Ohio

A true melting pot, Ohio exudes a diversity of its own evolutionary design. Due to a varied history, the Buckeye State is characterized by a wealth of off-the-beaten-path locales. The state’s geographical landscape is an interesting assortment of ups and downs—from the shores of Lake Erie to the Appalachians, from the forests to the plains—with dozens of rivers and lakes intervening.

The facts speak for themselves. For example, the state has produced seven U.S. presidents, Cincinnati introduced the first pro baseball team, and Akron gave birth to Alcoholics Anonymous. In fact, Ohio boasts all the major sports and also the world’s largest Amish community. Even in the major cities, there are interesting threads of unexpected history. The state is much more diverse than many folks realize.

For the wanderlust, many websites and books already exist, covering the forgotten, weird and haunted spheres of Ohio—a perspective that adequately spills over into the meetings and events industry, if one desires. Planners won’t need to examine the landscape too much in order to track down unique venues that deliver an alternative experience from the cookie-cutter ballroom or conference venues. It makes sense. Ohio is a hodgepodge. The following 10 venues only scratch the surface of the state’s multiplicity.

1. Graystone Wine Cellar
Columbus
www.graystonecolumbus.com

Located in the Brewery District of Columbus, The Graystone Wine Cellar regularly caters to conventioneers, corporate events, rehearsal dinners, weddings and much more.

With a seating capacity for up to 104 guests and a cocktail reception capacity for up to 150 guests, the place is steeped in local legend. In the heyday of Columbus’ brewing history during the 19th century, the property was the Schlee Bavarian brewery. The subsequent lineage of the original business eventually dissolved in 1924 and the entire neighborhood gradually fell into ruin over the next five decades or so.

The Graystone Winery opened its doors at the restored property in 1990. Nowadays, wine is no longer made in house, but the meeting facilities, with its limestone walls and ceilings, provides a unique ambience for events.

“The most common thing I hear from people is stuff like, ‘I never knew a place like this was in Columbus,’” says proprietor Brian Johnson. It looks like an Italian monastery, something out of Medieval Europe, not Columbus, Ohio.”

2. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
Cleveland
www.rockhall.com

Celebrity sightings are common at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, situated on the shores of Lake Erie. You never know who is going to show up.

More than 25 different exhibits are featured on seven floors, and the Ohio meeting facilities also stages concerts, film screenings, panel sessions, events, meetings and all sorts of revelry. Since the place opened 15 years ago, more than 7 million people have traversed its labyrinth of exhibits.

“You’re surrounded by thousands of music artifacts that tell the story of how rock and roll music has changed our world,” says Sharrona Burns, director of group sales at the facility. “You’ll have a great time, tap your feet and maybe even dance a little. You’ll also learn something about our culture, our society and something about who we are. It’s an unforgettable experience.”

The newly renovated Foster Theatre now allows the museum to stream content live as well as record artist appearances, oral history programs and other events that take place in the theater.

3. Contemporary Arts Center, Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art
Cincinnati
www.contemporaryartscenter.org

The Contemporary Arts Center in the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art is a non-collecting art institute and one of the longest continuously running contemporary art museums in the U.S. Originally founded in 1939, its philosophy is to exhibit, not collect, progressive contemporary art that engages the community and intertwines with everyday life.

An architectural landmark located at the busiest corner of downtown Cincinnati, the current building, completed in 2003, was the first art museum in the U.S. entirely designed by a woman: Zaha Hadid, the internationally acclaimed British-Iraqi deconstructivist architect.

The center provides matchless meeting facilities for events and celebrations, whether the dress code is tuxedo or trench coat. The ohio meeting facility regularly schedules many types of gatherings—everything from barbecue cookouts to upscale corporate affairs, weddings and banquets—and offers boardrooms and lounges, plus an adaptable 200-seat performance space and lobby.

4. Oliver House
Toledo
www.theoliverhousetoledo.com

When contemplating Toledo, Ohio, you probably wouldn’t expect a pre-Civil War hotel to house an urban cafe, a brewing company, a pub, a steakhouse, an art gallery and a patisserie—all while doubling as a destination for meetings and events.

Located in a National Historic Landmark, the Oliver House was designed by prominent 19th century architect Isaiah Rogers. Nowadays, it also accommodates the North Coast Theatre Group and the Toledo Brewing Hall of Fame & Museum.

These Ohio meeting facilities are booked entirely to the client’s preference, with several rooms and settings available for groups of approximately 25 to 75 people, and planners have access to most menus from all the restaurants in the entire complex.

Last year, the Oliver House celebrated its 150th birthday, and since it was originally built on an ancient Indian burial ground and also housed wounded soldiers during the Spanish-American War, the building comes with its share of ghost stories. It has something for everybody.

5. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Peninsula
www.cvsr.com

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad offers an abundant array of excursions for groups desiring a unique off-site adventure.

Opportunities include dinner trains, beer-tasting excursions, maple sugar events and more. The “Ales on the Rails” beer adventure, for example, probably needs no explanation. In just one evening, attendees can sample five types of beer as they ride through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The railroad also offers several journeys themed around specific wines from Spain, France, New Zealand and Napa Valley, so oenophiles will especially take notice. On any number of train trips, passengers can watch the scenery unfold before their eyes—flora, fauna, small towns, valleys, streams and loads of natural history. Points of interest along the way include the Boston Mills Ski Resort and the Canal Visitor Center.

