Looking to Plan a Pacific Northwest Meeting?
Learn everything you need to know about this rustic locale at
Destination West, Northstar’s premier event for meetings and incentive pros looking to book biz in the area.
Why the Pacific Northwest for Your Next Meeting or Event?
The northwest region of the U.S. is bristling with new group-friendly hotels set among spectacular scenery, such as the northern lights as viewed in Fairbanks, Alaska (above). Among myriad activities, there are whales to be watched in Juneau, Alaska,
and rapids to ride in Boise, Idaho.
WASHINGTON STATE
Washington State’s largest city was honored with several accolades in 2019. MindBody, a provider of tech services to the wellness industry, named Seattle no. 5 on its Top 10 Healthiest Cities in America list, and in a ranking of U.S. cities on their sustainability progress, Seattle came in seventh for its increases in walking and biking commuters, and forward-thinking city policies.
Construction continues apace on the expansion to the city’s Washington State Convention Center, which is adding a brand-new building called the Summit, referencing the area’s geography and the building’s dramatic staircase. The existing facility is now known as the Arch, referring to the sky bridge and canopy arch on Pike Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues. When the $1.7 billion Summit opens in 2022, it will add 570,290 square feet of event space.
Renovations have been completed at the 462-room Seattle Airport Marriott within view of Mt. Rainier. All guest rooms were redone and the public spaces refreshed. The redesigned atrium and expanded patio bar feature more than 8,000 square feet of event space, bringing the total meeting space to more than 24,000 square feet. Five new hospitality suites also have been added.
Three miles south of the 370-room Tulalip Resort Casino,
about 30 minutes north of Seattle, a second casino owned by the Tulalip Tribes is under construction. The Quil Ceda Creek Casino will open a state-of-the-art 127,000-square-foot gaming floor in early 2021. At Tulalip, all 30,000 square feet of meeting space have been renovated, completed in March 2019. The property's event facilities include a 15,000-square-foot ballroom, a 4,800-square-foot junior ballroom and 6,000
square feet of pre- and post-function space.
The 258-room Skamania Lodge in Stevenson is now part of the Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio. Set on 175 forested acres overlooking the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the property features Cascadian-style architecture and a 22,000-square-foot conference center built to IACC standards. Outdoor offerings include the Canopy Zip Line Tour, as well as axe-throwing and four miles of hiking trails.
Travel Essentials
CONVENTION CENTER: Boise Centre; exhibit space, 25,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 29. (208) 336-8900; boisecentre.com
TAXES: Room tax, 7%; sales tax, 6%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13%
CVB: Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau, (208) 344-7777 or (800) 635-5240
BOISE, IDAHO
Event Venues, Additions & Renovations
• The Residence Inn Boise Downtown City Center opened last December with 180 apartment-style suites. The property features 4,748 square feet of meeting space, the Lobby Bar & Grill and a third-floor roof deck that can be used for cocktail events.
• The Boise Centre's original West building is getting soft upgrades, including new carpeting. Boise Centre East opened in summer 2017, adding 36,000 square feet of space, including eight breakout rooms.
• For
spillovers from the Boise Center's full-service hotels, the city has welcomed the 150-room Hyatt Place Boise Downtown, with a coffee bar/cocktail lounge, an outdoor pool and 2,400 square feet of meeting space.
• Properties with meeting space include the 303-room Riverside Hotel,
252-room Grove Hotel, 180-room Residence Inn Boise Downtown City Center, 112-room Hotel 43 and 110-room Inn at 500 Capitol.
At Seattle's Center
Ground was broken in August on a long-awaited expansion to Seattle's
Washington State Convention Center, whose space will be doubled when the new Summit building opens in 2022.
A headquarters hotel for the WSCC will open this December. The 1,260-room
Hyatt Regency Seattle will have 103,000 square feet of its own meeting space, and the property will seek LEED Gold certification.
• The area offers some exciting white-water rafting, most notably on the Payette River, with everything from glassy smooth spots to class IV rapids. Cascade Rafting, founded in
1985 and still run by the Long family, welcomes groups of up to 400 to ride the river (usually tackling the class II and III rollers), followed by a first-class barbecue back at home base. Kayaking, a ropes course, zip lines and team-building activities
also are available. (208) 793-2221
• One of the country's top facilities for rehabilitating raptors is the World Center for Birds of Prey,
run by the Peregrine Fund. A quick drive outside of town, the center is near the Snake River Canyon, perched on a hilltop overlooking the high-desert plains. When M&C recently visited the place, a six-month-old milky eagle owl, the largest owl of
Africa, was a big draw, along with condors, bateleur eagles and a resident bald eagle. Call for event and demonstration details for groups. (208) 362-8687
Area Transportation
Boise Airport, approximately six miles from the city's downtown; transfer cost by taxi, $15; many area hotels offer complimentary shuttle service
Travel Essentials
CONVENTION CENTER: Carlson Center; exhibit space, 47,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 12. (907) 451-7800
TAXES: Room tax, 8%; sales tax, 0%; total tax on hotel rooms, 8%
CVB:Explore Fairbanks, (907) 456-5774
FAIRBANKS, ALASKA
Event Venues, Additions & Renovations
• Viewing the aurora borealis (northern lights) is a favorite pastime in Fairbanks, which is under the "auroral oval," a ring-shaped zone where the activity is concentrated. The season runs from Aug. 21 to April 21.
