesting dining.”

Nature inspires art at the renowned Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park and on the city’s numerous biking and hiking trails, parks and golf courses. Parks and green spaces are active much of the year. For instance, Rosa Parks Circle boasts ice skating in winter and concerts in warmer months. In the next several years, resto ration of the Grand River rapids will include development of a river walk.

After the Meeting

Sports lovers will want to head to Van Andel Arena. From its 12,000-plus seats, crowds watch the Grand Rapids Griffins ice hockey team and the Grand Rapids Gold NBA G league, an affiliate of the Denver Nuggets. In addition, its calendar includes big-name concerts and other events.

Entertainment at the DeVos Performance Hall features the Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Rapids Ballet, Opera Grand Rapids, Broadway Grand Rapids and tour ing concerts. Smaller and more contemporary, GLC Live at 20 Monroe hosts live music, comedy shows and more in its 2,600-seat concert hall. At Studio Park, attendees can take in a movie at the Celebration Cinema boasting nine indoor screens with heated, reclining seats, in-the ater food and a full bar, plus a 10th outdoor screen. “Vis itors can find many smaller music venues throughout downtown that, on any given night, are hosting live per formances,” said Korn.

Brewery tours are always popular. Within walking dis tance of the hotels are eight craft breweries.

“Not only do our breweries specialize in great beer, they also curate cool food that accompanies their craft beer,” said Korn. “Beer lovers and foodies enjoy visiting our breweries.”

Distinctive Venues

Numerous Grand Rapids venues showcase art and nature. The celebrated Frederik Meijer Gar dens and Sculpture Park is ranked in the top 45 most-visited art museums worldwide. Located on 158 acres, its sculpture collection features nearly 300 works, both inside and throughout the gardens, featuring artists such as Rodin, Degas and Moore. Spaces will accommodate 10 to 5,000 attendees in indoor and outdoor settings. Meetings can seam lessly transition into garden receptions and tours.

Across the river from the JW Marriott, the Grand Rapids Public Museum offers a large, open gathering space routinely reserved for conferences due to its walkable location from the downtown hotels. Meetings, social gatherings and din ners take place amidst museum exhibits for a one-of-a-kind experience. The museum’s Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium uses the latest projection technology and immersive surround sound for star shows.

Fostering team-building activities, John Ball Zoological Garden near downtown offers a variety of options. Attendees can tour like a kid, zip line through the trees and encounter animals via zoo experiences. Smaller meetings or luncheons, for up to 180 guests, can be held in the glass-walled Bissell Tree House, where attendees ride a funicular or shuttle to this hilltop location. After-hours zoo rentals can include camel rides, the zip line, a ropes course and more.

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“Grand Wayne Center is a stunning work of architecture with easy access to hotels, restaurants and entertainment. Our members were impressed with how clean, modern, walkable, and friendly downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, proved to be. Championship

Major Meeting Spaces

Situated on the Grand River, the DeVos Place Convention Center façade makes a contemporary statement while maintaining its original art deco lobby. The facility features a 162,000-square-foot exhibit space, 40,000 square foot ballroom (the state’s second largest) and 26 meeting rooms, totaling 32,000 square feet. Additionally, the center’s 2,543-seat DeVos Performance Hall can be used for general sessions or a keynote address.

Connected to DeVos Place by a glass, above-the-street walkway are the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, JW Marriott Grand Rapids and the Courtyard Marriott. The 659-room Am way Grand Plaza Hotel first opened in 1913. It provides 47,120-square-feet of meeting space, four ballrooms and 42 technology-rich meeting rooms. Luxury suites, located in the property’s Glass Tower, deliver panoramic views.

“Three of the ballrooms are on the historic side, so they have a lot of character,” said Korn. “One ballroom was originally built as a bank in the corner of the hotel.”

The next-largest property, the 336-room JW Marriott Grand Rapids, boasts a foot ball-shaped curvature to all of its rooms that showcases attention-grabbing views. Ac cording to Korn, the commissioned photography throughout the hotel celebrates Grand Rapids’ international sister cities. Attendees will find 15,000 square feet of flexible meet ing space, a ballroom for 1,000 and 14 meeting, breakout and banquet rooms.

Visitors mingle with the locals at the 214-room Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown by Marriott. This tall downtown building houses the hotel, apartments and condos with river views. Meetings can utilize 10,639 square feet of event space, 10 meeting rooms and five breakout rooms.

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

MAJOR MEETING SPACES

DeVos Performance Hall

DeVos Place Convention Center

Connecting in Oregon’s Eugene, Cascades & Coast

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

Working from home has advantages, but getting to know coworkers isn’t one of them. No won der meeting planners are looking for destinations that help people connect.

A SAMPLING FOR ALL INTERESTS

As more groups try to “figure out how to come together,” the Eugene, Cascades and Coast region’s plentiful adventures have made it even more attractive, says Juanita Metzler, senior director, conven tions, for Travel Lane County. A list of more than a dozen itineraries is just a start, and every idea is adaptable. “It’s all based on interests, price point and time,” she said.

For a tight schedule, a two-hour rafting trip along the Willamette River is “all in the downtown corridor so it’s very easy to do,” says Metzler. For a longer trip, or one with whitewater, groups can opt for the nearby McKenzie River.

Art becomes an appetizer or intermez zo on walking tours that take in down town restaurants, breweries and wineries with stops to admire murals along the way, among them new ones painted for the 2022 World Athletics Championships, which were held for the first time in the United States in Eugene in July.

For a free afternoon, the 60-mile drive to Florence on the Pacific Coast leads to more than half a dozen activities. A horse back ride on the beach is popular aboard well-mannered horses. Tours of America’s largest sea cave include meet ups with res

ident sea lions. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, one of the larg est expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world, makes for rollicking fun. Dune buggies large and small load up for memorable adventures in the wind-sculpted sand dunes towering to 500 feet above sea level.

