Georgia Aquarium

The special-event possibilities in and around the downtown convention district are attractive and convenient. This applies even to meetings taking place in the airport district, home of Georgia International Convention Center and two adjacent business hotels; midtown, an arts and cultural hub with 4,600 hotel rooms and 200,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; and Buckhead, an upscale northern district with 5,400 hotel rooms, 200,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and dozens of restaurants.

The College Football Hall of Fame is situated between GWCC and Centennial Olympic Park. Opened in 2014, the hall of fame is a 94,000-square-foot facility with interactive stations offering blocking and tackling lessons, video displays of great game moments, plus equipment and other football-related memorabilia.

Many meeting groups use the indoor, 45-yard-long artificial-turf as a centerpiece for a reception. Attendees can partake in contests ranging from throwing and kicking footballs to playing beanbag toss and miniature golf.

“Many planners encourage their attendees to wear a jersey or T-shirt from their favorite college teams, and it adds a lot to the energy and uniqueness of the event,” Vaughn says.

Set on the edge of Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere. With five separate galleries and more than 10 million gallons of water, the aquarium is one of only two in the world that houses whale sharks and one of only four with a manta ray: It also contains beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins, piranha, electric fish and hundreds of other species. The aquarium’s Oceans Ballroom hosts 1,200 for receptions, but the entire aquarium can be rented out by large convention and trade-show groups.

World of Coca-Cola, adjacent to the aquarium, is just a few blocks from where John Pemberton created the original soda formula. The 92,000-square-foot building features exhibits about the secret formula, as well as dispensing machines, advertising signs and soda-fountain counters from various eras, tasting stations for more than 60 Coke products from around the world, a functioning bottling line producing commemorative eight-ounce souvenir bottles for attendees and a 4-D theater.

Just steps from GWCC and Centennial Olympic Park is CNN Global Headquarters, where groups can take tours of the television studios to understand the demands and pace involved in creating live television news. Also on site is the 1,059-room Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center.

Further Reading:

Guide to Atlanta

College Football Hall of Fame

Although it’s been a top-five U.S. city for meetings, conventions and trade shows for many years now, Atlanta has no intention of resting on its reputation for its excellent variety and quality of hospitality offerings for groups. More than 12,000 hotel rooms are within 1 mile of Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), the city’s largest convention center, and almost as many rooms are within the same distance to its other downtown convention facility, Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart.

Georgia World Congress Center

A grand plan is in motion to make Atlanta’s downtown district even more conducive to hosting every element of citywide events as well as small and mid-sized meetings. Known as 2020 Vision and led by Georgia World Congress Center Authority, the plan is the single biggest thing that’s happened to Atlanta’s convention business since the opening of Georgia World Congress Center in 1976, Vaughan says. The 2020 Vision initiative will deliver the following additions, expansions and renovations within the next three years.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is slated to open by September. Replacing the nearby Georgia Dome, this retractable-roof arena will be home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, MLS’ Atlanta United FC, and approximately 70 other concerts and events each year. It will host the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 8, 2018, Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019 and the NCAA Men’s Final Four basketball tournament April 4–6, 2020. Some of the larger citywide conventions and trade shows could use the stadium in tandem with GWCC.

A hotel with between 800 and 1,000 guest rooms will be constructed just south of building C at GWCC, and is likely to open by late 2018. It will be convenient for GWCC event attendees and provide additional meeting space for groups using part of the facility. West Plaza, the outdoor space between Building C and the proposed hotel, is where many convention groups host outdoor lunches that are served by various food trucks from around the city.

Contiguous exhibit space will be added between buildings B and C at GWCC to attract groups that have outgrown it. This addition creates 1 million contiguous sq. ft. of space in that area, complementing the 1.4 million contiguous sq. ft. already available in GWCC.
Centennial Olympic Park will receive a series of renovations to enhance its multi-use capability, including expanding and updating its outdoor amphitheater to offer about 1,300 seats.

“Meeting groups large and small take advantage of the park,” Vaughan says. “They do everything from team-building exercises to huge parties with world-renowned musical acts performing.”

Further Reading:

Guide to Atlanta

Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Site

“Historic sites in Atlanta are very popular with educational groups and hobby groups, as their attendees typically appreciate history and love guided tours,” Vaughn says. The unique history of Atlanta and its deep cultural influence provide ample options for memorable special events.

