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. 

Rather than winding down, attendees can get ready for action when the sun sets on Mississippi. It’s the perfect time of day to enliven a group agenda with any of the many outings that incorporate area arts, casinos, and great food and drink.

Maryland was given the nickname “America in Miniature” because it’s blessed with diverse terrain and locales, from Chesapeake Bay to a portion of the Appalachian Trail and from small charming towns to major metro areas. America in Miniature also fits when considering Maryland’s grand array of off-site event venues that represent many of the country’s notable pastimes, including baseball, theater and fine dining. Throughout the state, groups with various interests will find a home away from the host hotel for memorable receptions, banquets and more. Following are eight great ideas.

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. 

Unveiled in June 2018, the new 31st-floor Observation Deck atop the CEB Tower in Rosslyn, Va., the tallest building inside the Beltway, is now the highest public space in the metropolitan D.C. area. Designed by Legends, the firm behind projects including One World Observatory in New York City and OUE Skyspace in Los Angeles, the 12,000-square-foot space includes a private event venue for 250, open-air terrace and cafe.

Music of every genre, including rock, classical and jazz, is represented throughout Northern Ohio, where groups can easily include an activity or off-site gathering that incorporates a musical element. From Cleveland’s distinguished Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to music performances staged at Bowling Green State University’s new Wolfe Center for the Arts, the region’s music scene will be a hit with groups that would like to enhance the meeting with a melodic experience.

It didn’t take long for Las Vegas to turn 2017 legalization of adult-use cannabis in Nevada into a glitzy new attraction. Planet 13 Holdings, which currently runs an off-Strip dispensary, is building a 40,000-square-foot cannabis superstore and entertainment space slated to open in phases starting in November 2018. No event space is planned for the facility yet, but it’s a possibility for Phase 2.

After attending the annual Glass Craft & Bead Expo in 2005, Richmond, Va.-based glass and fiber artist Lura Dillard wanted a lasting memory of her “unforgettable” first visit to Las Vegas. “Purchasing dice, poker chips and other materials from local shops, I created my mosaic-ed ‘Vegas Memory’ hubcap,” Dillard said. “It inspired a series of destination-based pieces, with gallery shows and sales.” Vegas is a marketplace for ideas and commerce like no other. Inaugurated in 1994, the three-day Expo has called South Point Hotel Casino and Spa home for 13 years. 

Neighbors Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa, home to CenturyLink Center Omaha and Mid-America Center, as well as a great variety of group-friendly hotels, also offer an intriguing lineup of venues for off-site receptions and banquets.

Reflective of the end-game excitement of this year’s Super Bowl LII was the preparation and execution of the big game’s hosts: Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Bloomington and surrounds. The 10-day fete highlighted some of the region’s most intriguing off-site venues, scenery, breweries, restaurants and more.