The meetings infrastructure in Oklahoma is leveling up with major convention center and hotel expansions in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Meanwhile, Oklahoma's growing food scene provides an abundance of group dining and culinary teambuilding opportunities. Following are some delicious ideas for groups.

If your attendees are being sequestered within the four bland walls of a cookie-cutter hotel to suffer through endless PowerPoints punctuated by flavorless breaks and networking events that rival watching paint dry, you’re going to want to mix it up by using a special venue. Meetings Today teamed up with Chuck Salem to profile some of the top off-site options available in Indiana.

The Kansas City metropolitan area boasts more than 33,000 hotel rooms, with an additional 4,500 keys planned by 2020. Cities on both sides of the Missouri River are experiencing growth and changes that are making the destination easier to access and more convenient to travel within.

Almost anywhere in Wisconsin, sparkling lakes and rivers replete with recreational opportunities and shoreline venues are close at hand. As such, the state abounds with water-related experiences for groups to enjoy, including many tied into Wisconsin’s unique history and culture.

History is the hallmark of the “Land of Lincoln,” with Springfield being a former home of the country’s 16th president. But there is also a virtual treasure trove of rich heritage and historic sites to uncover throughout the state of Illinois. From the DuSable Museum in Chicago to the Dawes House and Pullman Historic District in the Chicago suburbs and Rock Island Arsenal in the Quad Cities, Illinois has historic activities and attractions that fulfill every taste.

Whether indulging in the thriving food and drink scene—craft breweries and distilleries included, exploring diverse, emerging neighborhoods, taking in the vibrant arts and cultural scene or kayaking on the river, planners have plenty of intriguing experiences to weave into Grand Rapids agendas, while attendees have plenty of downtime diversions to enjoy.

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 Arch, the re-do added a wealth of impressive event options and remedied a critical design flaw that cut off pedestrian access to the park from downtown by a busy six-lane highway.

The list of great off-site venues for group events in Nebraska is as sprawling as its prairies and as high as its tallgrass. There are many interesting options to choose from throughout the state, including popular tourist attractions that have impressive meeting spaces, and equally impactful stand-alone venues. A world-class museum, a lakeside meeting hall and a furniture factory turned event venue are a few ideas in the following lineup of possibilities for planners to consider. 

With a recent surge of growth, the cities of Southwest Michigan are ready to host more groups and events. New-builds and property restorations are drawing locals and visitors alike back to the downtown neighborhoods. Recently opened hotels have added to room counts, with more properties expected to debut later this year and early next, and convention center and venue projects are adding even more meeting square footage to this region.

Planners have many teambuilding opportunities to choose from throughout Southern Ohio, including several that showcase the unique attributes of each destination. Groups can tap into Cincinnati’s brewing and baseball heritage, participate in the arts in Columbus and explore Dayton’s aviation history. Following are details about those and some other standout ideas, including ziplining above Warren County’s wilderness, for groups interested in adding a team-bonding activity to the meeting agenda.