Today’s planners are not always sticking with the tried and true, but are searching for fresh ideas, bolder venues and experiences that break out of the ballroom. They are on the lookout for new hotels, unique neighborhoods and other hidden gems that will keep their attendees coming back for more. Here, we explore some of the top destinations to hold events.

Chicago, IL offers plenty of arts and culture, live entertainment and fine dining perfect for offsite events. Photo courtesy of Choose Chicago

Chicago

When it came to looking for a new venue for an upcoming event in the Windy City, Patrick Crosson, chief experience owner of PC Events + Experiences, tried out one of the popular local activities — a 90-minute river cruise highlighting the city’s architecture. As impressive as the buildings on the tour were, he was more impressed by the inside of some of the historic skyscrapers.

“There’s actually a lot of meeting spaces in Chicago that people don’t realize exist,” says Crosson. “These are hidden gems.”

Among Crosson’s clients is a technology company based near Willis Tower, which at 110 stories high is also one of the largest skyscrapers in the world. Fittingly, this company shoots high for its internal meetings. A night at Wrigley Field won’t cut it.

So Crosson has searched Chicago’s nooks and crannies for unique spaces, like the second floor ballroom in the old post office or Venue Logic in The Bridgeport Art Center.

In this regard, Chicago stands out among the destinations seeking to woo events.

“There’s so much action that happens along the river and the waterfront,” says Crosson, noting the myriad restaurants available to attendees.

Staying downtown allows easy access to popular attractions like Grant Park, a 319-acre central hub that includes Millennium Park (where you can find “the Bean”), Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum Campus.

Clinton Harris, director of corporate conventions, meetings and travel at Ace Hardware Corporate, likes to rotate between cities for their events yearly. “I do like having some distance between cities, so that there’s newness involved,” Harris says. “We want our shows to feel fresh.”

Due to space and timing, his company can be limited in choices. Yet, the hardware giant makes the rounds among some of the country’s most renowned cities, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando and New Orleans. Ace Hardware’s recent conference in Chicago, which drew 20,000 attendees, was a homecoming for the company, which was founded there and is now based in Oak Brook, IL, just 30 minutes outside of the metropolis.

Harris praises Choose Chicago for assistance securing discounts and other logistics. “They are genuinely good people who really work hard to provide an experience that will make you want to come back,” he says.

He found several Hilton Hotels, The Hyatt Regency and Marriott Marquis to be convenient places to accommodate his attendees. The bulk of participants stayed on a hotel block along Michigan Avenue in the heart of downtown.

Because Chicago has so many entertainment options, Harris encourages attendees to explore the city on their own.

Kentucky’s Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory offers tours, custom bourbon experiences at Barrels & Billets or seated dinner in The Skybox. Photo courtesy of Louisville Tourism

Louisville

Next year, Ace Hardware will be venturing to a new destination for its fall conference: Louisville, KY. Harris is counting on the destination’s charm and bourbon to win over his attendees.

Louisville is no stranger to welcoming out-of-towners, as it has hosted its share of large-scale events, including MPI events and many others, in addition to smaller more intimate gatherings.

More than 100,000 attendees catch the Kentucky Derby there yearly at the Churchill Downs. That location, as well as the Muhammad Ali Center, with its panoramic views, and Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory are some of the highest profile unique venues for receptions, galas and special events.

Keystone Elevate recently attracted 350 attendees there, The event was held at the Omni Louisville, which is not far from the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, as well as the bustling downtown scene, including Whiskey Row Distilleries, Fourth Street Live and Main Street. The hotel also offers a heated rooftop pool, a speakeasy and 70,000 sf of meeting and event space.

The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA is home to two theme parks, three hotels and has over 170,000 sf of meeting and event space.

Anaheim

Thanks to its myriad attractions, Anaheim, CA, fits like a glass slipper for many event planners.

