Small and mid-sized destinations are in demand, as groups seek out hidden culinary gems far from the crowds.
“Grapevine, Texas, is a fantastic destination for meetings and conventions, offering a variety of new and exciting culinary experiences that cater to a wide variety of tastes and preferences,” says Joe Thompson, Managing Director of Sales and Destination Services, Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Teatro, just opened on our Historic Main Street, is a vibrant addition, offering a unique fusion of Italian and Latin American cuisines in an upscale, contemporary setting. The celebrity chef, Carla Pelligrino, has been featured on many shows including Top Chef and Throwdown with Bobby Flay (which she won!).”
Opening later this summer in Grapevine, Rock & Brews, founded by KISS members, will offer a casual atmosphere with live music and a menu of American classics. The space is available for buyouts or just for relaxing after meetings. Firebird Wood Fired Grill has also recently opened and features a wood fired grill and scratch kitchen. Portillo’s is set to open in fall 2024 and will offer Chicago favorites such as Italian beef sandwiches and hot dogs, while The Old Hickory Steakhouse at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center offers private dining rooms for corporate events and is undergoing renovation set to be completed by fall 2024.
“We have a wide range of venue options, from the expansive Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center to Hilton Garden Inns,” says Thompson. “You can find the ideal setting for any event size or style. Grapevine also has a diverse culinary landscape featuring new hotspots that cater to a wide range of tastes, making dining a highlight of the event, and its Historic Main Street, complete with locally owned boutiques and Texas winery tasting rooms, is another easygoing and fun place to spend time outside of the meeting room.”
Other new openings include Chicken N Pickle, where guests can enjoy a variety of activities from yard games to world-class pickleball courts. Meow Wolf opened last year in Grapevine and offers an interactive one-of-a kind art experience that groups can explore at their own pace. Corky’s Gaming Bistro features an escape room, axe-throwing competitions and vintage arcade games, while groups can compete together in a virtual golf competition at Crush It! Sports Lounge.
“Grapevine is easily accessible, located in the middle of Dallas and Fort Worth,” says Thompson. “DFW International Airport is in Grapevine, which means you’ll get to your hotel room in about 10 minutes. The majority of venues and attractions are within a three-mile radius so it’s easy to get around. And we do have complimentary visitor shuttles that attendees can use, so there is no need for rental cars or ride shares most of the time. We have a Destination Services team that is dedicated to helping planners execute successful events. They provide comprehensive support including micro-sites and on-the-ground assistance. They work to make sure every detail is taken care of, allowing planners to focus on delivering memorable events.”
“Alabama’s Beaches offer a variety of culinary experiences that showcase our biodiversity and Cajun/Creole influence,” says Michelle Russ, STS, TMP, VP of Sales, Sports and Events at Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “A great group activity is taking in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach through our waterways by charter fishing, and many local restaurants will cook your catch. Southern Chili Lab, a local fermenting business, is expanding its offerings beyond making hot sauce and chili crisp to add cooking classes and chef’s table dinners using local ingredients. Unincorporated Fort Morgan boasts two incredible oyster farms in the mouth of Mobile Bay, part of an area known as “America’s Amazon” because of the vast biodiversity found in this part of the country. Admiral Shellfish Company and Navy Cove Oysters give farm tours and distribute locally and regionally.”
Embassy Suites Gulf Shores is scheduled to open in fall 2025, and is currently booking meetings for spring 2026. The 8-story, all-suite, full-service convention property is located in the heart of Alabama’s Beaches area, and situated directly across the main beach boulevard from the Gulf of Mexico. As well as 257 rooms, the property features 13,762 sf of enclosed meeting and pre-function space; 7,898 sf of outdoor space and a 3-story parking garage. Amenities will include a lobby bar and restaurant, rooftop terrace with a bar and grill, pool deck and outdoor entertainment space.
“Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism goes above and beyond to provide our meeting services free of charge, including our meeting planner marketing toolkit,” says Russ. “When attendees travel to destination meetings, if time allows, it makes sense to tack on a workcation as a solo trip, family vacation or downtime with fellow attendees. In Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, interest has continued to pique post-COVID among planners we work with to encourage attendees to explore the area and incorporate destination-centric teambuilding activities.”
