Travel 65 miles north of Nashville, Tennessee, and you will find yourself among the rolling hills and quaintness of Bowling Green, Kentucky. The third-largest city in the Bluegrass State, clocking in behind Louisville and Lexington, Bowling Green is known for memorable attractions like the National Corvette Museum and Lost River Cave, ensuring plentiful engaging experiences for meeting and event groups.
Vibe: Bowling Green’s slower pace and small-town atmosphere are central to its appeal, but the city is loaded with things to do. Along with Owensboro and Paducah, Bowling Green forms part of the Kentucky Americana Triangle, a group of partner communities that celebrate iconic pieces of American culture with attractions showcasing classic cars, bluegrass music, contemporary quilting artistry, and more.
Transportation: While Bowling Green–Warren County Regional Airport does not provide service for commercial flights, Nashville International Airport is just an hour away, and Louisville International Airport is a two-hour drive. Once in the city, attendees can get around easily via GoBG Transit buses, and free parking is abundant at and near meeting sites throughout Bowling Green.
Venues: For those seeking an expansive, full-service meeting spot, the city-owned Sloan Convention Center is a 60,000-square-foot facility with a grand ballroom that holds up to 1,500. The Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center sets the stage for planners with its 1,737-seat Rita & Jim Scott Concert Hall, among other spaces. Home of the Bowling Green Hot Rods minor league baseball team, Bowling Green Ballpark hosts private events year-round among indoor and outdoor spaces.
Hotels: Attached to the Sloan Convention Center, the Holiday Inn University Plaza–Bowling Green features 45,000 square feet of meeting rooms, boardrooms, and ballrooms. Across the street are the Hilton Garden Inn Bowling Green and the Courtyard by Marriott Bowling Green Convention Center, which combined offer 226 guest rooms total.
Restaurants: A resident favorite, 440 Main dishes out Southern coastal cuisine, while Tony’s of Bowling Green within the Embassy Suites by Hilton Bowling Green provides a traditional steakhouse experience. Or, choose your own adventure at The Mustang Club, which offers a wine bar and speakeasy on separate floors in Bowling Green’s Shake Rag Historic District.
Must-Sees & -Dos: A stay in Bowling Green would hardly be complete without a jaunt to the National Corvette Museum to mingle among iconic vehicles or the adjacent NCM Motorsports Park, at which attendees might compete behind the wheel. And don’t miss Lost River Cave, where 45-minute boat tours explore the cavern’s rich history as a former nightclub, Jesse James hideout, and more.
