American foundation and cornerstone, the Commonwealth of Virginia has written many pivotal chapters of our proud heritage. As the birthplace of a nation (at Jamestowne Island in 1607), Virginia soared in the fight for freedom, producing seven signers of the Declaration of Independence and four of the first five U.S. presidents—Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.
From its Atlantic coastline, Virginia rolls westward through its bucolic central region before sweeping up into the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains and the great Shenandoah Valley.
For groups, Virginia’s bounty includes numerous unique venues and post-meeting ideas, with wineries now a leading trend. Moving toward the forefront of American winery states, Virginia currently ranks fifth nationally with over 140 wineries, many offering event and gathering spaces.
"Virginia’s meeting facilities are really in a league of their own not just because of their individual excellence as sites, but also because of what can be experienced nearby," says Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation. "Throughout the state, you’ll find a tremendous assortment of activities right where you are."
From outdoor board meetings to sea-faring adventures, Virginia is for lovers of the unique.
Northern Virginia
Extending the Washington, D.C., metro area, "NOVA" is its own corporate power corridor. Amid the urbanity, though, awaits a trove of unique treasures.
In Fairfax County, visits to George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon on the Potomac River include authentic colonial dining at the Mount Vernon Inn. Another area Revolutionary War retiree is Navy commodore Walter Brooke; his 1780 Stone Mansion is an elegant off-site alternative.
Populous as it is, Fairfax County has two great outdoor resources. In Great Falls is the versatile Grange Park, a top banquet choice, while planners can mix music with meetings at the popular Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
Housed in a hangar 10 stories high and three football fields long, The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center’s three-level network of walkways, overlooks and balconies dramatically enhances events.
D.C. neighbor Arlington meets the high demand for off-site space with first-class choices such as the AMA Conference Center, the ANSER Conference Center and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Conference Center. For functions, the Clarendon Ballroom is a restored Art Deco classic, while Top of the Town offers sweeping D.C. and Potomac views.
Founded in 1749, eclectic Alexandria’s singular choices include the Torpedo Factory Art Center, with views of the Potomac; the stately George Washington Masonic Memorial; and the historic Lyceum.
A mere 50 miles from D.C. in Loudoun County, the Goodstone Inn & Estate feels centuries and continents away. Situated on a former plantation from 1768 and reminiscent of rural England, this bucolic oasis, says general manager Simon Smith, is where conferees "can trade meeting rooms for breathing room." There’s a spa in converted farm buildings, fine farm-to-table dining and the rustic luxury of six individual cottages.
Also in Loudoun County, Notaviva Vineyards welcomes groups to its tasting room and performance stage, while Rappahannock County’s Little Inn at Washington is an international culinary shrine. In Prince William County, the National Museum of the Marine Corps is a stirring group choice, with interactive exhibits vividly bringing boot camp and other experiences to life.
Due south of D.C., the Fredericksburg area includes more than 7,000 acres of hallowed Civil War battlegrounds. In Old Town, Fredericksburg Square is a historic venue with three ballrooms for banquets and corporate events. Dating from 1816, the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center offers three distinct meeting spaces, while in neighboring Stafford County, the modern Riverside Center Conference Facility is complemented by the historic Rock Hill Plantation.
Central Virginia
Capital of the Confederacy and capital of the commonwealth today, historic Richmond runs deep with American spirit.
"When it comes to authenticity of place, no destination delivers more than the Richmond Region," says Erin Bagnell of the Richmond Metropolitan CVB. "Four centuries of history and modern-day culture unite for an experience that’s anything but textbook."
These characteristics shine through in off-site venues such as the landmark Science Museum of Virginia. Formerly the Broad Street Station, this architectural stunner offers multiple spaces, including the domed Rotunda and historic train canopies.
Home to the annual Jumpin’ in July event, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) represents Richmond’s vibrant arts scene. Slated for completion next May, a major expansion includes additional meeting and conference space.
Moving outside, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens offers an array of enchanting spaces, while heart-pounding action awaits at the Richmond International Raceway’s corporate-event favorite, the Torque Club.
For local grandeur, gatherings at Richmond’s Jefferson Hotel are opulence defined, and in nearby Charles City, the still-working Shirley Plantation, founded in 1613 and run by an 11th-generation family, is America’s first plantation.
Of great distinction, too, is Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third U.S. president. His imprint is everywhere in the Charlottesville area.
At his Monticello estate, a new visitor center features outdoor musical evenings where groups can sample selections from the Monticello Wine Trail. Enlightening, too, are tours of the University of Virginia, founded by Jefferson in the early 1800s.
"Charlottesville’s long history of small meetings and big ideas dates back to Jefferson and his co-Founding Fathers, and many occurred in our historic downtown area," says Allie Baer of the Charlottesville/Albemarle CVB.
Perpetuating this legacy is the unique meetings opportunity at the mansion-like, 48-room Keswick Hall: outside on a freshly trimmed golf green.
Other standouts include the Clifton Inn, with space for up to 80 in intimate rooms such as Jefferson’s Wine Cellar, and the downtown Omni Hotel, with 16 meeting rooms.
Described by CVB director Beckie Nik as occupying "an unparalleled location," charming Lynchburg, nestled in the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is surrounded by unique after-meeting ideas. These include Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, Patrick Henry’s Red Hill estate and the Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park, where the Civil War ended. Locally, the Old City Cemetery features five museums, history walks and beehives producing famous "Died and Gone to Heaven" honey.
