When we think of desert escapes a few things leap to mind—including sand, solitude and sunshine—but one key element might not: variety. For planners taking the time to explore this vast landscape, however, the wealth of wonders is sure to surprise.
Meetings Focus scanned the American West for some of the freshest desert offerings on tap for groups, and here’s our tempting takeaway from some true hot spots that abound with fun in the sun and much more.
Moab, Utah
With a remote locale in eastern-central Utah and a population barely above 5,000, Moab is a great place to get away to it all, especially for groups with active attendees.
“Moab has always been an excellent destination location for vacations, meetings, reunions and gatherings, and local businesses have added many new outdoor adventure products to enhance the outdoor experience, help build teams, and increase the reason for people to select Moab as their multi-day meetings and vacation destination,” says Marian DeLay, executive director for the Moab Area Travel Council. “Mix business with pleasure!”
And now there are numerous new ways to meet in Moab—and to explore the dramatic desert scenery of canyons and crevasses.
On the venue front, a Fairfield Marriott, with 90 rooms and a 750-square-foot meeting room, will be ready to greet small groups in spring 2014, and a Hilton property has broken ground that will eventually have conference space for 175 attendees. Meanwhile, the Holiday Inn Express added 40 new rooms and a new outdoor pool in May.
While that news may please planners, it’s the new action-packed offerings that will get attendees’ hearts pumping.
The Raven’s Rim Zip Line Adventure opened this past summer, with a half-dozen thrilling ziplines, a precarious 100-foot suspension bridge that might make even Indiana Jones think twice, and off-road outings in ATVs through the rugged landscape. Other brand-new possibilities include Moab Jett, zipping groups along the river in a New Zealand-style jet boat, and Xtreme 4x4, braving the desert terrain in a customized Chevy Suburban that looks like a vehicle straight out of the Mad Max films.
Moab Golf Course is another great choice, with its vibrant green fairways brilliantly contrasting with the surrounding red rocks and desert sands, and Red Rock Astronomy provides unique evening events where attendees can take in spectacular constellations and even learn about ancient Native American notions related to the stars above.
Planners seeking to bring their teams closer together should consider Adventure Park Moab, a sprawling ropes course staffed by personnel well-seasoned in working with corporate and other meeting groups.PageBreak
Palm Springs, Calif.
Palm Springs, Calif., is one of those places where there is always new ground being broken.
Much of the current buzz surrounds the launch of the Hard Rock Palm Springs, which debuted in October with 163 guest rooms and about 20,000 square feet of event space. Other big hotel happenings saw the Hilton Palm Springs wrap a $10 million overhaul that revamped the guest rooms, lobby, meeting space and dining.
The popular resort town is also seeing an influx of boutique properties that includes the Sparrows Hotel, a 19-room ranch-style property that launched in October, and the Skylark Hotel, a retro 1950s lodging that has been stylishly restored and was previously known as Camp Palm Springs. Another newcomer is the Monroe Palm Springs, transformed from an America’s Best Value Inn into a hip “green” property.
Fresh activities on the scene include a new Windmills to Whitewater tour that winds along the iconic wind turbines dotting Interstate 10/Dillon Road and then explores the Whitewater Preserve, a bastion of nature covering more than 2,800 acres and home to vibrant wildlife ranging from countless bird species to bighorn sheep and even bears. The Sunnylands Center & Gardens has also debuted some new tours, including a Historic House Tour, Garden Walks and some bird-watching meanders as well.
For fresh foodie fun, consider a group outing to the Smoke Tree Supper Club, an innovative establishment featuring a communal grill and creative craft cocktails.
And planners should put November 2014 on their radar, when the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center opens, housed in a former bank building and slated to showcase eye-catching architectural and design-focused creations.
Keep in mind, too, that this is the final season of the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, ending a run of more than two decades with a final edition of its act titled “The Last Hurrah!” The final curtain falls on May 18, so make your plans soon to be a part of Palm Springs’ vaudeville history.PageBreak
Las Vegas
As always, Vegas is bursting at the seams with new offerings, and one of the most spectacular for planners to ponder takes attendees away from the desert and into the deep blue sea. The Seascape Ballroom at Mandalay Bay opened in June, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls allowing 30 sharks and countless other creatures to practically swim through your event.
For family affairs, or just a venue for attendees to connect with their inner child, consider the Discovery Children’s Museum, which opened in a new facility this past spring at the Donald W. Reynolds Discovery Center. In addition to its colorful and creative exhibitions and displays, the museum has endless possibilities for event hosting.
Two awesome new attractions also came online in 2012, when Vegas saw the Smith Center for the Performing Arts open its doors, in addition to the Mob Museum. The Smith Center is a $470 million enclave of arts and culture that includes a spectacular 2,050-seat concert hall, an outdoor stage and several other intriguing spaces; and the Mob Museum is a unique attraction that opened on the anniversary of the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre—and even showcases a bullet-riddled wall from the notorious incident.
