Hersheypark
Hershey, Pennsylvania
With the brand-new Triple Towers that displays the unmistakable Hershey’s, Reece’s and Hershey’s Kisses logos on three separate drop towers, Hersheypark immediately sets itself apart as both an amusement park and a chocolate lovers’ paradise.
Groups of 40 or more receive a 45 percent discount on admission tickets and can savor an all-you-can-eat buffet at one of the park’s six picnic pavilions. One pavilion seats up to 80 guests indoors, and the other five are stationed under covered picnic groves, accommodating anywhere from 125 to 5,000 guests.
Larger groups will find plenty of room for their events at Hershey Lodge, which contains 100,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space. Likewise, the Hotel Hershey offers 25,000 square feet of meeting space and sweeping views of the Pennsylvania landscape. Its Great American Hall is considered the largest and most sophisticated meeting space in the region.
Attendees can reserve a mini park to unwind in the evening, sectioning off a portion of the attractions outside usual business hours for unlimited access to games, rides and food.
Other highlights of the park include ZooAmerica, which features more than 200 animals that are native to North America, and the Hershey Story Museum, where guests learn more about the founder of Hershey’s chocolate, Milton S. Hershey. In the museum’s chocolate lab, visitors can try their hand at chocolate pouring and decorating, then take home their handcrafted treats. Chocolate tastings providing a variety of samples, from caramel-flavored Indonesian chocolate to fruity African chocolate, are also available.
Six Flags Over Texas
Grand Prairie, Texas
Six Flags Over Texas opened in 1961 as the first location for what eventually became the world’s largest regional-theme-park company, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, which currently runs a total of 18 parks throughout North America. The original park was divided into six sections, each displaying a flag that presided over Texas at different points in history, as the state changed hands between Spain, Mexico, France, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate Union and the United States.
Although those themes have since evolved into more family-focused elements like Bugs Bunny Boomtown and Gotham City, Six Flags continues to provide well-rounded entertainment for groups of all ages, from its dynamic rides to food venues and shopping. Dining options include everything from Asian cuisine to sizzling Italian food and fresh Greek salad.
Coming soon this year, the park’s newest ride, the Joker, will join other DC comic-themed attractions in Gotham City like Batman, Harley Quinn, Catwoman and the Riddler. This free-fly coaster glides 12 stories into the air as passengers flip 360 degrees at least six times.
Planners can schedule team-building programs or work with staff to customize after-hours activities, such as reserving parts of the park for exclusive access after business hours. Smaller groups of 10 to 99 receive special discounts provided tickets are purchased in advance.
Knott’s Berry Farm
Buena Park, California
Founded by Walter and Cordelia Knott in 1920, Knott’s Berry Farm started out as a simple roadside berry stand offering items like jam, pie and preserves. The couple eventually added family attractions, as well as Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant, to their mom-and-pop operation, leaving visitors licking their lips for more ever since.
Today, the park features an eclectic array of roller coasters, water rides and living history, though guests can still try a scoop of fresh preserves or boysenberry pie, which originated in the region. Each spring, the park hosts the Knott’s Boysenberry Festival over the course of three weekends, which entails more than 70 boysenberry dishes and drinks along with live entertainment.
For private meeting space, groups can reserve one of the park’s three themed sections — Boardwalk, Fiesta Village or Ghost Town — for unlimited access to that area’s attractions. Other venues include the tropic-themed Lagoon; the Boardwalk Ballroom; and the Charles M. Schulz Theatre, which can seat up to 2,000 guests. Catered events are supervised by gourmet chef Bobby Obezo, who has served the park for over 29 years.
Nearby, the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel offers 20,000 square feet of meeting space, accompanied by catering and audiovisual staff.
Knott’s Berry Farm also works with the professional team-building company Teambonders to engage groups in friendly competition. Using the Teambonders app on provided tablets, teams choose to compete in one of the following activities: the AppMazing Hunt, the AppMazing Race, Retro Game Shows or Tower Above the Rest.
