Drive-To Destinations: Mountain Meetings

DRIVE-TO DESTINATI

MOUNTAIN MEETINGS

For groups in search of serene settings with plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation and team building along with lots of space and accommodations for meetings and retreats, heading to the mountains is a great choice. Fortunately, the Mid-Atlantic Region boasts several mountain settings, each with abundant and unique offerings.

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The Pocono Mountains Region, for example, has been a popular destination for generations with outdoor adventure and small-town charm having long been a draw for visitors. But the area offers so much more, such as four-diamond rated resorts, exciting attractions and state-of-the-art meeting facilities set amid 2,400-square miles of natural beauty.

With plenty to see and do both indoors and outside, as well as venues and accommodations suited for every group size and budget, the Poconos strikes the perfect balance for both business and leisure.

“There’s nothing like an escape to the great outdoors for bringing people together and inspiring bright ideas,” declares Valerie Case, meetings sales manager for the Pocono Mountains Convention and Visitor Bureau. “After a morning seminar, groups can build team spirit while navigating a treetop ropes course, heading out on a canoe trip or hiking to a nearby waterfall. The long tradition of hospitality in the Pocono Mountains means that, whether you need assistance in the conference room or help finding trails with the best panoramic views, the guest experience is top notch.”

One-of-a-kind opportunities for outdoor recreation abound in the Poconos, from whitewater rafting through Lehigh Gorge to rail-biking along the Lackawaxen River to hiking the famous Appalachian Trail for a view of Delaware Water Gap.

The Pocono Mountains also are home to historic downtowns filled with unique shops and restaurants, scenic

EXPECT MORE THAN MOUNTAINS IN THE POCONOS.

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golf courses, and relaxation at world-class spas. Visitors also can enjoy a sampling of hand-crafted beverages at an atmospheric winery or brewery, hit the casino floor, or taking in a concert or live musical performance.

“Local businesses, from meeting venues and resorts to shops and restaurants continue to uphold the ‘Pocono Promise,’ pledging to follow public health guidelines and maintain enhanced health and safety measures to protect the wellbeing of our guests, employees and residents,” notes Case. “Events have returned to the Poconos this summer, and we have lots of fall festivals coming up for visitors to enjoy amidst the crisp mountain air and colorful leaves throughout our wide-open spaces this autumn.”

Camelback Resort is one Pocono Mountains property with wide variety of offerings for groups and guests. “Our location, within a 90-minute drive from New York City and twohour drive from Philadelphia, makes Camelback a natural for meeting planners looking to avoid air travel or who are interested in accommodating a regional program,” explains Robin Lattinville, director of sales, Camelback Resort. “Our ability to customize team building programs that incorporate our beautiful mountain setting allows planners to drive home their primary objectives in a fun and exciting way.”

Another feature that planners find appealing at Camelback is its variety of unique dining venues. Summit House, located at the top of Camelback Mountain, features an expansive outdoor deck with views of the surrounding Pocono Mountains. A casual cocktail reception or dinner event in this setting can be a terrific way to kick-off a program.

Also causal, but offering plenty of outdoor space for lawn games during dinner, is the Trails End Bar and Grille at Camelback Resort. “Groups love being able to hang out around the fire pits, listen to great music, enjoy food off the BBQ, and relax and reconnect with colleagues,” asserts Lattinville.

For a more elevated dining experience, an evening at Berrelli’s Italian Chop house is a must. This charming restaurant, nestled into the base of the ski slopes, is an easy stroll from Camelback Lodge. Groups can be accommodated either on the newly expanded covered deck and patio or with an indoor-outdoor casual experience.

An option for an after-party following a day of meetings at Camelback is its lush indoor waterpark that is maintained at 84-degrees year-round. Its Oasis swim-up bar overlooking the Wave Pool is a favorite “downtime” hang out, as well.

Camelback Resort boasts a wide variety of activities that appeal to every age, from the property’s waterparks (both indoor and outdoor) to zip lining, to a mountain roller coaster or an aerial ropes course. In the colder months, there’s skiing, snowboarding, and snowtubing, too. With 37 trails, a ski and ride academy, and an expansive rental shop, winter

groups can incorporate a group lesson and full or partial day lift tickets into their program.