On the edge of Centennial Olympic Park is the Center for Civil and Human Rights, a 42,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2014 to educate visitors about the American civil rights movement and its connection to the contemporary struggle for human rights around the world. As guests move from a multistory foyer boasting floor-to-ceiling glass, they come upon the central exhibition, Rolls Down Like Water: The American Civil Rights Movement, which presents itself more as an experience than as a series of objects.

Another centerpiece of the venue is a collection of original manuscripts and artifacts from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; they rotate from among the 13,000 items within the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection. The center accommodates lectures for up to 215 and receptions for up to 500 people.

Just five minutes east of downtown, Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site is operated by the National Park Service and encompasses King’s birth home, Ebenezer Baptist Church and his final resting place. Other features include the Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Dream Gallery, Behold Monument and World Peace Rose Garden.

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, run by the National Archives and Records Administration lies 15 minutes northeast of downtown. The 70,000-square-foot facility houses private and official papers, photos, films and artifacts from Carter’s presidency, plus his Nobel Peace Prize, a full-sized replica of his Oval Office and Carter Center, a nonprofit human rights agency. Outdoor spaces include gardens and fountains.

atlanta venues

Atlanta History Center

At Atlanta History Center, set in the Buckhead area, 25 minutes north of downtown, is a 33-acre campus that features several historic buildings, large gardens and one of the largest collections of Civil War artifacts in the country. Another exhibit space is dedicated to athletic achievements at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games held in Atlanta, while a third space concentrates on folk art from the American South. Three large, historic homes on the grounds are available to host private dinners and receptions.

Atlanta’s musical history is impressive, as well. Opened in 1910 as a Baptist church, Tabernacle Atlanta lies just outside Centennial Olympic Park and can host up to 2,562 guests for an event. The ornate Fox Theatre opened in 1929, and in 2011 was named the country’s Outstanding Historic Theatre of the Year by the League of Historic America Theatres. Its 3,622-pipe Moller organ is the largest in the world set inside a theater. The 4,665-seat theater hosts nearly 200 performances a year, and is available for private events; it was named a top-50 special-event venue nationwide in 2015.

Sashimi Cones, Atlanta Event Center at Opera 

Atlanta Event Center at Opera in the midtown district comprises a 1907 mansion with a connected theater that was renovated 10 years ago to become a premier gala-dinner and entertainment venue.

The new SunTrust Park, 10 miles north of downtown in Cobb County, is the latest sports offering available to groups. The 41,000-seat stadium is home to Atlanta Braves baseball and is part of Battery Atlanta, an emerging multiuse district that will have an Omni Hotel next door by mid-2018.

Further Reading:

Guide to Atlanta

Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway

A two-minute ride on the ATL Skytrain from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport; Silver LEED-certified property; 403 guest rooms; indoor pool; 21,984 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart

MARTA rail from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport takes 20 minutes; onsite 1,100-room hotel; walking distance to other downtown hotels; 500,000 sq. ft. of event space, including 100,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space; 47 breakout rooms together accommodate up to 3,000.

Atlanta Marriott Buckhead

Next to upscale Lenox Square Mall; IACC-certified conference center; fitness center; outdoor pool; 349 guest rooms; 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Near GWCC and Philips Arena; skybridge connects to Hilton Atlanta and Hyatt Regency Atlanta; $78 million renovation in 2016, including redesigned guest rooms and some meeting space; 1,663 guest rooms; 169,435 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Crowne Plaza Atlanta Midtown

Near Fox Theatre and Georgia Tech; renovated last year: 500 guest rooms; restaurant; 31,000 sq. ft. of meeting space across 12 rooms.

Georgia Aquarium

Features a wide variety of sea creatures; several interactive animal programs and encounters; Oceans Ballroom offers more than 23,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space; entire facility can accommodate up to 5,000 guests for receptions.

Georgia International Convention Center

Adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; onsite Marriott Atlanta Airport Gateway hotel; 400,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 150,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space; 40,000-square-foot ballroom.

Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC)

LEED-certified convention center; 200-acre campus includes Centennial Olympic Park; 12,000 hotel rooms within 1 mile; 3.9 million sq. ft. of total space; more space coming as part of “Vision 2020” plan; 12 exhibit halls; 106 meeting rooms; five auditoriums; two ballrooms.

Grand Hyatt Atlanta Buckhead

Twin 275-square-foot terraces overlook Japanese Zen Garden; 439 guest rooms; 35,000 sq. ft. of meeting space across 13 rooms.

Hilton Atlanta

Downtown property; rooftop dining; fitness elements include tennis and basketball courts, gym and pool; ballrooms reconfigured in early 2017 to provide more breakout capability; 1,242 guest rooms; 129,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Hilton Atlanta Airport

AAA Four Diamond hotel; five-minute drive from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; business center; fitness center; pool; 507 guest rooms; 34,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

Located downtown; 22-story atrium lobby; $65 million renovation completed in 2012; 1,249 guest rooms; 180,000 sq. ft. of meeting space includes 29,000-square-foot ballroom.

Loews Atlanta Hotel

Forbes Four Star property in midtown; 414 guest rooms, including 44 suites; 40,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; two ballrooms; 10 breakout rooms.

Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center

AAA Four Diamond hotel; connects to GWCC, CNN Global Headquarters and College Football Hall of Fame; next to Centennial Olympic Park; spa; fitness center; pool; 1,059 guest rooms; 120,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Renaissance Atlanta Midtown

Near Georgia Tech and Atlanta Botanical Garden;
304 guest rooms, including 17 suites; 8,590 sq. ft. of meeting space, with 10 meeting rooms.

Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel

Recently renovated AAA Four Diamond hotel; 387 guest rooms, many with private balconies; 35,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, with 35 meeting rooms.

Sheraton Atlanta Hotel

10 blocks to GWCC and three blocks to AmericasMart; $20 million renovation in 2016 refreshed meeting space and added Skyline Terrace; Garden Courtyard surrounds outdoor pool; 763 guest rooms; 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway

All-suites hotel; 147 guest rooms; exercise room; indoor pool; 671 sq. ft. of meeting space, with two meeting rooms.

The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta

Six blocks to GWCC and Centennial Olympic Park; steakhouse on site; 444 guest rooms; 17,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

Next to high-end dining and shopping; $5 million upgrade in early 2017 added third ballroom, outdoor dining terrace plus cafe and lobby lounge; 510 guest rooms; 23,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

The Westin Peachtree Plaza Atlanta

Next to Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart; $70 million renovation in 2014 redesigned the lobby, all meeting spaces and rooftop Sun Dial Restaurant & Bar; 1,073 guest rooms; WestinWorkout Fitness Studio; 80,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

World of Coca-Cola

Attraction that opened in 2007; dedicated to informing visitors about the history of the soft drink company; accommodates up to 2,000 in various areas; 160,000 sq. ft. of green space can be tented.

Further Reading:

Guide to Atlanta

Everglades National Park

Coastal Living and Travel & Leisure declared Sanibel Island the top shelling spot in the United States, and one of the best in the world. Locals say that all of the Gulf-side shelling beaches, from the lighthouse to North Captiva, are outstanding. If you want to organize an offsite shelling event, there are several local companies, such as Gulf Coast Marine Excursions and Captiva Cruises, that can connect groups with guides.

For more active downtime, kayaking is an excellent solo or group outing. Explore the Paradise Coast waterways and get closer to the manatees, dolphins, birds and even alligators that call Florida home. Conservancy of Southwest Florida in Naples offers kayak tours Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while Naples Kayak Company provides kayak and kayak fishing tours of Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

Nature enthusiasts also flock to Everglades National Park for biking, hiking, canoeing, camping, bird-watching and more. In Southwest Florida, visitors can access the northern part of the park through Everglades City.

Before planning a group trip for meeting attendees, planners should consider the seasonal schedule in the area. Dry season, when the full slate of ranger programs is offered, runs from November to March. Wet season, when bugs thrive, is less appealing to some visitors. It lasts from April to November.

If the links are calling louder than the wild, golfers will be delighted to learn the Sunshine State is home to hundreds of private, semiprivate and public courses. According to Golf Digest, several of the best public courses are in Southwest Florida: Tiburon Golf Club, Naples Grand Beach Resort, Lely Resort Golf and Country Club in Naples; and Gateway Golf and Country Club in Fort Myers.

JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort

When it’s time to unwind, retreat to the area’s luxurious spas, such as Spa by JW at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. The Massage and Facial Center at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples offers a golfer’s relief massage, a sublime way to help the shoulders, lower back and legs recover after 18 holes.

Planners can literally bring out the big guns at Gulf Coast Clays. Located between Naples and Everglades City, the club offers trap, skeet, sporting and five-stand clay shooting. The multistation sporting clay course is located in an Everglades wilderness setting with shotguns and equipment for rent, and experienced instructors available for lessons.The Florida Gulf Coast has plenty to offer visitors, including beaches, spas, golf and nature. Plus it’s all accessible from the myriad hotel options available in the area.

If you haven’t visited Southwest Florida recently, you might not recognize some of the venues. A number of outstanding properties have been completed or are currently undergoing major renovations and expansions.

JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort underwent a major transformation in January via a $320 million renovation that will continue through mid-2017. The resort now features 716 newly enhanced guest rooms, new dining options and a refreshed lobby. Work continues on the new adults-only Lanai Tower, featuring 94 guest rooms, a luxurious new pool deck and new meeting space—bringing the resort’s total flexible event space to 100,000 sq. ft.

A half-mile south, the AAA Four Diamond Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa just completed a $40 million renovation. New dining options at the resort include The Deck at 560 Restaurant and Bar, an indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant with everything from casual drinks at the pool to indoor and deck seating for cocktails and dinner. The resort’s 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space received an upgrade, including a redecorated 5,200-square-foot grand ballroom and patios for pre- and post-event gatherings.

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, Bonita Springs

At Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs, venue renovations have created a better experience both inside and out. After a $4.1 million interior update, the resort boasts 454 guest rooms and 82,500 sq. ft. of meeting space. In November, Hyatt unveiled the venue’s Lazy River, a $7.1 million water park that includes three triple-story slides and a 1,095-foot heated river. The 3-acre pool complex is one of the largest resort poolscapes in the state—and it’s available only to hotel guests.

In Fort Myers, The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marine Village is building a new conference center, slated to open in January 2018. The center will include 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and more than 15,000 sq. ft. of versatile space. Nearby DiamondHead Beach Resort & Spa just completed a $2.5 million guest-room renovation—the final phase of resort-wide enhancements.

Westin isn’t the only big name with new lodging in the area. Tampa-based Mainsail Lodging & Development is looking to break ground in June 2017 on Luminary Hotel & Co., next to the Fort Myers Harborside Event Center. The hotel, with a planned 2019 completion date, will join the Autograph Collection Hotels, a Marriott International portfolio of boutique properties.

For planners looking for eco-friendly venues, Hilton Naples has earned the Three Palm designation in the Florida Green Lodging program administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This makes it the second Three Palm-designated hotel in the greater Naples area.

Further Reading:

The Great Escape: Southwest Florida

plan a meeting in southwest florida

Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill at DiamondHead Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Myers Beach

Air service via most major carriers is available to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, 34 miles north of Naples. There are 46 nonstop destinations on 14 different carriers, with new routes recently added. The region’s major meetings destinations are all within two to four hours’ driving distance of Miami, Orlando and Tampa.

It’s hard to beat a seaside meeting. With the number of meetings that are booked near the beach in Southwest Florida, attendees will want to make extra time for sun and sand. For planners, that means inquiring about group-rate extensions when negotiating with hotels.
“Find out if that’s an opportunity,” suggests Francesca Donlan, communications director for Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau. Donlan recommends that business travelers tack an extra day onto their travel itineraries to make personal memories and establish business connections.

“You have a professional opportunity to be here, and you can enjoy it personally,” Donlan says. “You would feel really disappointed if you spent all this time professionally and you didn’t dip your toe into the water.”

Considering the breadth of world-class activities in the area, guests will want to budget time for more than just a quick dip in the water. For planners considering activities and excursions for their groups, the offerings are similarly tempting.