“From elevated fine dining to comfortable casual, on city sidewalks and at water’s edge, Long Beach offers local favorites and a delicious array of authentic international cuisine in a vibrant food scene that is among the nation’s most exciting,” says Steve Goodling, President and CEO of Meet Long Beach. “Heritage’s creative farm-to-table menu recently earned Long Beach its first ever Michelin star and, this year, its owners will open their second concept, Olive & Rose, as the restaurant in the new City Center Hotel in Downtown Long Beach.”
Long Beach boasts a diverse dining scene with several Michelin-recommended restaurants including Chiang Rai, offering Thai cuisine; Peruvian sushi at Sushi Nikkei; or The Attic’s Southern comfort offerings including its signature Mac & (Flaming Hot) Cheetos.
“Given the city’s many eye-catching spots—in film and commercials it ranks as one of the most filmed and photographed cities in the world—where you eat can often be as satisfying as what you eat,” says Goodling. “Sidewalk dining can be had all over the city in such popular entertainment districts as Belmont Shore and Retro Row. There are dining options aboard the historic Queen Mary, the opportunity to eat on the beach at Gaucho Beach or above it at Claire’s at the Museum, overlooking the Pacific.”
The historic Queen Mary ocean liner fully reopened to visitors and hotel guests in 2023, and in 2024 it began increasing its programing to bring groups aboard. The Queen Mary currently offers a weekly Meet Me at the Mary happy hour featuring live music, karaoke nights, free movie screenings, night markets and more.
The Fairmont Breakers is slated to open in fall 2024, having undergone an extensive renovation to restore the historic property back to its original grandeur. It will be the city’s first five-star luxury hotel, and will feature a spa and wellness center, jazz club, Italian restaurant called Nettuno, the original top-floor restaurant The Sky Room, and two rooftop bars. Other hotel openings coming to Downtown Long Beach include the City Center Hotel, a Palm Springs-style mid-century boutique hotel slated to open in 2024, and a Hard Rock Hotel, which is planned to open in 2027.
“What differentiates Long Beach for meeting planners is that its convention center is not only on the water, it’s also set in a bustling downtown with more than 180 restaurants, an aquarium, hotels and entertainment all within walking distance,” says Goodling. “The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center itself is unique in that it includes an array of in-house assets that both add character to the building and also offer millions in savings. At the Center, you’ll find theatrical lighting and rigging, murals painted by international street artists, dazzling chandeliers, light up game tables, and many other elements designed to add something special to every event.”
“As a UNESCO Creative City, Paducah, [Kentucky], is full of delightful culinary opportunities for groups to enjoy,” says Liz Hammonds, Director of Marketing and Communications, Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau. “For a relaxed bite, visitors can sample West Kentucky barbecue at one of nearly a dozen locally owned barbecue joints. The renowned Kirchhoff’s Bakery and Deli, a fifth-generation family-owned establishment, provides unforgettable sandwiches, salads and baked goods either in-person or to-go. The “foodies” in your group will enjoy Freight House restaurant, serving farm-to-table cuisine with a Southern flair. Freight House is owned and operated by Chef Sara Bradley of Top Chef and Chopped fame.”
The Paducah-McCracken County Convention & Expo Center is located on the riverfront in Paducah’s Historic Downtown area, and offers 17 event rooms and approximately 100,000 sf of flexible meeting space. The venue can accommodate up to 2,000 attendees in its largest event space, and includes 52,007 sf of total multipurpose indoor space in the Convention Center, and nearly 40,000 sf of drive-in capable, multipurpose space in the Expo Center with an exhibit capacity of 200 booths.
“Paducah’s beautiful historic downtown is constantly adapting to change and expanding with new locally owned restaurants, bars and retail,” says Hammonds. “Paducah values culture, history and the arts as a way of life. Visitors will enjoy beautifully preserved history, excellent shopping, plenty of art galleries and museums and amenities that usually only exist in larger cities, such as a nationally recognized art museum and the Paducah Symphony. Paducah provides big-city amenities with the affordability of a small American river town. Planners have been to the big cities and now they’re looking for unique destinations, and Paducah provides an authentic Americana experience and creative culture in an accessible and affordable package.”