Hampton Roads
Encompassing historic Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg and the cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth and Suffolk, Virginia’s Atlantic region offers maritime and coastal adventures galore.
"As the world’s largest living history museum, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation offers planners not only the conference facilities of its Resorts Collection properties, but also historic taverns, meticulously restored colonial buildings and programming for off-site activities and events," says Linda Stanier of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance.
With a meetings legacy dating back to America’s founding days, Williamsburg’s rich portfolio includes colonial dining at the King’s Arms Tavern, York River tours aboard the three-masted schooner Alliance, educational programs through the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and events at the Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center. Additionally, the 50-plus-acre Williamsburg Winery is Virginia’s largest, hosting banquets and intimate gatherings in a scenic, Old World setting.
Chesapeake, Virginia’s third-largest city, offers an array of attractions.
"Our unique meeting venues exemplify the natural beauty and authenticity of the Hampton Roads region," says Kim Murden, director of Chesapeake Conventions and Tourism. "The Chesapeake Arboretum and Northwest River Park, for example, presents planners with unconventional open-air and team-building options. For less-outdoorsy groups, the Portlock Galleries at SoNo and Cahoon Plantation Golf Club are attractive alternatives, their historical and cultural influences perfect for icebreaker events."
Nestled on the coast, metropolitan Virginia Beach offers planners the best of both worlds for creating unique events, says Al Hutchinson of the Virginia Beach CVB. Among the area’s wealth of unique cost-efficient venues, according to Hutchinson, are the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, accommodating groups of up to 2,500, and Virginia’s Jewel, a luxury charter for sea-faring adventures on Chesapeake Bay.
The new 1,300-seat Sandler Center for the Performing Arts is perfect for large gatherings and after-hours events in its Grand Lobby. The area’s premier meetings center, the Founders Inn and Spa, has a great culinary team-building program, while the newly opened Military Aviation Museum’s collection of functional vintage warplanes can fly for special events.
Southern elegance meets casual charm at the waterside Lesner Inn, while the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia is a local event favorite, and planners can take advantage of the unique "Spa on the Spot" service from the Association for Research and Enlightenment Health and Rejuvenation.
As Hampton readies for its quadricentennial celebration next year, the Hampton History Museum is a distinctive venue for receptions and meetings. The landmark Chamberlin, located within the historic, still-active, moated Fort Monroe, hosts events in its ninth-floor Solarium and Roof Garden, Yorktown Club Room and grand veranda. And gatherings take flight at the Virginia Air & Space Center, where attendees can dine below aircraft, next to the Apollo 12 Command Module or beneath suspended planets.
Boasting 144 miles of coastline and a bustling downtown waterfront, Norfolk’s specialized offerings include the Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center, Hermitage Museum & Gardens, riverboat cruises on the Elizabeth River and tours of the USS Wisconsin, the largest battleship ever built by the U.S. Navy.
In Newport News, unique group-ready venues include the 8,000-acre Newport News Park, offering many opportunities for team building and outdoor relaxation; the all-natural Virginia Living Museum; and the Mariners’ Museum/USS Monitor Center, providing a world-class account of U.S. maritime heritage.
Quaint Portsmouth is home to the famed Seawall and 300-year-old seaport neighborhoods.
Western Virginia
With Interstate 81 as its artery and the Blue Ridge Mountains as its backbone, Virginia’s western reaches sweep down the West Virginia border before narrowing to a close in Appalachia.
The legendary Shenandoah Valley stretches 200 miles across the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. Featuring picture-postcard farms and inns along country roads and the popular Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, the "Big Valley" is an explorer’s paradise.
In the Shenandoah’s heart, close to Harrisonburg, CrossKeys Vineyards & Estate provides panoramic mountain views daily for tasting and tours. The facility houses a tasting room, winery and four distinct function rooms that are suitable for groups of up to 60.
In Lexington, the Theater at Lime Kiln, built into the ruins of a 19th century lime kiln and quarry, is a unique outdoor space seating approximately 250 people. Boasting geological attractions such as the Luray and Shenandoah Caverns, the area is also home to the wondrous, ancient Natural Bridge and its accompanying 1833 Natural Bridge Hotel & Conference Center.
The Roanoke Valley is the region’s largest metropolitan area.
"From our historic Downtown Farmers’ Market to dinner cruises on Smith Mountain Lake, we offer a broad spectrum of diverse meeting locations," says Dave Kjolhede, executive director of the Roanoke Valley CVB.
Other event-ready attractions include the Railroad History/Virginia Museum of Transportation and the new Taubman Museum of Art.
In the rustic Blue Ridge Highlands, Wytheville is a small town offering big experiences, including the Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre, the West Wind Winery, Galewinds Amusement Park and Fort Chiswell Animal Park.
With its main street running along the Virginia-Tennessee divide, Bristol is the official "Birthplace of Country Music," playing music year-round at venues such as the fully-restored Art Deco classic Paramount Center for the Arts, home to Theater Bristol and the Bristol Ballet.
In Virginia’s westernmost corner, Abingdon is home to the Barter Theatre, the oldest professional theater in the U.S., and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts-affiliate the William King Regional Arts Center.
