From lakeside fun and ballgames in the summertime sun to museum exploration and shopping opportunities when it’s snowy outside, the Great Lakes State is a great place to hold a meeting, any time of year.
Spring
Several Michigan representatives recommend groups check out area gardens and various other blooms when spring has sprung.
According to Andie Newcomer, convention and visitor services manager at Experience Grand Rapids CVB, it’s perhaps the best season to visit Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, particularly during March and April when attendees can view over 7,000 tropical butterflies at the Butterflies are Blooming exhibit.
The most delightful spring option in Traverse City is the annual blossoming of the cherry trees in mid-May, according to Michael Norton, spokesman for Traverse City Tourism.
“Since most of our cherry orchards are located in our wine country, a tour of the blossoms can easily be paired with a spring wine-tasting tour,” he says.
Kristy Poore, national sales executive at the Ann Arbor Area CVB, recommends groups schedule a guided tour of the Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum, “one of the most picturesque places during springtime in Ann Arbor.”
Spring is also a good time to hit the links in Michigan destinations like Grand Rapids, Traverse City and Ann Arbor, where there are many golf courses for groups to choose from.
All over the state there are also ballparks for enjoying a baseball game with colleagues, including the Lansing Lugnuts, the Kalamazoo Growlers, the Great Lakes Loons and the Detroit Tigers.
In Muskegon County, according to Bob Lukens, community development director for the Muskegon County CVB, attendees are encouraged to just take a stroll and watch a sunset at the beach.
“There’s a reason they call our area the Sunset Coast of Michigan,” he says. “When the sun finally goes down, you can stop for a beer at one of our new microbreweries downtown.”
Summer
Summertime in Detroit calls for a stroll along the Detroit International RiverWalk, according to Bill Bohde, senior vice president, sales and marketing, at the Detroit Metro CVB.
“Or if you want to get out on the water, board the Diamond Jack for a guided tour of the Detroit River,” he says, adding that the Detroit Princess Riverboat hosts private events as well as fun Motown dinner cruises.
In Lansing, another waterborne option is to take to the Grand River with outfitter River Town Adventures for a teambuilding kayaking excursion.
“Afterward, be sure to grab a refreshing drink overlooking the river,” says Tracy Padot, spokeswoman for the Greater Lansing CVB.
Speaking of drinks, Grand Rapids has a booming craft brewery industry that groups should check out, including Founders Brewing and HopCat.
The CVB’s Newcomer suggests a bike ride along miles of paved biking trails and through local orchards and woodlands before grabbing a refreshing brew.
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Mackinac Island is another place where groups should rent bikes, according to Alison Abraham, assistant director of Mackinac Island Tourism.
“You can ride your bike around the shore of the Island, 8.2 miles along M-185, the nation’s only car-free highway,” she says. “It’s a beautiful setting with plenty of spaces to stop for a picnic and pictures.”
Some other naturally splendid places like Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, located near downtown Traverse City, and the Midland-based Dahlia Hill Garden peak during summertime.
“In late summer, groups must visit Dahlia Hill Garden,” says Sonja Wood, manager of meetings and conventions for the Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB.
And during the off-season, groups convening in Ann Arbor will definitely want to tour Michigan Stadium, the home of Michigan Wolverines football and also known as “The Big House.”
“Walking out of the tunnel and onto the field, taking in the view from the press box and getting an inside look at the locker room—all of this and more makes for a very memorable event,” says the Ann Arbor Area CVB’s Poore.
Autumn
And in the fall, of course, it’s game time.
“Autumn means football in Greater Lansing,” says the Greater Lansing CVB’s Padot. “As home to the Michigan State University Spartans, Saturday tailgates are a must.”
She says visiting groups should also explore the many free museums on campus, including the MSU Museum and the MSU Dairy store, where they’ll find farm-fresh ice cream produced on-site.
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The Detroit Metro CVB’s Bohde thinks autumn is a good time to explore Detroit’s theater district, including performances at Fox Theatre and Detroit Opera House, as well as the region’s cider mills, including Westview Orchards.
“The weather is perfect this time of year to get outside and pick apples or enjoy a wagon ride,” he says.
Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region, according the CVB’s Wood, is known for breathtaking fall colors.
“You can give groups this beauty of nature on land, including from our Chippewa Nature Center,” she says. “And from the water, attendees can experience corporate team-building programs, lunch and dinner cruises, or stargazer and fireworks sails via Appledore Tall Ships.”
Among the other areas that boast gorgeous leaf-peeping opportunities are Traverse City, Muskegon County, Mackinac Island, where groups can view foliage from a horse-drawn carriage, and Kalamazoo.
“The leaves changing to ambers and browns remind us of one of Michigan’s tastiest amenities—the beer!” says Renee Newman, spokeswoman for Discover Kalamazoo, adding that Kalamazoo is a growing craft beer hotspot. “West Michigan Beer Tours provides group tasting tours of Southwest Michigan.”
Winter
Heating things up via a tequila tasting at Isalita, a Mexican cantina in downtown Ann Arbor; shopping at the Great Lakes Bay Region’s Birch Run Premium Outlet or Kalamazoo’s Kalamazoo Walking Mall; learning how to make delicious brownies and bacon cheddar scones at Ann Arbor’s Zingerman’s Bakehouse; and glass-blowing a take-home trinket at Kalamazoo’s West Michigan Glass Art Center are only a few of the popular group-friendly activities in Michigan during the winter. Another popular indoor option during colder months is the meetings-friendly FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek, where groups can try their luck in a Vegas-style casino and enjoy an array of top musical acts at the property’s event center.
And in some Michigan destinations, outdoor winter activities await active groups.
In Grand Rapids, Pando Park and Cannonsburg Ski Area are open for cross country skiing and snowboarding, and Rosa Park Circle opens its ice skating rink.
“Snowshoeing, in particular, makes a great group experience, since it can be learned in a few minutes,” says Traverse City Tourism’s Norton. “There are several great venues where you can enjoy a few hours on the trail and then enjoy some downtime beside a roaring fireplace or in a steamy Jacuzzi.”
Muskegon County CVB’s Lukens says groups will have a memorable experience at the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex, a must-visit attraction that also hosts group gatherings.
Carolyn Blackburn is a frequent contributor to Meetings Focus.
