5 Reasons Meeting Profs Love New York

Thrilling off-sites. Finding outdoor adventure in New York is no biggie; you can take your pick from land or water. For an adventurous water-based option, take a look at Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours in Lewiston, which takes a 45-minute tour through Class V Devil’s Hole rapids and whirlpool. 

Historical off-sites. There are numerous historical sites and museums to explore in New York. Long Island, in particular, played a major role in a couple of presidents’ lives: George Washington, who battled the British there in 1776, and Theodore Roosevelt, who lived at Sagamore Hill (now a National Historic Site).

Entertaining off-sites. When you think of New York, one of the many attractions you may think about—whether or not you’re into it—is Broadway. Shows like Shakespeare’s “Othello,” “Hamilton” and “Wicked” on Broadway and shows Off-Broadway, like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Singfeld! An Unauthorized Musical Parody About Nothing,” are but a handful of choices.

Artsy off-sites. If your group is in Upstate New York’s Rochester or New York City, attendees will be surrounded by artwork throughout either city. Rochester is home to numerous art galleries, like Eastman Museum (which also has rentable venues); New York City features a long list of museums and galleries, like Scandinavia House, a center for Nordic history.

Healthy off-sites. With spas, fitness studios and the outdoors, New York offers plenty of healthy options for attendees to bond with colleagues. In Greater Rochester, which has more than 12,000 acres of land to explore, group fitness opportunities include Compass Cycle & Flow and Roc City Circus, which offers aerial classes, trapeze classes and more.

 

5 Places to Meet

Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona is split into five accommodation types, such as The Tower at Turning Stone, which lends views of Central New York from its top floors. Or, visit The Cove at Sylvan Beach, a lakeside retreat that, although designed for more family-friendly experiences, makes way for plenty of lakeside adventure for groups.

125,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 788 guest rooms

When the property sits within 40,000 acres of forest and is near Lake Mohonk, there’s no other option but to do a little adventuring. This is what attendees will find at Mohonk Mountain House, with adventures like 85 miles of hiking trails, fishing and kayaking opportunities, horseback riding, and more.

10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 262 guest rooms

Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa in Long Island’s Montauk recently reopened following a brief closure. Upon reopening, the property now features a new lobby and dining spaces. A new restaurant, Gigi’s Montauk, will open this spring.

10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 158 guest rooms

A unique venue that’s part of the meeting spaces at The Strathallan Rochester Hotel & Spa – a DoubleTree by Hilton in Rochester is The Century Club of Rochester, a Victorian mansion with two large ballrooms and room to seat 150 guests. The venue sits right next door to the property, where the other venues and two dining options await.

10,602 sq. ft. of meeting space; 157 guest rooms

Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls features 10 restaurants that could satisfy the taste buds of every attendee present, like The Western Door Steakhouse, Koi (an Asian restaurant) and Full.Plate Eatery, a buffet-style restaurant that serves American classics.

67,202 sq. ft. of meeting space; 604 guest rooms and suites

 

Go Waterfront

Being near a body of water can really change the ambiance of an event. When you couple that with a mountainous landscape like that at The Sagamore Resort (52,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 375 guest rooms) in Bolton Landing, you just might have yourself a memorable meeting. In venues like the 220-person Shelving Rock Terrace, the Mountain View and Lakeview lawns, and several of the dining venues, like The LakeHouse and The Pavilion, you can pair a great event and great food with views of Lake George.

In New York City, The Standard’s (9,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; 338 guest rooms) High Line Room, which can accommodate a standing group of 200, provides a view over the Hudson River. The Standard highlights this venue as one that’s fitting for brand activations and product launches. Additional venues include the 450-person Biergarten, a roofed, open-air venue that serves German F&B.

Convention Centers of New York

Some convention centers are simply a place for meetings and events. Others, like Albany Capital Center (45,000 sq. ft. of meeting space) in the city’s downtown area, take it a step further.

A walk through the convention center takes attendees on a trip through the city’s past via murals about the history of the people, places, culture and more in Albany and the surrounding county. Albany Capital Center is part of Capital Complex, which also includes Empire State Plaza Convention Center, The Egg Performing Arts Center and MVP Arena, which totals more than 159,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

Jacob Javits Convention Center (3.3 million sq. ft. of meeting space) recently completed an expansion that added 1.2 million sq. ft. of event space, including a new exhibit hall, 1,500-person rooftop pavilion and terrace. For planners who want to add a little flare, Javits Center is home to the 15-story Crystal Palace, a lighting system that can help planners create lighting show to make their event shine.