OTHER OUTINGS

Other outings are more sedate: Strolls up to Heceta Head Lighthouse for a tour and picnic; tax-free shopping in historic Old Town Florence; a few lucky hours at Three Rivers Casino.

Whiling away time at a winery is a natural, with 700 of the state’s 980 wineries located in the world-renowned Willamette Valley. Near Eugene, King Estate Winery, the state’s largest winery, demonstrates how to eliminate rodents in a natural way using raptors. Some of the birds were rehabilitated at the Cascades Raptor Center, which offers tours. At smaller wineries, event options are varied. Groups might bring picnics to some and line up for food trucks and live music at others.Travel Lane County even has a way for planners to fund all the fun. Groups meeting in the region for the first time can earn a rebate of $5 per room night up to $3,500 for meetings held by June 30, 2023.

There’s really nothing to keep groups from connecting in the region, includ ing getting there. Eight airlines serve the Eugene Airport, with direct flights to Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Phoenix and other major hubs. CVB and airport officials keep in touch, so airlines can adjust service for large con ventions and events. It’s just one more way Eugene, Cascades & Coast makes it easy to bring people together.

METRO MEETS RURAL IN

BY KATHERINE TANDY BROWN

The first things a visitor should know about Lima, Ohio, are the correct pronunciation and the origin of its name.

This town was built on land originally part of the Great Black Swamp, a 1,500-square-mile tract in Northwest Ohio, Lower Mich igan and Northeast Indiana formed thousands of years ago by the Wisconsin Glacier. Lima was named after the town in Peru that was the source of quinine used to cure malaria caused by the swamp’s deadly population of mos quitos. Today, the land’s remaining 21,010 acres are preserved by a conservancy.

Unlike the South American Lima — pronounced LEE-mah — Ohio’s pro nunciation is like the bean, LIE-ma.

Because Lima was part of the late 1800s oil boom, parts of town are rife with lovely Victorian mansions. One of those, the 6,500-square-foot Mac Donell House, is part of the Allen County Museum. The only such accredited facility in the state, the museum is filled with history, culture and art.

“The museum really opens visitors’ eyes to our area’s rich treasures,” said Christine Pleva, executive director of Visit Greater Lima.

Surrounding the city, land tends to be flat and rich with crops, cattle and horses. Agricultural tourism reigns, with festivals, corn mazes and hayrides.

“In the past two or three years, we’ve seen new venues open with more of a rural, rustic, nature-based theme,” Pleva explained. “Renovated old barns and brand new ones as venues bring a small-town, low-key atmosphere to events. And a number of downtown restaurants, such as The Met and 318, have added banquet rooms.”

“It’s great that we can offer both metropolitan and rural meeting spaces.”

Lima’s agricultural and industrial background remain important parts of its modern identity. For instance, the 135-acre Allen County Fairgrounds hosts some of the area’s largest events, such as the Ohio National Motorcycle Cham pionships, professional bull riding and horse shows in its 95,000-square-foot event center and 50,000-square-foot pavilion.

That agrarian aspect coupled with recent downtown growth has made Lima a well-rounded gem.

“In the past few years,” Pleva said, “our downtown has experienced a big resurgence, resulting in more retail, restaurants and galleries.”

A lively example is ArtSpace, an arts organization with galleries and class rooms in a 160-year-old renovated brick building on Lima’s Town Square. The nonprofit places art in galleries at banks, restaurants and boutiques.

BOARD AND BRUSH CREATIVE STUDIO

Major Meeting Spaces

Built to honor Lima residents who served in the armed forces, the Vet erans Memorial Civic and Convention Center (VMCCC) in the Town Square includes a three-section, 13,950-square-foot exhibit hall, 10 meeting rooms and an outdoor patio. In addition, a 1,774-seat proscenium theater hosts a Broadway series and concerts. An enclosed sidewalk connects the center to a 100-room Wingate by Wyndham.

“After our three-story lobby renovations are complete, the space should ac commodate 350 banquet-style,” said Matt Young, vice president of operations.

A new event space in a renovated 1885-era building next to the VMCCC, City Club houses six meeting rooms and the Center for Business Service.

Off-site Venues

A gorgeous, new facility on a 240-acre country estate, 19 Hawthorne Wedding and Event Venue features breathtaking views. The facility has a 31-foot cathedral ceiling and double-sided fireplace in a space accom modating 500-plus people. An amphitheater can seat 3,500 to 6,000, a 200-foot waterfall cascades into a lake and a century-old barn rests on rolling

“Ourmeadows.longentrance drive offers the inspiration of eagles, deer and other wildlife,” said Chad Hughes, creative director and manager. “It’s like being in a nature preserve.”

In town, the University of Northwestern Ohio’s 25,000-square-foot event center has meeting rooms and banquet facilities for up to 750 people.

Photos courtesy Visit Greater Lima

AN OUTDOOR EVENT AT THE LIMA CIVIC CENTER

A 31-FOOT CATHEDRAL CEILING MAKES 19 HAWTHORN AN ELEGANT VENUE IN LIMA.

Outdoor Time

Part of the Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District, both the Allen County Farm Park and Lauer Historical Farm have rentable facilities. The former features a rustic event barn, a log cabin, sand volleyball and autumn hayrides. Ideal for corporate retreats, the latter is a 65.3-acre, 1830s-era working farm with a historic home, barn, pergola and garden venues, plus a nearby bike trail.

Mental stimulation and physical exercise are found on the Visit Greater Lima GeoTrail. The trail was created for geocaching, an outdoor high-tech treasure hunt that uses GPS coordinates and online clues to guide partici pants to hidden “caches” of interesting items.