The Hotel Metropolitan, listed in the Green Book, was once a famous stop for African American entertainers and luminaries—such as Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, Ella Fitzgerald, Ike and Tina Turner, and Thurgood Marshall—throughout the 20th century before desegregation. Now a “Save America’s Treasures” project, the fully restored 1908 hotel invites groups to hear the stories of those who stayed within its walls through Ms. Maggie’s Memories, a living history presentation named in honor of the hotel’s founder, Ms. Maggie Steed. Paducah’s National Quilt Museum is a doorway to the contemporary quilt experience and highlights some of the most stunning hand-sewn quilts from the United States and around the world. The “Wall to Wall” Floodwall Murals, which adorn the city’s floodwall along the Ohio and Tennessee rivers depict the history of Paducah through the brushstrokes of painter Robert Dafford and his team, and are accompanied by plaques that tell the story of each painting.
“Florida’s Paradise Coast has become one of the hottest destinations in the country and it most certainly is a highly sought after location for corporate and incentive groups looking for that elusive combination of sophistication, fun, culture, and service,” says Lisa B. Chamberlain, CMP, Group Sales Manager, Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). “We are truly the place where the high life meets the wildlife offering beachfront meeting locations and boutique experiences for networking and teambuilding activities. From airboat rides in the Everglades to tours at world-renowned institutions such as Rev’s Institute or Naples Botanical Garden, there’s no comparable destination in or outside of Florida.”
New openings for 2024 include The Perry Hotel Naples, which will offer 160 rooms as well as distinctive food and beverage options, ground-level and rooftop pools, a seventh-floor rooftop bar and 75-seat restaurant with panoramic views. The hotel will face the Cocohatchee River with direct channel access to the Gulf of Mexico and Wiggins State Park, as well as a riverwalk through its nature conservation area to a waterfront pier and eight-slip marina for water sports and excursions.
The 120-room Compass by Margaritaville is now open for bookings and includes amenities such as a complimentary breakfast buffet, a Welcome Cabana with daily light snacks and refreshments, 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill and The Backyard—featuring a pool, live entertainment, backyard games and multiple social gathering areas.
The Great Wolf Lodge—Naples is slated to open on Sept. 25, 2024, and will be the 21st property to join the Great Wolf Lodge water park resort family. The 500-room property will offer a 90,000-sf indoor water park, a 60,000-sf Great Wolf Adventure Park, as well as restaurants and retail outlets. The complex will be located on the eastern edge of Collier County next to the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
“Naples is a culinary haven, featuring a wide range of dining options from gourmet restaurants to charming bistros,” says Chamberlain. “Meeting planners can incorporate this culinary excellence into their event by arranging catered meals from top chefs, organizing food tours, or hosting dinners at award-winning restaurants, providing attendees with memorable dining experiences.”
Bicyclette Cookshop by executive chef and partner Kayla Pfeiffer, who recently won the Chopped championship on the Food Network’s season finale, opened in November 2023. Its creative menu combines familiar dishes with surprising flavors such as caviar bumps paired with a pack of crunchy Bugles or a cocktail topped with Pop Rocks. Unidos Latin Kitchen and Bar opened in January 2024 and offers dishes inspired by the cuisine of Latin America. Its modern Nuevo Latino concept combines Argentinean wines and asados with the seafood-rich dishes of Peru, Ecuador, the prolific mountains of Colombia and the diversity of Mexico.
LoLa 41 opened in March 2024 in Naples, after the success of its locations in Palm Beach and Nantucket. The restaurant specializes in cuisines from the 41st parallel and offers an East-meets-West fusion of global flavors. The Ritz-Carlton, Naples has recently unveiled its new dining concept Nolita, which draws inspiration from its namesake neighborhood in New York and offers hand-tossed pizzas and a menu of familiar Italian classics influenced by family recipes.
“Authenticity and authentic experiences unique to the destination such as exploring the eco-system of Everglades National Park or immersing themselves in the extensive arts and cultural offerings of Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades top the list of experiences for groups,” says Chamberlain. “Incorporating wellness activities is increasingly important for meetings and is becoming a top priority for meeting professionals. Activities such as beachfront yoga, spa gatherings and beachside walks offer a sense of escape allowing attendees to focus on productivity. Unlike some larger and more congested meeting destinations, Naples offers a more intimate and exclusive atmosphere. This can lead to more focused and productive meetings, as well as a greater sense of connection among attendees. The city’s relaxed yet sophisticated environment is ideal for fostering meaningful interactions and networking.”
grapevinetexasusa.com/meetings; gulfshores.com/conventions-meetings; visitlongbeach.com/meetings; paducah.travel/meetings; paradisecoast.com/meetings