Nestled in the heart of the Midwest, Ohio offers an unexpected haven for outdoor enthusiasts, with three of its major cities—Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus—boasting a diverse array of recreational activities that cater to groups of all sizes and interests in every season.
Whether you’re looking to embark on scenic hikes, explore vibrant urban parks or engage in water sports along the shores of Lake Erie, these bustling metropolises blend urban excitement with nature’s tranquility to create the perfect environment for combining business and camaraderie.
Discover the best ways your groups can experience the great outdoors in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus.
Cincinnati
Cincinnati’s appeal as an outdoor meetings destination lies in its diverse offerings across all seasons.
From spring and summer through fall and winter, groups can enjoy outdoor venues and activities year-round.
“Cincinnati’s outdoor spaces are part of our city’s charm, from vibrant parks and scenic riverfronts to our unique food and cultural trails, we offer a range of outdoor experiences that cater to every season and group interest,” said Julie Calvert, president and CEO of Visit Cincy. “Whether it’s a dynamic teambuilding activity or a memorable corporate social responsibility (CSR) event, Cincinnati provides the perfect backdrop for successful and engaging meetings.”
Outdoor Venues
The newly renovated Washington Park, across from the historic Music Hall, is the perfect outdoor venue for large-scale events and family-friendly gatherings, featuring a playground for kids with a play castle and climbing wall, as well as interactive water features, a historic restored bandstand gazebo, a fenced-in dog area with 12,000 square feet of synthetic turf, the American Classical Music Walk of Fame and more.
The Sherwin-Williams Porch at Washington Park is a nearly 3,000-square-foot space adjacent to the dog park that features a wide selection of well-known and local beverages and can be rented for private events.
The Andrew J. Brady Music Center is a new state-of-the-art music venue with a general admission main floor and two balconies with a capacity of up to 4,500. Outdoor venues include a stage for concerts, festivals in the park adjacent to the venue and lawn space with views of the city.
Cincinnati is also home to three major league stadiums: Paycor Stadium, home of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals; Great American Ball Park, where the MLB’s Cincinnati Reds play; and TQL Stadium, home of the MLS’s FC Cincinnati. All three stadiums work with groups to host events, from private firework shows at Great American Ball Park to breakouts with views of the pitch at TQL Stadium.
Situated along the banks of the Ohio River is The Annie W. & Elizabeth M. Anderson Pavilion in Smale Riverfront Park, offering a 350-plus-seat conference facility and access to the Gardner Family Grove & Rose Garden, Carol Ann’s Carousel, Suspension Bridge Riverview Garden and the Riverview Veranda.
Late this summer, the city broke ground on the new Elm Street Plaza, just outside the newly revitalized Duke Energy Convention Center. The new two-acre park will offer outdoor activation space extended from the renovated convention center as well as a new pavilion and walking paths.
Outdoor Activities
Cincinnati also offers numerous outdoor teambuilding and CSR activities for groups, such as walking food tours of the city. Companies such as Riverside Food Tours and Cincinnati Food Tours offer opportunities for groups large and small to experience local cuisine as well as the culture and history of the city through guided walking tours, step-on bus tours and more, all guided by local experts and showcasing multiple Cincinnati culinary highlights.
Cincinnati was also just named the Best City for Street Art in 2024 by USA Today, and groups can organize walking tours to see the city’s murals for themselves.
Since 1979, BB Riverboats has given groups the opportunity to take in panoramic views of Cincinnati from the Ohio River. Groups can organize private river cruises with the company and choose from a variety of menu and bar options available for any meal of the day.
Groups can participate in teambuilding bike rides on the Little Miami bike trail, canoeing down the Little Miami River, pickleball tournaments at Sawyer Point, golfing at California Golf Course, or skiing, tubing and snowboarding at Perfect North Slopes.
Group CSR activities include river cleanups along the Ohio River, participating in local food tours that support community vendors at Findlay Market and evenings working with local organizations to plant trees or renovate a baseball field for local children.
[Related: 7 Ohio Museums You Can Book for Special Events]
Cleveland
Cleveland is “The Land” that’s easy to get to and even easier to get around in, according to Destination Cleveland.
