Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale is one of the busiest cruising ports in the country. Photo by Anthony J. Rayburn / Visit Lauderdale

Sun-loving planners of corporate and incentive travel are often drawn to the Sunshine State, and Florida does not disappoint. With 1,350 palm-fringed miles of shoreline — the largest coast in the lower 48 — a welcoming climate, and lots of visitor-friendly amenities, Florida is often at the top of the charts for meetings and events.

From the Emerald Coast in the northwest corner of the state to Orlando, the most-visited destination in the U.S., to the Latin vibe of vibrant Miami, Florida’s combination of sunny weather, fantastic beaches, natural beauty, exceptional facilities, nautical recreation, theme parks, and logistical convenience allows business and pleasure to mix, creating a vacation-like ambiance.

Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is poised to dramatically increase its appeal to travel planners, with a significant expansion of the Broward County Convention Center and the construction of the Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel, both of which are slated to open next year.

The East Expansion Building will feature 400,000 sf of ballrooms, exhibit space and a kitchen that will service the entire 1.5 million-sf convention center. The 29-story, 801-room hotel will offer an 120,000 sf of space, including ballrooms and meeting rooms, multiple restaurant options, an amenity deck, rooftop bar and an array of luxury offerings including a six-acre outdoor plaza with amphitheater, art installations and a spectacular waterfront view.

Just across the 17th Street Bridge, the iconic Pier Sixty-Six Resort is finishing up a more than $1 billion renovation, and the spiffed-up landmark will welcome guests back this fall. The revolving lounge atop the space age, mid-century modern hotel was a favorite with celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant, and will soon be turning heads again with craft cocktails and unparalleled ocean views.

“Our property in particular holds over 28,000 sf of completely refurbished luxurious meeting space with three ballrooms ranging from 5500 to 9500 sf, with 14 to 23-foot ceilings in our grand ballroom,” says Brett Boering, executive director of sales & marketing for Pier Sixty-Six. “And with the Omni opening, you’ll have two luxury options within the convention center. It really is changing the face of Fort Lauderdale.”

Hollywood

Immersed in the lively rhythm of Hollywood, Florida, there’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, inviting event planners and their attendees to check in and rock out! Known as the Guitar Hotel, with 638 luxury guestrooms and suites, it is designed to resemble back-to-back guitars, complete with guitar faces and brightly lit strings. This masterpiece reaches 450 feet into the sky, outlined with floor-to-ceiling glass panes — an architectural marvel that redefines the South Florida skyline. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is located 15 minutes from Fort Lauderdale’s beaches and 30 minutes from Miami. It offers three towers with a total of 1,271 rooms, ranging from 430 to 4,000 sf, and boasts 120,000 sf of meeting space for a luxurious and versatile stay.

Event spaces at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood are meticulously designed to accommodate both small intimate gatherings and large-scale events. Equipped with state-of-the-art audio visual facilities, the venues cater to events’ every technical need.

Miami

With world-famous beaches, plentiful domestic and international air connections, a technicolor arts and culture scene, and more than 64,000 hotel rooms, Greater Miami and Miami Beach check all the boxes on any event planner’s list.

This vibrant, cosmopolitan destination is also known for its collection of art deco buildings and rich Cuban influence. The city is home to many diverse neighborhoods and cultures that bring community and soul to Miami as a whole. It also has numerous outdoor activities, parks and museums, and nearly 10,000 restaurants. With high-adrenaline activities, health and wellness, nightlife and sports — including Intel Miami and the Miami Heat, planners can make Miami whatever destination they want it to be. In addition, the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) has been completely reimagined following a $640M renovation that includes a 60,000 sf Grand Ballroom, two parks, and more than $10M in art. A leader in sustainability, MBCC is LEED Silver certified with GBAC accreditation and recently received the Events Industry Council (EIC) Foundations Certificate for Sustainability and Social Impact.

The Miami Beach Convention Center features restaurants, a botanical garden, entertainment and the beautiful beach within walking distance. Filled with natural light, the center delivers high-tech and high-touch amenities like no other convention center.

For groups wanting to embark on an outdoor adventure, Oleta River State Park, Florida’s largest urban park, offers the perfect setting for mountain biking and kayaking. Located along the scenic Oleta River and Biscayne Bay,  the park also includes the Oleta River Outdoor Center, with beautiful outdoor venues, a wide selection of fun activities, catering, and on-site experts to make every event a success.

South Walton

In addition to Gulf of Mexico’s turquoise waters and 26 miles of silky white sand beaches, South Walton lures visitors with quaint beach communities, a lively arts scene and plenty of shopping.

Residents in the Southeast find the Panhandle particularly attractive, as it’s an easy day drive from Memphis, Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, Louisville and Charlotte. Nashville’s Associated Equipment Company returns to South Walton repeatedly, trusting the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa to take care of the 300 guests they invite to a weekend event.

“The resort is right down the walkway from Baytowne Village, that’s a very huge and a positive draw for our guests,” says Joy Heckman, marketing & special events manager for Associated Equipment Company. Packed with restaurants, shops, galleries and nightlife, the Village of Baytowne Wharf is chock-full of festivals, events and entertainment throughout the year.

