Oregon is a shining star of the Pacific Northwest with its variety of landscapes, welcoming locals and offerings for people with interests of all types. Groups can find a plethora of options, namely when it comes to exploring unique off-site venues throughout the Beaver State.
Portland Area
With its lush green spaces, maker community, cultural offerings and tasty restaurants, it’s no wonder tourism is booming in Portland, topping out at 9.1 million overnight trips in 2016 alone. The unique city is especially of interest to groups in search of both traditional and one-of-a-kind venues.
“It’s interesting because Portland doesn’t have one signature namesake like the Space Needle in Seattle or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, but that fact doesn’t hinder us,” said James Jessie, Travel Portland’s senior vice president of convention sales. “We are known for the incredible experiences you can have here—things unlike anywhere else.”
The city has countless remarkable venues for groups, including the Portland Art Museum, Portland Brewing Company and Curious Comedy Theater. One venue creating a buzz of late is the Lan Su Chinese Garden, just a five-minute MAX light-rail train ride from the Oregon Convention Center, with the capacity for 160 banquet-style and 300 for receptions.
“It is an outdoor/indoor space that has a tranquil quality to it,” Jessie said. “They just went through a huge renovation and it is worth checking out.”
Across the Willamette River in East Portland, planners will find something truly spectacular with the new Knot Springs—a mix of spa, fitness center and hot springs. The facility has both outdoor and indoor areas, and is striking with its modern features and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.
Planners looking to meet outside the city and enjoy nature can explore Skamania Lodge, located an hour west along the Columbia River Gorge, with 22,000 square feet of meeting space.
“Skamania is the perfect place for small groups, and they recently opened gorgeous tree houses that groups can also rent,” Jessie said.
Willamette Valley
A quick 50-mile drive south of Portland lands groups in the leafy and welcoming town of Salem where traffic is light, residents are friendly and there is always something to do.
“We have a cute central area with shops and restaurants called the Salem Downtown Historic District where everything is within walking distance,” said Kara Kuh, Travel Salem’s public relations manager. “Just two blocks from there is Riverfront Park, which is connected to two other parks, making it a nice option for groups that want to get some
fresh air.”
Among new spaces in Salem, Archive Coffee & Bar is another good option for groups, according to Kuh.
“It’s really hip in there,” she said. “They have coffee and pastries by day and turn into a bar at night. They also have a cool meeting venue below the public space that is patterned after a speakeasy. It’s almost like a secret room and it can fit 20 people in there.”
PageBreakIn the heart of the Willamette Valley, unique venues for groups include Brooks Winery, which has a small room to rent for corporate retreats, and Willamette Valley Vineyards, which has multiple spaces available for groups.
Located about 60 miles south of the region is the thriving college town of Eugene, home to the University of Oregon and several well-appointed meeting venues at spaces like the Lane Events Center and the Hilton Eugene. Among its new and unique offerings is Venue 252 on Lawrence Street.
“We have more than 20,000 square feet of space and can accommodate 770 seated guests and 1,285 for a reception,” said Denise Rossetti, Venue 252’s events coordinator. “We opened in October 2015 and have welcomed a wide variety of groups.”
The space has a warehouse-style look with open spaces, exposed beams and several spots for lounging.
“We have a full-time, on-site kitchen, so planners don’t need to bring in food, and we are right near the Whiteaker, which is a hip neighborhood in Eugene,” she said. “There really isn’t anything else like us in town. There are amazing touches to the space with glass, steel, wood and even swivel doors.”
Southern and Central Oregon
The mountain town of Bend is luring a growing population of permanent transplants as well as business and leisure travelers.
“The brand of Bend is so strong because we are an outdoor playground basecamp and the perfect place for downtime between meeting sessions,” said Hank Therien, Visit Bend’s director of sales and sports development. “We have several major meeting venues and also some untraditional properties to enjoy.”
One of those properties is McMenamins Old St. Francis School hotel, a converted Catholic schoolhouse-turned-hotel, pub and theater.
“They have a Turkish bath, which is really nice when you come off the slopes in the wintertime, and meeting space and cabin/bungalow units,” Therien said.
Other options include Worthy Brewing, a brewery that also has a telescope in its so-called “Hopservatory,” and several meeting rooms.
“Bend has one of the best culinary and beer scenes for a medium-size town that I’ve ever experienced,” Therien said. “Groups have everything they could ever ask for right here.”
Nearby, the city of Redmond, known for its outdoor recreation, continues to revitalize its downtown. Its Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center offers more than 320 acres and 220,000 square feet of indoor space for events.
