Planners considering Bowling Green, Kentucky, should be ready for some surprises when they ask about the city’s options for gatherings. How about dinner in a cave? Certainly. A reception onboard historic railroad cars? That can be arranged. An afternoon meeting with ice cream and a dairy farm tour? No problem.

This south-central Kentucky city has a knack for turning its distinctive attractions into imaginative gathering spots. Planners will also find a substantial meetings infrastructure, including a convention center and plentiful hotels, all within easy reach of Nashville.

And underlying it all is the purr of the engine that powers a regional car culture and gives Bowling Green a personality all its own.

Who’s Coming to Town?

Car culture isn’t Bowling Green’s only draw, but it’s an undeniable starting point. Since 1981, Bowling Green has been the exclusive manufacturing home of the Chevrolet Corvette, making the city a regular gathering point for Corvette events and auto enthusiasts. It has helped shape the Bowling Green tourism community, said Marissa Butler, hospitality services director for the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“Bowling Green is a smaller city, but because we routinely host events related to the Corvette and other motorsports, we’re entirely comfortable with hosting an influx of thousands of people,” she said.

The city’s reputation for revving up started at Beech Bend, a recreation area that has, for 70 years, included drag racing and auto shows. Today, a variety of car enthusiasts motor to meet in Bowling Green. That includes Oldsmobiles, said Jon Manji of the Oldsmobile Club of America, which held its national meet in Bowling Green last year. The club hosted 724 members and their guests, bringing 252 show cars to the city.

“It was refreshing to go to a city that has successfully hosted many car shows,” Manji said. “Dealing with a CVB, suppliers and city government staffers familiar with car shows made it easier for us to plan and hold a great meet. Marissa Butler even assisted us in lining up additional parking for our cars.”

Other motor-minded groups roll into town, too. A road course at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park brings organizations focused on sports cars, motorcycles and solar-powered cars.

Bowling Green sees more than motorheads, though. Agriculture groups, state agencies and a wide variety of professional associations also book Bowling Green for events and meetings.

Where They Meet and Stay

The Sloan Convention Center has 35,500 square feet of meeting and exhibit space. Its 19,500-square-foot grand ballroom can seat 1,000 at rounds, has a reception capacity of 1,500 and can be divided into four smaller banquet or classroom configurations. There are also six breakout rooms with space ranging from 350 square feet to 2,600 square feet.

Angela Price is the sales and events service manager for the adjacent Crowne Plaza, and she serves as the point of contact throughout an event at the convention center.

“We’ve got everything under one roof,” Price said. “A/V and meals are handled in-house, so planners don’t need to hire separate audiovisual or catering companies. Parking is plentiful, and the facility is nonunion, which simplifies scheduling.”

The center’s pre-function space, which can accommodate up to 100 trade show booths, has movable registration tables and considerable flexibility. The space receives abundant natural light, and vendors can load in through the front entrance or through ground-level loading dock doors.

The convention center has an indoor walkway to the newly renovated Crowne Plaza. While the convention center is owned by the city, it is operated and managed by the hotel, which has 218 guest rooms, including several suites, plus additional meeting space: three salons totaling 4,000 square feet. In September, the hotel was rebranded as a Crowne Plaza — a great fit, said Nathan Burgett, director of sales and marketing.

“This hotel has taken a nice leap forward, and a lot of us believe the new brand matches what we’ve always been,” he said. “Crowne Plaza is IHG’s event and meeting hotel, but we’re also ideal for blended travel. And with the golf course next door, we can arrange anything from a few tee times to a full scramble.”

Sloan Convention Center, the anchor of a hospitality nexus, is desirable for two very different reasons, according to Butler with Visit Bowling Green.

“With the Crowne Plaza, Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn, we have approximately 440 hotel rooms surrounding the convention center,” she said. “Despite this concentration of rooms and meeting facilities, though, the complex sits in a neighborhood-like setting with relatively calm streets.”

Embassy Suites by Hilton Bowling Green is another spot for meetings, conferences and events. The hotel has a striking lobby with wood floors, exposed brick walls, an indoor waterfall and a welcoming bar area. The hotel’s ballroom has approximately 3,900 square feet — banquet seating for 300 — and can be divided into three separate spaces. The pre-function area can easily accommodate vendor booths or cocktail receptions. Embassy Suites also has an attractive outdoor area, which can be tented for receptions.

Tony’s Steak and Seafood is adjacent to the hotel and is often used for catering, making any ballroom meal an elevated dining experience. The hotel’s breakfast area seats approximately 140 and can also provide overflow space for meetings and social functions. Additional rooms are available for seminars, storage and a conference office for staff.

