Not only are destinations in the Central Valley/High Sierra region welcoming to meetings, they are family-friendly as well. Affordable and accessible by car, they offer proximity to national parks and fun-filled attractions with appeal for adults and kids alike.
“It’s not unusual for meeting attendees to bring the family along to meetings here, especially during the summertime,” said Suzanne Bianco, tourism and marketing manager for the Visalia CVB. “We’ve got a shuttle that takes people right from downtown to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. The parks are a great pre- or post-meeting option for families or even a day trip for spouses and kids when the meeting is in progress.”
Within Visalia itself, the ImagineU Children’s Museum, which recently moved to spacious new quarters, is a big hit with families as well as with groups looking for an engaging off-site venue, according to Bianco. Encouraging interaction, the museum exhibits include the Grove Pick and Pack, a mock citrus grove where participants pick and pack fruit for shipping and learn to operate their own farmer’s market, and Harmony Park, an assemblage of giant musical instruments where participants create their own sounds.
In Sacramento, Sutters Fort State Historic Park is a living history museum that re-creates life in pre-Gold Rush California. Along with historic artifacts that include a doll and other items from the Donner Party, the ill-fated group of immigrants trapped in a winter storm while trying to cross the Sierras in 1847, the fort has areas to explore that include a carpenter’s shop, weaving room, bakery, distillery and more.
A popular after-hours option, the fort’s Pioneer Dinners are available for groups of 25 to 100. Guests are greeted by costumed docents and have time to tour the fort and see demonstrations pertaining to everyday pioneer life before enjoying an outdoor buffet dinner in the central courtyard.
Located near the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad offers both day and evening excursions onboard a vintage locomotive. The hour-long rides through the Sierra National Forest include narration about the railroad’s logging history from 1874 to 1931 and a stop in Lewis Creek Canyon. Groups can arrange for an evening event that combines the ride with a barbecue dinner and a campfire sing-a-long program hosted by the Sugar Pine Singers.
On the heels of unveiling its new Sea Lion Cove and African Adventure exhibits, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo is embarking on a $60 million renovation and expansion that includes a children’s water play area and interactive features throughout. The zoo features a variety of event spaces that include Sea Lion Cove, Rainforest Lawn and Canopy Grove and can also arrange for activities such as giraffe feeding and Ross Laird’s Winged