From Dallas-Fort Worth to Arlington, the Metroplex is growing its meetings prowess with record new hotel builds and event hubs like the Texas Live! entertainment district.

We've selected a host of Caribbean hotels and resorts that are going above and beyond to offer planners ways to weave wellness practices into their meeting agendas.

When meeting in South Texas, get the group away from the conference room and outside for teambuilding activities. There are many ideas, from bird watching outings to fishing excursions, for varying budgets that will entertain attendees throughout the region.

The cities in North Carolina’s Triangle region—Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill—are home to a wealth of cultural venues and experiences for groups, from storied performing arts theaters to renovated industrial spaces.

“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.”

Together with flamenco dancers and Mickey Mouse, Thomas Mazloum, senior vice president, resorts at Walt Disney World, kicked off the grand opening of the 16-story Gran Destino Tower.

In Central and West Tennessee, you can arrange collective creativity and collaborative experiences that your team will embrace—and remember—for years to come. Depending on the group’s goals, meeting planners have a variety of ideas to choose from when meeting in Nashville, Memphis, Jackson or Hardin County.

A new convention center and adults-only hotel on the Barceló Maya Grand Resort property in Riviera Maya makes the case for bringing your next meeting to Mexico. On a recent stay, Danielle LeBreck shot video footage of the resort's current offerings for groups and got the scoop on the new builds.

For event planners on a budget, taking care of business while giving their attendees opportunities to explore a city can be difficult. Luckily, there are a whole host of free group activities available in Austin, Texas, from touring the Texas State Capitol to catching a free concert at Zilker Park—all conveniently located near the Austin Convention Center and hotels.

Whether meeting in northern Kentucky or its biggest city, read on for all the ways to incorporate the spirit of the Bluegrass state into your event agenda after sundown.