With powerhouse venues like the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the Shreveport Convention Center and the massive Cajundome and Convention Center, you’d think Louisiana would have meeting facilities covered. But alongside the main course of major meeting real estate is the “special sauce” of smaller off-site venues representing the many flavors of Louisiana.

The Deep South has never been thought of as a leader in the ecology and sustainability movement, but like many things about Georgia, its progress may surprise you. Especially when it comes to urban areas and meeting and tourism facilities that are answering a call to build a sustainable future.

From thrill rides and arcade attractions at Pleasure Pier to historic Victorian mansions that somehow survived one of the nation’s biggest natural disasters, Galveston’s array of off-site venues provide a truly unique setting to get away from a day of meetings.

The coastal communities of Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and Daufuskie Island offer outdoor adventures that give groups a sense of the area’s landscape, history and culture along with a healthy helping of excitement. From a dinner cruise on the water, to horseback riding on the beach, to a helicopter tour, attendees can experience Hilton Head Island and the neighboring enclaves through sea, land and air activities.

Florida’s rooftop bars let attendees drink in the view.

A Few Minutes with Harris Rosen. A Florida hotel icon shares his motivations and secrets of success

Three Florida chefs talk culinary trends, from fermented foods and Asian bowls to exotic spices.

Charlotte has a diverse array of art venues, museums, public exhibitions and galleries. These institutions strive to celebrate local and international artists and provide an ideal backdrop for events. In the Uptown neighborhood, the Levine Center for the Arts is a cultural campus home to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture, the Mint Museum Uptown and the Knight Theater. Following are four standout museums that double as off-site event venues.

Today’s meeting professionals are looking for creative ways to help meeting attendees experience enhanced wellness. From offering platters of tasty greens on the buffet, yoga on the beach, and motivational speakers and alternative medicine gurus talking about healthy living, wellness is a new and increasingly popular menu item for groups in destinations like Central West Florida.

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.