Destination Guide | Washington
THE NEXT BEST PLACE
By Julie Keller
Nov 29, 2008
Washington State boasts an embarrassment of riches when it comes to “best of” awards. Last year, Seattle was selected as one of America’s Favorite Cities in a poll conducted by TravelandLeisure.com, and it has also been tapped as one of America’s most-walkable cities by MSNBC.com and Prevention magazine.
Bellevue was named the top place to live and launch a business by Fortune Small Business magazine in March 2008. And four of Fortune magazine’s top 20 Most Admired Companies—Starbucks, Microsoft, Costco and Nordstrom—are based here.
These awards, however, just echo what eco-conscious, entrepreneurial folks with a love for nature have known for years: Washington is a great place to live, work and meet.
In fact, meeting sites abound throughout its 70,000-plus square miles. The most populated western half of the state is sprinkled with waterfront cities like Seattle, Olympia, Bellevue and Tacoma, which create an urban corridor along picturesque Puget Sound and offer breathtaking views of the Cascade Mountains, home to Mount St. Helens and the towering Mount Rainier. Towns in eastern Washington, which receives less rainfall each year, are also thriving, including Spokane, the second-largest city in the state.
SEATTLE
Though Seattle garnered a reputation for grunge music and countless coffee houses in the 1990s, it’s quickly becoming renowned as a sophisticated yet manageable metropolis, now billing itself as “metronatural” to describe its urban yet scenic appeal. “Seattle is two cities in one,” says Jerri Lane, vice president of convention sales for the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s a world-class metropolis set within wild, beautiful natural surroundings, offering the best of urban lifestyle while embracing the rugged outdoors.”
Although the Emerald City is the state’s largest with a population of nearly 600,000, visitors don’t feel overwhelmed by its size. Still, countless hip hotel and convention options abound, and most major attractions are within easy walking distance of each other. “Seattle’s compact downtown allows attendees to easily explore the city,” Lane says.
The largest event facility, the Washington State Convention & Trade Center features 300,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 61 meeting rooms, and is ideally located just blocks from Pike’s Place Market, the oldest continuously operated farmer’s market in the United States.
Because of the city’s compact downtown, attendees can squeeze in a show at the 5th Avenue Theatre, visit the newly renovated Seattle Art Museum or hop on the Seattle Center Monorail for a two-minute ride to visit the iconic Space Needle. Adjacent to the Space Needle is the Frank O. Gehry-designed Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum, which houses the largest collection of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia in existence. Along with providing an interesting cultural experience, many of the attractions, including the towering Space Needle and The Experience Music Project, are also potential meeting venues for planners looking to go beyond the convention center.
For other unique meeting options, contact Event Experience, a Seattle-based company that has planned activities like game shows, sport events, team building, picnics and more for such clients as Microsoft, Starbucks, Boeing and T-Mobile. Another interesting event venue is The Golf Club at Hotel 1000, where attendees can square off in a virtual golf tournament, choosing from 50 top courses around the world, including St. Andrews, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and more. (The hotel also features 6,659 sq. ft. of meeting space.)
Downtown Seattle is also home to countless award-winning restaurants and thousands of hotel rooms that accommodate virtually any budget. Hotel development is booming, and several new properties with meeting facilities, including the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle and The Arctic Club Hotel Seattle, have opened their doors in recent months. Still others, including Hyatt at Olive 8, which will open in January with 346 hotel rooms and 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, are on the horizon throughout 2009.
BELLEVUE & TACOMA
Beyond Seattle, the cities that are sprinkled along the Puget Sound also offer several affordable yet attractive meeting options. Tacoma, just 18 miles south of the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, offers “all the amenities and culture of a big city with the hospitality of a small town,” says Shauna Lunde, sales manager for the Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau. “The city is surging with enthusiasm, edgy art and adventurous spirits.”
The largest venues for meetings are the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, the Landmark Convention Center, the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall and the Puyallup Exhibition & Conference Center. But for a truly authentic Tacoma experience, take advantage of some of the locations that honor its longtime glass-making heritage, like the Museum of Glass. If possible, plan an excursion to the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a 500-foot-long pedestrian bridge linking downtown Tacoma to the city’s waterfront, the Thea Foss Waterway, or to Union Station, which can be rented for meetings and events. Both places are filled with glass art created by Tacoma’s famous native son Dale Chihuly.
