Famed attractions are household names for a reason. But while their main lures of radical rides or amazing artwork often grab the headlines, they often offer stunning event venues and group offerings as well that may come as a surprise to some planners.
Meetings Focus checked in with a few major attractions around the U.S. and beyond to get the scoop on cool spaces and unique group programs within these fun-filled settings.
Biltmore Estate
George Vanderbilt constructed his Biltmore home on 8,000 acres outside Asheville, N.C., more than 100 years ago, with incredible attention to detail that is still evident in the architecture and service today. For example, the acoustics in the dining hall are so good that guests seated at opposite ends of the 72-foot-long room can hear each other while speaking normally.
The lush gardens on the estate grounds were designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted, providing a stunning backdrop for outdoor events, meals and cocktail receptions.
A Butler’s Tour allows participants to view the property from an entirely new perspective, or for a more typically decadent experiences, planners can arrange carriage rides, Biltmore wine barrel tastings or treat attendees to a day-long sport shooting excursion.
For truly spectacular group experiences, sales manager Renee Pisani recommends a custom-guided tour of the home, passing through both restored and unrestored rooms, before concluding with a rooftop reception. Another favorite venue is Diana, an outdoor setting named for the Roman Goddess of the Hunt. Set on a hilltop that overlooks the main Biltmore home, Diana can seat up to 500 people and a mobile kitchen can be driven up for seamless service.
“From the herringbone pattern in the brick floor to the beautiful mountain views, Diana is a stunning venue,” Pisani says.
PageBreakWalt Disney World
The 40-square-mile Disney compound in central Florida is the classic big-time attraction. With four theme parks, 700,000 square feet of meeting space and endless opportunities for fun, what more could a meeting planner, or anyone, want?
From internationally themed progressive dinners around the iconic Epcot globe, to top-notch conference spaces at the various resorts and “Putters of the Caribbean” themed golf events, Disney does events with its special flare, incorporating storytelling aspects and letting a planner’s imagination run wild.
In Epcot’s Universe of Energy, the setting is elaborately decorated with volcanoes and primeval creatures, seating 360 guests for dinner. Another unique experience is the Chevrolet Test Track. Attendees create a virtual “SimCar” and put it through a series of performance tests and races. The Track can also host receptions or dessert gatherings.
For more action, guests are entirely surrounded by excitement during an event at the Indiana Jones Cairo Celebration. They dine on stage during a stunt show starring jugglers, belly dancers, magicians, sword-swallowers and musical performers.
Heineken
Across the Atlantic in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Heineken believes that “some of the best ideas are born on a beer coaster,” and can help planners foster those great ideas by utilizing its two event spaces. For a historic feel, the company’s original brick-fronted brewery can accommodate groups as large as 850 people, with five meeting rooms on the renovated upper levels. The 1867 building is part of an industrial heritage route that winds through Europe, and groups can even arrive by boat and dock directly in front of the brewery.
The modern Heineken-brand storehouses boardrooms and a small terrace and lounge for breaks or drinks, and the Heineken Experience Museum features a 90-minute, self-guided interactive tour.
PageBreakSan Diego Zoo
The famous San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park in Southern California is an enchanting group attraction, as well as an innovative organization at the forefront of wildlife conservation and activism.
Angie Kemp, manager of event sales at the zoo, recommends the Sabertooth Grill to planners looking for an outdoor venue. Located at the end of the new Elephant Odyssey exhibit, “it looks right into the enclosure,” she says, “and is accessed by a great, meandering path that winds past lions and jaguars.”
The grill can seat 180 guests. Indoors, she speaks highly of the Treetops Room, which seats 120.
“With its floor-to-ceiling windows, private patio, connected decks and waterfall, it’s like you’re sitting in the treetops,” she says.
The largest available space is the Zoofari Party Area, and the zoo also offers entire-property buyouts for up to 5,000 people. Kemp suggests that big groups organize guided bus tours, which average about 30 minutes in duration, to give attendees a quick overview of the entire zoo, before adjoining to meeting spaces or beginning a popular “flow”-style event, where guests move between different animal exhibits and food stations.
Behind-the-scenes tours, giraffe feedings and other animal encounters can be arranged, including the flexible Animal Ambassador program. Four to six animals can be brought in to mingle with a group over an hour or so, perfect for a cocktail party atmosphere.
The “ambassadors” include anything “furry, scaly or feathery,” says Kemp, and are determined on an individual basis. “We bring whichever animals are happy and ready to party that day.”
As a bonus for planners, proceeds from private events are used to finance the zoo’s mission—to educate visitors and save animals from extinction.
PageBreakGeorgia Aquarium
Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium is home to the world’s largest aquarium exhibit, the 6.3-million gallon Ocean Voyager, host to giant whale sharks and manta rays. These animals certainly aren’t the aquarium’s only impressive feature, though; from otter encounters to behind-the-scenes tours, groups will be enchanted by the attraction.
Will Ramsey, the aquarium’s vice president of sales, suggests that planners consider the immersive Oceans Ballroom for a stand-out event space.
“Breathtaking views into two of the Aquarium’s marquee exhibits allow guests to find themselves face-to-face with exotic fish and animals from every corner of the globe,” he says. “Flexible in design, yet grand in nature, the 16,400-square-foot ballroom anchors the aquarium’s event space and can comfortably seat 1,100 for dinner or accommodate up to 1,500 for a reception.”
Hersheypark
Whether you’re a chocolate lover, adrenaline junky or both, Hersheypark should be on your short list of must-see theme parks in the U.S. The popular site in southeastern Pennsylvania boasts 65 rides and is enhanced by a sprawling resort offering an acclaimed spa and endless dining options as well.
One casual setting for a group doing, with a rollicking background, is Wildcat Catering Area, a tented venue with a grill that is normally rented for a two-hour session. It neighbors the Wildcat rollercoaster and is just across from Tidal Force—one of the largest “splash-down” rides in the world—so your affair will be in the heart of the action and enhanced by the thrills and spills of screaming riders.
“A picnic at Hersheypark allows company employees to come together for their meal and enjoy the rest of the day with their families,” says Kevin Grant, sales manager. “The casual fun atmosphere at the park provides a wonderful space for team building.”