Offering the newly renovated LEED Gold-certified Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, a bustling nightlife scene, major attractions like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, award-winning restaurants and 5,000 downtown hotel rooms, Cleveland has everything a meeting planner needs to host a memorable event—and the city’s outdoor offerings are equally as enthralling.
Outdoor Venues
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an iconic and popular lakefront venue with indoor and outdoor options. The facility is currently undergoing a $135 million expansion that by 2026 will add additional dynamic indoor and outdoor event spaces.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame can host anywhere from 20 to 2,000 people. Groups have the option to rent the entire museum for a private event, giving attendees access to all seven floors of exhibit space and the outdoor plaza. The Level 3 patio overlooking Lake Erie can accommodate up to 40 people, while the Beer Garden is ideal for receptions between 50-300.
Cleveland Metroparks oversees 18 reservations spanning more than 25,000 acres and featuring more than 325 miles of trails, nine golf courses, eight lakefront parks and a nationally acclaimed zoo. Planners can work with Cleveland Metroparks to organize an outdoor gathering at one of more than 75 rental facilities, including picnic areas and shelters, the zoo, beaches along Lake Erie and more.
The Cleveland Botanical Garden also offers numerous venues for outdoor gatherings, including Geis Terrace, featuring a reflecting pool and fountain surrounded by professionally curated gardens with space for up to 100 attendees.
Both the world-class Cleveland Museum of Art and Cleveland Museum of Natural History—which is completing its own $150 million renovation by the end of the year—have atriums and event spaces that connect groups to the outdoors while protecting them from the elements.
Outdoor Activities
From curated outdoor adventures with All Forward to kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding with Crooked River Adventures, group options for outdoor adventures in Cleveland are endless.
All Forward curates unique and transformative outdoor experiences along the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath that focus on six areas, including Move, Learn, Fuel, Rest, Grow and Give. Each experience is customized to meet a group’s needs, objectives, interests and physical abilities and is best suited for groups between 8-10 people, but All Forward can work with larger gatherings to accommodate based on needs.
The company prioritizes curating experiences with a “high impact on people and communities with low impact on the environment” and includes activities such as hiking, cycling, kayaking, canoeing, snowshoeing, paddleboarding, yoga and more.
Crooked River Adventures provides canoe, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals on the upper Cuyahoga River. The company’s location also features a full-service restaurant and bar, professional volleyball court, games and live entertainment in the pavilion on weekends.
Situated on the eastern edge of Columbus Peninsula is The Foundry, a local nonprofit organization with a mission “to transform the lives of Cleveland’s youth through access to the sports of rowing and sailing.” The Foundry offers opportunities for groups to participate in introductory rowing lessons and programs both on the Cuyahoga River or in The Foundry’s state-of-the-art Tankhouse, offering the full rowing experience indoors.
Destination Cleveland’s Experience Passports are a free and fun way to explore the city through self-guided, self-paced tours for individuals or small groups. For an outdoor focus, groups can run, hike or bike through award-winning green spaces with the Trailheads + Parks Passport.
The Destination Cleveland team also collaborates with meeting planners to design and deliver unique, customized CSR experiences. This past August, during ASAE, Destination Cleveland partnered with Habitat for Humanity for a community event during which ASAE attendees helped paint and build playhouses for local families. The day concluded with a special moment when the families arrived and the children were surprised with their new playhouses.
[Related: The Latest Meetings News in Key Ohio Cities (2022)]
Columbus
Columbus is a four-season city that provides year-round outdoor meeting possibilities.
Plus, Columbus’ extensive Metro Parks system features over 200 miles of trails, perfect for a wide range of activities no matter when visitors come. USA Today even named the Scioto Mile one of the 10 Best Riverwalks in the country this year.
Here’s how groups can experience the outdoors when meeting in Columbus.
Outdoor Venues
Several of Columbus’ top attractions offer great outdoor spaces to host events, including The Center of Science and Industry (COSI), a No. 1-ranked science museum four years in a row by outlets including USA Today and Parents Magazine, according to Experience Columbus.