“This is at least the fourth time we’ve used Sandestin,” Heckman continues. “So, we are very familiar with the resort and clearly, they’ve done a great job over the years of taking care of us.”

Fort Myers

There’s a reason why people want to be on “island time.” It’s the kind of laid-back feeling that comes with the sun on your face and the wind in your hair.

Event planners looking to host their events in Florida’s West Coast will find Fort Myers to be the perfect place to escape on a tour boat to Cabbage Key or Useppa Island for lunch, or cross a bridge or two to quiet Pine Island or Sanibel and Captiva Islands, with their quaint villages and famous shelling.

Island hopping around Fort Myers is both peaceful and exhilarating – an experience planners and attendees alike will never forget. New meetings scheduled thru Dec. 31 and before Dec. 31, 2027, are eligible for Fort Myers’ Island Incentive Offer. When planners book an event throughout Fort Myers’ islands, beaches and neighborhoods with a minimum of 10 rooms on peak nights and 150 total room nights, they can save up to $5,000.

Ray Sarracino, communications director for the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, loves the weather and the walkability of Fort Myers, his adopted hometown. “Downtown Fort Myers is a very walkable little city with a number of restaurants and retail outlets,” he says. “It’s just generally a very pleasant experience for people when they come down from an area where the weather’s a little worse. The destination is a gracious host, and generally, it’s a guaranteed good time. You have to be really unhappy if you can’t have a good time in the winter in Southwest Florida, in Lee County in particular.”

The city has seen a number of improvements in the past few years that have made it more appealing to larger groups. The newly opened Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach has 254 rooms and versatile event venues with more than 5,000 sf of indoor space and 15,000 sf outdoors.

Downtown, the 243-room Luminary Hotel has 37,000 sf of meeting space. The Luminary also manages the city’s Caloosa Sound Convention Center & Amphitheater, which is adjacent to the the hotel and divisible into five rooms with various configurations to accommodate up to 3,000 attendees.

Luminary Hotel is located on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River in the heart of a historic and bustling downtown, which hosts concerts, festivals and events. Event planners can take their events al fresco and compose the perfect gathering for their attendees, who will have plentiful diversions right outside the hotel’s doorstep, from fine dining, shopping and attractions.

Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach

Known as a Florida hidden gem, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach is a top destination nestled in The Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast. For planners looking to provide an event experience that offers all the best of Florida’s west coast with its outdoor and laid-back lifestyle — from beaches, shelling, golfing and fishing, this is an outdoor wonderland. Off the beaten path, Punta Gorda and Englewood Beach offer top experiences and amenities without the crowds. For planners looking to design an event or corporate retreat in Southwest Florida, with that small-town charm and exclusive resort setting on an island, this destination is a perfect fit.

The Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center is located on the waterfront in historic Punta Gorda’s downtown district. It offers state-of-the-art facilities and friendly hospitality just steps from nearby hotels, dining options and attractions in a very walkable city.

The area offers a variety of venues, including Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, where business and luxury seamlessly coexist.

Orlando

One of the most-visited destinations in the country, Orlando is Cvent’s 2024 top choice for meetings and conventions with world-class event spaces, almost 500 hotels with 120,000 guest rooms, a Michelin-recognized culinary scene, and endless entertainment and amusements. The award-winning Orange County Convention Center has a jaw-dropping 7 million sf of meeting and exhibit space.

Michael Beaudoin, executive vice president of ALLPRO, a buying cooperative for independent paint store owners, has chosen Orlando’s Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel to host three of the company’s spring shows. Set at the headwaters of the Everglades, Rosen Shingle Creek has 1,501 rooms and suites set on 255 acres. The resort has its own golf course, and the 95,000 sf Gatlin Ballroom is one of the nation’s largest column-free ballrooms.

“What I appreciate most about Shingle Creek is that it’s engineered for corporate events,” says Beaudoin. “What I mean by that is, if you went to another property in Orlando, you’d be competing with people’s vacations, people going out for fun. Whereas when you go to Shingle Creek, you have all the amenities of those other properties, but Shingle Creek is geared and structured for corporations. It’s very easy to get things done, to communicate with them effectively. Their service, their everything is just top-notch. It’s like hitting the easy button when you put things on there.”

If you ever wondered why Walt Disney chose Orlando for a location to build his namesake resort in the 1960s, he envisioned this to be the most visited destination in the United States, and he was right. Disney didn’t just create a theme park but terrific venues where people could stay, and as event planners know, they are an important part of the theme park experience.

Located between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, with the Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom parks nearby, is one of the more iconic hotels in the Florida resort area: Walt Disney World Swan. The elegant and sophisticated hotel is also next to the Disney BoardWalk, where planners and attendees can explore Disney’s best shopping, dining and entertainment options.

Walt Disney World Swan is not easy to miss. The two 56-foot tall swans on top of the building are a giveaway. Aside its luxurious accommodations, spa, pools and dining areas, the resort is renowned for expensive meeting facilities. Together with the Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, the complex offers over 348,000 sf of meeting space,  with 99 meeting rooms, executive boardrooms, 110,500 sf of contiguous convention and exhibit space, outdoor function areas, three business centers and exclusive group Disney Benefits.

