Wilmington, North Carolina
Though Wilmington does a brisk leisure business, especially in the crowded summer months, it is also home to the largest convention center on the Carolina coast, just minutes from its well-known barrier beaches.
“We have a unique venue for groups up to 300 because our beach is so accessible,” said Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Several of the groups that have come since the convention center has opened have actually achieved record-breaking member attendance because of the location.”
Featuring a total of 107,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes a 30,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 12,000-square-foot event lawn on the Cape Fear River and a 12,000-square-foot ballroom, the convention center is unusual in its size. Wilmington also offers planners venues that are distinctive in other regards and that take advantage of the coastal location.
The USS North Carolina Battleship can host up to 350 for an evening reception on the deck of the ship or in the mess halls in the case of inclement weather. A little outside of the hustle and bustle of Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, off picturesque Kure Beach, the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher can accommodate up to 2,000 attendees for events.
Kiawah Island, South Carolina
When you set foot on Kiawah Island, even though it is only a 50-minute drive from downtown Charleston, it feels not only like you’ve crossed a much greater distance, but also that you’ve traveled in time.
The island was privately owned for more than 250 years and is now home to a AAA Five Diamond resort, The Sanctuary Hotel. But its main draw is the land and water itself, which are protected by the Kiawah Conservancy to give visitors a glimpse of how America looked before it was America — frequent alligator sightings included.
Resort staff have developed ways for meeting groups to take advantage of the surroundings, from a team-building afternoon of beach Olympics to an oyster roast on Mingo Point.
“In the summer or fall, I recommend a naturalist-led alligator walk, or a birding tour in the winter or spring,” said Jake Feary, assistant director of outdoor programs. “We also have a tour called the Island Sampler that combines a bit of everything. You bike a bit, do a beach hike, and you circumnavigate the island by kayak, seeing places you can only get to by boat.”
The resort has a total of 35,000 square feet of combined indoor and outdoor space, including the East Beach Conference Center, with a 6,960-square-foot ballroom that can accommodate up to 800, and three clubhouses, two on scenic points and one on the golf course.
