LaGrange, Georgia at a Glance
Location: Western Georgia
Access: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Interstate 85
Major Meeting Spaces: Oakfuskee Conservation Center, Great Wolf Lodge, Del’avant Event Center, The Truitt Vanderbilt Club
Hotel Rooms: 600+
Off-Site Venues: Wild Leap Brew Co., Nutwood Winery, Pabella’s Winery, LaGrange Art Museum
Contact Info:
Visit LaGrange, Georgia
706-668-5555
visitlagrange.com
LaGrange, Georgia, is a jewel of a city about an hour outside of Atlanta and just 20 minutes from the Alabama border. With lively shops, outdoor spaces, breweries, and event venues, this cozy Southern town is anything but sleepy.
“People think all small cities are alike, and we are not like other small cities,” said Kathy Tilley, president and CEO of Visit LaGrange. “There’s a lot here in this little city.”
Every small city has a pulse of its own, and LaGrange’s runs the gamut from serene slices of wildlife to vibrant nights out in the historic city center. Its versatility makes it an ideal place to host events for groups of all sizes — and in off-hours, there’s certain to be an activity in LaGrange aligned with each attendee’s interests, no matter how diverse.
One of the city’s claims to fame is the historic home of the Callaway family, whose estate and gardens enchant hundreds of thousands of guests each year. Ely Callaway Jr., founder of Callaway Golf, spent his childhood years in LaGrange, and it’s easy to see how the area’s natural beauty could have encouraged his love of golf.
LaGrange is home to numerous top-notch meeting spaces (including one that just opened last year), as well as family gathering spots, a celebrated skate park, a packed downtown activity calendar and even a museum with one of the largest collections of biblical artifacts in the world. As a next-door neighbor to massive West Point Lake, the city is a hotspot for water sports fans and fishing enthusiasts. It’s also a university town; LaGrange College is the oldest private college in the state.
“We are home to a Great Wolf Lodge, the only one in the state of Georgia,” said Tilley. “We’ve got breweries and wineries, and we are home to Wild Leap Brew Co. We are also a city that has lots of parks for people to play in.”
Eco-Friendly Meets Elegance
Oakfuskee Conservation Center is LaGrange’s newest venue, combining the sustainability of a conservation area with the elegant design and functionality of a cutting-edge meeting space. The venue offers over 25,000 square feet of event space overlooking sweeping views of forests and West Point Lake. In addition to the indoor event space, Oakfuskee’s expansive conservation center protects and celebrates the local ecosystem. It’s the new home of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, a group that educates and safeguards the state’s most famous river. The venue is surrounded by Pyne Road Park, a beautiful outdoor sanctuary where attendees can enjoy horseback riding, birdwatching, fishing and mountain biking during their downtime.
Inviting Meeting Spaces
LaGrange’s unique venues can adapt to a wide range of planners’ needs. Great Wolf Lodge includes over 18,000 feet of event space, a separate entrance from the rest of the resort, top team-building opportunities like ropes courses, and of course, the chance for attendees to add a family vacation onto their trip with ease. For planners looking for a space in the center of the action, Del’avant Event Center is a walkable venue in the heart of downtown LaGrange. The 10,000-square-foot venue is located in a historic building that oozes charm. The Truitt Vanderbilt Club, which was built in 1914, includes both event space and on-site suites that would make great options for small groups on retreats.
Energy About Town
Attendees won’t have to look far to fill downtime between meetings and mixers. Visitors will gravitate toward downtown LaGrange’s antique shops, boutiques, restaurants and breweries. Events like sip-and-shops, walking tours and workshops are frequent fixtures in the city center. Nearby Sweetland Amphitheatre regularly hosts world-class musicians. And history fans will love Hills and Dales Estate, the former Callaway family home, which offers tours of the property and its gorgeous gardens.
The Great Outdoors
For team-building and off-site events, LaGrange’s outdoor offerings are where it’s at. The city’s walking and biking path, known as the Thread, is expanded each year with a plan of reaching 29 miles of pathway. LaGrange is home to several golf courses and is just a stone’s throw from West Point Lake, which offers great opportunities for boating and water sports. For those who like their recreation on the extreme side, Southbend Park features a skatepark funded by Tony Hawk’s revered Skateboard Project. For groups that prefer their nature views with a side of vino, charming destinations like Nutwood Winery and Pabella’s Winery are great bets.
