Texas is so vast that it encompasses many different natural environments — and that gives meeting planners plenty of options when it comes to hosting outdoor events. From Beaumont, which sits on the border of Louisiana, to the rolling hills of west-central Texas, there are plenty of outdoor venues that add an element of serenity or sport to even the most urban environments.
Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa
Johnson City
Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa in Johnson City blends the natural beauty of Texas Wine Country with the rolling hills of west-central Texas.
The property is well suited to host small to midsize gatherings, retreats and incentive programs with 78 suite-style villas and flexible meeting and event spaces for up to 2,000 guests. Expansive lawns and outdoor gathering spots offer a scenic setting for receptions, team-building activities or evening events. The Pavilion can host groups of 500 for a banquet, and the Pavilion Lawn can accommodate groups of 650 for a banquet or 2,000 for a reception. More intimate outdoor spaces include the Mulberry Patio for 60 guests and the Reception Deck, which can host 125 for a reception. The Oak Tree Lawn is perfect for large receptions with up to 400 people. The Live Oak Ballroom is the largest indoor space, which can hold 160 for a banquet.
Carter Creek provides full in-house catering led by an experienced culinary team. Menus range from relaxed, Hill Country-inspired fare to elevated, plated meals that can be paired with the winery’s wines and beers.
Groups can enhance their meetings with wine tastings, brewery experiences and team-building activities. The resort spa offers spa treatments and options such as outdoor yoga. The culinary team also leads food-focused team-building events, including friendly competitions and hands-on cooking sessions.
Amarillo Botanical Gardens
Amarillo
Amarillo Botanical Gardens in Amarillo covers 4 acres and offers both indoor and outdoor spaces for business meetings, parties, banquets and weddings. Groups can reserve sections of the gardens for their events or rent out the entire facility.
The botanical gardens are considered an oasis in the Texas Panhandle, which is not known for its plants and botanicals. The region has a dry climate, so the property’s curated gardens are unique to the area and play host to festivals, concerts and a well-attended Christmas in the Gardens event. The Tropical Conservatory is home to tropical plants and a waterfall. The gardens don’t offer in-house catering or decorations; it is strictly a rental venue where meeting and event groups can bring in their own food and event vendors.
There are several indoor and outdoor spaces available for rent, including the outdoor amphitheater, which can seat groups of 320 for a banquet on grass tiers and a concrete patio at the bottom. The space can hold 600 without tables. The entrance patio can accommodate 80 guests at tables, and the Sybil B. Harrington Terrace can seat 64 for a meal. The Wedding Lawn can hold groups of up to 200 at rounds, and the Pavilion & Learning Garden can accommodate 96 people at tables.
The indoor ballroom can seat 216 at round tables, while the Conservatory Atrium, Gallery, and Japanese Tea House can host groups of 20 to 80. Groups that rent space at the gardens can enjoy walking through the property as part of their events.
River Bend Nature Center
Wichita Falls
River Bend Nature Center is an urban nature center that has connected people to the rolling plains of Wichita Falls for 31 years. Situated on 21 acres, including 18 acres of bottomland forest, the facility offers a wetland trail and a 7,000-square-foot meeting pavilion. Groups meeting at the center can visit the Ruby N. Priddy Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, the River Bottom Forest Trail and the United Children’s Garden as part of their events.
An outdoor pavilion features electricity, lights, Wi-Fi and gates to section off different parts of the structure. The space can hold more than 500 people. A carriage house next to the pavilion has party lights and gives off a more patio-esque vibe, surrounded by trees and vegetation. The backdrop is the three-story conservatory building.
The conservatory recently underwent a renovation, so there isn’t room in the building for events. The learning center has permanent exhibits and animals that can be used for parties. Groups that rent space at the center can include a creature feature in the middle of their event. For corporate events, the center offers guided tours and custom field trips, or guests can wander the exhibits and trails at their own pace. Rental of the Elizabeth Prothro Pavilion includes the use of the J.S. Bridwell Terrace, Forest Ceremony site and the Rotary North Library.
5 Under Golf Center
Beaumont
5 Under Golf Center in Beaumont is a large entertainment complex that offers food and drinks and several ways to enjoy the game of golf without actually getting on a green. The center offers four Topgolf Swing Suites that include a golf simulator for interactive golf and games along with lounge seating and an accompanying dining booth. The four suites can accommodate 32 guests.
The simulator uses Full Swing technology that allows participants to play through many of the world’s top golf courses as well as play golf games, challenges and interactive games, such as dodgeball, baseball, hockey, soccer, football and carnival games.
The facility can accommodate more than 336 guests with special event permits. The driving range, which extends 176 yards with nets on all sides, can be used for concerts and banquets. The dining area and bar can seat 60 while the covered outdoor patio offers seating for 40 and is an extension of the indoor dining experience. Outside, there are 20 driving range bays with Toptracer Range technology that offer a fun mix of golf courses to play on screen and golf games, such as Angry Birds, that offer detailed data readings. This area can serve 120 guests. In addition, there are high-top tables behind the downstairs bays for extra seating near the patio.
The driving range can host tournaments for groups that want to rent the outdoor covered patio and golf suites. A small meeting room can hold 16 people.
Asia Times Square
Grand Prairie
Asia Times Square is a unique shopping and cultural event destination in Grand Prairie, located between Dallas and Fort Worth. The complex, which opened in 2008, converted former Walmart and Sam’s Club buildings into a 250,000-square-foot hub for Asian businesses and restaurants. The owners built an 11,000-square-foot addition to connect the two properties when the facility began running out of space.
The property houses Asian restaurants, banks, beauty salons and the Hong Kong Marketplace, which offers Asian groceries and goods. Asia Times Square hosts many large events, including a Lunar New Year Celebration that attracts 125,000 visitors annually. The outdoor plaza was created specifically to host outdoor events, such as the Asian Heritage Fest. It features the largest outdoor 24-hour clock in Texas that keeps track of the time as well as the 12 signs of the zodiac. The plaza also boasts a 350-square-foot screen that the facility has used for movie nights. Groups can rent the space for events of up to 2,000 guests.
Inside, the Grand Ballroom can seat 500 for a banquet. The Pagoda can host groups of 1,200 standing or up to 700 for a sit-down event.
Whenever possible, Asia Times Square prefers to cater events through the many Asian food vendors on-site, including Filipino, Thai, Cambodian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mongolian and Korean cuisine. Other food outlets include two bakeries, coffee and tea shops, a place that serves Mochi donuts, and a Japanese ice cream parlor.