Fresh Opportunities to Taste

There’s nothing like tasting the local flavors to give visitors a sense of Southwest Florida.
Naples is a hotbed of culinary activity, with celebrity chef projects and award-winning eateries. Four of the city’s restaurants—Alexander’s, Baleen at La Playa Beach & Golf Resort, The Turtle Club, and Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar—were named to OpenTable’s 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants list in 2016.

Celebrity chef Art Smith’s new concept restaurant in Naples Bay Resort is generating considerable buzz. After working as Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef for more than a decade and opening restaurants in Orlando, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Palo Alto, California, Smith is serving up Southern American food with a bit of an Italian flare. “For Naples’ sophisticated diners, this is definitely a one-of-a-kind menu, with a lot of surprises,” Smith says.

Suite at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples

Health-conscious foodies will appreciate True Food Kitchen, a partnership with integrative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil that opened in March. Inspired by the principles of Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet, True Food Kitchen merges nutrient-rich ingredients with a flavor-forward menu that rotates regularly to let diners experience ingredients at the peak of freshness and flavor.

Guests who can’t decide on just one restaurant can sample all the city’s best with Taste of Naples Tours. These are creative, all-inclusive tours of top locally owned restaurants. The door-to-door experience includes luxury coach pick-up and drop-off from participants’ hotels and venues, with food and wine dining tours, as well as sightseeing and shopping excursions.

To add local flavor, many restaurants and venues throughout Southwest Florida are preparing some delicious, freshly caught seafood. For meeting luncheons, planners should inquire about Gulf catches, such as snapper, grouper and fresh shrimp. For a casual meal, the shrimp at Skip One in Fort Myers is a very solid bet because the proprietor also owns the largest shrimp boat fleet in the state.

Ballroom at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marine Village

More Adventures Await 

Southwest Florida doesn’t offer neon lights and amusements like Miami and Orlando—and it’s not trying to. The charm is strolling on endless white-sand beaches, paddling through a swamp and embracing the calm atmosphere—all at a fraction of major-city event prices.

Still looking for that elusive intersection of productivity and relaxation? Just go west.

Further Reading:

The Great Escape: Southwest Florida

Fort Myers & Sanibel

DiamondHead Beach Resort & Spa

124 guest rooms; 8,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space; Esterra Spa & Salon; fitness center; guest bicycles; heated pool; business center; gift shop; Florida Green Lodging award-winner.

Harborside Event Center

41,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space; located in historic downtown Fort Myers, along Caloosahatchee River; great views; within walking distance of shops, restaurants, entertainment.

Holiday Inn Fort Myers Airport at Town Center

169 guest rooms; 6,800 sq. ft. of meeting space; 2 miles from airport; complimentary shuttle; Oasis Restaurant; pools; hot tub; outdoor fire pit; audiovisual equipment provided.

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa

454 guest rooms; more than 82,500 sq. ft. of meeting space, following a $4.1 million update; Lazy River water park; seven restaurants, including elegant Tarpon Bay; Stillwater Spa; Raptor Bay Golf Club.

Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina

212 guest rooms; 7,318 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space; more than 37,000 sq. ft. outdoors; First Green Lodging hotel on Fort Myers Beach; two restaurants; private dining on beach; fitness center; spa; Offshore Sailing School offers team-building events.

Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa

347 guest rooms; 30,108 sq. ft. of meeting space; set on an 85-acre peninsula; full-service spa; Sanibel Harbour Princess yacht available for group functions; five eateries.

South Seas Island Resort Captiva Island

471 guest rooms; 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; located at tip of Captiva Island; seven unique eateries; boat cruises; water sports rentals; three pools; sailing lessons.

Sundial Beach Resort & Spa

400 guest rooms; 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; four restaurants; tennis courts and pro shop; 12-court pickleball facility; full-service spa; voted Best Full Service Resort on the Islands four years in a row by The Sanibel-Captiva Islander.

The Gasparilla Inn & Club

163 guest rooms; 6,576 sq. ft. of meeting space; National Historic Landmark on barrier island in Gulf; four restaurants; five retail shops; charming Old Florida accommodations; two pools; spa; fitness center.

The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village

263 guest rooms; 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; new conference center with 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space due to open in 2018; AAA Four Diamond property; 24-hour fitness center; three pools; Esterra Spa & Salon; nature trail.