Albuquerque, N.M.
Checking in with the allures of Albuquerque, an ambitious $55 million overhaul of the convention center continues, with final completion set for summer 2014. Numerous ballrooms and other interior spaces have already been revamped, with substantial exterior upgrades and other changes still in the works.
Dining news is also sizzling in Albuquerque, with the CVB currently offering a “Red & Green” incentive (inspired by the fresh chili peppers that are so prevalent in local cuisine) that allows up to $25 a night to be credited back toward a meeting group’s bottom line, though this must be booked by Dec. 31, 2013.
Other flavorful fun includes the launch of the Gardunos Restaurant & Cantina this past summer at the Hotel Albuquerque, with an indoor seating area boasting capacity for about 200 and an outdoor patio enhanced by a stupendous fountain and two cascading waterfalls. Groups seeking to blow off some steam will appreciate the various “flights” of tequila, beer and wine, a great way to share and sample new offerings.
And Farm & Table, a restaurant and retailer, is now offering hour-long excursions through its 12-acre farm near Balloon Fiesta Park.
While the popular TV drama Breaking Bad took to a final curtain call in September, its cult following can still explore various settings and experiences of the show via self-guided tour maps and other resources at the Albuquerque CVB website. PageBreak
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Among the recently added group highlights in Scottsdale is a new department at the Scottsdale Princess that is 100 percent dedicated to unforgettable excitement, “Adventures & Experiences.”
The new offering, just debuted in September, is an in-house resource for planners that includes the DC Ranch Cycling Adventure and culinary doings like the Just South of the Border Cooking Challenge, Food & Brew Tasting, Chili Cook Off and Molecular Mixology. Another crowd-pleaser is the Ultimate Southwest Experience, a full-fledged saga that includes four-wheeling, horseback outing, pistol range shooting practice, and even bow and arrow action with some legit cowboys.
At Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, their marvelous Jade Bar has reopened and expanded, dramatically boosting the ample panoramic views and adding space inside and out. Craft cocktails are the name of the game here, and couches and candlelight add to an atmosphere of blissful enchantment. For something a bit more active, look into Mixology 101 sessions, which take place on Saturday evenings for groups of up to 10, or can be customized for groups from 10-16 on any occasion. Another intriguing offering at the resort is a Satori Retreat, a four-to-five-day immersion into specialized spa services that aims to bring balance by enlightening a specific life aspect—be it stress reduction, romance or holistic wellness.
Groups won’t want to miss Butterfly Wonderland, at the Talking Stick Resort/River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, which just spread its wings in May 2013 as the largest butterfly pavilion in the U.S. The experience kicks off with the 3-D feature film The Flight of the Butterflies, unveiling secrets on the life of the Monarch butterfly, and from there proceeds to the Butterfly Emergence Gallery, where attendees will observe the most eye-opening step in a butterfly’s metamorphosis, the emergence from the chrysalis. Finally, visitors enter a verdant rainforest atrium where thousands of butterflies from around the planet flutter unfettered.
Butterfly Wonderland is the initial phase of Odysea in the Desert, a 35-acre, $170 million entertainment complex that has also already added a laser maze attraction and has plenty more in the works. When the attraction debuts in full around the 2015 holiday season, it will include the largest aquarium in the Southwest, an IMAX theater, Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum and numerous dining and retail options.
Other fresh fun in the area includes a spectacular blown-glass exhibit by the great Dale Chihuly at the Desert Botanical Garden in honor of its 75th year. The Chihuly in the Garden exhibition runs from Nov. 9, 2013 through May 18, 2014, and must be seen to be believed, with wondrous glass pieces interweaving with the garden’s 50,000-plus indigenous plants.
Yet another new offering is the Maya Day and Nightclub, a ritzy realm of pools, patios and partying that is available for buyouts to groups of all sizes during its off-days of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, or for group receptions before its regular 9 p.m. opening time.
Tucson, Ariz.
Nearby Tucson has animal magnetism of its own with the September 2013 opening of a Butterfly Garden and Desert Tortoise Exhibit at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. The 1,500-square-foot garden showcases 20 plant varieties known for attracting butterflies and has even received certification from the National Butterfly Association, while the 800-square-foot exhibit is now home to two handsome desert tortoises and is part of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Tortoise Adoption Program.
At Tanque Verde Ranch, two new event spaces are coming on-line for unforgettable alfresco affairs. The recently debuted Old Homestead space, sitting atop a peak in Saguaro National Park, is now available for private gatherings, and guests can even arrive on horseback during daytime events. The resort is also creating a 7,000-square-foot event lawn adjacent to its athletic courts that offers a staging area and postcard-perfect mountain backdrop.
And at the elegant Miraval Resort & Spa, a new spa setting—Miraval Life in Balance Spa with Clarins—has opened its doors, and aims to take pampering to a new level, with 30 customized treatments that are exclusive to the property.