“In addition to our on-site attractions, Camelback Resort hosts a bevy of entertaining events and activities all yearlong for guests to enjoy,” explains Lattinville. “From balloon twisting and donut decorating to magic shows and movie nights, guests are treated to fun at every turn. New this year are nearby excursions to allow guests to immerse themselves in all that the Pocono Mountains have to offer, including horseback riding, whitewater rafting and winery tours.”

Also available are guided hikes, the resort’s Euro-Bungie, Vertical Climbing Challenge and new UTV tours. An afterhours Galactic Snow Tubing experience is “the perfect winter team bonding event. Groups enjoy the thrill of racing one another downhill on tubes after dark, then warming up by the fire pits with a steaming cup of hot cocoa or a spirited libation. And our Tacos and More food truck serves up delicious street tacos at the tubing hill,” Lattinville notes.

“Corporate event planners have expressed an overwhelming need to get their teams reconnected,” observes Lattinville. “After working remotely and connecting solely via Zoom or Teams, companies are looking for ways to reestablish corporate culture and connect employees on a deeper, more meaningful level. In many cases, the social aspect of the program has become more important than ever. Camelback Resort checks off all the boxes. With beautiful meeting space featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and mountain views, a wide variety of indoor and outdoor dining options, and year-round unique team building and team bonding activities - Camelback has it all.” Altoona is situated in the heart of Central Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains between I-80 and I-99, making it an easily accessible drive-to destination.

“Not only can the market draw from the potential of seven-million attendees from within a three-hour drive radius, but the destination also offers a variety of cost-effective meeting and event venues – from the state-of-theart Blair County Convention Center and the multi-purpose Jaffa Shrine Center to the unique White Oak Hall located at Fort Roberdeau, the western-most Revolutionary War site in America,” says Mark Ickes, executive director of Explore Altoona.

The city is located on the eastern slope of the Allegheny Mountains and is proud of its unique history as a railroad hub. Established in 1849 by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as headquarters for building and repairing locomotives, the city became a valuable economic player from the Civil War through the Industrial Revolution and on into the years of World War II.

Today, Altoona’s industrial heritage, history, culture and outstanding natural resources have helped position it as a thriving 21st century business community and an emerging leisure and business travel destination.

The Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum, the country’s only interactive railroaders’ museum, commemorates and celebrates the significant contributions of the city’s railroaders and their families to American culture and industrial heritage. The museum offers six event spaces, including a lobby, theater, bar and museum railroad yard.

The famous Horseshoe Curve opened in 1854 as one of the world’s most significant engineering marvels at the eastern base of the Allegheny Mountains as a more efficient method of moving trains in America’s westward expansion. Now a National Historic Landmark, the Horseshoe Curve can accommodate up to 150 guests for a courtyard reception and up to 75 for an event within its visitor center.

Lakemont Park, celebrating its 125th anniversary, has reopened after a major transformation as a gathering place with a selection of traditional amusements, newly designed mini golf courses, paddle boats, picnic pavilions, and new facilities for team building sessions. The Casino at Lakemont Park, with its own unique park-like ambiance, offers flexible banquet, meeting and event space.

The sleekly designed and well-appointed Blair County Convention Center offers 15,000-square feet of flexible ballroom space; 24,000-square feet of exhibit hall space, 11 versatile meeting rooms, as well as common areas for pre- and post-function purposes.

With 550 new or newly renovated hotel rooms within the past two-years having been added to the Altoona market, Blair County is well-positioned to greet leisure and business travelers. “From the $12.5-million expansion of Laguna Splash at DelGrosso’s Park as the country’s only Italian-themed water park, to expanded steam locomotive excursions on the Everett Railroad, and the stellar outdoor experience of the September 11th National Memorial Trail, this is an exciting time for groups to explore a small destination with big adventures in Greater Blair County,” asserts Ickes.

Altoona and Blair County also offer vast green spaces full of outdoor recreational opportunities. From bicycling and hiking to water-based recreation and more endeavors, there are a multitude of choices within the Allegheny Mountains.