Bellevue also offers the amenities of a larger city in a more intimate, yet sophisticated environment. Just 10 miles east of Seattle, Bellevue holds its own as a business center, serving as home to the headquarters or significant operations of such companies as Eddie Bauer, Expedia, Microsoft, Infospace, T-Mobile and Symetra Life Insurance. As such, the city offers a “young, sophisticated, energetic, fresh, urban and upscale” vibe, according to Sharon Linton, marketing and communications manager for the Meydenbauer Center, the city’s premier convention center, and Bellevue Washington Conventions.
“Bellevue is home to a lively business and residential community with a surprising mix of big-city accommodations and amenities like amazing shopping and dining, plus the added bonus of security and accessibility,” she adds. “Just a year ago, there were 18 construction cranes towering over the skyline. Many of them have come down as new commercial and residential projects have been completed. As these buildings have filled up with tenants and residents, they have added even more to the vibrancy of downtown Bellevue.”
Centrally located in the heart of downtown Bellevue, the Meydenbauer Center offers 48,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, as well as a theater and additional meeting rooms. Several hotels can also accommodate mid-size meetings. The Sheraton Bellevue Hotel has recently completed a $5.7-million renovation, upgrading all 178 guest rooms, meeting rooms and public spaces. While the Hyatt Regency Bellevue currently features 17,000 sq. ft. total meeting space, it will undergo a major expansion this summer that will add 351 guest rooms and 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting and exhibit space. Additionally, the Westin Bellevue features 25,710 sq. ft., and the Hilton Hotel Bellevue offers 22,000 sq. ft.
SAN JUANS & BEYOND
Seattle is also the gateway to a pristine island paradise known as the San Juan Islands, which can serve as a picturesque place for more intimate events. “Only in the San Juans can planners find conference and meeting facilities in a destination so close to a major city such as Seattle, yet in a world-renowned marine setting that encourages and nurtures the creative side of all who come to experience island life,” says Robin Jacobson, public relations manager for the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau.
In spite of the islands’ proximity to Seattle, the climate is temperate, with about half of the rain, due to the rain-shadow effect of the nearby Olympic Mountain Range. Therefore, the islands offer a variety of year-round indoor and outdoor venues for meetings, corporate retreats and special events. The largest lodging venue, Rosario Resort, is currently closed for a redevelopment and will likely reopen in 2009. Beyond that, several B&Bs, including the Friday Harbor House, which recently opened a 1,000-square-foot meeting facility, are also ideal for groups. The San Juans offer a host of off-the-beaten-path team-building experiences, like assembling a gray whale skeleton at The Whale Museum. Outdoor activities like sea kayaking, hiking and whale watching are also available.
Several other noncity options are within driving distance of Seattle. Nestled in the Sammamish River Valley, just 25 miles north of Seattle, Woodinville has become a top wine and culinary destination. Consider hosting an event at Willows Lodge, a rustic 84-room retreat that offers 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting space as well as its own ropes course for fun outdoor team-building experiences. Additionally, just 40 miles north of Seattle is the new Tulalip Resort Casino, which opened its doors in August. This 370-room hotel features a casino, spa and more than 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. For fun outdoor team-building adventures, contact EverGreen Escapes, which can schedule scavenger hunts using GPS and/or maps and compasses, team survival or rescue, kayaking, rock climbing, wine tasting and more throughout the Seattle region.
SPOKANE
On the opposite side of the state, between the Columbia Plateau and the Rocky Mountain foothills, Spokane offers yet another scenic venue for meetings. The city has, in recent years, undergone a cultural and developmental renaissance that combines a respect for history with state-of-the-art updates like free Wi-Fi throughout the downtown core. “Spokane is affordable and has a compact and vibrant downtown, making it easy to travel between meetings and outside activities like shopping, dining and even getting into nature,” says Keith Backsen, vice president and director of sales for the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau. The city’s downtown shopping center, 100-acre Riverfront Park, the Spokane Falls Skyride and a 26-foot-long Radio Flyer Wagon interactive sculpture are all within walking distance of the LEED-certified Spokane Convention Center.
The convention center offers more than 164,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, but Spokane’s other venues, many of which also espouse green philosophies and historical consideration, are equally enticing for an event. The Davenport Hotel, which was recently named by Condé Nast Traveler as a finalist for “Best Hotel in the U.S. and Canada,” and the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, an Art Deco masterpiece, are two such examples. Several other facilities are also in the works, including a 115-room Best Western downtown and a 135-room, $275-million destination resort that is planned for an early 2010 opening by Northern Quest Casino at its current location.
From the metropolitan allure of Seattle and other nearby cities to the charming beauty of the San Juan Islands to the splendor of Spokane, the entire state offers options for meetings of all sizes. Thanks to its eco-focused appeal, magnificent mountain landscapes, colorful coastal towns and entrepreneurial spirit, Washington State is well on its way to making another “best of” list—simply the best site for your next event.