Team Building

With a participant capacity of up to 500 and an 80-seat banquet room, Westgate Entertainment Cen ter, stages “corporate Olympics” competitions via bowling, bumper cars, virtual reality, arcade games, axe throwing and trivia.

“Our teambuilding package includes a short presentation on Patrick Lencioni’s book, ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,’” said Jaiden Johnston, the center’s group and event coordinator.

At Fassett Farms, groundwork with horses helps corporate team members develop leadership skills, better understand individual communication styles and learn about building stronger workplace relationships. The results of this Equine Experien tial Education are dramatic and instant, while the work is engaging and fun.

— Christine Pleva, Visit Greater Lima

“In the past two or three years, we’ve seen new venues open with more of a rural, rustic, nature-based theme. Renovated old barns and brand new ones as venues bring a small-town, low-key atmosphere to events.”

ResortsMeetingIllinois

MeetingGuide

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Some of the best meeting venues in Illinois can be found at its resorts. These five Illinois resort properties are situated in some of the prettiest locations in the state, along rivers, bluffs and woodlands. Along with first-class meeting venues, they also offer plenty of on-site entertainment and activities for attendees who want to get out of the conference room and out into nature.

AERIE’S RESORT

Grafton

Perched atop a bluff overlooking the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in beautiful Grafton, Aerie’s Resort attracts smaller meeting groups that want to mix business with pleasure. The resort is best known for the Graf

ton Skytour, a chondola, which is a combination of gondola and open air chair aerial ride, that takes visitors soaring from downtown Grafton 300 feet up the bluff to Aerie’s full production winery at the top.

Visitors don’t have to stay at the resort to take a leisurely chondola ride up the bluff for fantastic views of the two mighty rivers. While at the top, they can stop and have a meal at Aerie’s restaurant or enjoy a glass of wine on the terrace while enjoying the gorgeous views.

The resort has 46 overnight accommodations, both on top of the hill and down below on Main Street. Aerie’s can host smaller events of up to 40 people in its meeting room, which is equipped with A/V gear and has a fantastic view of the river. A former event venue was converted into the Winery and Terrace at Aerie’s Resort and features a 30-foot bar, an expansive deck and weekly live entertainment.

Grafton Zipline Adventures offers a classic team-building oppor tunity for groups meeting at the resort. One of the largest zip lines in Illinois, the facility has seven cables of varying heights, lengths and speeds, testing the mettle of even the most adventurous of meeting attendees. Treehouse Leap is the longest cable on the course, and the Soaring Eagle reaches the highest point. Creek Hopper is the fastest cable, reaching up to 45 miles per hour.

Courtesy Aerie’s Resort

AERIE’S RESORT OFFERS 46 GUEST ROOMS AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND ILLINOIS RIVERS.

EAGLE RIDGE RESORT AND SPA Galena

Located just outside historic Galena and two-and-a-half hours from Chicago, Eagle Ridge is surrounded by 6,800 acres of the Galena Territory, a private housing community that offers tennis, horseback riding, swimming pools, boating and fishing on the 225-acre Lake Galena, and hiking and biking along 31 miles of wooded trails.

The 80-room resort boasts 15,000 square feet of event space that can host 300 guests for a sit-down banquet, conference or presentation. Beautiful outdoor venues overlook Lake Galena or offer stunning views of the surrounding northern Illinois hills and woodlands. There are nine function rooms, three boardrooms, the 5,300-square-foot Eagle Ballroom and 3,300-square-foot Galena Room. There are three restaurants on-site, from casual to formal, including the acclaimed Woodlands Restaurant.

The conference center features calibrated acoustics and lighting, ergonomic furniture, and state-of-the-art technology, ranging from high-speed wireless internet to built-in video systems for presenta tions and video conferences. Full-service catering is also available.

A team of professionals works with planners to customize events, and the resort offers several recreational programs and team-building activities designed to promote leadership, com munication, cooperation and creative thinking. Blindfold Pizza is a team-building exercise that promotes communication with in a group. Each team of five people chooses one person to be blindfolded. The other team members will then lead the blind folded person in creating a pizza the team will enjoy at the end of theTheexercise.resortis known for its 63 holes of championship golf and its full-service spa. eagleridge.com

HARPOLE’S HEARTLAND LODGE

Nebo

Harpole’s Heartland Lodge isn’t your typical resort. Instead of offering things like spas and swimming pools, the lodge property is more outdoor focused, offering hunting, fishing and side-by-side UTV Polaris rentals that allow guests to scoot around the 1,500acre property’s rolling countryside. There are also horseback rides, hayrides, sporting clays, paintball and bonfires.

Guests can stay in individual cabins or lodges, or they can rent out the whole resort, which has 42 guest rooms. Meeting groups can host meetings, come to play or do a combination of both. The lodge has a 1,500-square-foot conference room, as well as a huge building outdoors that can be used for cookouts or larger events. It can accommodate 300 to 400 people.

Groups meeting at the lodge enjoy scratch-made meals served family-style. For fun or team-building activities, guests can fish at one of four fishing ponds located at Heartland OHV Park or drive to nearby Pittsfield Lake. Heartland has 1,200 acres of horseback riding trails, where visitors will get to explore forests, creeks and prairies.

Courtesy Eagle Ridge Resort

EAGLE RIDGE RESORT

Courtesy Harpole’s Heartland Lodge

HARPOLE’S HEARTLAND LODGE

MeetingGuide

For something less strenuous, groups can take a one-hour scenic hayride along the Mississippi River bluffs. Smaller groups can rent a six-person Polaris Ranger to ride around the 15-station sporting clays course. Each shooting station simulates different hunting situations. After a long day of meetings and adventure, groups can relax around the bonfire and enjoy some s’mores. heartlandlodge.com

GRAND BEAR RESORT AT STARVED ROCK

Utica

Located just steps from the natural beauty of the Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks, Grand Bear Resort has several differ ent styles of lodging, including 92 traditional lodge suites, 140 va cation villas and 48 luxury cabins. The luxury cabins can sleep up to 18 people per unit and are perfect for smaller meeting groups visiting the property.