Meeting and event venues provide outdoor team building opportunities, as well. As one example, Lakemont Park offers volleyball courts, basketball courts, miniature golf courses and several green lawns for numerous activities. Or visit Canoe Creek State Park and explore its iconic Blair Limestone Kilns, lake, trails, wetlands, fields, forests and education center. Picnicking, beach swimming, hiking, enjoying educational programs and staying overnight in a modern cabin are popular activities.

Blue Knob All Seasons Resort boasts a nine-hole mountain top golf course along with the highest skiable mountain in Pennsylvania that also has the most challenging slopes and an authentic Alpine feel. The resort offers mountain biking, swimming, tennis and condo lodging, too.

Situated in Flintstone, Maryland, the peacefulness and tranquility of Rocky Gap Casino Resort’s location is among its main attractions. Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains with lakeside views, the resort feels like a destination getaway, while being only two hours from major cities like Baltimore, Washington, DC and Pittsburgh.

Set in Rocky Gap State Park, the resort is home to a golf course, spa, lake activities, swimming pool and a host of amenities. The park includes 3,000acres of land with dozens of scenic hiking and mountain biking trails, plus a 243-acre lake. Rocky Gap Casino Resort offers boat and stand-up paddle board rentals, opportunities for fishing and more.

“Rocky Gap Golf Course is Maryland’s only Jack Nicklaus designed course,” notes Wanda Holtschneider, director of marketing and hotel operations for Rocky Gap Resort and Casino. “The front nine is carved from mountainous, tree lined terrain with numerous dramatic elevation changes, while the back nine is spread across expansive, gently rolling meadows.”

Located within a day’s drive of twothirds of the nation’s population, the Roanoke Valley in Virginia’s Blue Ridge provides guests with a unique metro mountain experience, offering an exciting blend of natural beauty with a variety of urban and outdoor adventures.

Virginia’s Blue Ridge boasts over 650,000-square feet of flexible meeting space and over 1,000-miles of outdoor trails, with affordable amenities and mountain views in every direction. Fascinating arts and cultural attractions, such as the Center in the Square and Taubman Museum of Art, double as unique meeting facilities and are within minutes of miles of hiking, biking and paddling trails.

Offering a wide selection of local flavors, with more restaurants per capita than any other destination in Virginia, the Roanoke Valley’s restaurants feature ingredients grown on local farms and put a new twist on Southern cuisine.

“Guests are never far from a relaxing view of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains,” says Debora Wright, VP of sales and marketing for Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge. “Whether you’re on the golf course, in a unique outdoor space, or at a convention center, mountains serve as the perfect scenic backdrop for any meeting. Attendees can relax amid peaceful scenery or find an outdoor leisure activity only moments away.”

“Our hospitality partners will continue going above and beyond to accommodate meetings and ensure a safe experience for all guests,” notes Wright. “A wide variety of unique, spacious meeting facilities offer opportunities to gather inside or outdoors in a socially distant manner.”

Virginia’s Blue Ridge has an array of unique meeting facilities with both indoor and outdoor experiences. The region also features a wide variety of outdoor activities for all comfort levels. With easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail, and Upper James River, anyone can pick up a hiking, biking, or water trail for team building events or just to enjoy the scenic beauty and peaceful surroundings during downtime.

Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Explore Park has 14-miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking and paddling, as well as aerial adventure course called Treetop Quest. For the craft beverage enthusiast, the VBR Cheers Trail features two-dozen stops for local craft beer, wine and moonshine. History buffs will enjoy the nationally acclaimed Booker T. Washington National Monument, and the National D-Day Memorial.

Just 15 minutes from the heart of downtown Roanoke, Explore Park is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway and offers unique opportunities for recreation and relaxation. Secluded meeting locations, like the Preserve at Crooked Run, provide relaxing settings devoid of city noise and enveloped by scenic mountains, while offering exciting on-site recreational activities like clay shooting and fly fishing.

Golf course at Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Flintstone, MD

Each of these mountain destinations has so much to offer, from ample meeting space to plenty of recreation and team building to delectable dining, history, culture, nature and more. Groups will find that outdoor experiences and opportunities abound in these drive-to destinations along with scenic views and serene surroundings. A perfect escape that’s only a short car ride away.