Local parks throughout Wisconsin, and the recreational opportunities they offer groups, would make Leslie Knope, the overzealous yet lovable character from the Parks and Recreation sitcom, even giddier than usual.
She is the type of character who would roll up her sleeves to assist meeting planners with everything from a disc golf tournament at a city park in Madison to a teambuilding event at a water park in Wisconsin Dells or a fun picnic at an amusement park in Green Bay.
Following are a number of great parks that will liven up a meeting itinerary without breaking the bank. Ms. Knope would approve.
Parks Aplenty
Planners can tap into Madison’s parks, which operate year-round and offer season-specific pursuits.
“Elver Park’s disc golf course is becoming a Madison must-do in the summer, and when snowflakes fly, you’ll see why this park is a Madison winter tradition, offering ice skating, cross-country skiing and the largest lit-up sledding hill in the city,” said Deb Archer, president and CEO of the Greater Madison CVB and Madison Area Sports Commission.
During the winter, Brittingham Park, which is situated alongside Monona Bay and Lake Monona, is active with ice-fishing enthusiasts, and during the warmer months, according to Archer, “this downtown park begs you to get on the water by boat, kayak or the latest craze, stand-up paddleboarding.”
In Milwaukee, the Bradford Beach/Juneau Park area stretches along Lake Michigan and, according to Jeff Baryenbruch, executive director of sales for VISIT Milwaukee, is a hub of summertime activity, including beach volleyball, running, biking and water sports.
“Groups can party on the top of the retro beach house at Bradford Beach and serve up friendly teambuilding volleyball games on numerous sand courts,” he said.
Milwaukee is also home to the lakeside 75-acre Henry Maier Festival Park, the site of various ethnic festivals and the annual Summerfest music celebration in June and July.
“VIP decks provide value-added fun to summer meetings in Milwaukee,” Baryenbruch said.
Located in downtown Green Bay and situated on the shoreline of the Fox River is Leicht Memorial Park, which accommodates large corporate events, concerts and festivals.
Meanwhile, Bay Beach Amusement Park is Green Bay’s largest city park.
“With 19 amusement rides, large picnic shelters, tons of green space and a vintage indoor dance hall, this park has all the space and entertainment you’ll need for a successful event,” said Brenda Krainik, director of marketing for the Greater Green Bay CVB.
Flat Iron Park, including a gazebo and the Brunk Performance Pavilion, which can be rented for private events, is a terrific place for a teambuilding event in Lake Geneva.
“The location is great, with breathtaking views of Geneva Lake,” said Susan Smolarek, director of group sales at VISIT Lake Geneva.
Free musical entertainment is offered Thursday evenings throughout the summer at Flat Iron Park, and Art in the Park and the Lake Geneva Jaycees Venetian Festival are held here in August.
In Wisconsin Dells, also known as the Waterpark Capital of the World, the team at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions will work with planners to customize meeting space to satisfy any group’s style.
“Casual meetings may feel right at home in the indoor theme park or waterpark space, while more-formal presentations or technical needs might require a meeting room within the convention space,” said Tifani Jones, director of sales for the Wisconsin Dells VCB. “Kalahari Indoor Theme Park offers teambuilding activities including rock wall climbing, ropes course, go-carts, bowling and miniature golf.”
Wisconsin Dells is also home to Noah’s Ark waterpark, the largest waterpark in the country with 70 acres of water activities.
“The park offers catering and pavilion rentals for groups,” Jones said.
Elkhart Lake’s Road America, known as America’s National Park of Speed, offers customized corporate gatherings and group outings complete with teambuilding activities such as karting and geocaching options, ATV programs, paintball and ziplines, according to Kathleen Eickhoff, executive director of Elkhart Lake Tourism.
“From small events of six people to massive events of 10,000 or more, Road America’s adventure programs provide a wide range of opportunities to fit your budget and exceed your expectations,” she said.
According to Amy Karas, convention sales and marketing manager for the Fox Cities CVB, Sherwood-based High Cliff State Park has an observation tower, beach, golf course, banquet hall and more than 26 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowshoeing and skiing, depending on the season.
“While navigating these trails, visitors can enjoy gorgeous views of the Lake Winnebago shoreline and Niagara Escarpment, and surprises including a butterfly pond and Indian mounds,” she said. “Groups can have picnic lunches in pavilion areas at the park and reserve a tee time at the golf course there as well.”
Also in Fox Cities is Appleton-based Jones Park, an up-and-coming group location thanks to the scheduled opening of the Fox Cities Exhibition Center, which will be built into the hillside of Jones Park and connected to the conference center at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel via skywalk.
In Door County is Peninsula State Park, which, according to Laura Bradley, marketing and sales manager for the Door County Visitor Bureau, is considered the crown jewel of the state park system.
“Arrange for a guided tour of the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, plan a group picnic and beach day at Nicolet Beach, take in some theater under the stars at Northern Sky Theater or just leisurely explore as you hike or bike the trails,” she said, citing Edge of Park as a trusted place to rent a fleet of bicycles for groups.
At Cave Point County Park, also in Door County, groups can enjoy a picnic at the pavilion and then spend the afternoon exploring cliffside trails.
“You can even arrange for a guided kayak tour of the caves below,” Bradley said.
Finally, Frame Park in downtown Waukesha is a beautiful location for a variety of meetings, according to Tammy Tritz, executive director for the Waukesha Pewaukee CVB.
The park is located along the Fox River and groups can rent paddleboats, surrey bikes, tandem bikes, kayaks and electric paddleboats at High Roller Fun Rentals.
“The 1,620-square-foot Rotary Building accommodates 120 people on the bank of the river, offering stunning views,” Tritz said. “There are acres of green space with sporting options as well as a most unique feature, the formal gardens, in bloom three seasons of the year.”
