Though locals are wise to the state’s secrets, planners from farther afield are often surprised by the sheer breadth and number of Arkansas’ natural riches.
From the Ozark Mountains in the north through the central timberlands, home to multiple national forests, and down to the Mississippi River Delta, the Natural State, as Arkansas has branded itself, offers meeting planners a dizzying number of options for taking their meetings, team building and receptions into the state’s great outdoors.
Winthrop Rockefeller Institute
Morrilton
Though he began as one of the New York Rockefellers, destined for a life in the family oil empire, Winthrop Rockefeller carved his own path in Arkansas and, in the course of his work, changed the history of the state, paving the way for future leaders of politics and industry like Bill Clinton and Sam Walton.
The centerpiece of his life in Arkansas, even before he brought significant economic development to the state and pursued a career in politics, was his home atop Petit Jean Mountain, today Petit Jean State Park, which is now open to the public as a research institute, library, museum, hotel and state-of-the art conference center.
Certified by the International Association of Conference Centers, the institute’s conference center includes 17,000 square feet of diverse space; many renovated historic structures, like the 3,280-square-foot Show Barn Hall; the 88-seat Stables Classroom; and the 116-seat Governor’s Conference Room, Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller’s original office. But although the well-equipped and scenic venue alone is enough of a draw for planners, the institute also has robust options for activities to supplement a traditional meeting.
“We used to be a working cattle ranch, and have preserved many of the structures and overall feel,” said Jeff LeMaster, the institute’s director of marketing and communications. “We’re happy to show groups around the museum dedicated to Rockefeller’s life and the heritage farmstead area and garden on a private tour.”
On the 188-acre grounds, groups can take advantage of a disc golf course, bicycle paths and a pond with kayaks, and in the main campus area, internationally renowned executive chef Robert Hall, who cooked for the Beijing Olympics, can do cooking classes or culinary demonstrations for groups.
The institute includes lodging for 100 guests in a variety of accommodations, from the recently completed President’s Lodge, with 30 luxury guest rooms, to the freshly renovated, 25-room Meadows to independent apartments and houses just off campus.
Whitney Mountain Lodge
Garfield
As the White River runs across northern Arkansas, it makes several stops at man-made water features, but none are as scenic as 28,370-acre Beaver Lake, ringed by the Ozark Mountains and more than 2,000 acres of campground. The best way to experience the sprawling lake, however, is from 700 feet up at the Whitney Mountain Lodge, which offers 420-mile views on a clear day.
You don’t have to venture far from civilization to take advantage of these expansive views.
“We’re just 30 minutes from Eureka Springs in one direction and 30 minutes to Crystal Bridges in the other direction,” said events coordinator Linda Maihofer. “And about five minutes from the facility are hiking trails and a marina where guests can rent boats and go out on the lake.”
The star event venue is the top floor of the lodge, where a room for up to 200 occupies the entire level. Smaller groups or groups needing breakouts can also use another banquet venue with space for up to 75 or one of several rooms for 20 to 30 seated on the lower levels, as well as the lodge’s two decks that can be set with seating for up to 50.
For small groups looking for a multiday escape on-site, the lodge also offers 16 guest rooms and suites, some with lake-view balconies and hot tubs. The internationally trained in-house chef can cater all meals, but external vendors are also permitted for special fare.
Because of the lodge’s mountaintop location, the prime season for rentals is the end of March through the first week of November, though indoor events can be held year-round.