Scenic charters and executive charters are among the options, each of which can be used to orchestrate special programs, whether it’s team-building, staff meetings or brainstorming sessions amid the natural surroundings.

6. The Lodge at the Wilds Conservation Center
Cumberland
www.thewilds.org

With 10,000 acres, the Wilds Conservation Center in Southeast Ohio comprises many component parts, including a center for animal management and husbandry, a repository for educational programs, a multigenerational campground and a locale for birding, hiking, fishing and biking.

The Lodge at the Wilds is a private luxury cabin that is often rented out in its entirely for business meetings, events and small group functions. Situated on a remote lake, the lodge can comfortably sleep 12, and guests can go canoeing on the lake or even purchase safari tickets.

Wendy Wharff, executive director of the Marietta, Washington County CVB, says her board of directors had a two-day planning retreat at the Wilds just last December.

“[It’s an] excellent place for very focused planning—extremely private, peaceful and fully equipped to handle presentations, a large meal and an evening social,” she says.

7. Landoll’s Mohican Castle
Loudonville
www.landollsmohicancastle.com

The stately majestic aura of a luxurious fortress amid absolute solitude characterizes the experience at Landoll’s Mohican Castle. It is located deep in the heart of Mohican Country on 1,100 acres of unspoiled wilderness near Loudonville, midway between Columbus and Cleveland. You’d never even realize you’re in Ohio.

Meeting facilities include an event center for 250 guests and a conference suite for up to 12 people, which is ideal for business meetings, retreats or planning sessions. Designed for isolation and privacy, the facility features 12 castle-themed suites and four luxury suites, each of which is different.

Ohio Magazine voted Landoll’s one of the best overnights in the entire state.

“You can experience the romance of lazy afternoons, intimate fireside conversation, continental breakfasts and morning walks through private forestland in perfect solitude,” says Bob Yun, executive director of the Loudonville-Mohican CVB.

For groups of 30 or more, private castle tours and several other packages are available. Loudonville is Ohio’s camp and canoe capital, and Mohican State Park includes 45 miles of hiking trails, 24 miles of mountain biking trails and nine miles of horseback riding trails.

8. Blue Rock Station Sustainable Living Center
Zanesville
www.bluerockstation.com

Located in the hills of Appalachia, just 20 minutes south of Interstate 70 at Zanesville, Blue Rock Station began as a 1,650-square-foot house constructed entirely of discarded tires, bottles and trash on a 38-acre tract of land owned by Annie and Jay Warmke. It has since turned into a mecca for solar living projects, environmental tours, children’s field trips and workshops of all sorts.

Both Jay and Annie have 20 years of extensive experience in team-building and creativity workshops, even before their venture as proprietors of Blue Rock Station. Groups of up to 25 will have a distinctive, one-of-a-kind experience centered on environmental sustainability.

“We have been the host to many office retreats, planning retreats and the Great Race Against Cancer Contest,” Annie says. “Whether it is a tour or time away from the ordinary life, every turn produces the unexpected—feeding the rare breed chickens, walking with the llamas to enjoy a picnic or lemonade in the Great Beech Woods, or attending a workshop on any variety of topics, including solar cooking, natural gardening or living a simpler life through green technology.”

9. Murphy Theatre
Wilmington
www.murphytheatre.org

Originally built by and named after Charles Murphy, who owned the Chicago Cubs from 1906 to 1913, The Murphy Theatre opened in 1918, and its history alone would wow any planner considering it for an event of any sort.

An old-school throwback to the vaudeville days, the venue has a capacity of 999 and offers group tours by appointment.

Wilmington itself wouldn’t necessarily appear on most peoples’ radar, as the town is buried in the Golden Triangle of southwest Ohio—one hour south of Columbus, one hour north of Cincinnati and 35 minutes from Dayton.

Debbie Stamper of the Clinton County CVB says the locale provides a great place to “meet in the middle,” adding that of all the ohio meeting facilities in the area, the Murphy Theatre is the one that wows planners the most.

“It has an ambience not found in newer, hi-tech venues,” she says.

10. The Meeting Place on Market
Lima
www.meetingplaceonmarket.com

For a truly off-the-beaten-path Ohio meeting facility, the Meeting Place on Market doesn’t seem like a place that anyone would consider for a business meeting. In fact, a traffic jam in Lima is five cars stopped at a streetlight. The Meeting Place is a coffee shop with an extra meeting room that can accommodate groups up to 40 people.

Co-owner Jennifer Brogee says the property accommodates a wide variety of organizations and events, from Fortune 500 companies to political parties to baby showers.

“We believe that coffee has a personality,” she says. “It’s a companion when you’re alone, and it’s a hostess who knows how to make people at ease when you’re with others. It helps to facilitate planning business strategy, discussing public policy, showering a new bride, whatever type of event you can dream up, by bringing out the best in people.”

Planners choose The Meeting Place for the casual ambience and the interactive staff.

“We created The Meeting Place on Market to be an oasis and a community center,” Brogee says. “A place that’s not just about great coffee, but about meeting with others. A place to think, to talk, to brainstorm—and a place to connect.”  

Gary Singh is a frequent contributor to Meetings East.