Julie Keller is editor-in-chief of American Spa and the Healthy Meetings columnist for Smart Meetings.
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These awards, however, just echo what eco-conscious, entrepreneurial folks with a love for nature have known for years: Washington is a great place to live, work and meet.
In fact, meeting sites abound throughout its 70,000-plus square miles. The most populated western half of the state is sprinkled with waterfront cities like Seattle, Olympia, Bellevue and Tacoma, which create an urban corridor along picturesque Puget Sound and offer breathtaking views of the Cascade Mountains, home to Mount St. Helens and the towering Mount Rainier. Towns in eastern Washington, which receives less rainfall each year, are also thriving, including Spokane, the second-largest city in the state.
SEATTLE
Though Seattle garnered a reputation for grunge music and countless coffee houses in the 1990s, it’s quickly becoming renowned as a sophisticated yet manageable metropolis, now billing itself as “metronatural” to describe its urban yet scenic appeal. “Seattle is two cities in one,” says Jerri Lane, vice president of convention sales for the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s a world-class metropolis set within wild, beautiful natural surroundings, offering the best of urban lifestyle while embracing the rugged outdoors.”
Although the Emerald City is the state’s largest with a population of nearly 600,000, visitors don’t feel overwhelmed by its size. Still, countless hip hotel and convention options abound, and most major attractions are within easy walking distance of each other. “Seattle’s compact downtown allows attendees to easily explore the city,” Lane says.
The largest event facility, the Washington State Convention & Trade Center features 300,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 61 meeting rooms, and is ideally located just blocks from Pike’s Place Market, the oldest continuously operated farmer’s market in the United States.
Because of the city’s compact downtown, attendees can squeeze in a show at the 5th Avenue Theatre, visit the newly renovated Seattle Art Museum or hop on the Seattle Center Monorail for a two-minute ride to visit the iconic Space Needle. Adjacent to the Space Needle is the Frank O. Gehry-designed Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum, which houses the largest collection of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia in existence. Along with providing an interesting cultural experience, many of the attractions, including the towering Space Needle and The Experience Music Project, are also potential meeting venues for planners looking to go beyond the convention center.
For other unique meeting options, contact Event Experience, a Seattle-based company that has planned activities like game shows, sport events, team building, picnics and more for such clients as Microsoft, Starbucks, Boeing and T-Mobile. Another interesting event venue is The Golf Club at Hotel 1000, where attendees can square off in a virtual golf tournament, choosing from 50 top courses around the world, including St. Andrews, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and more. (The hotel also features 6,659 sq. ft. of meeting space.)
Downtown Seattle is also home to countless award-winning restaurants and thousands of hotel rooms that accommodate virtually any budget. Hotel development is booming, and several new properties with meeting facilities, including the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle and The Arctic Club Hotel Seattle, have opened their doors in recent months. Still others, including Hyatt at Olive 8, which will open in January with 346 hotel rooms and 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, are on the horizon throughout 2009.
BELLEVUE & TACOMA
Beyond Seattle, the cities that are sprinkled along the Puget Sound also offer several affordable yet attractive meeting options. Tacoma, just 18 miles south of the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, offers “all the amenities and culture of a big city with the hospitality of a small town,” says Shauna Lunde, sales manager for the Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau. “The city is surging with enthusiasm, edgy art and adventurous spirits.”
The largest venues for meetings are the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, the Landmark Convention Center, the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall and the Puyallup Exhibition & Conference Center. But for a truly authentic Tacoma experience, take advantage of some of the locations that honor its longtime glass-making heritage, like the Museum of Glass. If possible, plan an excursion to the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a 500-foot-long pedestrian bridge linking downtown Tacoma to the city’s waterfront, the Thea Foss Waterway, or to Union Station, which can be rented for meetings and events. Both places are filled with glass art created by Tacoma’s famous native son Dale Chihuly.
Bellevue also offers the amenities of a larger city in a more intimate, yet sophisticated environment. Just 10 miles east of Seattle, Bellevue holds its own as a business center, serving as home to the headquarters or significant operations of such companies as Eddie Bauer, Expedia, Microsoft, Infospace, T-Mobile and Symetra Life Insurance. As such, the city offers a “young, sophisticated, energetic, fresh, urban and upscale” vibe, according to Sharon Linton, marketing and communications manager for the Meydenbauer Center, the city’s premier convention center, and Bellevue Washington Conventions.
