Time magazine released its “World’s Greatest Places of 2025” list in March, noting a collection of must-visit hotels and destinations around the globe, from an observatory in Arizona and a mosque in Bangladesh to a temple in Japan and a ranch in New York. For domestic planners in the United States, several places and properties were included on this year’s list that double as event venues for meetings or team-building excursions.
Places to Stay
The Populus hotel in downtown Denver was noted by Time for its striking biophilic design emulating an aspen tree, as well as impressive sustainability initiatives as the nation’s first carbon-positive hotel. In addition to event space for groups of up to 120 attendees, the hotel offers 265 guest rooms, three food and beverage outlets, and easy access to downtown activities.
The Ranch Hudson Valley in Sloatsburg, New York, was featured for its focus on well-being in the heart of New York’s Hudson Valley. The lakefront property features three- and four-night programs centered on various wellness activities, and also features options for private and corporate groups. It contains more than 20,000 square feet of event space, and full estate buyouts are available for up to 60 people.
Time gave lots of love to the Swiss-Texan atmosphere embodied at Hôtel Swexan in Dallas, which opened just last year and features a design that blends Swiss sophistication with a rustic Texan feel. Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the hotel is adorned with rich fabrics, repurposed vintage fireplaces, retro chandeliers, and eye-catching artworks. In addition to its 134 guest rooms and suites, Hôtel Swexan provides a rooftop pool and the Joanna Czech Spa, five spaces for meetings and events, and six food and beverage concepts.
Set on 500 acres in New Jersey’s Somerset County, Pendry Natirar is rooted in rich history, originally built in 1912. Today, guests have access to tennis courts, hiking trails, a pool, spa, and several other amenities. It features 68 guest rooms and suites, as well as five dining options and several event rooms for groups—including the 5,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom and the more intimate Gallery room. Planners also might arrange engaging team-building activities such as cooking classes.
The Georgia Safari Conservation Park in Madison, just east of Atlanta, is the first overnight safari park of its kind in the state of Georgia. Visitors here will find an assortment of exotic animals including rhinos, bison, impala, and addax, all that roam freely amid 530 acres of grasslands. Overnight accommodations include one- and two-bedroom luxury tents and a Giraffe Suite, the latter of which peers directly into the 10,000-square-foot giraffe and rhino barn. Planners can select from a variety of public tours for their groups—options include Safari Encounters, Guided Safari Tours, the Premier Safari Adventure, and the Sunset Safari (new this year). Private tours also are available.
Other U.S. properties featured on Time’s list that planners can consider include The Viewpoint Hotel in York, Maine; The Radical hotel in Asheville, North Carolina; Palm House in Palm Beach, Florida; and the Waldorf Astoria New York in New York City.
Places to Visit
Whether you’re planning a team-building excursion, group dining experience, or simply wish to host an event in an unconventional setting, the must-visit destinations featured on Time’s list have much to offer, running the gamut from observatories to museums and national monuments. Places featured include the following:
- Lowell Observatory—Flagstaff, Arizona
- NHM Commons at The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County—Los Angeles
- Intuit Dome—Inglewood, California
- The Geode at Tippet Rise Art Center—Fishtail, Montana
- Dogon by Kwame Onwuachi—Washington, D.C.
- Thomas Dambo’s “Alexas’s Elixir”—Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
- Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument—Cochiti Pueblo, New Mexico
- Longwood Gardens—Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
- Vinai—Minneapolis
- Little Village—Detroit
- The Studio at Corning Museum of Glass—Corning, New York
- The Wine Spa—Portland, Oregon
- Powder Mountain—Eden, Utah
- Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park—Macon, Georgia