Just steps from Walt Disney World is Disney Springs, an amazing hub of unique boutiques, one-of-a-kind eateries and jaw-dropping entertainment. A skybridge provides direct access to Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, an official Walt Disney World hotel, which offers newly renovated guest rooms and suites, from which attendees can experience views of Disney Springs or nightly fireworks from most rooms. Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace also offers 120,000 ft of vibrant and versatile meeting and event spaces, creative catering and special access to Disney Benefits and a professional meetings team that can make your event dream come true. For a summer tropical escape, Caribe Royale Orlando is offering the most unforgettable summer adventurous, with 15 percent off their best available rate and a daily $25 dining credit for stays of 2+ nights. Designed with the Orlando Magic dream in mind, Caribe Royale Orlando offers a new collection of spacious suites and villas. And for planners who like to dream big, the resort’s meeting room space spans over 240,000 sf to elevate their meeting experience.

The Palm Beaches

The Palm Beaches proudly proclaims itself as America’s first resort destination and Florida’s Golf and Cultural Capital. It has over 218 hotels and resorts, 3,200 restaurants,  150 world-class golf courses, 47 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline and two walkable downtown meeting districts.

Aside from its natural beauty, such as the Intracoastal Waterway, the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee, which allow for premier outdoor activities and memorable experiences, plus the capability to prioritize mental and physical well-being, this destination offers a robust and diverse group of community partners. The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County provides arts and culture experiences from more than 200 cultural institutions and the Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission connects planners to local production companies and turnkey AV solutions to make hybrid events easy, too.

Robin Prakash, associate vice president at The Palm Beaches — Palm Beach County’s tourist information center — loves talking about the region’s storied history and culture. Standard Oil founder Henry Flagler — who also started the Florida East Coast Railway — put Palm Beach on the tourist map in 1894, and his Royal Poinciana Hotel, now called The Breakers, has set the standard for luxury. In the 1960s, socialite Lilly Pulitzer put Palm Beach on the fashion map when school pal and First Lady Jackie Kennedy was photographed wearing her friend’s colorful shift dresses.

“What a great story,” says Prakash. “We’ve got a strong European and Caribbean culture. Lilly’s story just brings the colors or diversity of the people who live here; it just brings it all together.”

The Palm Beaches has recently undergone nearly $1 billion in investments, including new developments such as Amrit Ocean Resort, a haven for wellness enthusiasts, and enhancements at renowned properties such as The Breakers and The Singer Oceanfront Resort, a Curio Collection by Hilton.

Steven Diekhoff is a director of customer operations for GE Healthcare. He’s looking forward to upcoming training sessions at The Singer, which recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and rebrand.

“We’ve been hosting events there for the last 10 years under the previous name, which was the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort,” says Diekhoff. “You can’t beat the location, and you can’t beat the flexibility of the team that we work with there.”

This classic beach resort is a relaxed retreat only 30 minutes away from Worth Avenue on Palm Beach Island, where you can find shopping, dining, and cultural activities.

There have also been major developments at CityPlace, a shopping, dining and entertainment hub in West Palm Beach near the downtown convention district. The Palm Beach County Convention Center (PBCCC) offers over 350,000 sf of meeting space, floor-to-ceiling windows and a connected hotel with 400 rooms. PBCCC is within one mile’s walking distance to Clematis Street, more than 1,200 guestrooms at six hotels and a plethora of dining options near the Intracoastal Waterway.

Getting to The Palm Beaches is a breeze. From major international airports with over 2,000 flights daily, high-speed rail via Brightline Trains, Tri-Rail service and highways, groups will enjoy exploring this world-renowned community famous for its beauty, quality of life and small-town character. While Palm Beach International Airport in the heart of West Palm Beach is the closest option, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Miami International Airport (MIA) are just 30 minutes and one hour away, respectively.

Florida’s Sports Coast

Located in Pasco County north of Tampa, Florida’s Sports Coast includes the communities of Holiday, Odessa, Port Richey, Trinity, and Wesley Chapel, and is a mecca for planners looking to please outdoor enthusiasts seeking sporting adventures. This year, it played host to the 42nd Annual NACBA Invitational Basketball Tournament, with 65 teams registered and over 1,000 attendees.

In Wesley Chapel, Saddlebrook Resort embarked on an extensive renovation project this summer, upgrading their 95,000 sf of meeting spaces. Guest rooms and suites, the resort’s pool, lobby and Arnold Palmer-designed golf courses are also being given a fresh look. The first phase of this impressive renovation is set to be completed by fall, with other projects going into next year.

With so much to offer, from unique world-class event venues, beach resorts, amusement parks, warm and sunny climate, a vibrant culinary scene and nautical recreation; attractions such as Walt Disney World, the Kennedy Space Center, and Miami Beach, which draws tens of millions of travelers annually, planners and attendees can only find success in the Sunshine State.

Sunshine, sunshine sunshine! It’s not called the “Sunshine State” for nothing. C&IT