Northeast

All-American history, scenic charm and family friendly attractions — with budget-friendly options.

By Jenna Schnuer

While downtown New York City or Philadelphia often immediately pop to mind when one starts thinking Northeast U.S., consider taking a broader view of the region’s map. Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island all offer an incredibly diverse range of experiences — from gardens that pair contemplation with conference to family friendly amusement parks that will instantly bump up the excitement level for any youth group to a serious dose of all-American history.

Since the region is — let’s call it compact, your conference doesn’t have to be one note on the location front; even if you’re staying in the countryside of Pennsylvania, the city isn’t far away. And, once you factor in easy access to a number of airports and other transportation options throughout the region, as well as some seriously budget-friendly accommodations and conference centers, it will be hard to imagine going anywhere other than the Northeast. 

Though he was speaking about Lancaster, Pennsylvania Dutch Country media relations manager Joel Cliff summed up all five states beautifully when he said: “From shopping and dining to theater and music, our multitude of attractions and easy access garner high praise and make a stay here a good value any time of year.”  

Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island

If you’re after a downtown conference or meeting near New York City but, well, not in it, head directly to Hartford, Connecticut. With a still pretty new convention center at your service, easy access from the airport and a vibrant cultural scene, it’s a wonderful surprise for all first-time visitors. The Connecticut Convention Center opened its doors in 2005, bumping the city’s convention space up to an impressive 540,000 square feet. Other recent additions to the city include the 22-story, $77 million Hartford Marriott Downtown.  

In a New York State of mind? Head upstate for the best deals around — and gorgeous landscapes that invite reflection, photography and smiles. The state capital, Albany, has a rich history, including a Dutch-themed church founded in 1642. With the oldest pulpit in America, the First Church of Albany’s three rooms of meeting space are well worth considering for smaller groups. Or step back just 250 years at the Mabee Farm Historic Site, where the 1760 Dutch barn seats up to 125 people. 

In Buffalo, there’s plenty of good news for meeting planners, including the opening of the new Burchfield Penney Art Center, an 84,000-sq. ft. museum that highlights the works of artists from the region, including watercolorist Charles E. Burchfield. Come spring 2009, the city’s former Federal Building will reopen as a mixed-use facility, including an all-suites Embassy Suites. To really set the scene for your faith-based meeting, contact the CVB to set up a free tour of Buffalo’s Houses of Worship. The tour includes Catholic churches that date back to the 1850s, a Hellenic Orthodox Church from 1907 and much more. For more on the churches of Buffalo, request a copy of the Houses of Worship documentary DVD. 

Long a favorite summer gathering spot in New York, Lake George in Warren County also offers — year-round — plenty for meeting-goers. Time your meeting to the Adirondack Balloon Festival for a truly
uplifting event. 

Want an in-city conference without the big city prices? Providence, Rhode Island, is a must-consider budget-friendly alternative. Home to Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, plenty of museums and historic sites and, from May through October, WaterFire, a must-see art installation on the river, Providence is a compact yet loaded city.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania 

For a true New Jersey experience, head, as they call it, down the shore. The Wildwoods’ beaches and the Wildwood Boardwalk will put a smile on anybody’s face. And the on-the-beach Wildwood Convention Center offers a beautiful view and all the high-tech goodies you could ever desire. 

Within minutes of reaching Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the calm settles in. This is a place with a different pace, one that’s guaranteed to saturate your meeting or conference with serenity. “With a history steeped in religious freedom and Amish neighbors, Lancaster County is a natural and inspirational destination for faith-based groups every year,” says Pennsylvania Dutch Country’s Joel Cliff.

As of April 2009, Lancaster, which already has more than 6,800 overnight rooms and 150,000 sq. ft. of combined meeting space, will jump to a new level of meeting and conference readiness. That’s when the doors will open on the new $170 million Lancaster County Convention Center, an 80,000-sq. ft. downtown facility, as well as a 300-room Marriott hotel.  Two other local standouts popular with faith-based groups are the Willow Valley Resort & Conference Center, which has a prayer chapel, and the meeting and dormitory facilities at Lancaster Bible College.

In Valley Forge, conference attendees will take inspiration from the story of George Washington’s American Continental Army, which waited out the tough winter of 1777-78 in the area. Like many areas of Pennsylvania, Valley Forge makes it easy to plan a conference for attendees flying in from around the U.S.; they’ll have the option of choosing the most reasonable flights to nearby cities, including Philadelphia (26 miles), Baltimore (101 miles), and New York City (110 miles).

If your space needs are modest, look at the recently renovated nine-acre Dolce Valley Forge. It has 24,000 sq. ft. of function space, 22 conference rooms, and 327 guest rooms and suites. The Dolce’s crown jewel is a 7,200-sq. ft. ballroom with floor to ceiling windows that bring the sunset inside.  Another renovation in the area turned the former Valley Forge Suites into the 229 all-suite Embassy Suites Philadelphia-Valley Forge. The hotel features nine meeting rooms and more than 5,000 square feet of meeting space.

Few areas offer such instant connection to nature and beauty as the Brandywine Valley, which stretches from SE Pennsylvania to Delaware. Loaded with gardens and galleries, there is endless inspiration to be found. If you’re planning a large conference for 2010 or beyond, an 18,500 seat riverside soccer stadium is in the works near the Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester, 13 miles outside of downtown Philadelphia. 

When it comes to winter fun, Pennsylvania’s Greater Reading area is unstoppable. Consider settling into the Bear Creek Mountain Resort, with 116 rooms, 26,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and plenty of skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing.

This story was originally published in the February 2009 issue of Rejuvenate magazine.