The Pacific Northwest, depending on one’s personal interests, conjures images ranging from glorious natural beauty to a mosh pit at a grunge concert.
If it’s a love of the great outdoors that tickles meeting attendees, Crater Lake, Mount Rainier and the Oregon coast stand out as three of North America’s most awe-inspiring sights. For sports enthusiasts in the group, fishing for salmon, the catch of the region, is a popular option. Starbucks, a little coffee purveyor you may have heard of, originated in Seattle, as did getting in touch with one’s angst, a timeless pursuit thanks to grunge, which marches on to the beat of long-lasting bands, particularly Seattle’s own Pearl Jam.
Much like its list of unique sights, tastes and sounds, the Pacific Northwest, namely Oregon and Washington, holds within it a vast array of venues and experiences that are particular to the region. When planners incorporate these into itineraries, attendees are certain to recall the Northwest in a new light.
WASHINGTON
Seattle
Washington’s crown jewel is fortunate to have a variety of special venues with settings that naturally lend themselves to one-of-a-kind themed events, according to Kae Block, CMP, director of convention and visitor services at Seattle’s CVB.
“They all alleviate some of the stress and cost involved when a meeting planner is charged with creating a unique event,” she says, citing the Museum of Flight, the Experience Music Project, the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, Tillicum Village, and Argosy Dinner Cruises.
Additionally, Seattle will welcome three more venues due for completion by mid-2007, including the renovated and expanded Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Art Museum-affiliated Olympic Sculpture Park and the renovated waterfront Seattle Aquarium.
“These add to the diversity of our venues and expand the pool of location possibilities for meeting planners,” Block says.
Destination Services NW, part of the Victoria Clipper family of companies, works with Seattle-, Victoria- and Vancouver-area partners to develop events and activities that are uniquely Northwest, according to Sales Manager Eric Hess.
“Our touch is very personal and tailored to each of our groups,” he says, citing Hot Shop Party, a hands-on experience in keeping with the area’s glass-blowing history, during which participants create glass bowls and other works of art at the Seattle Glass Blowing Studio.
Hess also suggests Seattle-style Christmas caroling—by kayak. Situated adjacent to the Space Needle, Lake Union is home to one of the country’s largest floating home communities, where participants are outfitted with kayaks, given quick pointers on how to remain upright, and supplied with a thermos of hot chocolate before setting off on a guided caroling tour of beautiful homes, including the one where Sleepless in Seattle was filmed, according to Hess.
Located 15 miles northeast of Seattle is a popular local winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, situated on 87 wooded acres. According to Kathy Bass, managing director of Seattle Hospitality Services, the winery offers a banquet room that was designed with large groups in mind and features a barrel-vaulted ceiling, chandeliers, an oversized fireplace, and original glass art.
Surrounding Seattle
Several meetings-equipped communities surround Seattle, including Bellevue, a thriving corporate center whose downtown has been transforming at a rapid pace, according to Sharon Linton, marketing communications manager for the Meydenbauer Center and the Bellevue Convention Sales Group.
“In just a year Bellevue has become intensely urban and culturally rich,” she says, citing Lincoln Square, the region’s newest destination for shopping, dining, entertainment, and quality accommodations at The Westin Bellevue, while other developments include Bellevue Place, home to the Hyatt Regency Bellevue.
Bellevue is located less than an hour’s drive from Snoqualmie Falls, where groups can retreat to properties like Salish Lodge and Spa and incorporate adventure into their meeting plans, including hiking, skiing, fishing, rafting, and golfing.
Additional golfing opportunities are available at The Golf Club at Newcastle, which is situated on 350 acres with panoramic views of Mount Rainier and the Olympic and Cascade mountains. The club features two 18-hole public courses, practice facilities, a 44,000-square-foot clubhouse, and clinics for golfers of all abilities.
Nearby Tacoma is a destination that within the past four years has set itself apart with its new Museum District, a triangle of architecturally rich and distinctly Northwest venues, including the Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum and the Washington State History Museum. Each museum offers a unique setting for off-site meetings, receptions and banquets, according to Julie Gangler, spokesperson for the Tacoma Regional CVB.
“All three museums are close to the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, and groups meeting there enjoy functions surrounded by art or history,” she says, adding that LeMay: America’s Car Museum, showcasing Harold LeMay’s collection of more than 2,990 vehicles acquired since 1946, is scheduled to open in 2008. The 475,000-square-foot museum will be situated on nine acres adjacent to the Tacoma Dome, according to Gangler.