Naples, Marco Island & the Everglades

Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa

298 guest rooms; 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; AAA Four Diamond hotel; recently completed $40 million renovation; new restaurant.

Hilton Naples

199 guest rooms; 16,061 sq. ft. of meeting space; Shula’s Steakhouse; free shuttle to beach; free Wi-Fi throughout hotel; 24-hour fitness center; received Three Palm designation in Florida Green Lodging program.

Hyatt House Naples/Fifth Avenue

183 guest rooms; 3,160 sq. ft. of meeting space; and Latitude26, a large waterfront restaurant/bar; resort-like pool; fire pit.

Inn on 5th Naples

119 guest rooms and suites; 8,000 sq. ft. of attractive meeting space; onsite catering; downtown Naples landmark; Ocean Prime and Truluck’s Seafood Steak and Crabhouse restaurants; Spa on 5th.

JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort

810 upgraded guest rooms; landmark resort undergoing $320 million conversion with expected completion in mid-2017; meeting space will double to more than 100,000 sq. ft.; pool decks; two new restaurants.

La Playa Beach & Golf Resort

189 guest rooms; 11,000 sq. ft. of meeting space with outdoor views; Baleen restaurant was voted one of 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America by Open Table; fitness club; water sports include parasailing, fishing and kayaking.

Marco Beach Ocean Resort

98 guest rooms; 10,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space, including a private meeting floor; boutique hotel with luxurious decor.

Naples Bay Resort

144 guest rooms; 6,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; near shopping, dining and arts district; 1500 South restaurant by celebrity chef Art Smith; spa; three pools, 97-slip, full-service marina; water sports.

Naples Grande Beach Resort

475 guest rooms; more than 83,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space; seven restaurants; golf course; tennis court; spa; three pools; Catch of the Pelican restaurant.

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

319 guest rooms; 34,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space; opened in 1946; golf course; tennis; full-service spa; waterfront dining at HB’s On the Gulf; team-building activities and white-sand beaches.

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples

295 guest rooms; 16,500 sq. ft. of meeting space; beautifully landscaped, Mediterranean-style resort; two Greg Norman golf courses; pro shop; award-winning Lemonia Restaurant; fitness center; spa.

The Ritz-Carlton Naples

450 guest rooms; 42,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; world-class beachfront resort and Florida Green Lodging property; spa; pool; seven restaurants.

Further Reading:

The Great Escape: Southwest Florida

Take Them Out to a Ball Game

The Florida Marlins and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays call Florida home year-round. Florida hosts numerous Major League Baseball teams during spring training, so they have company.

For more than 125 years, MLB teams have gathered in southern Florida during February and March to play ball in the Grapefruit League. Fifteen teams participate in the Sunshine State’s spring training exhibition games. Two of them are based in Fort Myers: the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins.

Built in 1991, Hammond Stadium (pictured), the Twins’ home, is modeled after Louisville horse track Churchill Downs. It is also the home of the Twins’ Class A Advanced affiliate, the Fort Myers Miracle. Eight miles away, JetBlue Park serves as the Red Sox home, informally dubbed Fenway South. Opened in 2012, the inside resembles Fenway Park, complete with a Green Monster wall in left field.

For meeting planners, spring training outings are an affordable way to add memorable, laid-back fun to an event. Schedules and ticket prices are generally released mid-November. Group and season tickets go on sale in late December. Single-game tickets go on sale in late December or early January. Closing a deal during a breakout session is invaluable, but catching a foul from a future World Series champion is priceless.

Beer Paradise 

Florida is more frequently associated with umbrella-garnished drinks than craft beer. That’s changing. With five local breweries in the region—and a sixth brewery on tap to open soon—the Paradise Coast is rapidly morphing into a craft beer destination.

The trend started in 2012 with Naples Beach Brewery. The city’s first microbrewery is open daily and serves 24 brews on tap. Riptide Brewing Company—a passion project launched by three buddies who enjoy hobby-brewing in their garages—followed in November 2015.
The newest addition to the Naples microbrewery scene is Bone Hook Brewing Company.