The English Plaza at COSI can accommodate up to 800 guests for a reception or 600 for a banquet; the North Courtyard fits 150 guests for a reception or 100 for a banquet; and the Plaza Deck holds 500 guests for both receptions and banquets.
COSI also features unique experiences like outdoor experiments, and Experience Columbus has previously arranged for drone shows at COSI with a skyline backdrop.
Nearby, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM), the only museum dedicated to honoring all branches of military service, offers two outdoor event spaces. The Rooftop Sanctuary is a large, open-air space ideal for ceremonies, dinners and receptions, and offers one of the best vantage points of downtown.
The NVMM’s Memorial Grove, located on the museum grounds, features over 40 white elm trees, a 350-foot limestone wall with a reflecting pool and three waterfalls, making it a memorable and exclusive setting for ceremonies.
As one of the largest zoos in the country—and well-known zookeeper Jack Hanna’s home zoo—the award-winning Columbus Zoo & Aquarium offers unique event spaces and playful experiences, including animal appearances. Create a memorable event with options such as high-end cocktail parties overlooking animals at the Africa Event Center or intimate encounters with wildlife at the Discovery Reef Aquarium.
Outdoor Activities
Outdoor teambuilding and group activities are available year-round in Columbus and range from zipline aerial adventures and kayaking to pedal-powered bike bars and walking food tours.
Just 15 minutes from downtown, ZipZone Outdoor Adventures offers teambuilding and staff outing opportunities and was ranked as one of the best zipline parks by USA Today and Newsweek.
CoGo e-Bike Tours allows groups the opportunity to explore nearby landmarks of the Scioto Mile, The Peninsula and Franklinton Arts District neighborhoods, ending with a bus ride back to the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
Groups can also go kayaking on the Scioto River and paddle from Confluence Park to the Scioto Audubon, taking in views of landmarks like the NVMM and the Ohio Supreme Court building.
Named the No. 1 craft brewery by Men’s Journal, Land-Grant Brewing Co. at Gravity Experience Park features seasonal activities such as pickleball, basketball, cornhole and Ice Bumper Cars.
Pedal Wagon Columbus is a pedal-powered bike bar that takes groups through various Columbus neighborhoods, offering the chance to bond with coworkers at different restaurants and stops.
Similarly, Trolley Pub provides special tours such as the Holiday Lights and Yoga & Coffee tour. This tour is suitable for participants of any skill level and features an outdoor yoga class led by a professional instructor and a stop at a local coffee and cocktail bar, Bada Bean Bada Booze, where riders can indulge or energize themselves.
Columbus Food Adventures has been offering a variety of food-themed experiences since 2010, including walking and van tours, private tours, foodie scavenger hunts and progressive dinners. Named the best food tour in the country by USA Today this year, these activities also serve as fun-filled teambuilding opportunities.
Experience Columbus oversees nine experiential trails, including the Columbus Coffee Trail, Columbus Distillery Trail, Columbus Live Music Trail, Columbus-Style Pizza Trail, Columbus Outdoor Trails Pass, Short North Art Trail, CBUS Soul® Sculpture Trail and Columbus Activities Saving Pass. For several trails, participants can check-in and earn points toward prizes while in town for meetings.
[Related: Food Is an Expression of Self for Hilton Columbus Downtown Chef Sebastian La Rocca]
Outdoor Outings in Butler County
Butler County, which encompasses Hamilton, Fairfield, Liberty Township, Middletown, Oxford and more, offers a variety of year-round and seasonal activities, allowing for a customized group experience at any time of year.
One highlight of Butler County is Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum, a 300-acre sculpture park home to more than 70 monumental outdoor sculptures. The park also features rotating contemporary exhibitions and ancient Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Syrian and Egyptian antiquities dating back to 1550 BCE, as well as the on-property Pyramid House, an event venue with a glass roof.
Groups can walk and explore the park and hiking trails in addition to enjoying a fun cruise around the park in an “art cart,” exploring a pioneer house dating to the 1820s with an arched ceiling and visiting an Ancient Sculpture Museum.
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum offers event rentals for up to 350 attendees. Spaces include a large pavilion, the patio of the Pyramid House, The Lodge and the courtyard of the Ancient Sculpture Museum.
