Opened last year, the Summit Building nearly doubled the capacity of the Seattle Convention Center by adding 573,770 sf of event space. Photo by Adam Hunter

From the rocky shoreline of the Oregon coast to the cities of verdant Washington, to the mountains of Wyoming and Montana and the forested terrain of Idaho, these five western states all share one thing in common: their stunning scenery. Whether it’s a weekend retreat for a board of directors or a quarterly meeting for 150, the abundance of riches waiting to bring a planner’s vision to life is unsurpassed. With mild weather for most of the year and a smaller environmental footprint than many other areas of the country, these Pacific Northwest (PNW) areas are worthy of consideration.

Portland, OR

Known as the “Bridge City” because of the abundance of bridges that cross the Willamette River, Portland is one of the anchor cities of the PNW. As the most populated city in Oregon, it’s certainly got its share of hotels, restaurants, outdoor spaces and special event venues.

The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is an interactive space with five halls and eight different labs where you can host a variety of meetings, film screenings or museum-wide receptions. Another indoor venue of note is Union/Pine, which allows for intimate meetings and events in their 10,000 sf space, which includes a sunken living room, loft and back room. The venue also has an open catering policy that allows a planner to partner with eateries around the city, and they offer bar service through Bar West: considered one of the city’s best cocktail bars.

The Leftbank Annex is a versatile event space with a unique history and features industrial elements such as open beam ceilings and brick walls. Designed as a blank canvas, the space can easily accommodate a planner’s vision within its 14,000 sf spread out over two floors. A special bonus is that it’s managed by a local, Certified B Corporation.

Outdoor spaces are in abundance in Portland — many of them open to group events — beginning with options like the Oregon Zoo. Located just minutes from downtown via the MAX Light Rail, the zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals and more than 40% of it has been renovated in recent years. Additional beloved outdoor venues are the Portland International Rose Test Garden (which started as a haven for hybrid roses grown in Europe during WWI), and the Portland Japanese Garden, which was declared by a former Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. as “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” There is also the nearby Forest Park, the largest urban forest in the country.

Desiree Everett, vice president of convention sales & services for Travel Portland, notes that the city hosts approximately 100 corporate and incentive functions annually, including a variety of meetings, events and conferences. Although they do have a LEED-Certified Platinum convention center, what really stands out for smaller gatherings are the city’s one-of-a-kind venues.

She says, “Portland boasts a variety of unique offerings, such as the church-turned-brewery Steeplejack Brewing Company, Ecotrust, located in the Pearl District in a building that was formerly an 1890s warehouse and supports local farmers, ranchers, fisheries and caterers; and Redd on Salmon Street — a vibrant event space and hub that’s centered around a celebration of food.”

Everett notes that several of Portland’s restaurants have made it onto “The New York Times Best New Restaurants” list, as well as “Bon Appetit’s 20 Best New Restaurants of 2024.”

For local accommodations, planners can consider properties such as The Nines, a Luxury Collection Hotel, currently undergoing renovations to its meeting spaces; the Heathman Hotel, The Benson, Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton; and the Sentinel. More boutique offerings are the Woodlark Hotel, Hotel Lucia, and new on the horizon is the Cascadia Hotel with its Immersive Wellness Thermal Springs and Spa, opening this winter in the Alberta Arts District.

An additional note regarding Bridge City is its $2.15 billion renovation of PDX Airport. With a nine-acre roof that lights in natural light, over 5,000 plants, timber that was locally sourced and dining options offered by local eateries at “street pricing” (a city ordinance forbids restaurants from charging more at the airport than elsewhere), hosting an event at the airport might also be a viable option — especially after the next phase when onsite meeting spaces will be added.

Cambridge Investment Research cited Boise’s walkable downtown as one key factor when determining a location for their Retirement Plan Summit. Courtesy of Amber Mattis

Boise, ID

Suzanne Stigers, founder of EvolveCon Events (a company that offers a booking platform, event management and site selection), describes Boise as “an incredible city.”

