Savannah, Georgia
When founder James Oglethorpe laid out the city of Savannah in 1733, he followed a Roman grid pattern with a central plaza every few blocks. Residents cooked and kept livestock in those squares 280 years ago. Today, each square sits under a canopy of live oak and Spanish moss, ringed by historic homes and dotted with monuments. The plazas are gathering places where residents listen to musicians perform and watch artists paint, said Jeff Hewitt, senior vice president for Visit Savannah.
“What we have in the wake of this grand plan that was laid out in 1733 is really one of the most picturesque cities, I would argue, not just in the United States but in the world,” he said.
The city is located on a bluff overlooking the coastal low country to the southeast and borders the Savannah River to the north. The Savannah International Trade and Convention Center sits on the Savannah River across from downtown and is connected by a complimentary water taxi. The 330,000-square-foot complex delivers views of the water, passing ships and the downtown skyline, including the city hall’s gold dome.
Just minutes from downtown, Old Fort Jackson is a Civil War-era fort on the banks of the Savannah River. Groups can take a riverboat to the fort, disembark and be greeted by cannon fire or a color guard with their organization’s flag flying over a lighted facade. Inside the courtyards, groups can enjoy a low-country boil, blazing bonfires and re-enactors in period costumes.
Whitefish, Montana
As a hip mountain town, a rabid ski community and the western gateway to Glacier National Park, Whitefish, Montana, has no shortage of natural beauty or ways to enjoy it.
The hopping downtown delivers views of ski runs winding down Whitefish Mountain, and the city wraps around the lush southern shores of Whitefish Lake. The Lodge at Whitefish Lake overlooks the water — or ice, depending on the season. The lodge’s 8,000 square feet of meeting space includes a 6,400-square-foot ballroom and an outdoor lakefront function area. Grouse Mountain Lodge recently completed a $3 million renovation that included its 143 guest rooms and 11,000 square feet of meeting space.
In addition to winter recreation and year-round meeting facilities, Whitefish Mountain Resort has a zip-line course and a new treetop-skimming aerial obstacle course. At the resort’s Mountain Bike Park, cyclists can take the chairlift to the top of the slopes to attack 30 miles of cross-country and downhill trails.
Whitefish Bike Retreat just west of town provides mountain bikes, safety gear and a guide to lead groups on rides through wooded wilderness on the Whitefish Trail system. At Bar W Guest Ranch, groups can take horseback rides or cowpoke lessons, such as cattle roping.
No visit to Whitefish should exclude Glacier National Park. Although many people are familiar with the park’s classic Red Bus Tours, Blackfeet Nation member Ed DesRosier founded Sun Tours to relay the tribe’s perspective of the park’s history and geography.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Spanish word “sandia” means “watermelon.” When Spanish explorers settled what is today Albuquerque, New Mexico, the pink hue of the granite-embedded mountains — a color that blazes in the setting sun — inspired their name.
“Probably one of the strongest focal points no matter where you are in the city are the Sandia Mountains,” said Robert Enriquez, vice president of convention sales, services and sports for the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The mountains sit directly east of the city, and the 78-acre Balloon Fiesta Park, home to the city’s famous hot-air-balloon festival, offers views of the Sandias. The grassy Launch Field is often used for receptions, and construction is underway on the 12,000-square-foot Sid Cutter Pilot’s Pavilion, which will open this winter. The event center has 3,400 square feet of indoor function space as well as a 4,800-square-foot upper deck.
Sandia Peak Ski and Tram is popular for groups to see the mountains up close. A cable tram soars to the observation deck atop the 10,300-foot Sandia Peak. There, visitors can ski in the winter, hike in the summer and dine at Sandiago’s Mexican Grill or High Finance restaurant.
Another option is Old Town, which dates back to the city’s 1706 founding by the Spanish and is “truly scenic for its look and feel,” Enriquez said. The Old Town grid of historic adobe buildings is built around the central original plaza and the 1793 San Felipe de Neri Church and is a hub for shopping, dining and nightlife.
