Interstate 75 stretches north and south, 1,786 miles total, from the Canadian border in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Miami Lake, Florida. As traffic along the highway zips across six states and through major cities like Detroit, Cincinnati and Atlanta, it also passes by or through some remarkable small cities and towns that are well equipped to welcome meetings and events. Here are five worthy meeting destinations along one of America’s busiest byways.
Great Lakes Bay Region is full of surprises
A cluster of small Michigan cities near I-75’s northern end, about 90 minutes past Detroit, is quite a find. In Bay City, groups can gather right on the Saginaw River at the 150-room DoubleTree by Hilton Bay City-Riverfront, which has 16,000 square feet of meeting space and is a five-minute walk from classy venues like the historic State Theatre. Bay City is on Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay, so there’s a peaceful riverwalk and tall ships for sunset sails. Its downtown district is a healthy mix of antique stores, coffee shops, restaurants and brewpubs. A bit inland, Saginaw delivers surprises, like a Japanese garden that serves green tea and sweets and a sculpture garden showcasing 200 works by Marshall Fredericks, “America’s Public Sculptor.” The Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw has small meeting space. In Midland, groups love The H Hotel, a AAA Four Diamond property with 130 guest rooms, 20,000 square feet of meeting space and a prime spot downtown on Main Street. Hotel staff are happy to arrange tours of Dow Gardens, the city’s 400 architectural gems or other sights.
Dayton transports attendees
If the goal is to be transported, consider meeting in Dayton, Ohio.
It’s where the inventive Wright Brothers experimented, first with bicycles and then with airplanes, as they changed the way the world moved. They and many other creative types who worked here continue to be honored at preserved historic sites, like the Wrights’ bike shop. The city’s innovative spirit is still apparent today, as visitors walk or bike a trail network that is the country’s largest or explore a downtown where the Dayton Dragons minor league baseball team breaks attendance records, local art fills numerous galleries, paddlers kayak on the Great Miami River, and museums proudly display collections of Packards and fine art.
Downtown is also home to the Dayton Convention Center and several new or improved hotels, including the attached Dayton Vitality Hotel with 16,000 square feet of meeting space; the nearby AC Hotel Dayton with 4,500 square feet of event space; and the boutique Hotel Ardent with 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The city has poured $45 million into improvements at the convention center, and it shows; there, groups will find better technology, displays of regional art, a “flex” ballroom and a fresh-air terrace.
Knoxville’s downtown is well-rounded
On its way through Knoxville, Tennessee, I-75 meets up with Interstate 40, making the city even more accessible. Downtown, the Knoxville Convention Center is easy to find next to the golden globe-topped Sunsphere, a towering landmark from the 1982 World’s Fair. Fourteen downtown hotels cover the gamut, from a 320-room high-rise Hilton and a 302-room Marriott, the newest hotel downtown, to mid-price national chains and luxe hotels like the 82-room Tennessean. The convention center, next to World’s Fair Park, is progressive, the first convention center in the state to achieve LEED Silver for Existing Buildings certification. Among its green measures is making sure all unused meals go to a local food bank. Near the convention center, Market Square is downtown’s entertainment district. At the wide pedestrian mall, outdoor concerts, plays, a farmers market and other special events have plenty of room, and restaurants, breweries, rooftop bars and retail shops bordering the plaza have plenty of business.
Macon keeps on rocking
As groups roll into downtown Macon on a warm evening, and as diners spill out onto sidewalk tables and music pours from bars, it becomes clear: Macon is no sleepy town.
The central Georgia city that was home to Otis Redding, The Allman Brothers Band and other musical greats still rocks, which is good news for those who meet there.
Larger groups can gather at the Edgar H. Wilson Convention Center, right across the river from downtown. It’s attached to the 9,252-seat Macon Coliseum and the 220-room Four Diamond Marriott Hotel Macon. Downtown Macon has a wealth of restaurants, brewpubs and bars, as well as the high-end Hotel Forty Five, known for the views from its rooftop terrace. A number of mid-priced chain hotels are within a few miles of downtown.
There’s plenty of music history to absorb here, with tours of The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House, the Otis Redding Museum and the Little Richard House & Resource Center. Self-guided tours of nearly 50 music sites are easy with the Macon Music Trail app.
Fort Myers has it all under one (beach) umbrella
Sometimes, it is nice to keep everything under one umbrella, especially when the meeting destination is warm, sunny and seaside. That makes the varied resorts around Florida’s Fort Myers and Estero, Sanibel and Captiva islands a popular choice.
Just across the bay from Sanibel, the Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa’s 347 guest rooms can handle a sizable group in its 40,000 square feet of meeting space — 10,000 of which is outdoors to take advantage of the resort’s 82 acres. Being on the bay means sunset dinner cruises aboard the resort’s yacht or a group kayak tour are a must. Oceanfront is the big draw at the classic 195-room Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Estero Island. Though its meeting space is a moderate 8,700 square feet, the resort is known for its big commitment to activities, like guided beach walks and shelling tours. On Sanibel, the 225-room Sundial Beach Resort & Spa has recently renovated its 23,000 square feet of meeting space and loves to customize group experiences like boat tours, beach volleyball and scavenger hunts.