She says, “It’s clean, safe, friendly and beautiful. And flying into and out of the airport is the most glorious experience. Everyone’s in a good mood. You can literally see downtown from there — which takes about 10-15 minutes to get to — and there’s nonstop service to dozens of destinations.

“From a corporate perspective, The Grove Hotel is a good choice for groups that need all-in-one meeting spaces and accommodations,” notes Stigers, “but there’s also a wealth of great options for events scattered throughout the city like the Warehouse Food Hall, the Treefort Music Hall (which opened in 2023), and the Basque Community Center.”

Two other venues of note are The Avery, a 90-seat fine-dining establishment, and the more casual Tiner’s Alley Bar, which seats 70. Both venues are tied to The Avery Hotel, owned by Michelin-starred chef Cal Elliott and his wife, Ashley, and both restaurants are available for buyouts and private events.

Boise has several James Beard award-winning restaurants, but there are more amazing food options at places throughout the downtown area, including the original Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, housed in a brick warehouse on the Basque Block and the first distiller to operate in a public place, and JUMP (Jack’s Urban Meeting Place), a creative, multipurpose space that’s ideal for lectures or receptions. JUMP’s Pioneer Room also offers floor-to-ceiling views of the Boise skyline.

Construction is still underway on a 15-story, dual-branded Marriott property: the 171-room AC Hotel and the 125-room Element Hotel. Slated to open in 2026, the two will share a lobby and provide event space on the third and fifth floors.

New on the Boise scene is the 67-room Sparrow, a repurposed inn that debuted in July and features local art and a permanent food truck in front, while beneath the Fork Restaurant the new 8 Horses Lounge lures you in with a speakeasy vibe, where events hosting up to 100 can be coordinated, or a more intimate gathering of 20 can take place inside a vault.

A relative newcomer is the 122-room Hotel Renegade, which sports a rooftop deck and the Highlander bar and shares a wrap-around balcony with the hotel’s Overland Ballroom.

Amber Mattis, manager, event planning for Cambridge Investment Research, recently planned the company’s annual Retirement Plan Summit for 85 U.S.-based attendees at the Hotel Renegade and has these observations about the city: “When considering Boise, the convenient proximity from the airport to the hotels is a key feature, and the walkable downtown is a highlight with its charming shops and fantastic restaurants.”

“We hosted our offsite at the Telaya Wine Co., located on the Greenbelt, and the experience was outstanding. The staff went above-and-beyond to create a custom gifting experience with personalized boxes featuring local wine and branded corks with our logo. But the standout element was undoubtedly the people. Boise’s exceptional hospitality, including at the hotel, truly made our event special,” adds Mattis.

Spokane, WA

Located in the eastern corridor of Washington state, Spokane is poised to step up its events game. In the coming year, the Spokane Convention Center will see the completion of a major expansion that includes a new exhibit hall and meeting rooms.

Another renovation of note is taking place at the Davenport Hotel Collection, which recently announced they’re transitioning the Historic Davenport back to its original name and closing the Hotel Lusso for renovations. In early 2025, the property will “emerge from its facelift and reopen as The Louie, which will be offered as an elevated experience,” notes Ruth Fitzgerald, CHSP, CHME, and vice president of sales at Visit Spokane. Meanwhile, The Cambria hotel is slated to open in 2024. The 91-room property will be a short 3.5-mile distance from the airport and offer 1,000 sf of meeting space.

New on the horizon at the Spokane International Airport is the Terminal Renovation and Expansion (TREX) project, scheduled to be completed in 2025. The airport’s largest-ever terminal modernization and expansion project, it will include new gates, ticket counters, passenger loading bridges and security improvements.

For planners looking to coordinate offsites in the downtown corridor, Spokane offers venues such as the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, which provides a rich cultural backdrop for evening receptions or networking events. And because Washington state has emerged as the second-largest wine producer in the country, local wineries are another great option for group events.