You can take attendees to Downtown Disney, and do buyouts at the nearby House of Blues or some of the other restaurants, says Erika Kulovitz, founder, CEO and executive producer of Akire Productions, an events agency that produces and assists with shows across the country. “When you go to an offsite, there is always a wow factor.”

Disneyland Resort is naturally a popular option for private receptions of off-night visits, especially for attendees contributing to the growing trend of bringing families along on business trips.

The city is easier to maneuver through than next-door Los Angeles, and is easy to get to from Los Angeles International Airport, adds Kulovitz.

Families will enjoy Anaheim, but the nightlife also supports adults. Kulovitz adds she has never felt overwhelmed with leisure travelers headed to Disney when staying at a hotel for an event.

The Envoy Hotel in Boston, MA offers heated igloos accommodating 10 people on their rooftop.

Boston

For a major market, Boston, MA is about as manageable as Tier One destinations come.

“The draw of it is the intimacy of the city,” says Lynann Dumas, senior buyer for meetings and events for the Boston Beer Company, which hosts an annual incentive for wholesalers at Fenway Park annually and keeps Beantown in its rotation for its yearly internal conference in September.

Adds Kulovitz: “What I really love about Boston is its different pockets of neighborhoods and experiences.”

With the country set to celebrate its 250th anniversary in July 2026, Boston figures to be among the busiest destinations. Its place in history, as celebrated on the Freedom Trail and in Faneuil Hall Marketplace, are certainly part of the city’s appeal. Dumas, who lives in Washington, D.C. but sees Boston as her second home, also loves the historic aesthetics that spill into Cambridge and Brighton.

Yet, new additions are also high on Dumas’ experiences. Boston Beer Works enjoyed a night out at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway. Dumas, who previously worked at Marriott International, was also impressed with The Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport. “The staff was absolutely amazing; they rocked it,” she says.

MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas offers plenty of unique venues inside and out, as well as fine dining, live entertainment and more.

Las Vegas

The meetings industry is picking up the slack for a slump in international tourists to Las Vegas. Events continue to attract thousands of attendees.

Despite some grumbling about high hotel room rates and resort fees, additions like the Sphere, which sold more than 1 million tickets for its “Wizard of Oz” experience, are tough to replicate. Another major addition is The Las Vegas Grand Prix, which combines sports and corporate experiences.

Likewise, few cities can hold vast conferences or have space for meetings needing a last-minute home, given the plethora of facilities available on The Strip and beyond. Caesars Entertainment has plenty of options, as does MGM Resorts, Resorts World, The Venetian, Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, Treasure Island … the list goes on and on.

Miami

As one of the 11 U.S. host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Miami, FL figures to attract a swath of corporate and luxury brands eager to take advantage of the one-in-a-generation event. With a vibrant, multicultural living and entertainment scene and a major international effort, Miami is ideal to wow valued customers, host incentive winners or to mix business with pleasure.

The highly anticipated 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach recently had a groundbreaking. Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO David Whitaker says in a statement about the development, “Grand Hyatt Miami Beach will further strengthen our ability to compete for premier meetings … by offering a level of integration and convenience that meeting planners increasingly value.”

As planners await the 2027 debut, they have plenty of other options at their disposal. The Greater Miami CVB has 110 partner hotels and 15,985 hotel rooms to consider.

Kaseya Center recently hosted the 2025 America Business Forum that drew leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world. The venue is fitting for a destination ranked among the world’s top 10 sports cities.

Many other unique meeting spaces are tied to pro sports teams, including Inter Miami CF, which gained global attention when professional soccer player Lionel Messi joined the team. They play at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

Sports Summit USA 2025 recently occurred at loanDepot Park in Little Havana. The conference attracted 50,000 attendees, representing sports leagues, brands, investors and talent from more than 50 countries, and focused on artificial intelligence in sports, inclusion, equity and sustainability.

Aside from the World Cup, marquee competitions like the Orange Bowl, Miami Open, Miami Marathon and F1 Miami Grand Prix are prime places for brand activations and customer-appreciation events.