The engineers and self-proclaimed science nerds behind Bone Hook (pictured) concoct their creations in an onsite lab using a spectrophotometer to measure beer bitterness and diacetyl. The brewery offers a range of styles: American and Belgian pale ales, English golden ale, German weissbier, several saison ales, an American IPA and stout.

Rounding out the lot are Oil Well Craft Beer in nearby Ave Maria—which serves from 20 taps in its Tasting Bar taproom—and Marco Island Brewery, a smaller operation that produces only three styles of beer, but includes a full-service restaurant. The incoming microbrewery and garden, Ankrolab Brewing in Naples, is scheduled to open in late summer.
With more than 50 regional craft beers—and more offerings on the way—Southwest Florida is quickly becoming a beer-lover’s paradise.

Further Reading:

The Great Escape: Southwest Florida

Akron Civic Theatre

It’s shaping up to be a very good year for Akron. Ohio’s fifth largest city grew to prominence as a 20th-century tire-and-rubber empire (Goodyear still has its headquarters there). With waterfalls and national parks, PGA golf and pro football, amphitheaters and fine-arts, Akron is prospering today as a destination for business travelers and tourists alike.

The city surrounds Cuyahoga Valley National Park—the 12th most-visited U.S. national park in 2016, according to Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau. Visitors can take a relaxing ride aboard the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, where excursions bring guests through the heart of the national park.

“Once the rubber capital of the world, greater Akron remains innovative,” says James Mahon, vice president of marketing & brand management for the CVB. “The ‘city of invention’ [is] leveraging our citizenry’s intellectual power in unison with a vibrant renaissance that continues to transform the brick-and-mortar of downtown Akron and the region.”

The city’s reinvention strategy includes attracting business travelers with hotels that offer expanded event space, and a convention center touted as northeast Ohio’s premier meeting venue. John S. Knight Center has 123,000 sq. ft. of convening space, including large ballrooms and several meeting rooms.

Akron combines a laid-back feel with metropolitan offerings one would expect from a city with 200,000 residents. “Our team likes to help meeting and events planners tailor an itinerary that includes much more than their official business,” Mahon says.

Business travelers have a list of places to see, including Akron Civic Theatre (one of only five remaining atmospheric theaters in the country). There’s also Akron Zoo, Akron Art Museum and Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens—a gorgeous manor house and estate with five historic buildings and eight gardens, covering 70 acres.

For golfers, Akron’s esteemed Firestone Country Club offers 54 holes and hosts the annual PGA Bridgestone Invitational.

Football fanatics can take comfort in knowing that Akron is less than 30 miles from one of their bucket-list destinations. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is about a half-hour drive to Canton from Akron.

Further Reading:

Meetings of the Heartland: Ohio and Indiana

Hilton Garden Inn South Bend

South Bend, Indiana, is not the first city that comes to mind as a major event destination. In fact, the first thing that comes to mind is the University of Notre Dame and nationally televised football games.

“When many people think of South Bend they immediately associate it with Notre Dame,” says Mike Franz, communications and public relations manager for Visit South Bend Mishawaka, the city’s CVB. “Past the beauty and lore of the Golden Dome and Notre Dame football sits a destination that is perfect for a weekend getaway.”

The Mishawaka metropolitan area of South Bend is investing millions to draw business travelers. Holiday Inn Conference Center Mishawaka has 10,000 sq. ft. of event space. It is situated near restaurants, bars and retail outlets.

Gillespie Conference and Special Events Center has 15,000 sq. ft. of event space and hosts large-scale business meetings. Two hotels—Hilton Garden Inn South Bend and Inn at Saint Mary’s Hotel & Suites—connect to Gillespie center.

Century Center South Bend offers 75,000 sq. ft. of event space, including a 25,000-square-foot convention hall. The center has a 12,000-square-foot ballroom and Great Hall with 16,000 sq. ft. of event space and 30-foot, floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the St. Joseph River.

Not to be outdone, University of Notre Dame has its own conference center—and hotel. Morris Inn at Notre Dame sits on campus. It offers 150 rooms and is connected (via underground walkway) to the university conference center.

South Bend also has lots of restaurants, including Cafe Navarre, LaSalle Grill, Tippecanoe Place and Sorin’s at the Morris Inn.

Further Reading:

Meetings of the Heartland: Ohio and Indiana