With 11,000 square feet of newly renovated flexible meeting space, the resort hosts conferences, conventions, special events and weddings. The main banquet facility is designed for about 660 guests depending on configuration, and there are several smaller meeting spaces between 420 and 1,200 square feet. The property also has a 1,000-square-foot outdoor pavilion and canyon deck. Complimentary WiFi and audiovisual equipment are available. Grand Bear also handles all of the catering, table setup and cleanup.

Grand Bear Falls Indoor Waterpark is a great way to relax af ter a long day of meetings. The waterpark features a wave pool and swimming area, a lazy river, a whirlpool, a slide tower, a kids pool, a family slide and a hot tub. The resort also has four food and beverage outlets and additional onsite entertainment, such as Cave Arcade, which features more than 60 interactive games.

For team building, the resort offers triv ia and miniature golf at Canyon Creek Mini Golf. Off-site but in the area, groups can go hiking, take guided tours, visit an escape room or go horseback riding. Starved Rock State Park in nearby Oglesby has 13 miles of trails, 18 canyons and seasonal waterfalls to explore. Matthiessen State Park, which is just a few miles from Starved Rock, has an archery range, camping, cross country ski ing, equestrian trails, fishing, geocaching, hiking and mountain bike trails. grandbearresort.com

Courtesy Grand Bear Resort

GRAND BEAR RESORT AT STARVED ROCK

Meet in a Mansion

MeetingGuide

LINCOLNSHIRE MARRIOTT RESORT

Lincolnshire

Built by Bill Marriott in 1975, the historic Lincolnshire Resort sits on 175 acres in the north suburbs of Chicago, along the Des Plaines River. One of the main features of the resort is Crane’s Landing Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course that is also a Certified Audubon Coop erative Sanctuary that protects the natural heritage and areas of nat ural habitat in and around the golf course. There’s also a river trail for walking, biking or hiking.

The resort has an herb garden and raises its own honeybees, peach and pear trees. The resort’s chef and pastry chef utilize the products grown on property in the food that is prepared for guests, including salad dressings, soups and sauces. The Marriott shares its honey with Tighthead Brewing Company, which in turn makes Five Eyes honey beer especially for the hotel’s bistro and pub.

Another hidden surprise is the 850-seat Marriott Theater, which presents musicals in theater-in-the-round style with a small orchestra for Theaccompaniment.resorthasmore than 64,000 square feet of unique flexible meeting space that can host weddings of up to 600 guests and meetings up to 1,000. Three of the resort’s spaces are pavilions, two of which are permanent and one that is temporary. The Grand Marquis is 12,000 square feet with one full wall of glass windows overlooking the Des Plaines Trail. Lakeside Pavil ion is 5,000 square feet with 270-degree views of the sanctuary, lake, out door plaza and outdoor pool.

The Grove is a 3,200-square-foot seasonal tent. The resort has 390 guest rooms with unique views and many of the first-floor rooms have patios. marriott.com

Courtesy Marriott Lincolnshire Resort

MARRIOTT LINCOLNSHIRE RESORT

OriginalsIllinois

MeetingGuide

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Meeting planners looking for unique places to hold events will find plenty in Illinois.From a museum celebrating the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln to beautiful gardens, historical mansions and an ex tensive railway museum with artifacts and buildings dating back before the Civil War, these unique Illi nois sites are not only fun and educational but also wonderful places to host meetings or special events.

ALLERTON PARK AND RETREAT CENTER Monticello

The historic Allerton mansion and grounds in Monticello were donated to the University of Illinois by the artist and philanthropist Robert Henry Allerton in 1946. The property encompasses Allerton’s

mansion, gatehouse and a cottage that served as home to his chef and kitchen staff, as well as 1,500 acres of wood lands and prairie.

There are four hotel buildings on property with a total of 36 guest rooms that can host 90 to 100 people on-site if every bed is occupied. Meeting groups can rent out the en tire mansion, which has 2,642 square feet of meeting space.

Allerton, which was built in 1900, is known for its 14 formal gardens and the more than 100 ornaments and sculptures collected by Allerton and his son, John Gregg, that are placed throughout. The library is the largest meeting space, with enough room to seat 90 people the ater-style. Three smaller rooms in the mansion can accom modate groups of 10 to 40 people. The repurposed green house is now a visitor center with meeting space for 40, set in the middle of the site’s formal gardens. Groups renting out the entire mansion for their events can also utilize the common areas and lobby.

Meeting planners are encouraged to use the outdoor spaces, including a terrace with a firepit, gardens and vast

Courtesy Allerton Park and Retreat Center

GROUPS CAN MEET IN A HISTORIC 1940S MANSION AT MONTICELLO’S ALLERTON PARK AND RETREAT CENTER.

lawn. The facility provides lawn games for groups to enjoy during their free time and will organize guided tours, hikes or scavenger hunts around the property for team building. Allerton’s sweet spot for a meeting is 30 to 50 people, but the property has hosted groups of up to 300.

“We get very creative with our space,” said Jordan Zech, retreat center manager at Allerton. With 300 guests, meals are held in a tent pitched on the flat bowling lawn adjacent to the mansion. allerton.illinois.edu

PINE MANOR ESTATES

Carbondale

Pine Manor Estates is a vacation rental resort in Carbondale on the shore of a private lake in the heart of Shawnee National Forest. Its 10 guest houses, including Pine Manor Mansion, are within a few feet of each other and can accommodate up to 80 guests for events ranging from corporate training and group retreats to wed dings and family reunions.