Another annual marquee event is the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, owned by the National Marine Manufacturers Association in partnership with the International Yacht Brokers Association and produced by Informa Markets. More than 100,000 international attendees, as well as more than 1,000 exhibiting brands, flood Miami for the show, which has a nearly $1 billion impact on the local economy.

People come from all over to enjoy sunny South Florida, and accessibility is key. The Greater Miami area was named as a Certified Accessible Destination recently by Wheel the World.

At 172 acres, The Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN is the largest non-gaming hotel in the continental United States based on meeting space.

Nashville

It’s hard to find a destination that has climbed the corporate meetings’ charts as quickly as Nashville, TN. Speaking to the city’s accessibility, it was recently awarded the 2034 Special Olympics USA Games, which will bring in 4,000 athletes and serve as the center for many corporate brand activations.

In another coup, Nashville is taking the reins of Cvent Connect from San Antonio, TX in 2026. “Nashville’s vibrant culture, rich musical heritage, exceptional hotels and unique event venues make it the perfect backdrop for our conference,” says Rachel Andrews, senior director of global meetings and events at Cvent, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to start planning next year’s event and can’t wait to welcome our thousands of attendees to explore a new city and enjoy all that Nashville has to offer.”

Nashville has plenty of options and is a perfect choice for music lovers. The Renaissance, JW Marriott, Hyatt and Omni are among the most in-demand hotels for meetings in the country. Nashville was set to open nearly 3,000 new hotel rooms in 2025, more than any U.S. city other than New York, according to STR statistics.

Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, FL offers 490,000 sf of meeting and event space, as well as a 18-hole championship golf course.

Orlando

A corporate meeting in Orlando, FL can take on a life of its own. Ace Hardware buys out Universal’s Islands of Adventure for a night out so attendees are able to enjoy one of the many in-town attractions.

Of course, DisneyWorld and other theme parks are big draws, but the destination is diversifying its options. The city is filled with things to do, and plenty of dining options. Visit Orlando actually released a cookbook featuring celebrity chefs, MICHELIN Guide honors and local James Beard Award nominees to highlight its culinary scene.

Kia Center, home of the Orlando Magic and Inter&Co Stadium, where the MLS’ Orlando City Soccer Club and defending NWSL champions the Orlando Pride play, are two large sports arenas that double as event venues. Topgolf and 4Roots Farm Campus are popular sites for teambuilding and offsite excursions.

The city is always expanding and changing. Among its revamps, The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin have been undergoing a $275 million renovation and expansion project.

Three major events highlighting Orlando’s appeal are:

• The 2025 PGA Show, which held its largest show in 15 years with more than 33,000 attendees and 1,100 exhibitors
• The North American Veterinary Community’s (NAVC) VMX Veterinary Meeting 2025, which hosted a record of nearly 30,000 attendees and 735 exhibitors
• InfoComm 2025, the largest technology exhibition and conference in North America focused on the pro AV industry, which welcomed a record 31,000 attendees from 97 countries

Scottsdale

Scottsdale, AZ was the only U.S. city recognized in BCD Meetings & Event’s latest trends report. It’s easy to see why.

The city is a mere 15-minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, but has a distinct collection of resorts and restaurants that attract corporate meetings and incentive travel programs.

As a desert destination, the dramatic scenery never gets old. Some numbers that fall in Scottsdale’s favor:

• Over 70 meeting-friendly hotels and resorts
• Nonstop airlift from more than 120 cities
• More than 300 days of sunshine

There are some major renovations in the works. ADERO Scottsdale Resort will double its current event space at the beginning of 2026. There will be a $42.2 million renovation of The Scottsdale Plaza Resort & Villas, which will be renamed Kimpton Miralina Resort & Villas. In addition, the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort’s spa is undergoing a $24 million upgrade.

Keeping an eye on emerging venues, unique offsite experiences and city-specific trends can help planners stay ahead and create memorable events that are perfectly suited to their audience. C&IT