The Seattle Southside Office of Tourism’s program director, Katherine Kertzman, touts the area’s proximity to Seattle, Tacoma and the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, as well as its unique venues, namely the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum, which serves as a great location for an off-site reception, dinner or activity.
“On certain nights, the museum plays old hydroplane movies and serves soda and popcorn,” Kertzman says. “This would make a relaxing end to a long meeting day.”
She adds that overtaking the skyline around the airport is the Link Light Rail project. Once completed in 2009, the new elevated train track will escort visitors between the airport and downtown Seattle’s Westlake Center.
“Planning a meeting or event in Seattle Southside and the airport area is much more affordable than downtown Seattle, yet event attendees will still be able to travel downtown on the new elevated train during their downtime,” Kertzman says.
Nestled between Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains, and only 12 miles north of downtown Seattle, Snohomish County, encompassing meetings-friendly communities such as Everett and Lynnwood, where the Lynnwood Convention Center debuted last year, is a relaxing destination that offers plenty of unique ways to experience its great outdoors appeal. River rafting, hiking, biking, and Orca whale-watching are among the favorite activities for visitors.
The area also features a variety of special venues, according to Tracy Banfield, group sales and media manager for the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau.
The list includes Arlington’s River Rock Inn Bed and Breakfast, with five suites and a 1,300-square-foot great room with seating for up to 60 people.
Meanwhile, the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour at Paine Field in Everett allows guests to experience the marvel of commercial aviation, digitally designing and testing their own jetliner before touring the Boeing assembly plant, and it also accommodates groups of up to 1,400 people.
Over in Bellingham, according to Jill Radel, convention sales manager at Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, inspirational events are held in inspirational settings.
“The event planners we work with tell us their meetings and conventions always have maxed attendance when they are held in the Bellingham–Mount Baker region,” she says.
Specializing in groups of 500 or fewer, the area offers several standout facilities, including Semiahmoo Resort and Hotel Bellwether.
Plus, the area is gorgeous, with outstanding backdrops of Mount Baker, the Canadian Cascades and Bellingham Bay, and boasts many recreational pursuits, including skiing, hiking, biking, sailing, whale watching, kayaking, and golfing.
Encompassing Orcas, Lopez and San Juan islands, the San Juan Islands provides planners with a lovely marine setting where kayaking and whale watching are often enjoyed, and where meeting attendees successfully nurture their creativity, according to Robin Jacobson, spokesperson for the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau.
On San Juan Island are two outstanding venues that planners are encouraged to check out for off-site receptions: Westcott Bay Sculpture Park and Nature Reserve, and The Whale Museum.
A further testament to the natural beauty that surrounds Seattle is Olympic National Park, the dominant feature of the Olympic Peninsula, according to Diane Schostak, executive director for the North Olympic Peninsula Visitor and Convention Bureau.
“We just completed a branding process and have settled on ‘Nature’s Champion,’ which came from a National Geographic article a couple years ago,” she says, adding that the park features alpine meadows, dense rainforest valleys, 60 miles of rugged coastline, 60 glaciers, and more than 600 miles of trails.
The community of Ocean Shores, which features a convention center and distinctive meetings retreats like the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino, is one of the most popular destinations in the region.
Spokane
A thriving urban pocket in eastern Washington, Spokane mixes meeting facilities with natural splendor.
According to Amy Cabe, the Spokane Regional CVB’s convention services manager, a recent Outdoor Writers Conference provided a uniquely Northwest experience from beginning to end.
One group activity was a shooting day at Farragut State Park, set along Lake Pend Oreille about an hour from Spokane in northern Idaho.
“For the same conference, we set up an exhibit area in Riverfront Park, a 100-acre park set along the Spokane River right in the heart of downtown Spokane,” Cabe says. “It was a perfect fit for outdoor writers; they even had a reception right outside the Spokane Convention Center, with the entertainment performing on a floating stage on the Spokane River.”
Southern and Central Washington
Southwest Washington sets itself apart from the rest of the Pacific Northwest because it sports the region’s richest history; Clark County was named in honor of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, according to Midge Dobbs, CMP, director of sales and services at the Southwest Washington CVB, which represents Clark County, of which Vancouver is the main city.