All of the rentals are high-end luxury properties featuring things like heated floors, chandeliers and beautiful sunrooms. The property’s conference center can host smaller groups up to 50 people. An expansive deck spans the entire length of the confer ence center and is accessed via sliding glass doors. When groups want to take a break from their meeting, the deck provides a nice, private area to relax and enjoy the scenic vistas.

Pine Manor doesn’t feel like a typical conference center. It is constructed in the style of a log cabin, with a stone fireplace and comfortable seating area inside.

Groups also can host events outside. The property has extensive grounds where groups can set up tents. The property works with a list of approved caterers, and the facility has organized team-build ing activities such as cook-offs or will take attendees off-site to Shawnee Bluffs Canopy Tour for ziplines and ropes courses or rock climbing at Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center.

Guests can spend a leisurely afternoon paddleboating on the lake or take advantage of the resort’s basketball and tennis courts. Visitors can rent golf carts to ride around the proper ty, and Pine Manor is building new walking and golf cart trails across the property.

The estate is a five-minute drive from town, giving meeting at tendees the feeling they are far from a typical urban setting. The area is wooded with lots of beautiful landscaping.

thepinemanor.com

ANDERSON JAPANESE GARDENS

Rockford

Anderson Japanese Gardens was built as a private garden in the original owner’s backyard in Rockford. It was designed by Hoichi Kurisu, the same garden designer who oversaw construction of Portland Japanese Garden. Incorporating elements of stone, wa ter and plants throughout, the gardens are a place of tranquility, peace and meditation.

Courtesy Pine Manor Estates

A COMMON AREA AT PINE MANOR ESTATES

Courtesy Anderson Japanese Gardens

A MEETING VENUE

Groups renting the gardens for events — or hosting meetings or dinners at Fresco at the Gardens restaurant, which is in the vis itor center — get access to the gardens. Fresco can host groups of 125. It has large windows giving attendees stellar views of the Japanese gardens outside. There are additional meeting spaces downstairs on the lower level of the visitor center. The gallery holds about 60 people and does have access to a projector, audio visual equipment and a microphone. The site’s staff are available for event set-up and tear-down.

Many visiting groups choose the site because of its natural beauty so they include a guided tour of the gardens or participate in the Frank Lloyd Wright 16th Century Japan architectural tour, which takes guests between the nearby Frank Lloyd Wright house and Anderson’s guest house. Others have organized scavenger hunts with things hidden throughout the gardens.

The gardens host a summer concert series where guests seat themselves on three different decks, two attached to the visitor center and one in the gardens by the reflection pond. Corporate groups can reserve those decks for team building or networking events af ter 5 p.m. With that rental, they also get access to the gardens, and the facility can arrange bar service and catering from Fresco. andersongardens.org

Courtesy Anderson Japanese Gardens

MeetingGuide

ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Springfield

One of the most elegant venues in Illinois, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield gives groups a one-of-a-kind experience that not only details the life and times of the 16th president of the United States but also offers an ele gant location for meetings, dinners, conferences or receptions.

As part of their facility rental, groups can tour the 200,000-square-foot museum, learning more about Lincoln’s early life, his law practice and presidency through interactive exhibits. When groups first enter the building, they are met with replicas of the White House and Lincoln’s boyhood cab in in Kentucky. The Treasures Gallery hosts some of the most significant artifacts from Lincoln’s life, and the Illinois Gallery features important traveling exhibits. Meeting groups can host a breakfast and guided tour of the museum before it opens to the public or rent out the library’s beautiful glassed-in rotunda for a meal or reception up to 100 guests.

After hours, groups can rent out the museum and add on a variety of extras, like taking a behind-the-scenes tour, watching “Ghosts of the Library” in the Holavision theater or visiting the museum’s top exhibits. Larger groups may want to bring in Abra ham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln reenactors to greet attend ees and hold question-and-answer sessions. The museum and library have many smaller venue spaces for meetings or events. The Union Theater, which can hold 250 guests, is perfect for lectures, annual meetings and awards cer emonies, and Museum Plaza can host 300 guests for dinner or 500 for a reception.

lincolnlibraryandmuseum.com

ILLINOIS RAILWAY MUSEUM

Union

Union’s Illinois Railway Museum is a museum in motion. Not only does it have the largest collection of historic railway equipment in the country, but it also of fers rides on train cars pulled by steam and diesel

Theengines.Main

Line ride is a 45-minute journey that takes visitors either east or west into the countryside, where they will see some of the best-preserved prairie in Illinois adjacent to the railroad tracks. The second ride offers a 15-minute loop around the property on an electric street car or trolley.

A BANQUET EVENT AT ABRAHAM LINCOLN

PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Courtesy Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

The property features several historic diesel and steam locomo tives, streetcars and trolleys, freight and passenger cars, including Pullman coaches. It also displays railroad signs, signals, stonework and other rail infrastructure and a model railroad exhibit.

There are several historic structures on property, including a pre-Civil War 1851 East Union Depot and a 1910 Chicago “L” station.

Groups wanting to host events at the museum can rent out the central pavilion, which is covered and seats about 75 people. Groups can bring in catering and have easy access to board a train or trolley from that location.

The museum has a large outdoor property with plenty of grassy areas that are perfect for larger tented events such as ban quets or receptions. Groups can add on admission to the exhibits and train rides as part of their rental.

