“We now have 135 permitted festivals each year, which equates to a festival every two-and-a-half days,” said Rachel Avery, director of convention services and events for the city’s CVB, New Orleans & Company. “We have festivals large and small that appeal to anyone and everyone. If it crawls, swims and you can dance to it, you can have a festival around it.”

Hosting a memorable event at Universal Orlando isn’t hard to do with its onsite hotels and flexible meeting and event spaces, partial buy-out options at Universal parks, and enhancements like Optimus Prime introducing your keynote speaker.

The Buffalo-Niagara region’s architectural and natural landmarks offer memorable backdrops for meetings.

Visiting one of the country’s most iconic sights, Mount Rushmore. Panning for gold in Deadwood. Taking selfies with “President Obama” in Rapid City. Ending a day filled with meetings by sitting down to a cowboy supper in Spearfish. Groups traveling to South Dakota are not left wanting for experiences that are unique to the state.

A multitude of entertaining nightlife experiences await groups meeting in Ohio when time doesn’t allow for a fun add-on event during business hours. At the end of a day filled with back-to-back meetings, groups can tap into everything from local craft brew scenes to team-bonding activities such as axe-throwing and shuffleboard. In addition, many popular attractions that double as off-site venues for receptions.

A center of arts and culture in North Carolina’s booming Triad Region, Greensboro boasts world-class historic and cultural venues such as the International Civil Rights Museum and a thriving theater scene. But while museums and theater may temporarily seize the attention of attendees with their refined offerings, a pint of cold craft brew and some fantastic restaurants are also at the ready.

“Watch us roar in ’94!” proclaimed MGM Hotels Inc. with the December 1993 opening of the second MGM Grand. Featuring a massive indoor Wizard of Oz attraction, MGM founder Kirk Kerkorian’s emerald green vision (the original 1973 MGM Grand became Bally’s) was the world’s largest hotel-casino, with 5,000-plus rooms and 158,000 square feet of convention space.

New York’s capital city of Albany and nearby Saratoga Springs feature superb facilities for group business, including the Albany Capital Center and the renovated Gideon Putnam hotel. Both regions also overflow with after-hours entertainment that will keep attendees entertained into the evening. Following are some standout nightlife experiences for groups.

The Gateway Arch, the signature architectural masterpiece of St. Louis and the icon of the Westward Expansion of the United States, is even more emblematic as a symbol of the city’s resurgence. Fresh off the $380 million CityArchRiver project that made massive improvements to the Gateway Arch National Park surrounding the Gateway Arch, the re-do added a wealth of impressive event options.

The good citizens of St. Louis are kind to their neighbors and welcoming of strangers. At least that’s one thing you could take away from the fact that the taxpayers of St. Louis have long made it a priority to fund a variety of attractions so they are free to visitors.