“Bellevue is home to a lively business and residential community with a surprising mix of big-city accommodations and amenities like amazing shopping and dining, plus the added bonus of security and accessibility,” she adds. “Just a year ago, there were 18 construction cranes towering over the skyline. Many of them have come down as new commercial and residential projects have been completed. As these buildings have filled up with tenants and residents, they have added even more to the vibrancy of downtown Bellevue.”
Centrally located in the heart of downtown Bellevue, the Meydenbauer Center offers 48,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, as well as a theater and additional meeting rooms. Several hotels can also accommodate mid-size meetings. The Sheraton Bellevue Hotel has recently completed a $5.7-million renovation, upgrading all 178 guest rooms, meeting rooms and public spaces. While the Hyatt Regency Bellevue currently features 17,000 sq. ft. total meeting space, it will undergo a major expansion this summer that will add 351 guest rooms and 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting and exhibit space. Additionally, the Westin Bellevue features 25,710 sq. ft., and the Hilton Hotel Bellevue offers 22,000 sq. ft.
SAN JUANS & BEYOND
Seattle is also the gateway to a pristine island paradise known as the San Juan Islands, which can serve as a picturesque place for more intimate events. “Only in the San Juans can planners find conference and meeting facilities in a destination so close to a major city such as Seattle, yet in a world-renowned marine setting that encourages and nurtures the creative side of all who come to experience island life,” says Robin Jacobson, public relations manager for the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau.
In spite of the islands’ proximity to Seattle, the climate is temperate, with about half of the rain, due to the rain-shadow effect of the nearby Olympic Mountain Range. Therefore, the islands offer a variety of year-round indoor and outdoor venues for meetings, corporate retreats and special events. The largest lodging venue, Rosario Resort, is currently closed for a redevelopment and will likely reopen in 2009. Beyond that, several B&Bs, including the Friday Harbor House, which recently opened a 1,000-square-foot meeting facility, are also ideal for groups. The San Juans offer a host of off-the-beaten-path team-building experiences, like assembling a gray whale skeleton at The Whale Museum. Outdoor activities like sea kayaking, hiking and whale watching are also available.
Several other noncity options are within driving distance of Seattle. Nestled in the Sammamish River Valley, just 25 miles north of Seattle, Woodinville has become a top wine and culinary destination. Consider hosting an event at Willows Lodge, a rustic 84-room retreat that offers 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting space as well as its own ropes course for fun outdoor team-building experiences. Additionally, just 40 miles north of Seattle is the new Tulalip Resort Casino, which opened its doors in August. This 370-room hotel features a casino, spa and more than 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. For fun outdoor team-building adventures, contact EverGreen Escapes, which can schedule scavenger hunts using GPS and/or maps and compasses, team survival or rescue, kayaking, rock climbing, wine tasting and more throughout the Seattle region.
SPOKANE
On the opposite side of the state, between the Columbia Plateau and the Rocky Mountain foothills, Spokane offers yet another scenic venue for meetings. The city has, in recent years, undergone a cultural and developmental renaissance that combines a respect for history with state-of-the-art updates like free Wi-Fi throughout the downtown core. “Spokane is affordable and has a compact and vibrant downtown, making it easy to travel between meetings and outside activities like shopping, dining and even getting into nature,” says Keith Backsen, vice president and director of sales for the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau. The city’s downtown shopping center, 100-acre Riverfront Park, the Spokane Falls Skyride and a 26-foot-long Radio Flyer Wagon interactive sculpture are all within walking distance of the LEED-certified Spokane Convention Center.
The convention center offers more than 164,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, but Spokane’s other venues, many of which also espouse green philosophies and historical consideration, are equally enticing for an event. The Davenport Hotel, which was recently named by Condé Nast Traveler as a finalist for “Best Hotel in the U.S. and Canada,” and the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, an Art Deco masterpiece, are two such examples. Several other facilities are also in the works, including a 115-room Best Western downtown and a 135-room, $275-million destination resort that is planned for an early 2010 opening by Northern Quest Casino at its current location.
From the metropolitan allure of Seattle and other nearby cities to the charming beauty of the San Juan Islands to the splendor of Spokane, the entire state offers options for meetings of all sizes. Thanks to its eco-focused appeal, magnificent mountain landscapes, colorful coastal towns and entrepreneurial spirit, Washington State is well on its way to making another “best of” list—simply the best site for your next event.
Julie Keller is editor-in-chief of American Spa and the Healthy Meetings columnist for Smart Meetings.
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Getting There
Back to TopFast Facts
| Population | 582,174 |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 0 ft |
| Temperature | 37°f - 75°f |
| Nearest Airport | Boeing Field |
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