Smaller groups can rent private diner and passenger cars for a Main Line train ride for up to 75 people. Food service is provided by approved outside caterers. Groups also can organize a docent-led tour of the property that highlights aspects of the museum’s transportation technology. irm.org

Courtesy Illinois Railway Museum

VenuesOutdoorGeorgia’s

MeetingGuide

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Outdoor events in Georgia don’t have to be run-of-the-mill. Several locations in the state are famous for their historic buildings and formal gardens or have been repurposed as fairly industrial properties, turning them into outdoor canvases for event planners. These include a former artist studio, an old powerhouse and a replica of some of the most iconic buildings in Vir ginia’s Colonial Williamsburg, among others.

QUEEN AND GRANT

Brunswick

A brand-new event venue in Brunswick, Queen and Grant took over a former artists’ studio that had some interesting architectural features. With its soaring ceilings, abundant natural light and trusses perfect for hanging decorations and lights, one would never guess the building’s origins as an auto body shop.

The brick building looks nondescript from the outside, but inside it has pecky cypress doors, a terrazzo floor with artifacts of coastal Georgia nestled inside, a room that can be used as a bridal suite and ready room, and an office for planners. The facility, which is scheduled to open in Octo ber, is adding a catering kitchen and brand new bathrooms with waterfall sinks.

The property’s outdoor space is a nicely landscaped courtyard with potted plants and palms that makes guests feel as if they are outside the city because it is so secluded. Alongside the building is a gate and a rambling walk with fountains and crawling jasmine overhead. In total, Queen and Grant has about 20,000 square feet of venue space, with about 6,000 of that indoors. The event venue can ac commodate groups of 500 comfortably, depending on the configuration.TheGrand Reception Hall is wide open, so groups can lay it out however they want. It is a blank canvas. The prop erty is in historic downtown Brunswick, which is going through a major revitalization. Brunswick is a port city with the second most active port in the country after Newark.

By Brooke Roberts, courtesy Queen & Grant

QUEEN AND GRANT OFFERS A SECLUDED OUTDOOR COURTYARD FOR EVENTS IN BRUNSWICK.

Newcastle Street is full of retail shops, restaurants and a brewery with an outdoor beer garden, and the city has pockets of squares with foun tains, benches and art galleries.

portcitybrunswick.com/queen-and-grant

MANSELL HOUSE AND GARDENS

Alpharetta

Alpharetta’s Mansell House has a storied history. The Queen Annestyle Victorian farmhouse got its start in 1910 as the centerpiece of the Mansell family’s 160-acre farm. It was built from wood found on the property. After the Mansells passed away, their oldest son bought the property and raised his children there. Eventually the property was sold to Herman Miller of office furniture fame. The company built a furniture factory there. The house stayed vacant.

The house began to fall into disrepair, so when Walmart bought the property, the company said the house either had to be moved or it would be demolished. Residents of Alpharetta banded together to save the house, deciding to move it to Wills Park in 1992. The Al pharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society runs the property, renting out the parlor and the Rose Room, a large double room where the wall was taken out. Groups can host luncheons, dinners, parties and showers inside. In the warmer months, groups up to 200 can uti lize the house, wraparound porch and patio.

Many groups will lay out the food in the dining rooms and the drinks outside on the porch. A dance floor and tents can take up the large flagstone patio. The property has tents large enough to cover part of the patio or be situated on the grassy area on the back side of the garden. The Alpharetta Garden Club takes care of the gardens. The facility is busy from May through October and sometimes into November. Smaller groups that want to host outdoor events can al ways bring them back inside the house if the weather turns cold. aomchs.org

THE JAMES MADISON INN

Madison

The 17-room James Madison Inn is one of the oldest hotels in downtown Madison. The boutique hotel offers up antique-style accommodations with an intimate bed-and-breakfast feel. The ho tel has several meeting rooms. Its smallest room is set up confer ence-style for up to 12 people and is perfect for private executive meetings.Thehotel

has one of the nicest venues in the city. Variety Works is a beautiful barn-style venue that fits up to 250 guests. The two-story building was originally built in the 1870s as a manufacturing facility and features old wooden walls, a concrete floor, stunning chandeliers and sconces that create a rustic and refined ambiance. The Variety Works terrace overlooks the gardens and Round Bowl Springs Gaze bo and Event Lawn. The spring, gardens and event lawn make a pic turesque setting for any type of outdoor event, including corporate and private functions. The outdoor space, which is surrounded by woods, also has walking trails and a beautiful pond and can accom modate up to 300 guests.

Courtesy Alpharetta CVB

ALPHARETTA’S MANSELL HOUSE AND GARDENS

Courtesy James Madison Inn

JAMES MADISON INN

For indoor functions, the James Madison Hall and Daniel Mor gan Room can host up to 200 guests seated at round tables. There is a raised stage and double doors between the two event spaces.

The venue provides chairs and tables as part of the facility rent al, but groups can pick from an approved vendor list for compa nies that provide linens and catering. Groups can rent the entire inn, taking over all of the individually themed luxury guest rooms and two grand suites. Each room includes custom furniture cre ated by local artisans, and the inn utilizes reclaimed heart pine flooring, antique doors and windows, and a repurposed mantel from a local antebellum home.

jamesmadisoninn.com

POWERHOUSE PRIVATE EVENT VENUE Columbus

PowerHouse Private Event Venue in Columbus is an indoor and outdoor facility in a refurbished powerhouse that used to power the textile mills adjacent to it. There are two structures, separated by a large green space on the Chattahoochee River, that can be rented for events. To get to the venue, guests must cross a bridge that was installed across the old canals that diverted water into the mills and powerhouse.

“When you have that aspect of the river and sunsets, it cre ates a really unique experience for the people using it,” said Peter Bowden, president and CEO of VisitColumbusGA.

Courtesy Powerhouse Events

AN AERIAL VIEW OF POWERHOUSE PRIVATE EVENT VENUE IN COLUMBUS

The site is used for weddings, receptions, networking events and conferences. Groups meeting in the green space can set up food stations and tents. The inside event spaces can accommodate up to 300 people. If both the indoor and outdoor spaces are uti lized, the facility can host even larger groups.

