From off-site gatherings at Milwaukee’s Harley-Davidson Museum and green meetings at Madison’s Monona Terrace Convention Center to partying at Lambeau Field in Green Bay and watching a master cheese carver create a delicious work of art in Fox Cities, Wisconsin is a gem of a state where groups discover meetings amenities, attractions and activities they won’t find anywhere else on the map.
Read on for some great only-in-Wisconsin ideas.
Greater Milwaukee
Milwaukee may be known as the birthplace of Pabst Blue Ribbon and purveyor of great Wisconsin cheese, but it also boasts a burgeoning locally sourced food movement that makes it a destination to watch on the national culinary stage.
“Milwaukee offers everything from fresh twists on classics to innovative contemporary cuisine and ethnic specialties,” says Brent Foerster, vice president, sales and marketing, at Visit Milwaukee. “Also internationally recognized as ‘ground zero’ for urban sustainable agriculture, Milwaukee has a commitment to fresh, local food that is extraordinary for a city of its size.”
Wisconsin-based SURG Restaurant Group sources beef and pork in-state and uses local and sustainable products at their restaurants, Milwaukee’s Carnevor, Graffito and Umami Moto, all of which are group-friendly. West of Milwaukee in Brookfield is SURG’s 8-twelve, another Wisconsin-focused eatery accommodating groups.
Further making Milwaukee a unique Midwest meetings host are a beautiful location on Lake Michigan, superior convention facilities and numerous attractions that double as off-site venues.
One such attraction is the Harley-Davidson Museum, situated on a 20-acre industrial-chic campus along the Menomonee River. Highlights include a virtual ride room and about 450 bikes on display, as well as indoor and outdoor gathering spaces for up to 15,000 people.
Meanwhile, the event-ready Marcus Center for the Performing Arts showcases symphony, opera, ballet and other performances.
In Milwaukee’s popular suburban areas, according to the Waukesha and Pewaukee CVB (WPCVB), there are two opportunities groups won’t find anywhere else.
Old World Wisconsin is an outdoor living history museum, including a general store and blacksmith shop, where attendees can experience how life was in 19th century rural Wisconsin. There are several venues for group functions.
And joining other Gibson GuitarTown cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and London, is Waukesha, chosen by Gibson Guitar because it’s the birth and resting place of guitar legend Les Paul.
Waukesha GuitarTown features 10-foot-tall fiberglass Gibson Les Paul model guitars displayed in front of city landmarks and businesses. The WPCVB is available to arrange team-building opportunities that highlight the guitar locales, including pub crawls or scavenger hunts.
Another Waukesha highlight for groups is Ten Chimneys, a grand estate created by Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. PageBreak
Madison
What makes Madison one-of-a-kind happens to be the same as what makes it a standout meetings destination.
“While attending a conference at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, participants get to take advantage of Madison’s unique geography,” says Rebecca Ramsey, director of sales at the Greater Madison CVB (GMCVB). “As the only city in the northern hemisphere built on an isthmus, convention-goers have the luxury of looking straight out onto the beautiful Lake Monona.”
Monona Terrace is a LEED-certified, Frank Lloyd Wright-designed venue that mirrors the environmentally progressive city in which it resides, as the local community has also been recognized for its commitment to the environment.
From convening at Monona Terrace, which employs eco-friendly practices including recycling and the use of alternative energies such as wind power, to visiting green attractions like Dane County Farmers’ Market, University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, and Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s home, hosting an environmently friendly meeting in Madison is a snap, according to the GMCVB.
Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin Dells is the “Waterpark Capital of the World” meets Yellowstone of the Midwest, and both honorary titles are important to meeting planners, according to Tifani Jones, director of sales at the Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau.
“We have one of the most unusual and scenic stretches of the Wisconsin River in the state, with the river literally bisecting our community,” she says. “That geography lends itself to inspiring scenic tours and water recreation, which in turn, inspires creativity and learning. Now, factor in the ingenuity of local business owners in pioneering the waterpark craze and you complete the experience with an ample portion of manmade fun.”
Waterpark resorts such as Wilderness Territory, Chula Vista and Kalahari are popular, group-friendly options.
Nearly every group meeting in the Dells takes a scenic tour of the Wisconsin River via a land-to-water tour on a WWII amphibious Duck, or a dinner cruise on a tour boat, Jones adds.
“Then there’s the taste of the Dells, with microbrew, wine, cheese and fudge tastings getting especially popular, with an emphasis on sweet treats and candy making,” she says.
Sheboygan
Little known facts about Sheboygan include its courtroom victory versus Bucyrus, Ohio, for the title of “Bratwurst Capital of the World” and its popularity within the international surfing community as the “Malibu of the Midwest.”
Every Labor Day weekend, according to Sheboygan Tourism, the city is home to Dairyland Surf Classic, the world’s largest freshwater surfing competition.
Waterborne activities set the area apart, as charter fishing on Lake Michigan with some of the best fishing guides in the state and sailing lessons are both popular team-building activities with groups.
