Year-round sun and temperate climes allow meeting professionals bringing groups to Miami and Fort Lauderdale the opportunity to plan superb outdoor events. From hitting the water on a paddleboard or lounging at a hot rooftop bar, there’s no end to the area’s fun in the sun.
“No matter what time of year, the weather in Miami is fantastic,” said Patricia Bayona, director, meeting and convention services, Greater Miami CVB. “Groups will get a chance to do special bonding and teambuilding activities with their colleagues and enjoy our beautiful parks and ecosystems in the Everglades and Key Biscayne.
“We’re all so used to being cooped up in offices, so coming here is great for getting out on the water and getting your vitamin D,” she added. “The water has a very calming effect on people.”
Bayona suggests groups organize a boat cruise or a walking tour through many of the different neighborhoods, such as Wynwood for an art walk, or one of numerous parks where guests can see all types of indigenous tropical plants.
“Miami-Dade County has 270 parks, including Biscayne National Park where groups can canoe through the mangroves, or Fruit & Spice Park where they’ll see so many interesting trees like starfruit, mango and coconut,” she said.
Miami EcoAdventures offers sunset kayaking tours and snorkeling off Key Biscayne, wildflower walks in the Everglades and biking on scenic trails. There’s even a nighttime guided owl walk through Bill Sadowski Park.
In Everglades National Park, groups can cruise Florida Bay or Ten Thousand Islands on canoes or kayaks. On land, park rangers lead hikes of the Anhinga Trail where all sorts of wildlife—from birds to alligators— can be spotted. The “Croc Talk” adventure includes information about America’s “Crocodile Capital” with a chance to see these reptiles up close and personal.
For an outdoor adventure that’s a tad more gentile and seeped in history, there’s Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami. The house, built between 1914 and 1922 by wealthy businessman James Deering, is in the style of an Italian villa with formal European gardens.
The Maze Garden, Theater Garden and Fountain Garden are all surrounded by native forest. Deering spared no expense adding ornate fountains and sculptures made from local coral stone. Both the Casino Mound and the East Terrace are used for private events and can each accommodate 300.
A trip to Miami is not complete unless the group can boast about hitting a Miami hot spot. Juvia Miami Beach has earned an “Outstanding Restaurant Design Award” from the James Beard Foundation for its hip rooftop bar. The restaurant, which offers buyouts, can accommodate 220 seated or 320 for standing cocktail parties. Its eclectic menu features fish and meat dishes as well as every conceivable specialty cocktail.
In nearby Coral Gables, the Hotel Colonnade Coral Gables, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, features an awesome rooftop pool area that can open up to non-hotel guests. The hotel has teamed up with local butcher shop Proper Sausages for “Sunday Block Parties” and the pool is a nice setting for an evening soiree for up to 300.
Fort Lauderdale
Neighboring Fort Lauderdale also offers ample activities to coax attendees to get out into the great outdoors.
“With 3,000 hours of annual sunshine and year-round average temps of 77 degrees, Greater Fort Lauderdale offers the perfect weather for attendees looking to explore beyond the ballroom and meeting rooms before or after a conference,” said Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB. “From paddleboarding along the Intracoastal Waterway to riding airboats in the Everglades, and from snorkeling among coral reefs to kayaking in the mangroves, Greater Fort Lauderdale offers outdoor adventures for outdoor enthusiasts.”
In the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale, amid multimillion-dollar mega-yachts and mega-mansions to match, a tour on a Segway around the “Venice of America” will allow groups to take a peek at the lives of the rich and famous. History and fun facts surrounding the area accompany the tour for up to 25 people.
“Our most popular tours are our Yacht and Mansion Tour or our 10-mile Full City Tour,” said John Rosen, owner of Segway Fort Lauderdale. “After a long, stressful day, there’s nothing better than a Segway tour. Everyone learns something new and it’s a great teambuilding event. And, anyone can do it. People on the tour have an absolute blast.”
For those who want a water adventure, an airboat ride with Fort Lauderdale Air Boat Rides is an exhilarating way to see spectacular wetlands and all the interesting flora and fauna in the area. Lucky riders may spot an alligator or two. The captain narrates tours with multiple stops for the perfect photo ops. Each airboat can accommodate from six to nine guests.
Another popular outdoor activity is a Riverwalk Recreation bike tour where groups ride through historic neighborhoods like Sailboat Bend and Colee Hammock. The latter is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale, replete with homes in a variety of styles, including Art Deco, Bungalow and Mediterranean. Stops for gelato can also be arranged.
The Historic Needham Estate is a 1920s gem that was built for John Wesley, the first manager of the Broward Hotel. The house later became a girl’s finishing school, Gordon College, and today is owned by Sandy and Drew Romanovitz, who offer the first floor of the house and its grounds for private events. The courtyard and the lawn facing the historic New River can accommodate 175 for a sit-down dinner or 300 for a standing reception.
“Recently, we had a group from an antique car association here for an event,” Sandy Romanovitz recalled. “They all came by water taxi dressed in period costumes. Flappers greeted them one by one as photographers took pictures. The house really lends itself to that type of party.
“Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill were once guests in this home and we’ve made sure to preserve it with its original Cuban tiles and antique furniture,” she added. “We’re also close to Las Olas Boulevard, where there are lovely shops and galleries.”
Another historic venue is the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, built in 1920 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With more than 35 acres, there are several outdoor settings to choose from amid tropical and subtropical plants for up to 400 guests.
While Miami has its Wynwood Walls—a collection of more than 200 murals on the sides of warehouses and surrounding buildings in the Wynwood district by artists from all over the world—Fort Lauderdale has its FATVillage, which is short for Flagler Arts and Technology. It’s an area covering four blocks near downtown Fort Lauderdale that is full of art studios, galleries, cafes, bars and boutiques.
Known for its ArtWalk on the last Saturday of every month, when studios open and food trucks park en masse, FATVillage also has many shops that are open every day. One, Brew Urban Cafe, housed in an Airstream, is a great place to have a cappuccino while people-watching. There are also several art galleries open to the public, like Box Gallery and Art Trax Studios & Gallery, both filled with contemporary art.
Greater Miami CVB
305.539.3000
Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB
954.765.4466
