States in America’s Heartland may not offer oceanfront property, but these five waterfront meeting destinations take advantage of their proximity to the Great Lakes and smaller lakefront destinations, from Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio to Iowa and Nebraska.
Mackinac Island, Michigan
The only way to reach Mackinac Island in Michigan is via passenger ferry, and cars have been banned since 1898. Once they arrive, groups can take horse-drawn carriages to their lodging.
Mackinac Island State Park covers 84% of the island, which is 8.2 miles around.
The 388-room Grand Hotel, which opened in 1887 as a summer retreat, is known for its expansive covered porch, lined with rocking chairs, that overlooks Lake Huron. It has 22,000 square feet of meeting space and plenty of fun things to do on-site, including lawn games, golf and its own horseback riding stables. It is also known for its tours and lectures.
The 243-room Mission Point Resort is on the sunrise side of Mackinac Island. It has 38,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including 13 breakout rooms, an amphitheater and a light-filled atrium. Its largest room can seat 300 guests at rounds or 780 theater style. The resort offers several team-building activities, including a 5K run or walk, rental of the Greens of Mackinac Putting Course for group tournaments, sunrise hikes, scavenger hunts, craft classes or private history tours.
Smaller groups can host events at the Murray Hotel downtown or Island House Hotel.
For fun, groups can organize horse-drawn carriage tours of the island, visit Fort Mackinac, which still features 14 original buildings, or explore 70 miles of trails.
Grand Marais, Minnesota
The Minnesota village of Grand Marais is tucked between Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the largest protected wilderness in the U.S. Visitors to the area are surrounded by lakes big and small, four state parks and one national park.
To take advantage of the water, groups can book guided kayaking tours of the harbor or along the North Shore of Lake Superior, or charter a sailing excursion out of Grand Marais Marina. During warmer months, stand-up paddleboarding, swimming and guided canoe tours, either at inland lakes or within the Boundary Waters, are great ways to explore the area’s natural beauty.
Cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, hiking and biking are also popular along hundreds of miles of trails.
Downtown Grand Marais features locally owned businesses and galleries. It is a short walk from downtown to Artist’s Point and the Grand Marais Lighthouse.
The majority of meeting spaces in Grand Marais are at local resorts, including sister properties Bluefin Bay and Surfside on Lake Superior, which can host groups of up to 80, and Caribou Highlands Lodge in the Lutsen Mountains, which can host groups of 75. Lutsen Mountains is the largest ski resort in the Midwest. Grand Portage Lodge & Casino on Lake Superior can accommodate 250 for a conference, and Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters on Gunflint Lake can host 95 for an event.
Spring, which is considered waterfall season in Cook County, and winter are great times to book retreats in Grand Marais because the area is not overrun with visitors.
Okoboji, Iowa
Perched on the edge of Lake Okoboji in Iowa, Okoboji is a small-town community with big-city amenities. The area is known for its watersports, boating, fishing and swimming. Meeting groups visiting the area can rent kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards or book a ride on the Queen II excursion boat, which gives historical tours of the lake and offers many themed cruises. Queen II is also available for private functions and has a capacity of 150 passengers or 90 guests for a banquet.
Groups also can bike or hike along 40 miles of public trails or enjoy popular swim beaches. There are multiple golf courses in Okoboji where groups can organize golf tournaments, or planners can book lakeside yoga classes.
The Waterfront Event Center offers 9,700 square feet of indoor event space that can seat up to 350 for a banquet. It offers multiple breakout rooms and a waterfront gazebo. The Waterfront is connected to Bridges Bay Resort, which offers 212 hotel rooms plus short-term rental properties. The resort has an indoor water park with attached private party rooms, a zip line, arcade, outdoor pool with swim-up bar, water volleyball and basketball.
Bridges Bay is a short drive to Arnolds Park Amusement Park, which features the 9,000-square-foot Roof Garden Ballroom that can seat groups of 500 with a stage, and the 5,000-square-foot Majestic Pavilion, with a seating capacity of 300. Lake Okoboji Resort & Conference Center offers 100 guest rooms, an 1,800-square-foot hospitality suite and nearly 30,000 square feet of flexible meeting space for groups of up to 500.
Lakeside Chautauqua, Ohio
Lakeside Chautauqua is a waterfront destination on the shore of Lake Erie in Ohio, about an hour from Toledo and the Cleveland suburbs. Groups hosting events in the community can include kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing or lake cruises on wooden boats. The community has a 700-foot dock that juts out into the lake, where visitors can go for a swim. There’s also a beach, miniature golf, shuffleboard, basketball, volleyball, pickleball and tennis courts, and a 4,000-square-foot swimming pool with water slides, a sun deck and meeting rooms overlooking it.
There are two hotels in the community: Hotel Lakeside, which is 151 years old and has 70 guest rooms, and Fountain Inn with 47 rooms. There are also cabins and bed-and-breakfasts in the area. In total, the community can accommodate 25 to 200 guests in local lodging.
Lakeside has several meeting spaces, including the 2,600-seat Hoover Auditorium and Orchestra Hall, Lakeside’s historic movie theater, which can host 225 attendees and features a small stage, projection screen and A/V capability. Wesley Lodge is in the downtown business district. It has 4,750 square feet of space with 20-foot cathedral ceilings and two areas that can be rented separately or together. It can accommodate up to 350 classroom style or 250 for a banquet.
Outdoor spaces include Chautauqua Park, which can host groups of 200 or more, and the lawn in front of Hotel Lakeside, which offers 9,000 square feet of waterfront green space for 250 guests. Attendees can also plan getaways to Kelleys Island or Put-in-Bay.
Lemoyne, Nebraska
Lemoyne is a small township on Lake McConaughy in Nebraska. It is the only community on the lake’s shoreline, making it a prime swimming, fishing and boating destination in the state. Businesses in the area are only open seasonally.
The man-made irrigation lake has 37 miles of shoreline. It was formed with the building of the Ogallala Dam, which was the first one built after the Hoover Dam. Admiral’s Cove Resort is the only resort on the water. It has 18 cabins that can hold up to 50 guests and also offers RV and tent camping right on the beach. The resort has event spaces for up to 200 between its restaurant and bar as well as a spacious patio overlooking the water.
Cove Restaurant & Lounge offers family-friendly dining and catering for on-site events. In the evening, the Cove transforms into a lounge serving signature cocktails and wine. Bands perform on the patio every weekend from May to September.
The cabins have various layouts, from standard motel rooms with two queen beds to family suites with two bedrooms. All of them include full bathrooms, kitchenettes, living rooms and televisions equipped with Roku.
Groups that want to get out on the water can rent kayaks from the general store, or guests can bring their own boats with them to the resort and tie them up at the dock.