The PowerHouse doesn’t have tables and chairs, but it works with an outside company to provide everything a meeting group would need to host an event on the property, including tents, ta bles, chairs and lights. The center also works with several outside caterers, or groups can order food and beverages from Epic, a four-diamond restaurant that is steps away from the event venue.

The lower powerhouse has a viewing platform that looks down on the river and the man-made whitewater rafting course, which ends at the site. Meeting attendees enjoy seeing the kayakers doing stunts on the artificial surfing wave below or watching the whitewa ter rafters as they paddle down the river. Inside the two buildings, groups can expect exposed brick, historic iron beams supporting the ceiling, and gigantic windows for plenty of natural light.

powerhouse-events.com

INOLA BLUE RIDGE

Blue Ridge

Inola Blue Ridge is an enigma just outside the town of Blue Ridge. The previous owner of the 40-acre property decided to re-create historic buildings from Colonial Williamsburg in Vir ginia as a tourist attraction. Rick Skelton, principal at Inola Blue Ridge, and his wife, Susie Council, bought the property in the hopes of turning it into a new urbanist town, with hotels, retail and private event spaces, all centered around this replica Colonial town with its manor house, tavern and chapel. The streets leading to the chapel are lined with tiny replica shops and a post office.

The Wythe Estate and Suites, which is a focal point of the town, is available for rent, offering sleeping accommodations for up to 10 people with four king suites, each with a private full bathroom and fireplace. In Williamsburg, the Wythe House belonged to George Wythe, a delegate to the Continental Congress and Virginia’s first signer of the Declaration of Independence. It also served as the headquarters of General George Washington just before the British siege of Yorktown. The replica is identical to its counterpart in Vir ginia, down to the placement of each brick.

When groups rent space at Inola for a conference, special event or wedding, they essentially rent the entire town, which makes for great photographs. The Hopewell Chapel on seats 90, while Weth erburn’s Tavern, another faithful copy from Virginia, can seat 65 to 75 depending on the type of event. Larger events are held in the 6,000-square-foot Orchard Pavilion, with its beautiful sheers and fairy lights, which holds 250 guests. The pavilion is adjacent to for mal gardens with a large arbor and hedges and, surprisingly enough, is next to an apple orchard that grows heirloom apples.

There is plenty of green space by the lake that can accommo date a stage and is where the venue holds its concert series and special events up to 1,500 attendees.

ONE OF INOLA BLUE RIDGE RE-CREATED HISTORIC BUILDINGS

Photos courtesy Inola Blue Ridge

A TENTED EVENT AT INOLA BLUE RIDGE

Meet at the crossroads

SmallGeorgia’sMeetTowns

MeetingGuide

BY ROBIN ROENKER

Georgia’s small towns offer big possibilities forFrommeetings.historic homes and Civil War history sites to some of the top museums in the country, these diminutive Georgia destinations exude charm, Southern hospitality and a more relaxed way of life while still managing to offer first-class hotels and meeting facilities.

AUGUSTA

Augusta’s booming culinary scene, walkable downtown, history and location on the Savannah River make it an appealing destination for meeting planners seeking fun locations. The downtown area is just one block from the Augusta Convention Center. The 38,000-squarefoot venue is attached to the Marriott Standard and Marriott Suites hotels. Both hotels also have meeting space, bringing the convention

complex’s total meeting square footage to 100,000, all un der one roof. There are 372 guest rooms in the complex, as well as an Italian eatery called Agustino’s.

The city boasts several rooftop bars that make great off site venues. The Partridge Inn Augusta, a boutique hotel that is part of Curio Collection by Hilton, has some limited meeting space, along with a rooftop bar overlooking down town Augusta. The Hyatt House Augusta/Downtown also has a rooftop bar and serves as overflow for the Marriott.

The Augusta Museum of History relates the history of Augusta and the surrounding region. Augusta is known as the City of Soul, as it is the birthplace of James Brown. It also is famous as home of the Masters Tournament at Au gusta National Golf Course.

For fun, meeting attendees can take a historic tour or bike tour of the city, touching on the top historic sites and sites that were meaningful to James Brown. Groups wanting to get competitive can rent Broad Axe Throwing Club, which offers food, drink, events and team-building activities. Groups also can rent kayaks downstream of the Marriott. The Augusta

Courtesy Destination Augusta

THE ROOFTOP BAR AT THE HYATT HOUSE HOTEL OFFERS BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF DOWNTOWN AUGUSTA.

Canal Heritage Center has bike and walking paths but also offers cruises aboard an old Petersburg boat that runs on hydropower. The boat can seat up to 40 people and visitors will see turtles, alligators and otherAugustawildlife.has

more than 7,000 guest rooms at 70 hotels and more than 300 restaurants. visitaugusta.com

TIFTON

Tifton is a small town with a big-city vibe. It is right off Inter state 75, and many visitors discover the quaint destination as they are passing through on their way to somewhere else. The city has a rich agricultural history as well as tons of shopping, including 80,000 square feet of antique stores.

The Georgia Museum of Agriculture is a top attraction in the city. It is also a great place to host meetings or events. The mu seum has 5,000 square feet of conference space that can accom modate up to 400 people, including the Atrium and conference rooms, East and West. The Opry Shelter, Peanut Museum, Pole Barn and Fulwood Garden Center also have meeting spaces.

Meeting groups can immerse themselves in the agrarian and cul tural traditions of the 19th century American South. Attendees can explore the historic village, visiting businesses, workshops and homes that give them a taste of what life was like over the past 150 years.

