Northern Virginia has a bit of a split personality. While it may technically be considered part of the Southern U.S., with much of that traditional charm and history on full display, it also represents a major hub for national business, lying within close proximity to Washington, D.C., and the rest of the East Coast.
“From a meeting planner’s perspective it’s ideal in that you have the incredible access to downtown Washington and the entire area, without having to pay the prices to be at a hotel downtown or to park there or the additional taxes,” says Dean Miller, national sales manager at Visit Fairfax. “And we have gorgeous three- and four-diamond hotels that can offer some real attractive pricing, depending on the dates, so our value proposition for all different sorts of groups is incredible.”
While Miller was directing his comments toward Fairfax County, much of his words ring true throughout Northern Virginia. But today’s attendees are looking for more than just a deal, they also want to connect. Thankfully for planners, Northern Virginia delivers on authentic, culturally rich group experiences.
Fairfax County
Fairfax County is the most populated county in Virginia and also one of the wealthiest (nationally, as well as regionally). Much of this prosperity is due to the economic powerhouse that is Tysons Corner—Fairfax County’s central business district—home to a number of Fortune 500 companies.
And now planners can add accessibility to the list of perks for holding a meeting in Fairfax County with the completion of the first phase of the Silver Line Metro transportation project in July 2014, expanding Washington’s Metrorail system through Tysons and into Reston. A second phase of the Silver Line—projected to open in 2018—will take the route beyond Reston to the Washington Dulles International Airport and into Loudoun County.
“The Silver Line has really made it easier for groups to meet here,” Miller says. “Then they can hop on the Metro and go downtown, go to a ballgame, go to a show—whatever they want to do.”
Miller adds that corporate, government and military reunion groups are all big for meetings in Fairfax County, but that the Silver Line has started attracting more midsize national associations. And all of them can take advantage of Fairfax County’s signature experiences.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon is one of the nation’s most popular historic sites, with over 1 million visitors each year. Not only can groups tour the rooms that George and Martha Washington once called home, but they can also meet in the Robert H. & Clarice Smith Auditorium, featuring theater-style seating for 200. In addition, several other indoor venues, including George Washington’s Distillery and Gristmill, are available for private events, along with additional outdoor space along the waterfront.
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The Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center is a Smithsonian companion to the National Air and Space Museum in D.C., with two large hangars—the Boeing Aviation Hangar and the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar—displaying thousands of aviation and space artifacts, including the space shuttle Discovery, an Air France Concorde and a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Both hangars are available for corporate and association events, with combined space for 1,200 seated and 5,000 standing.
Loudoun County
Northwest of Fairfax is the affluent Loudoun County, which partially houses the busy Washington Dulles International Airport, and is branded as “D.C.’s Wine Country,” with over 40 wineries and tasting rooms.
“We have one side of the county that is bursting with lots of shopping and tech companies, we have an international airport, and then we have the western side of the county, which is very rural,” says Jennifer Ritter, director of sales with Visit Loudoun. “Usually you have one or the other in a destination, but we have a mix of both, and it’s kind of joined in the middle by Leesburg.”
The area is also home to several meetings mainstays, including Lansdowne Resort, featuring a luxury spa and championship golf; The National Conference Center, one of the largest and most comprehensive conference centers in the nation; and the Salamander Resort & Spa, which offers several on-site activities, while Empower Adventures operates ziplines at the resort.
Winery tours and gourmet dining are popular pastimes. It’s hard to single out just one winery in Loudoun County for groups to explore, but some top choices in the area include the Stone Tower Winery, with a new large-scale event venue opening this spring; 8 Chains North, featuring the Compass Rose Banquet Room, accommodating up to 160; and the Doukenie Winery, with space for up to 100.
And if groups would prefer to do some food tasting, Visit Loudoun supplies a list of 14 “Destination Restaurants” that are organized into a number of categories, including “Unique Experiences.” Two of these restaurants, the Goodstone Inn & Restaurant and The Red Fox Inn & Tavern, also feature luxurious corporate retreat space. Goodstone can host functions of up to 75 and Red Fox up to 150.
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Arlington County
Head across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., and groups will arrive at Arlington, or they could just stay there in the first place to avoid the traffic and experience this vibrant urban county firsthand.
Arlington is known for its almost overwhelming amount of historical sites, including the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, the Marine Corps War Memorial and the U.S. Air Force Memorial.
The county, which continues to host many federal government and contractor groups, felt the full impact of the recent recession, but is poised for a pre-recession return to form after a successful 2014. Arlington also sees a steady influx of corporate, military reunion and student groups.
“More and more, planners are seeking unique, hands-on local experiences for their groups,” says Portia Conerly, group sales manager with Stay Arlington. “They’re really interested in finding activities that are new and different, and Arlington has many fun and interesting choices for them.”
Lebanese Taverna, located in Pentagon Row, offers semi-private group dining in its main dining room, and the lounge can handle receptions of up to 40 guests, who can also arrange to take part in a Lebanese cooking class. A seasonal outside cafe can also be used for events.
Arlington has increasingly become known as a cultural hot spot in Northern Virginia, where groups can check out a performance or take a “Behind the Scenes Tour” at either the Synetic or Signature Theaters. The Tony Award-winning Synetic Theater is particularly group-friendly (when no productions are running), with a variety of rental space available, including the 350-seat Crystal City Theater and Studio Violet, which consists of three rehearsal spaces, a lobby and more.
Alexandria
Groups can easily get lost exploring Old Town Alexandria, which serves as the city’s historic, cultural and tourist center, featuring highly walkable streets lined with boutiques, restaurants, shops and theaters.
“Destination sales is about telling a story, especially the local story, and authentic experiences are at the top of a planner’s list,” says Lorraine Lloyd, vice president of sales with Visit Alexandria. “When delegates experience a destination the way the locals do, they not only gain professional insight from the meeting, but also feel their time was well spent, providing lasting memories.”
Lloyd says the team at Visit Alexandria specializes in small and midsize meetings, allowing groups to receive exceptional attention and service, and access to more memorable experiences when they are done meeting in the area’s hotels and venues, including the Westin Alexandria, Hotel Monaco Alexandria, Hilton Alexandria Mark Center and the Mary M. Gates Learning Center.
The Haunted Dine-Around of Old Town is run as a joint effort by Alexandria Colonial Tours and DC Metro Food Tours, combining a Ghost & Graveyard Tour of haunted historic sites with stops at three of Old Town’s top restaurants, all led by a Colonial-costumed guide with a lantern in tow. Private tours can be arranged in advance and planners can reach out to Alexandria Colonial Tours for more details.
Built in 1918 to manufacture torpedoes, the Torpedo Factory Art Center is an aptly named industrial space housing 82 working artists’ studios, six galleries and the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, along the historic Potomac River waterfront. As an event space, the art center has a reception capacity of up to 600, and the largest seated room (theater-style) is the Main Hall. Outdoor space is also available.