Dobbs says Vancouver’s ambience is the perfect marriage between the historic and the contemporary, with a revitalized downtown that is home to the new Hilton Vancouver and Vancouver Convention Center and other meetings-friendly properties like the riverfront Red Lion Hotel Vancouver at the Quay.
“Our historic attractions, the charming architecture of our historic buildings, and the fact that we’ve been able to maintain a small-town feel while growing into a metropolitan city all make our destination unique,” Dobbs says.
Two historic sites that welcome groups are Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, where interpreters in period clothing reenact daily fort life; and Officers Row, featuring 22 preserved Victorian homes on the National Register of Historic Places.
Roughly 20 miles east of Vancouver along the Columbia River Gorge, planners can plant groups amid the region’s stunning natural beauty at the Skamania Lodge.
Wine and culture have made a home in Yakima Valley, where wine tasting at more than 60 wineries often fills up the day before a concert at Seasons Performance Hall.
According to Scott Steinloski, director of tourism at the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau, it’s simple to tie wine tasting into any meeting.
“Groups can charter a bus or schedule wine tasting by horseback,” he says, adding that a horse-drawn wagon is available for those who would rather not ride.
At Seasons Performance Hall, a circa-1917, Renaissance-style former church that opened in 2005 and has since been touted a “listener’s dream” by The Wall Street Journal, visitors can enjoy jazz and classical concerts nearly every weekend.
In the Wenatchee Valley, top team-building and excursion choices among groups include geocaching and guided river rafting in the splendid outdoors; wine tasting in the Columbia Cascade Wine region at wineries such as St. Laurent and Chateau Faire le Pont; and visiting Ohme Gardens, a world-renowned Alpine garden.
“Every time we bring visitors to the Ohme Gardens, they are blown away; it is truly a hidden gem of Washington state,” says Roger Clute, executive director of the Wenatchee Valley CVB.
The Tri-Cities area, according to Tana Bader Inglima, vice president of marketing and public affairs for the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau, distinguishes itself through its combination of uniquely tailored meeting venues, weather, water, and wine.
Two of the area’s standout facilities are Stoneridge Event Center and the Terra Blanca Winery, which opened in April as a destination winery for meetings, events and group activities.
Additionally, the Columbia River Voyager is a dinner and sightseeing cruise boat that’s available for group rentals of up to 130 people.
With some 300 days of sunshine per year, groups also enjoy outdoor activities like the ropes course in Kennewick’s Columbia Park.
OREGON
Portland Area
“When you look at Portland on a map, it really hits you that the city is surrounded by an incredibly diverse mix of natural assets—the Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood, the Oregon coast, and the Willamette Valley wine region,” says Michael Smith, vice president of sales for the Portland Oregon Visitors Association.
Smith adds that Portland was committed to sustainability long before the idea caught on everywhere else.
“That focus has given us a bit of a head start in the green meetings market,” he says, citing options that planners enjoy learning about, including the efficient MAX light rail system, which links downtown Portland to Portland International Airport; the LEED-certified Oregon Convention Center; and unique reception venues like the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, a former parking lot turned into a downtown green space.
The MAX light rail system extends into Washington County, which is known as the “Country Side of Portland,” offering unique experiences amid its hills of vineyards, excellent golf courses and charming towns.
“Portland is known as one of the most progressive cities in terms of its mass transit,” Smith adds. “[This month] we’re adding a new aerial tram to our existing light rail and streetcar systems. The tram, which will connect downtown Portland’s South Waterfront District to the top of Marquam Hill, is going to give riders one of the best views—and photo ops—of the city.”
Located an hour from Portland is the Hood region, which features Mount Hood and the Hood River.
According to Genevieve Scholl-Erdmann, spokesperson for the Hood River County COC and Visitors Council, mountaintop meetings, wine tasting and water excursions generally make the to-do list of planners bringing groups to the area.
“The Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association is promoting its ‘World of Wine in 40 Miles’ tour, and first impressions are that it’s quite a hit with small to midsize groups,” she says.
In Hood River County, Mount Hood Meadows Ski Resort and the Cooper Spur Mountain Resort both offer attractive skiing, lodging and meeting packages for more adventurous groups, according to Scholl-Erdmann, while The Resort at the Mountain, featuring a unique Scottish ambience, is also a premier golf, ski and meetings option in the area.