Beyond the amenities, it’s people who make Embassy Suites a desirable venue, according to Laura Bowles, director of sales.

“I’ve never seen a staff that serves guests like we do here, from housekeeping to the night staff,” she said. “It reflects the hospitality of the town, too. Visitors tell us all the time what a friendly place this is.”

Just a short walk from Embassy Suites, Springhill Suites by Marriott Bowling Green gives conference attendees a lower-price option that’s a 10-minute drive to the convention center.

What They See and Do

Bowling Green is certainly friendly, but it’s also a place for planners to be creative.

“We have terrific attractions in Bowling Green, and when you have event space on-site, you can give your attendees a unique experience,” Butler said.

The National Corvette Museum offers meeting planners an impressive collection of gathering spaces close to where America’s iconic sports car is manufactured. Its 8,300-square-foot conference center handles larger events, while the 150-seat Chevrolet Theater is suited to presentations and awards programs. For memorable get-togethers, groups can rent the museum after hours, gathering among classic Corvettes in the dramatic Skydome or along Corvette Boulevard. Guided tours of the museum and its new 66,000-square-foot collections facility — plus on-site catering — are available. Plant tours are available on a limited basis, and groups can work with museum staff to flag their dates for opportunities.

Nearby, NCM Motorsports Park offers an entirely different Corvette experience. A meeting room seats 100 for banquets, a boardroom accommodates 20, and a rooftop gathering space overlooks the track. Groups can rotate between high-speed karting, timed-course autocross and the thrill of riding in a Corvette with a professional driver.

“When you sit passenger on a hot ride with somebody who has years of driving this car, it’s an unbelievable experience,” said Khristian Ervin, the park’s sales and business development leader. For a unique team-building exercise, participants can try blind driving — but not in a Corvette. The exercise involves one person steering a golf cart while another gives directions.

At Lost River Cave, the meeting space is literally carved into the landscape. A former nightclub at the mouth of a limestone cave offers banquet seating for 250, along with a stage, lighting and audiovisual equipment. The unusual setting has hosted everything from weddings and proms to cave karaoke. Also available at the 72-acre nature park are underground river boat tours, walking trails, a butterfly habitat and a pavilion suitable for picnics or presentations. Groups can rotate among activities and even arrange a private butterfly release.

“I love that Lost River Cave is right in the middle of town,” Butler said. “A natural retreat in an urban area has its own real charm.”

The Historic RailPark & Train Museum occupies Bowling Green’s handsome 1925 Louisville & Nashville Railroad Depot. Its grand lobby holds 150 and seats 100 and, with an adjoining room, is adaptable for meals, meetings or receptions. Restored passenger cars provide more unique possibilities: The dining car seats 48, and the railroad president’s private car can host intimate dinners or meetings. Guided tours, scavenger hunts, historical characters and even indoor miniature golf can be incorporated into an event.

“Flexibility and creativity are the drivers of the attraction,” said executive director Jamie Johnson. “We work so well with local partners to create unique experiences.”

At Chaney’s Dairy Barn, a third-generation working dairy farm, group options include a meal, a hayride and a behind-the-scenes look at robotic milking. An outdoor pavilion holds 200, and there are two private rooms inside. The farm produces its own ice cream and can create a special flavor for a group or bring its Moo Wagon ice cream trailer to a meeting location.

“We can be very nimble and fashion things to meet your group’s needs,” said Christian Lucas, director of business development and operations.

Purple Toad Winery, which opened its Bowling Green location in 2026, offers a 5,400-square-foot reception hall, two smaller meeting rooms and an outdoor pavilion. Wine tastings — with 50 to 60 options — can add a social dimension to events in the property’s countryside setting.

Baseball offers another option at Bowling Green Ballpark, the downtown home of the minor-league Bowling Green Hot Rods. Groups can attend a game or reserve an enclosed gathering space overlooking the field, with food and beverage service available.

A planner can assemble unique experiences provided by Bowling Green’s enterprising creators, located in Fountain Square downtown and other areas. Options include candle making, an international cooking class, a glassblowing demonstration and yoga in a salt cave.

When it comes to unique and memorable experiences, Bowling Green is a city of surprises. For Jon Manji, though, the Oldsmobile Club of America’s successful national meet came down to something less flashy than the attractions: the people who helped make it happen.

“What makes Bowling Green’s hospitality community different is the familiarity with hosting shows and the top-notch, supportive leadership,” he said. “Our very positive experience with the hotels, Visit Bowling Green and suppliers is a key reason we’ll keep Bowling Green in mind for future meets.”

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Thanks to Visit Bowling Green for sponsoring this Be Our Guest feature.