With its impressive array of film studios, performing arts centers, theaters, museums and distinctive architecture, Los Angeles plays a starring role on the world stage of art and culture. For planners seeking group-friendly venues with an artistic or entertainment-oriented vibe, the city can deliver on these as well or better than any other destination, according to Darren Green, senior VP of sales for the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board.

The Pacific Northwest is a winning choice for adding some team spirit to any function, from attending a game with your group or hosting an event at a sports facility.

Anticipation is high in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area as the city’s Moscone Center introduces its long-awaited $551 million expansion, with the official debut on January 3, 2019. According to Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, 2019 is the city’s busiest year in history in terms of group bookings at Moscone Center.

The rich history of California’s state capital, Sacramento, as well as the Central Valley cities to the south and national parks of the High Sierra, is not gone nor forgotten. Groups can warmly embrace the region’s past in off-site venues that tell stories of grand, earlier times.

Whether it’s leaving a smaller footprint or helping those in need, meeting and incentive groups are finding an ever-increasing number of ways to have a positive effect on the places they visit around Mexico. Call it voluntourism, call it CSR or simply call it doing good—the results can be rewarding for everyone involved.

Mineral-rich Nevada, founded on gold and silver, is a place of opportunity for business ventures and meetings.

Montana is home to a vast lineup of unique venues that host off-site gatherings. Billings features a historic railroad depot and an independent movie theater, while elsewhere in the state planners will find event spaces that range from a ranch to a science center or a music venue to an art gallery. 

It’s been a big year for Hawaii’s largest island. Following three months of unprecedented seismic activity at Kilauea volcano that began in May 2018, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the island’s top attraction, reopened Sept. 22, 2018, after it was confirmed the lava flow had stopped. While sadly, the black lava that flowed over 10 square miles prompted evacuations and destroyed 700 homes, the Island of Hawaii’s tourism infrastructure was unaffected. Today, Island of Hawaii tourism officials are sending a clear message to planners, attendees and travelers: It’s business as usual in the destination, it’s safe, and all is open for visitors to enjoy.

From new boutique hotels to renovated resorts that can host over 2,000 for a meeting or event, the diverse offerings along Orange County’s 42 miles of coastline are more welcoming to groups than ever. 

Oregon has long been a magnet for makers and artisans of many kinds. Among them are chocolatiers, cheesemakers, specialty fruit and nut growers and manufacturers of everything from colorful blankets to organic flour. Many of these makers open their doors to visitors, providing insightful behind-the-scenes tours and opportunities for tasting and learning how the products are made.