Meanwhile, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center features 12 galleries, two performance spaces and several venues for special events. PageBreak
Green Bay/Door County
Green Bay, or Packers Country, is world-famous for NFL football. Here, groups can tailgate at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers.
According to Brenda Krainik, spokeswoman for the Greater Green Bay CVB, groups enjoy tailgating parties, even when there’s no game. Planners can also book a tour at the historic stadium and have a meeting overlooking Lambeau Field.
“Planners who haven’t been here assume that we’re a big city, with big-city prices,” Krainik says. “The reality is that we are a community of 104,000 people that can offer big-city amenities with affordable prices. We have a great selection of restaurants close to our convention center, and our off-site venues are fun and different.”
One uniquely Wisconsin venue for off-sites is the National Railroad Museum, where groups can create a theme and network among the train cars, ride the open-air train and have a “hobo” lunch.
Door County, according to Jon Jarosh, spokesman for the Door County Visitor Bureau, is unique because it breaks the norm of the typical city or suburban conference setting.
“Our bucolic peninsula, with 300 miles of shoreline, 11 lighthouses, quaint waterfront villages, state parks, culinary delights and eclectic galleries and shops make it perfect for a small meeting or corporate retreat,” he says.
Memorable options for off-session fun here include a traditional fish boil (initially devised to feed hungry groups of lumberjacks and fishermen), a snowshoe hike guided by a naturalist at the Ridges Sanctuary, the oldest private nature conservancy in Wisconsin, or a group tour of area lighthouses.
Fox Cities
Examples of uniquely Wisconsin group options in Fox Cities include a make-a-candy-bar event at Wilmar Chocolates or a make-paper event at the Paper Discovery Center, where groups learn about the science and heritage of papermaking.
Booking Troy Landwehr, a master cheese carver and owner of Kerrigan Brothers Winery, to carve at group receptions is also a big hit with attendees.
Overall, according to Pam Seidl, spokeswoman for Fox Cities CVB, meeting planners and attendees appreciate that several downtown convention properties are surrounded by a variety of dining and entertainment options.
“Our largest convention hotel is located directly across the street from the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, which gives groups the opportunity to use this state-of-the-art venue for receptions and general sessions,” she says. PageBreak
Lake Winnebago
Fond du Lac’s position at the foot of Lake Winnebago is a major draw for groups, according to Craig Molitor, president of the Fond du Lac Area CVB, adding that it’s also an affordable and convenient drive-to destination.
“Fond du Lac’s activities and attractions are key to our attractiveness to meeting planners and attendees,” he adds, citing outdoor opportunities like hiking, fishing and biking, a growing arts and entertainment scene and classic Wisconsin supper clubs.
Road America at nearby Elkhart Lake is a great area facility for corporate team-building events.
Located on the western shore of Lake Winnebago is Oshkosh, where special off-site gathering spots include the EAA Aviation Center and AirVenture Museum, and the twice-restored 1883 Grand Opera House, the oldest operating theater in Wisconsin.
Oshkosh is the only place in North America where there is a licensed sturgeon spearing season. These large prehistoric fish, according to the Oshkosh CVB, are a sight to see.
Lake Geneva
While a very rural area, according to George Hennerley, president at the Lake Geneva Area CVB, Lake Geneva boasts meetings amenities ranging from B&Bs and full-service resorts to tour boats that accommodate up to 250 people.
“In 2009 we were named one of America’s dozen distinctive destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation,” he says, adding that downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places and has 120 shops and restaurants.
Black Point Estate, which has been called the best remaining example of Queen Anne architecture, complete with the original furnishings from 1888, and Geneva Lake Museum are two standout off-site event venues.
La Crosse and Central Wisconsin
La Crosse is a centrally located and easily accessible destination that offers big-city amenities and small-town charm, according to Clarissa Erickson, director of group sales at the La Crosse Area CVB.
“We have a speakers’ bureau that meeting planners can use as a resource for their conference,” she adds. “Since these speakers live in the La Crosse area, the planner can save money by only having to pay speaker fees and not expenses associated with speaker travel, lodging and meals.”
The convention center, located in the heart of downtown, is surrounded by hotels, shopping, dining and nightlife.
Outings that highlight unique bits about the area include an architectural tour with historian Eric Wheeler, and tours of the Mississippi through quaint river towns and fascinating attractions including the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder and the first Swedish settlement in Wisconsin.
The Stevens Point Area is a unique Midwest destination due to its long tradition of stewardship, according to Sara Brish, executive director at the Stevens Point Area CVB.
“We are proud to be home to the first College of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame, Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association and the nation’s largest and longest-running energy fair,” she says. “For people meeting here, it is more than a meeting venue. There is something about locations like the Schmeeckle Reserve and the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station, where you can connect with nature.”
Carolyn Blackburn is a frequent contributor to Meetings Focus MidAmerica.