SHOPPING IN TIFTON to get to yet off the beaten path, Brookhaven has just the space you ’ re looking for to host your next gathering. Whether it’s a corporate event, wedding, or family and friends reunion, you’ll find just the right venue–and pitch perfect hospitality–for every occasion. your search at exploreBrookhaven.com/gather

Murphey Candler Park Brookhaven, GA

locomotive still in operation in Georgia. It was built in 1917. Langdale Nature Center helps visitors interact with the local flora and fauna, and Destination Ag offers learning stations and exhibits that connect guests to where their food, fiber and shelter come from.

The largest meeting facility in Tifton is the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, with 95,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 2,035-seat auditorium, ballroom and banquet facilities and 17 conference rooms. The entire ballroom, which can be divided into four rooms, boasts 14,400 square feet and can host group up to 1,000.

The city has five hotels with meeting space and several unique off site venues, including the Peach Barn at Timbermill Acres, which has 5,000 square feet of rustic indoor space. Tifton has 1,300 hotel rooms.

tiftontourism.com

MADISON

Madison has one of Georgia’s largest historic districts, with house museums downtown. Just an hour outside of Atlanta, the town of fewer than 5,000 residents has kept its welcoming and charming at mosphere with nearly 30 family-owned shops and restaurants.

Founded in 1809, the city has pushed historic preservation of local architecture. The city has three historic house museums to tour, including Rogers House, which was built the same year the city was incorporated; Heritage Hall; and Rose Cottage, which was built by Adeline Rose, a former slave, who bought land in town with her earnings as a laundress. Before the Civil War, the city was rich in agriculture and cotton farming.

Visitors can also learn about Madison’s African American her itage at the Morgan County African American Museum or take a guided walking tour through 26 points of interest in the city, including historic sites.

A local developer who fell in love with Madison started buy ing up downtown spaces, repurposing them as a coffee house, a Mexican restaurant and an English pub. He plans to open more businesses in the area all while keeping the integrity and beautiful designs of the historic buildings.

Cultural heritage travelers are attracted to the history and archi tecture of the area, and many wellness travelers enjoy the welcoming atmosphere. The city has 600 hotel rooms and several meeting spac es in smaller inns. The 17-room James Madison Inn has an attached conference center that can accommodate up to 100 people. It also has a beautiful outdoor venue with a gazebo and event lawn.

Like many smaller towns, Madison has several chain hotels, including Days Inn, Deerfield Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Quality Inn and Red Roof Inn.

CARTERSVILLE

Cartersville considers itself Georgia’s museum city. With fewer than 25,000 residents, Cartersville is fortunate to have two Smith sonian-affiliated museums, the Booth Western Art Museum, with one of the largest collections of Western art in the South east, and the Tellus Science Museum, with its digital planetarium,

Courtesy Madison-Morgan Co. CVB

DOWNTOWN MADISON

Courtesy Cartersville-Bartow CVB

CARTERSVILLE’S BOOTH WESTERN ART MUSEUM

MeetingGuide

dinosaurs and world-class mineral gallery, featuring more than 4,000 rocks, gems and minerals. The Savoy Automobile Museum, which opened in December 2021, also has applied for Smithso nian status. Sitting on 37 acres, the museum has four exhibition galleries, a presentation theater, an on-site café, a storage garage and outdoor pavilion for car shows, concerts and swap meets.

Cartersville was a rail stop and has a wonderful historic down town, with locally owned shops and restaurants. One of the city’s claims to fame is a top-notch selfie spot: the first known outdoor Coca-Cola sign, which was painted in 1894 on the side of Young Brothers Pharmacy by a syrup salesman.

Allatoona Lake and Red Top Mountain State Park are perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor networking events. The lake fea tures fishing, kayaking, hiking and Pine Acres Retreat, a 210-acre retreat center with cabins, campsites and event space. Barnsley Re sort, on the opposite end of the lake, is a luxury resort with an inn and cottages, and event and meeting space. It has a championship golf course, horses, archery, canoeing and a shooting clays facility.

The largest meeting venue in the area is the Clarence Brown Conference Center, with 44,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting spaces. A new 118-room Courtyard by Marriott is adja cent to it. The Hilton Garden Inn on Main Street has 3,000 square feet of meeting space.

visitcartersvillega.org

LAGRANGE

Situated on the border with Alabama, LaGrange’s top attrac tion is the only Great Wolf Lodge in Georgia, with a fantastic water park and meeting space that can host groups of 1,000. LaGrange is right on West Point Lake, which is a big attraction for families and fishermen and offers many recreational opportunities.

LaGrange’s most famous attraction is Hills and Dales Estate, which features a large 19th century home and includes formal gar dens. Visitors can take a step back in time as they tour the home and gardens or host an event there. The estate’s visitor center and terrace is suitable for events of all sizes and includes a 1,200-squarefoot great hall, 1,000-square-foot gallery and the Legacy Theater, equipped with audiovisual equipment for short films or presenta tions. The facility includes restrooms and a catering kitchen. In ad dition, the pool terrace, home terrace, porte-cochere and historic garden provide scenic locations for outdoor events.

The city has 12 hotels, ranging from the Courtyard by Marriott downtown to a variety of chain hotels encompassing 1,488 guest rooms. Most of them have smaller conference spaces for groups between 40 and 50 people.

Del’avant Event Center downtown can host groups up to 350 people theater-style, and the Oakfusty Conservation Center, which is expected to open in fall 2023 or spring 2024, will host 400 people right on the lake. The facility, when completed, will be an outdoor conservation center by day and an event venue by night.

visitlagrange.com

Courtesy Cartersville-Bartow CVB

AN ELEGANT EVENT AT BARNSLEY RESORT NEAR CARTERSVILLE

Courtesy Visit LaGrange

HILLS AND DALES ESTATE IN LAGRANGE