Consider today’s barrage of electronic notifications and onslaught of meetings with the potential to drain corporate employees’ focus and energy. Workplace engagement is at a 10-year low, according to Gallup’s annual update on employee engagement released in January, with fewer than one out of every three employees saying they feel engaged with their employer. A break from the office and immersion into nature could be just what employees need to boost spirits, encourage collaboration, and jump-start productivity—studies published in the Stanford Report (2014) and International Journal of Mental Health Nursing (2023) have shown respondents felt more rejuvenated after spending time outdoors, with some noting their creative output increased.
Venue managers in the Southeast note that companies have responded to employee needs by organizing retreats in nature, whether to show appreciation, build morale, energize teams, or kick-start innovation. And many venues across the Southeast offer idyllic locales at which to do so.
“While it’s nice to be close to an office to see people and collaborate with them, to me, when you are in a more remote location, you really immerse yourself with your team and your goal of being there,” explains Kristen D’Allegro, a corporate event planner based in Morristown, New Jersey. D’Allegro has coordinated many team off-sites during her career and says the most recent outdoor getaway she hosted, at the secluded Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, was the most enjoyable—serene, calming, but also luxurious. She says attendees responded by saying they felt taken care of and that their employer treated them to an elevated experience.
Go With the Flow
Near the Southeast’s coastal waterways, seaside venues and oceanic activities abound. Along the lapping waters of Georgia’s golden shores, some event planners have been spicing things up by entertaining convention attendees off-site with excursions like Jekyll Island Boat Tours’ 90-minute dolphin-sighting outing. During the tour, participants travel the Intracoastal Waterway along Jekyll Island beaches and salt marshes to observe bottlenose dolphin social behavior and feeding habits. Owner Phillip Kempton says in the last year, Jekyll Island Boat Tours has conducted roughly 200 fully narrated private group tours and about 700 public tours.
South Carolina barrier island beaches offer an escape from the monotony of the cubicle, according to Bryan Hunter, director of public relations for Kiawah Island Golf Resort. The resort boasts 10 miles of private beach, 30 miles of paved bike trails, five championship golf courses, 22 tennis courts, and two pool complexes with poolside dining. The resort’s many recreational facilities are well-suited for both unstructured downtime and organized group events. At the property’s Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond hotel, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, meeting venues are plentiful. The Grand Lawn overlooking the Atlantic Ocean is ideal for tented receptions, while the Terrace Ballroom features outdoor fire pits and grills that might be fired up for barbecues, oyster roasts, or casual happy hours. Farther west along the coastline, the golf resort’s West Beach Conference Center features an additional 23,000 square feet of meeting space. But to Hunter, the most beautiful spot on the Kiawah Island property is Mingo Point, which overlooks the gentle bend in the Kiawah River. It offers marsh views oriented west for gorgeous russet sunsets. “It plays up what you think of when you think about the Lowcountry of South Carolina,” Hunter says.
Impressed by the hospitality at Kiawah Island Golf Resort during an event she attended in 2020, D’Allegro returned to host an annual team off-site with less than six months to plan. “I was blown away that [the resort offers] some diverse and modern meeting spaces,” she says. She describes that during meetings, natural light filtered in through large conference-room windows, and views of lazily leaning palm trees and sprawling green lawns were a welcome reprieve for attendees participating in multiple indoor sessions. For the welcome dinner, the group enjoyed lawn games, mini golf, and Lowcountry Southern cuisine. “They nailed it,” she adds.
Waterfront properties in Florida also have much to offer meeting planners. In Sarasota, along the Gulf Coast, the grand lawn of the Powel Crosley Estate’s pavilion and mansion overlooks the shimmering waters of Sarasota Bay. Its Bayside Pavilion is an ideal outdoor covered option for cocktail hours or intimate dinners. The historic Mediterranean-style building invites guests to step into the Roaring ’20s and is suited for group sizes ranging from 20 to 800, according to Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Here, planners and attendees also get a glimpse into history, as the National Register of Historic Places added the 2 1/2-story mansion in 1982. The stunning waterfront property is easily accessed from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, which offers flights to and from 67 destinations across the country.
Along The Sunshine State’s opposite coast in DeBary, the season has picked up for Colin Innes at St. Johns River Eco Tours, which provides attendees with a glimpse into the natural aspects of Florida. Realtor groups hosting association or customer appreciation events account for a large share of his private tours, which run twice a day for two hours. They recount the history of the St. Johns River and delve into details about the region’s flora and fauna.
Visitors step into nearly the same landscapes people witnessed in the 1700s and 1800s. “The area we are working in has remained untouched,” Innes says. He says his goal is to remind people that central Florida has more than just theme parks and beaches, including an abundance of landscapes that serves as wildlife habitat.