Scholl-Erdmann also recommends a scenic cruise aboard the Sternwheeler Columbia Gorge or a scenic train excursion through the Hood River Valley on the historic Mount Hood Railroad.
Willamette Valley
Consisting of the Eugene–Springfield area, Corvallis and Salem, the Willamette Valley boasts various outdoor pursuits and a thriving wine region (www.willamettewines.com), not to mention a nationally recognized college football rivalry between the Eugene-based University of Oregon Ducks and the Corvallis-based Oregon State University Beavers.
The Eugene–Springfield area, also known as Lane County, is considered the “Covered Bridge Capital of the West,” according to Joshua Alder, spokesperson for the Convention and Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon.
“We have 20 covered bridges, with the oldest dating back to 1920,” he says. “It’s very convenient for groups to take a break and tour the covered bridges. It’s free and they’re all easy to find, plus they make for fantastic photo opportunities.”
In Corvallis, fishing and white-water rafting excursions can be arranged on the Santiam, Alsea, Willamette, and Umpqua rivers, according to Chy M. Charles, group manager of Corvallis Tourism.
“Rafting is a great team-building event because teams will learn firsthand that paddling a boat can be done by yourself, but doing it together when coming up against obstacles is so much easier,” he says.
The Willamette River also flows trough Salem, where groups can arrange everything from water skiing, kayaking and canoeing to fishing for trout and salmon.
At Silver Falls State Park, situated only 26 miles east of Salem, guests will find the 177-foot South Falls and trails that accommodate hiking, bicycling and horseback riding.
Southern and Central Oregon
Located east of Eugene, the Bend area features several special facilities for groups, including the nationally acclaimed High Desert Museum, which hosts receptions in its Birds of Prey Aviary; the Deschutes Brewery’s Mountain Room; and the Riverhouse Resort’s new 28,000-square-foot convention center, according to Mike Glover, executive director at the Bend Visitor and Convention Bureau.
“Bend features a variety of traditional and non-traditional venues to accommodate any group for an event or activity,” he says.
In Medford, the gateway to the Rogue River, many activities taking in the scenic surroundings are enjoyed by groups, including winery tours, golfing and river rafting. Among the destination’s unique venues for groups is the restored Boeing KC-97 aircraft at the Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport, which is available for meetings and receptions of up to 50 people.
Ashland, situated only about 15 miles from the California border, boasts several offerings that set it apart from its Oregon neighbors, namely the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The festival runs 11 plays in repertory annually from February through October. The plays are staged in three different theaters, including the Oregon Cabaret Theater, which offers group rates.
Additionally, according to Mary Pat Parker, spokesperson for the Ashland COC/Visitor and Convention Bureau, Ashland has more than 20 art galleries, 80 restaurants and an array of specialty retail shops.
Coastal Oregon
The Oregon coast’s ruggedly magnificent natural beauty is complemented by a series of inviting towns.
Communities lining the shore include Coos Bay, known as Oregon’s Bay Area; Florence, where delegates will enjoy shopping in specialty stores such as Kitchen Klutter; and Seaside, which welcomes groups to its Seaside Civic and Convention Center.
Lincoln City is home to the beach “float drop,” during which beautiful, colorful glass floats are positioned along the area’s shoreline for people to “find.” According to Sandy Pfaff, director of the Lincoln City Visitor and Convention Bureau, a float drop may be arranged for groups, as it was for the Kiwanis District Convention in August.
“This program is like a big Easter egg hunt for adults and children alike. Folks are thrilled with the floats when they find them,” she says, adding that groups might also arrange to create their own floats at Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio.
Just south of Lincoln City in Gleneden Beach, Salishan Spa and Golf Resort takes full advantage of the region’s natural beauty, offering one of the coast’s top escapes for groups.
In Astoria, according to Skip Hauke, executive director at the Astoria–Warrenton Area COC, two options in particular provide a unique experience for groups.
A national historic landmark, the posh Liberty Theater in downtown Astoria was built in 1925 and recently renovated to house a performing arts center. The theater offers a calendar of live performances throughout the year and a brand-new meeting space upstairs. Also, the newly renovated 125-foot-tall Astoria Column, one of the Oregon coast’s most famous landmarks, boasts 360-degree views of the Lower Columbia Region. Built in 1926, the column has 164 steps winding up to a viewing deck, and its exterior features more than 500 feet of murals depicting area-specific historical events.
