Gone are the days of all work and no play.
Many attendees are interested in turning their meetings into family vacations or simply enjoying some downtime exploring destinations after the main event. To make business travel more enticing and to boost attendance, meeting organizers have gotten creative with the destinations they choose, opting for places that seamlessly blend business and leisure.
Here are five destinations across the country where attendees can get their bleisure fix.
Branson, Missouri
Renowned as a Midwestern hub for family-friendly entertainment, Branson, Missouri, combines the joy of live entertainment with the beauty of the Ozark Mountains. This compact town draws more than 10 million visitors every year to enjoy attractions like Silver Dollar City theme park, the Titanic Museum, and Sight & Sound Theatres. Attendees can enjoy these singular attractions and many live performances in downtown Branson after their meetings.
The Branson Convention Center is in the heart of downtown, with beautiful views of Lake Taneycomo. It features 220,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 48,000-square-foot exhibit hall and the 22,700-square-foot Taneycomo Ballroom. The ASM Global facility is attached to the AAA Four Diamond Hilton Branson Convention Center, which has 293 rooms. Just across the street, a Hilton Promenade has 242 guest rooms and an additional 1,800 square feet of event space. Branson’s many resorts offer all-inclusive options for meetings; Chateau on the Lake features 301 guest rooms and 53,000 square feet of event space, while Big Cedar Lodge has 260 guest rooms and is home to the 22,000-square-foot Grandview Conference Center.
Coming soon to join Branson’s list of properties is the Silver Dollar City Resort, adjacent to the legendary theme park. It will include 262 rooms, 17,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a full-service restaurant and a long list of amenities, including indoor and outdoor pools. The resort is still under construction but is taking bookings for summer 2027 and beyond.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the country, drawing millions of people each year to see its misty mountains. The city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, directly adjacent to the park, has more than 16,000 sleeping rooms, over 500 shops, 100-plus restaurants and dozens of distinct, wholesome attractions. It’s an appealing destination for meeting attendees to bring their families along, whether they want to spend a few days on hiking trails or combing through Gatlinburg’s main strip, where Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and charming village shops await. Other attractions showing off the region’s natural beauty include Anakeesta, Ober Mountain Adventure Park and Ski Area, and Gatlinburg SkyPark, which offer thrilling amusement rides, scenic gondola and chairlift rides, and unmatched mountain views.
The Gatlinburg Convention Center offers upwards of 160,000 square feet of event space, including a 67,000-square-foot Great Hall, the 17,000-square-foot Tennessee Ballroom and the 8,800-square-foot Mills Auditorium. More than 4,000 guest rooms can be found at hotels within walking distance of the convention center, including the Embassy Suites by Hilton Gatlinburg Resort, with 164 sleeping rooms and around 8,000 square feet of meeting space; the Courtyard by Marriott Gatlinburg Downtown, with 128 guest rooms and 2,500 square feet of meeting space; and the Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg, which features 162 guest rooms and 6,200 square feet of meeting space.
Hershey, Pennsylvania
A town built on chocolate is the perfect spot for a vacation, but its meeting offerings might just surprise planners. When combined with nearby Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital, the city of Hershey becomes as irresistible as its signature sweet treat.
“Milton Hershey didn’t just build a factory and a chocolate brand; he built an entire town,” said Allison Rohrbaugh, director of communications and content for Visit Hershey & Harrisburg. “So when people come here for meetings, they then get to spread out and enjoy those things that all kind of came about from that. There’s a beautiful theater, a wonderful museum that tells his life story, Chocolate World that dives into the history of chocolate and then, of course, Hershey Park.”
Within a three-hour drive of major metropolitans like Baltimore and New York City, and near an Amtrak and Harrisburg’s international airport, Hershey is easily accessible for many groups meeting in the Northeast. The Hershey Lodge Convention Center has around 100,000 square feet of event space and can accommodate both large conferences and smaller meetings, while the Hilton Harrisburg is another nearby hotel with meeting space. Unique area venues include the Antique Auto Museum, Tröegs Independent Brewing, the region’s largest brewery, and Chocolate World. History buffs will enjoy The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, which can also host meetings.
Whitefish, Montana
The stunning, snowcapped mountains, fields of wildflowers and abundant wildlife of Glacier National Park draw over 1 million visitors to Whitefish, Montana, every year. Each season brings a range of different amenities, from skiing and snowshoeing in the winter months to hiking, kayaking and paddleboarding when it’s warm. Going-to-the-Sun Road provides prime opportunities for visitors to see wildlife and some of the park’s most iconic scenery, and the road is extremely popular during the warmer months. When not exploring Glacier National Park, Whitefish offers visitors plenty of shopping and a small-town performing arts scene for a well-rounded leisure experience.
When it comes to meetings and events, the two most popular lodging spots are The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, with stunning lake views, 225 guest rooms and a 300-person banquet capacity, and Grouse Mountain Lodge, a cozy ski resort with 144 rooms and a 225-person banquet capacity. The Hampton Inn & Suites Whitefish can accommodate up to 50 people in its conference room and has 76 guest rooms. The Whitefish Performing Arts Center is available to rent for private meetings and events and seats 472, while the O’Shaughnessy Center has private auditorium space for up to 417. Several restaurants and brewpubs offer full buyouts, including Great Northern Bar & Grill and Craggy Range. Many other boutique hotels and venues are available for small to midsize meetings.
St. George, Utah
The red rocks and majestic vistas of Zion National Park are just a short drive from St. George, the largest city in southern Utah. It’s the seat of Washington County, an area surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Southwest and jam-packed with capable meeting and event venues. One of the largest is the 100,000-square-foot Dixie Convention Center, which has recently undergone upgrades, from refreshed carpeting and painting to new signage. The county is home to a range of lodging options, from all-inclusive resorts to select-service properties. The newest to join the list are Black Desert Resort, which hosted the 2024 PGA Golf Tournament and features a stunning golf course and more than 400 rooms, as well as the Residence Inn by Marriott St. George, which opened in late 2025 and has 120 rooms.
After their meetings, attendees can choose from an abundance of leisure activities. More adventurous attendees may want to hike in nearby Snow Canyon State Park or race through the desert on dune buggies. For more relaxing activities, visitors can shop in St. George’s quaint downtown, golf at one of its many nearby 18-hole courses or visit a spa. But most people find they can’t skip a stop at the country’s second-most-visited national park.
“With Zion National Park just 45 minutes away, you can work Zion into your agenda for your meetings in so many different ways,” said Joy Schroeder, meetings and conventions specialist at Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office. “It could be a pre- or post-meeting option, if an attendee is bringing family or friends, or you can have that be part of your agenda with team building or an unusual breakout session.”