The Spokane Cork District is a fantastic in-town option, with 15 wineries within walking distance of one another and near the roaring Spokane River Falls. You can add to the experience by booking a group tour of Barrister Winery, which takes you to a barrel room underneath the train trestle for the BNSF Railroad. “This proximity to the railroad tracks contributes to the wine-making process as trains rumble by,” notes Visit Spokane. “While Barrister wine is aged for one-and-a-half to four years, the vibrations from each passing train assist in settling the solids in each barrel — creating uniquely ‘train-settled’ wine.”

Green Bluff Cluster and the Spokane Valley Cluster are additional wine-tasting districts located within a short drive of downtown.

Choosing from a menu of exceptional dining choices is always a challenge, but one of note is Clinkerdagger, a Spokane landmark restaurant by the Falls where the Bickerstaff Room can accommodate up to 40 for intimate gatherings. For sheer elegance and historic grandeur, you can’t go wrong with The Historic Davenport. Attendees can imbibe on custom cocktails and signature martinis in the Peacock Room Lounge underneath its stunning glass ceiling or dine in the historic lobby restaurant and sample its famous Crab Louis Salad accompanied by the signature Peanut Brittle Martini.

Montana and Wyoming

The crazy shenanigans at the Dutton Ranch on “Yellowstone” might be make believe, but the series is filmed on a real ranch in Darby, Montana. Located on the same trail once taken by the Lewis & Clark expedition, the Chief Joseph Ranch (its real name) logs in at 2,500-acres and operates as a guest and working ranch. Planners looking for an exclusive, Hollywood-inspired incentive trip with a Western flair might consider booking the two cabins on the ranch — one of which served as Rip’s cabin in the series.

For something a bit more upscale, the Triple Creek Ranch, also located in Darby, is a Michelin two-key property and part of the Relais & Chateau collection. The adults-only resort offers an all-inclusive experience, “refined rustic elegance,” and a curated collection of Western art. Planners could also piggyback onto existing programs at the ranch like an Artist’s Workshop Weekend or Cowboy School.

Nestled in the shadows of Yellowstone National Park are another two Montana properties. The Montage Big Sky is located just 45 minutes from the park and offers a plethora of outdoor activities as well as a tranquil spa at the day’s end, while the Sage Lodge, located on the banks of the Yellowstone River (and 35-minutes from the park), is a three-key Michelin property and sports soaring ceilings in the resort’s lobby alongside massive floor-to-ceiling windows. Onsite activities include private pond fly fishing, daily staff-guided activities, hiking and rafting, while tours to nearby Yellowstone can also be arranged.

Other Montana lodges of note are the five-star Ranch at Rock Creek — a 19th-century homestead secluded in a pristine valley that offers both rustic accommodations (in the Historic Barn) and upscale, two-story log cabins filled with antiques and art — and The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, located adjacent to the 28-acre Viking Creek Wetland Preserve. A four-Diamond Award winner, the lodge has a conference/grand ballroom with over 6,000 sf of flexible meeting space, in addition to the Boat Club private dining room, an executive boardroom and a lakeside pavilion & lawn for outdoor events.

In neighboring Wyoming, planners seeking an upscale ranch experience might consider the Brush Creek Luxury Ranch Collection in Saratoga. There, three ranch properties offer a variety of accommodations, a talented spin on “cowboy cuisine” and outdoor activities on the 30,000-acre working cattle ranch located between the Sierra Madre Mountain range and Medicine Bow National Forest.

Over in Casper (the second-most populous city in Wyoming), the Casper Nordic Ski Lodge is set to open in January and will provide 4,000 sf of space. The city also features more than 2,400 hotel rooms and a combined 180,000 sf of flexible meeting space.

Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, recently hosted a three-day event for 250 attendees in Casper. “We chose the city for its central location,” he notes, “and because it has good air service from Denver. Wyoming provides an excellent opportunity for our attendees to visit wide open spaces and participate in outdoor activities.”