Rounding out Oregon’s coastal experience is Newport’s Oregon Coast Aquarium, which hosts group tours and evening receptions, according to Lorna Davis, tourism development director at the Greater Newport COC.
She adds that a vessel called Discovery, part of Marine Discovery Tours, is available for bay cruises, as well as whale-watching adventures.
“There are also several public docks from which groups can crab,” Davis says, adding that a must-see sight is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, the tallest and oldest operating lighthouse on the Oregon coast.
Eastern Oregon
Two distinctly Pacific Northwest options for group gatherings in Pendleton, a down-home community that embodies a laid-back Western cowboy attitude, are the Slickfork Saloon and the Bar M Guest Ranch.
At the Slickfork Saloon, located on the third floor of the recently renovated Hamley & Co., an historic building and store featuring cowboy gear like saddles and chaps, the decor features a stamped copper ceiling, gas lamps and a large antique saloon bar.
“You can just imagine the barkeep sliding the glass of beer down its length,” says Leslie Carnes, executive director of the Pendleton COC.
At the Bar M Guest Ranch near Pendleton, Carnes adds, a chuckwagon meal can be served while groups are entertained by a square dance done on horseback, called a quadrille.
Upon request, the Pendleton COC’s Ambassadors will also provide an experience truly unique to the community: a welcome or farewell ceremony for a group that incorporates “roping” and “branding” one of the its leaders.
“They use an actual branding iron, but it is dipped in flour instead of heated,” Carnes says. “A citation is read before they receive the “P” on the shoulder or hip, and they are made an honorary Pendletonian.”
For More Info
WASHINGTON
Bellevue Convention Sales Group 425.450.3721
www.bellevueconventions.com
Bellingham Whatcom County CVB 360.671.3990
www.bellingham.org
North Olympic Peninsula Visitor & Convention Bureau 360.452.8552
www.olympicpeninsula.org
Ocean Shores Convention Center 360.289.4411
www.oceanshoresmeetings.com
Olympia–Lacey–Tumwater Visitor
and Convention Bureau 360.378.3277
www.visitsanjuans.com
Seattle’s CVB 206.461.5800
www.visitseattle.org
Seattle Southside Office of Tourism 206.575.2489
www.seattlesouthside.com
Snohomish County Tourism Bureau 425.348.5802
www.snohomish.org
Southwest Washington CVB 360.750.1553
www.southwestwashington.com
Spokane Regional CVB 509.747.3230
www.visitspokane.com
Tacoma Regional CVB 253.627.2836
www.traveltacoma.com
Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau 509.735.8486
www.visittri-cities.com
Washington State Tourism Department 360.725.5052
www.tourism.wa.gov
Wenatchee Valley CVB 509.663.3723
www.wenatcheevalley.org
Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau 509.575.3010
www.visityakima.com
OREGON
Ashland COC/Visitor and Convention Bureau 541.482.3486
www.ashlandchamber.com
Astoria–Warrenton Area COC 503.325.6311
www.oldoregon.com
Bay Area COC 541.266.0868
www.oregonsbayareachamber.com
Bend Visitor and Convention Bureau 541.382.8048
www.visitbend.com
Clackamas County Tourism
Development Council 503.655.8490
www.mthoodterritory.com
Convention & Visitors Assoc.
of Lane County Oregon 541.484.5307
www.visitlanecounty.org
Corvallis Tourism 541.757.1544
www.visitcorvallis.com
CVB of Washington County,Ore. 503.644.5555
www.countrysideofportland.com
Greater Newport COC 541.265.8801
www.newportchamber.org
Hood River County COC Convention Bureau 541.386.2000
www.hoodriver.org
Lincoln City Visitor and 541.996.1274
www.oregoncoast.org
Medford Visitors and Convention Bureau 541.779.4847
www.visitmedford.org
Ontario COC 541.889.8012
www.ontariochamber.com
Oregon Tourism Commission 503.378.8850
www.traveloregon.com
Pendleton COC 541.276.7411
www.pendletonchamber.org
Portland Oregon Visitors Association 503.275.9750
www.travelportland.com
Roseburg Visitors and Convention Bureau 541.672.9731
www.visitroseburg.com
Salem CVB 503.581.4325
www.travelsalem.com
Seaside Visitors Bureau 503.738.3097
www.seasideor.com