From Canopies to Caverns
Aerial adventure courses, lush gardens, remarkable caverns, and mountain views might also freshen up agendas. The treetop adventures in Bradenton, Florida, are a testament to that, offering exhilarating opportunities for teams to forge bonds and develop new skills, according to Aziz Tejpar, managing director of TreeUmph Adventure Course in Bradenton. His company offers adrenaline-pumping zip lines, climbing challenges, and courses among the trees, testing physical ability, teamwork, and perseverance. “You feel like you’re on top of the world, literally, because you have managed to achieve the thrill of getting through without missing a rung,” he says. Come October, TreeUmph also will add a ranch for team-building activities like airsoft, a popular pellet-shooting game similar to paintball. And Tejpar also is drumming up a few other ideas: a driving course and rally activity to teach people how to drive through forests, games and relays where participants operate Caterpillar machinery to move objects, and farm-to-table group cooking classes for teams to prepare dishes made from regionally sourced ingredients. Those seeking more high-adrenaline adventure might head to the The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, in Greensboro, Georgia, which recently introduced the Aerial Adventure Course and a falconry experience at the nearby Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds where groups can get in touch with their wild sides.
The jade pools in Mississippi’s Mynelle Gardens Arboretum & Botanical Center beckon planners and attendees seeking respite in nature. Located in Jackson, Mynelle Gardens spans 7 acres and flaunts common blooms, such as azaleas and camellias. Exotic plants, peppered with bronze statues, line a maze of manicured walkways. Its one-story Westbrook House can be rented for private gatherings. At Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Alabama, visitors flow easily from boardrooms and courtyards to meeting halls and waterfalls. The most conducive to outdoor immersion is the Hodges Room, often rented in tandem with the Strange Auditorium and adjacent to the secluded Rushton Garden. The City of Birmingham manages facility rentals, and the venues are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Mounts Botanical Gardens in West Palm Beach, Florida, has 25 distinct garden areas and accommodates up to 100 people. Here, large groups can break up into smaller ones for interactive tours led by trained horticulturalists. The garden often hosts meetings for area associations, clubs, and societies, and occasionally receives out-of-town visitors who are attending nearby conventions, according to Misty Stoller, associate director of marketing and communications at the gardens. In the future, event planners can expect more hosting options as the gardens’ amphitheater and education rooms are reimagined. Given the gardens’ proximity to Palm Beach International Airport, attendees might hear background noise, but Stoller says garden staff can provide noise-canceling headphones if requested. She adds, “Botanical gardens aren’t just for plant people. They give people an appreciation for the natural world they might not have already.”
Natural beauty also shines at Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where the banquet hall requires no additional decor. The historic Cavern Nite Club is an open-air space shielded from the elements, available June through October with capacity for 300 attendees. Meeting planners seeking a memorable experience might add butterfly encounters or after-hours boat tours to the agenda, according to Lost River Cave Senior Sales Manager Maegan Williams. Blair Hanes, who co-owns KB Events & Design in Scottsville, Kentucky, along with her sister-in-law Kacey Hanes, encourages planners to stick with the list of preferred vendors curated by Williams. Given the cave’s unusual structure and logistics, it’s better to opt for vendors who are familiar with the space, she says. Golf cart service helps transport supplies into the cave, but some vendors—such as DJs—might find it challenging to move in heavy equipment and charge extra to do so. However, she notes music works quite well within, as the open mouth of the cave ensures acoustic quality is untarnished. Inside the cave, Blair Hanes’ favorite feature is the river walk bordered by running water, where the glow of a sinkhole provides natural ambience. “You really feel like you are in the middle of this beautiful forest with flowing water—like you’re in the middle of nowhere. But you’re really in the center of Bowling Green,” Hanes says.
For planners seeking the majesty of mountains, the Southeast does not disappoint. At Whitney Mountain Lodge in Garfield, Arkansas, sweeping lake views are its hallmark. Although he has co-owned the lodge since 2002, Adam Black says he hasn’t grown weary of the surrounding scenery. “We have the best lake view in the central United States,” he says. “We’re situated in the place that captures it better than anything else that exists in our market.” Its three dining rooms have expansive views of Beaver Lake, and it also offers a spacious banquet room, private club/bar area, and large multilevel decks. After scheduled programming, attendees might venture out for eagle spotting on the lake or boating, as well as hiking at nearby Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area.
In Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, meeting planners can reward top employees, entertain clients, and foster team building with Smoky Mountains Jeep Tours through the rolling landscapes of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Private groups of up to 50 might encounter thrilling adventure and pristine beauty on a tour through the national park’s Cades Cove, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Foothills Parkway, and Newfound Gap, as well as other customizable locations. Each tour is curated to showcase the splendor of the landscapes, wildlife, and historical richness of the area. Planners might upgrade the experience to include professional guides, who impart insights and stories of the region.
bbgardens.org
bradentongulfislands.com
captainphillip.com
kbeventsanddesign.com
kiawahresort.com
lostrivercave.org
mounts.org
smokymountainsjeeptours.com
stjohnsriverecotours.com
treeumph.com
visitjackson.com
whitneymountainlodge.com