• Options include the 400-room Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Conference Center,
305-room Wedgewood Resort, 208-room Pike's Waterfront Lodge and 113-room La Quinta Inn & Suites Fairbanks Airport.
• The Chena River runs through the city and past the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, where the history and stories of interior
Alaska's native populations are celebrated. Groups of up to 200 are hosted with local music, dance, "Taste of Alaska" meals and more. (907) 459-3700
Venue Additions
The 600-room
Hyatt Regency Portland, opening in early 2020 across the plaza from the Oregon Convention Center, will feature 32,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant and a bar.
• Fine dining in Fairbanks can be found by stepping into Lavelle's Bistro. Local Angus beef and fresh catch highlight the menu, and the equally impressive wine list features
13 champagnes alone. The restaurant offers buyouts for up to 150 people. (907)-450-0555
Area Transportation
Fairbanks International Airport, 5 miles from downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, Lyft and Uber, about $14.
Travel Esssentials
CONVENTION CENTER:Juneau Arts and Culture Center's Centennial Hall; exhibit space, 14,285 square feet; meeting rooms, 7. (907) 586-5283
TAXES: Room tax, 7%; city sales tax, 5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12%
CONTACT: Travel Juneau, (888) 586-2201 or (907) 586-2201
JUNEAU, ALASKA
Event Venues, Additions & Renovations
• A $102 million project rebuilt the Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff Library, Archives and Museum Building, the state's main
library, from the ground up. The first floor of the facility features galleries that hold up to 350 standing, a 120-seat lecture hall and an open clerestory atrium that hosts up to 240 for a reception.
• The Goldbelt Hotel is now the 106-room
Four Points by Sheraton Juneau.
While the property has no meeting space, the hotel, which was renovated in 2017, is across the street from Centennial Hall, part of the Juneau Arts and Culture Center, which serves as the city's convention center.
• The 200-room Westmark Baranof Hotel is undergoing an extensive renovation. The top-to-bottom project is touching all guest rooms, with the dining area already completed. The property has more than 5,000 square
feet of meeting room space.
• Alaska Airlines is the city's regular carrier; Delta has service to Juneau
between May and August.
• Properties include the 200-room Westmark Baranof,
106-room Four Points by Sheraton and 64-room
Prospector Hotel.
Cold Comfort
When the afternoon doldrums strike, pick up attendees' spirits with delights from Boise's
Stil Ice Cream Shop. The choices are custom-crafted and include some "booze-infused" flavors, all made with local ingredients. Book the full-service ice-cream cart or order liquor and ice-cream tastings for an event. (208) 953-7007
• Hangar on the Wharf, sitting on the Gastineau Channel of the Gulf of Alaska, is a cozy place to relax and enjoy the view after a long (or very short, depending on the
time of year) day of sessions. There's usually a selection of more than 20 beers on tap and fresh fish on the menu. The restaurant's ballroom seats up to 64 people for dinner and holds 100 for a reception. (907) 586-5018
• Several captains
keep their boats idling in the Gastineau Channel, waiting to take groups of 15 to 80 people out whale watching. To head out onto the water, contact Juneau Whale Watch,
Allen Marine Tours, Dolphin Jet Boat Tours or Jayleen's Alaska to arrange an opportunity to see humpback whales (the species seen most often), as well as orcas, minke whales, seals and porpoises.
Area Transportation
Juneau International Airport, about 5 miles from downtown. Travel cost by taxi, Lyft and Uber, about $15
Top 10 Things to Do in the Pacific Northwest
All forms of nature abound in this magnificent territory, which provides many unique encounters with nature.
- Mount Rainier - Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
- Ruby Beach - Olympic National Park, Washington
- Bellevue Botanical Garden - Bellevue, Washington
- Seattle Aquarium - Seattle, Washington
- Oregon Coast Highway 101 - Oregon
- Mount Hood - Hood River, Oregon
- Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve - Alaska
- Kenai Fjords National Park - Seward, Alaska
- Idaho Falls River Walk - Idaho Falls, Idaho
- Snake River Greenbelt - Idaho Falls, Idaho