Indoor venues of note are the David Street Station, an outdoor plaza in the heart of downtown with a variety of rentable spaces; the Hogadon Basin Lodge, with floor-to-ceiling windows; and The Nicolaysen Art Museum, where Bryce Hall (the museum’s main lobby) or the more contemporary McMurray Gallery are available.

Seattle and Bellevue, WA

The “Emerald City” has always been a gem, but never more so than after a rainstorm. The perennially green city is home to an abundance of outdoor spaces, including parks, lakes, riverside trails and waterfront avenues. With a wealth of outstanding options for planners seeking a stellar experience for their attendees, it’s no wonder Seattle (and nearby Bellevue) consistently ranks as a top choice for planners.

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) has always been a major player on the transportation scene. But recent commitments will see the international airport get even bigger and better. Currently, there are more than 100 different projects in progress with the goal of having many completed in time for the World Cup in 2026, including a $400 million expansion aimed at traveler-centered amenities. Nearby, The Museum of Flight is a local favorite for special events held in their Barnstormer Lounge, the T.A. Wilson Great Gallery or the William E. Boeing Red Barn.

Within the downtown core, planners have a wealth of venues to choose from, including stunning spaces at the Chihuly Garden and Glass underneath a domed ceiling, the eclectic and fascinating Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), with topnotch exhibits that explore the power of music and pop culture, or the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI), housed in a former Naval reserve building that overlooks Lake Union.

Brett Robertson is CEO at SHW, where the events team has coordinated meetings ranging from board of directors dinners to corporate conferences. “One of the things people who come here are amazed at is the quality of the food,” observes Robertson, “and I’d argue we produce the best beer of any place in the U.S. The seafood here is spectacular, too.”

Tapping into that sentiment is one of the best-received activities that SHW coordinates for attendees: chartered seaplanes that take guests out to the nearby San Juan Islands where they enjoy a lesson in oyster shucking, take a sail under sunny skies, then sit down to a white-linen dinner on the shores of the Salish Sea.

Lest anyone think the city is always enveloped in a downpour, Robertson says, “For the past 5-6 years, from May through October, the weather is amazing with sunny days that last long into the evening during the summer equinox.

“Seattle is also a walking city,” continues Robertson, “which is what makes the new Waterfront Park project so exciting.”  Scheduled to open in 2025, the park will serve as a public space where the Alaskan Way Viaduct once stood. It will encompass pedestrian walkways and green spaces, connect Pioneer Square with the waterfront and include upgrades to the aquarium.

Some of the specialty spaces that SHW has booked include The Pink Door, a longtime Seattle favorite located at Pike Place Market, and legendary glassmaker Dale Chihuly’s private studio, which houses some of his personal collections. For corporate accommodations in the downtown corridor, Robertson touts the Lotte Hotel Seattle, the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle and the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Seattle.

On the other side of Lake Washington, Bellevue — home to such heavy-hitters as Microsoft, Expedia and Amazon — is in a constant state of expansion. Recently, the 208-room InterContinental Bellevue at the Avenue, an IHG Hotel, was added to the accommodations roster that also includes The Westin Bellevue and the W Bellevue.

In a city that offers a stunning array of dining options aimed at capturing post-work meetings, company buyouts and release parties, two standouts are Civility & Unrest and Ascend. The former features back-to-back bars that you enter through a hidden door beneath the W Bellevue lobby, with the “civility” side having a more refined feel and the “unrest” moodier and more atmospheric. Groups from Google frequently buy-out Unrest for intimate gatherings, but both bars offer signature cocktails and catered food.

Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi — located on the 31st floor — is a knockout venue complete with a bar and lounge, two dining areas and four private dining rooms overlooking Lake Washington. Signature cocktails are made with unique flavor combinations, premium meats (including A5 Japanese Wagyu) are available by the ounce and a showstopper dessert is served amidst a bath of liquid nitrogen. And for the perfect ending to a perfect event, sunsets viewed from inside or on the outdoor decks are nothing short of spectacular. C&IT