Fall conference season is here! And those of us in the events industry know that planning for next year’s conferences starts before this year’s begins. Check out our top conference cities here.
Picking a location for your conference is always the first step. While many companies and organizations hold conferences in their home cities, many choose to change locations every once in a while. When picking locations for conferences, there are a few logistical things to consider:
- How many attendees will you have?
- Are there plenty of accommodations (both hotels and meeting spaces)?
- Is the destination easy to get to?
- Are there reliable public transportation options?
- What are weather conditions like when you want to host?
- What after-conference options are available?
While most larger cities are fully equipped to host conferences, there are some that rise above the rest. Here are top conference cities in the U.S.:
Orlando, FL
Not only is Orlando home to Mickey Mouse, it’s also home to the second-largest convention center in the country, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). The OCCC has over 2.1 million square feet of event space. It offers 49 meeting rooms, 141 breakout rooms, a 2,643-seat theater, a 200-seat lecture hall, and a multi-purpose dining and general session event space that can accommodate up to 6,000 people. What’s more, there are over 40 hotels within a 2-mile radius of OCCC.
Nearly 40 airlines, domestic and international, serve the Orlando International Airport (MCO). The I-RIDE Trolley and the LYNX Bus have stops at the OCCC, giving conference goers the opportunity to move about the city easily.
Many companies choose Orlando for its beautiful weather year-round and extensive entertainment options. Your attendees will find plenty of culinary adventures, vibrant entertainment options, and, of course, exceptional theme parks should they choose to bring their family and extend the stay.
Nashville, TN
If you’re looking for a place to infuse your conference with entertainment and experiences, Nashville is the place to do it. The city offers two conference centers. The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center offers more than 700,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, 86 event rooms, 106 breakout rooms, 6 ballrooms, and more than 2,800 guest rooms, among an entire list of unique amenities. The Music City Center, built in 2013, offers 375,000 square feet of exhibit space, 128,000 square feet of meeting space, two ballrooms, a business center, and a 2,500-seat theater.
Nearly 20 airlines, domestic and international, fly in and out of the Nashville International Airport (BNA). Road traffic can be a challenge in the city, so using the city’s public transit is the best option. Nashville offers city buses, a limited light rail system, and the typical ride/bike/scooter shares. Additionally, the downtown area is extremely walkable.
Nashville’s weather is quite temperate throughout the year with its coldest weather falling in January and its hottest in July. And with a nickname of “The Music City,” you can bet there are plenty of things to do after conference hours. The Grand Ole Opry, Broadway, and the classic Honky Tonk are sure to be crowd pleasers.
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas is a favorite of conference planners everywhere. Why? Because there are so many options for venues that have meeting space, guest rooms, and entertainment all under one roof. The Las Vegas Convention Center is one of the largest and best-equipped venues in the U.S. It boasts 2.5 million square feet of flexible meeting and trade show space, 13 exhibit halls, 144 meeting rooms, two grand lobby registration areas, and a 1,440-seat theater, all within a short distance of approximately 150,000 guest rooms.
Because it’s a popular tourist destination, over 60 airlines serve the Harry Reid Las Vegas Airport (LAS). The Strip and Downtown are serviced by The Deuce bus, Vegas’ public transportation. The Las Vegas Monorail connects the Convention Center with the Strip, making stops at 7 stations across 3.9 elevated miles.
You can also check out the Vegas Loop at the Convention Center. The typical walk from the West Hall of the Center to the North/Central Hall can take up to 25 minutes. The Loop uses all-electric Teslas and an underground tunnel to transport more than 4,400 attendees per hour. Though the cars are still manually driven, the future state will be fully autonomous. The City is also actively expanding the Loop to link 51 stops around the city not currently served by public transportation.
We can talk about the after-hours entertainment if you want to… but do we really need to? It’s Vegas!
Denver, CO
The Mile High City is absolutely breathtaking (see what we did there?). It’s an incredibly walkable city with plenty of beautiful scenery, activities, and The Colorado Convention Center (CCC) was designed by meeting planners for meeting planners, so it’s one of the most beautiful (and practical) facilities out there. CCC offers 669,000 square feet of space, 584,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, 63 meeting rooms, 3 ballrooms, and a 5,000-seat theater. The CCC is also LEED Gold Certified, meaning you can plan an eco-friendly event that the planet will love. Unique to CCC is the Blue Bear Farm — an on-site garden that provides 5,000 pounds of fresh produce and honey annually that the conference catering company uses to prepare dishes. You’ll also find more than 13,000 hotel rooms downtown within walking distance to CCC.
Downtown Denver is directly accessible by train from the Denver International Airport (DEN). Once attendees reach Denver Union Station, there is a free shuttle bus that travels up and down the downtown corridor.
Denver is a vibrant city that boasts 300 days of sunshine. The city sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains and offers plenty of outdoor activities year-round. It’s home to unique venues like Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre and the three downtown sports stadiums. It’s walkable, chock full of shopping and dining, and is a great place to extend your stay post-conference.
Washington, D.C.
There is no place quite like The Nation’s Capital. It’s a compact city with incredible museums, monuments, and events. In fact, some of the most significant events in the world take place here. So we’d say the city is pretty good at hosting. There really is no convention center like the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The original structure was built in 1874 and is just two blocks from the current site, which opened in 2003. It has hosted inaugural balls and holds the Guinness World Record for hosting the largest sit-down dinner in 2009 with 16,206 guests. It offers 2.3 million square feet of meeting space, 77 breakout rooms, a 52,000 square foot ballroom, three levels of exhibit halls with a combined 703,000 square feet of usable space. The Washington Marriott Marquis connects with the convention center via underground tunnel and offers 1,175 guest rooms.
There are three major airports servicing the Washington, D.C. area: the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). DCA has its own Metro stop, and offers a quick trip into the city. In late 2022, the Metrorail system officially connected to Dulles via the Silver Line. Though the ride will take approximately 1 hour to reach the center of the city, it’s convenient and reliable for travelers. BWI connects to the city via Amtrak.
Entertainment in the city comes in many forms. There are a slew of free and paid museums, monuments, and memorials. Just walking around the city can be a memorable experience. Additionally, D.C. is home to some incredible international culinary offerings.
Conclusion
We’ve listed just our top 5 conference cities in the U.S., but there are so many more to choose from. You’ll certainly have your own unique considerations to make, but we hope this guide can give you some inspiration for finding the best locations and venues for your needs. Eventective is your one-stop shop for finding, researching, and booking venues. You can check out our Meeting Venue search tool here.
