Savannah, Brunswick and the Golden Isles comprise an area that reads like an inviting picture-filled storybook. It tells a tale involving history, Southern charm and modern romance set amid scenic ocean views and some of the most handsome architecture in the country.
Planners should strongly consider the area, from Savannah to Jekyll Island, if they’re interested in high attendance, every imaginable bell and whistle necessary for a successful gathering and a memorable destination whose “story” stays with meeting delegates long after business has concluded.
Savannah
“Savannah is chic and sophisticated with plenty of stories to tell,” says Erica Backus, spokeswoman for Visit Savannah. “Around each shady square, attendees will find buildings and monuments testifying to where the city has been, mixed with the vibrant punch of modern boutiques, restaurants and galleries that tell you where it is going.”
Scheduled to open in 2015, for example, is a 200-room, as yet unnamed riverfront property by the Kessler Collection, its third luxury hotel in Savannah. The neighboring Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront is a standout group-friendly property that mingles storied Savannah charm with modern luxury.
Also enjoying riverfront real estate are the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, which features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, and its next-door neighbor, the 403-room Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa.
Among the properties that round out the city’s meetings-equipped portfolio are Savannah Marriott Riverfront, Hyatt Regency Savannah, Hilton Savannah DeSoto, Andaz Savannah and the Inn at Ellis Square, which is scheduled to complete renovations by early 2014 that will include updating beds and hardwood floors.
After the meeting, there is much to do and explore in Savannah, which makes it the perfect place to mix business with pleasure.
“The food, art and music, mixed with a hospitable and playful personality, makes visiting Savannah a meeting experience you cannot get anywhere else,” Backus says.
City Market, which encompasses four renovated blocks in the heart of the Historic District, captures the authentic atmosphere of the city’s old open marketplace. It’s a terrific stomping ground for attendees interested in buying artwork, having a great meal, schmoozing at an open-air cafe and browsing various gift shops.
Perhaps best known for being featured in the film adaptation of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is the Mercer Williams House Museum, the former home of Gen. Hugh W. Mercer, great grandfather of singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer, and a landmark that groups enjoy visiting.
As is Jepson Center for the Arts, a great looking building that holds two large galleries showcasing various works of art, a 200-seat auditorium and a cafe. While groups enjoy simply viewing the collections, the museum is also available for knockout events in either its soaring, three-story atrium or third-floor outdoor sculpture terraces.
Two popular outdoor options for groups are hitting the links at Crosswinds Golf Club, which offers 27 holes of golf, including 18 championship holes, as well as a clubhouse that accommodates group gatherings, and visiting Tybee Island-based Lazaretto Creek Marina, where Captain Mike’s Dolphin Tours offer dolphin sightings, sunset cruises and both inshore and deep-sea fishing.
In case of inclement weather, there are options for fun indoors, including visiting the Savannah Theater, taking a class at Mansion on Forsyth Park’s 700 Kitchen Cooking School or enjoying a painting class at Art Bash Studio. PageBreak
Brunswick and the
Golden Isles
The Golden Isles is conveniently located midway between Savannah and Jacksonville, Fla., and whether planners choose the port city of historic Brunswick or one of the famed Golden Isles—St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Sea Island or Little St. Simons Island—a successful and memorable meeting is certain, according to Julie Swick, spokeswoman for the Golden Isles CVB.
“The mild climate, Southern hospitality, along with fine restaurants and shopping, phenomenal golf and sun-drenched beaches unite with modern technology and an array of function space to accommodate groups of all sizes and types,” she says, citing corporate, association and incentive groups. “The Golden Isles offers outstanding accommodations, flexible meeting spaces and an abundance of recreational opportunities.”
Main meetings facilities in the area include the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, Sea Palms Resort and Ocean Lodge, all on St. Simons Island; The Cloister at Sea Island; the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and Oceanside Inn & Suites on Jekyll Island; and the Lodge at Little St. Simons Island.
The biggest news on the isles is the recent opening of the 128,000-square-foot Jekyll Island Convention Center, which is one of the few oceanfront convention centers on the East Coast. Facilities here include the 45,000-square-foot Atlantic Hall ballroom and the 3,200-square-foot Ben Porter Oceanside Salon.
To match the island’s growing group capacity, new suite cottages are being built at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and two new hotels are coming on-line. It’s expected that by 2014 there will be 1,000 new guest rooms on Jekyll Island.
Among the fabulous off-site venues in the area is the St. Simons Island-based A.W. Jones Heritage Center, which features an entrance gallery, a museum shop and a 1,400-square-foot event hall. Another standout off-site, located in historic downtown Brunswick, is the Old City Hall, a courthouse that doubles as a popular venue for various group events.
Must-visit area attractions that groups enjoy, according to Swick, include St. Simons Island’s Lighthouse Museum and Avenue of the Oaks; Jekyll Island’s Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, and Georgia Sea Turtle Center; and Brunswick’s Historic Ritz Theatre, which has a calendar packed with everything from plays and concerts to films, and is also available for presentations and meetings.
The Golden Isles is also a terrific place for attendees to shop at galleries and other unique boutiques.
Both the Pier Village area and Redfern Village on St. Simons Island, for example, have ample shopping opportunities. Large groups, Swick says, can split up and walk the villages to shop on their own while still keeping within close proximity of each other.
Frequent contributor Carolyn Blackburn just pushed Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil to the top of her must-read list.
