Whether they’re organizing a year of celebrations honoring Maryland’s past, designing tradeshow booths of the future or elevating existing offerings to give groups a refreshed experience, Maryland’s major meetings destinations are gearing up to end this year on a high that sets them up for success in the next.
Here’s a look at what’s new and what to look forward to in Annapolis, Baltimore and Ocean City.
Annapolis
Maryland’s many nicknames—the Old Line State, the Free State, America in Miniature or Little America—all make reference to the same thing: the role Maryland has played in U.S. history.
The “Old Line State” nickname, for instance, dates back to the Revolutionary War, according to Visit Maryland, when 400 soldiers in the First Maryland Regiment fought a British force of 10,000, helping Gen. George Washington’s army escape and earning Maryland its Old Line State nickname.
The name “Free State” came later, in 1919, when Congress passed a law prohibiting the sale and use of alcohol. Marylanders fought back, claiming prohibition violated Maryland’s rights. The state’s second nickname encapsulates Maryland’s longstanding tradition of political freedom.
One Maryland city in particular was especially important in the country’s early days: Annapolis, which served as the nation’s capital from 1783-1784 and is the site where the Treaty of Paris was ratified, officially ending the Revolutionary War.
As the U.S. prepares for America250 next year—a celebration and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence—so, too, is Annapolis.
“Annapolis is embracing its role as a historic epicenter for America250 with immersive experiences that connect visitors to the city’s revolutionary roots,” said Rasheeda Martin, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County’s senior director of external relations. “Travelers can walk the same cobblestone streets once traveled by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, dine in Colonial-era taverns like Middleton Tavern and Reynolds Tavern, and explore the homes of Maryland’s Declaration of Independence signers. From historic cocktail crawls to waterfront celebrations, Annapolis is curating a year-long journey through time that blends heritage with hospitality.”
Middleton Tavern, established in 1750, welcomed a number of the nation’s most revered leaders in the period following the American Revolution, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. It served as the site of meetings for the Maryland Jockey Club and Free Masons and was a frequent gathering place of the renowned Tuesday Club, “a social organization of the city’s most enlightened and well-educated men,” according to Middleton Tavern’s website.
Celebrating 275 years this year, Middleton Tavern is older than the country itself, making it ideal for groups looking to step into a piece of American history while meeting in Annapolis. The historic tavern is available for private event rentals and gatherings.
Reynolds Tavern and 1747 Pub, another historic spot in Annapolis with more than 275 years of stories to share, is also available for private events of 10 or more.
“Planners can infuse America250 themes by hosting receptions in historic venues, incorporating guided walking tours of Colonial Annapolis or arranging storytelling sessions with interpreters from Historic London Town & Gardens or the William Paca House & Garden,” Martin said. “Even culinary experiences can be themed—think Chesapeake Bay seafood tastings paired with stories of maritime heritage or cocktail hours in taverns frequented by Founding Fathers.”
Historic London Town & Gardens features a variety of private event venues, including the open-wall Phillips Pavilion, offering an outdoor space for up to 150 guests that is ADA-accessible and fitted with 10 picnic tables, electrical access and a garden backdrop.
“The William Paca House and Garden, a restored Georgian mansion built by Declaration of Independence signer William Paca, offers an elegant outdoor setting with rich historical significance,” Martin said. “As a National Historic Landmark, it provides a distinctive backdrop for events that seek to honor America’s founding while embracing the charm and character of Annapolis.”
And, of course, perhaps one of the most well-known attributes of Annapolis, the United States Naval Academy offers a range of distinctive venues and experiences for private events, including the Alumni Hall, the Naval Academy Club and historic chapel spaces.
“Additionally, the Jack C. Taylor Conference Center—located within the Academy gates—provides state-of-the-art meeting facilities in a setting that complements the Academy’s historic and strategic significance, making it an ideal choice for planners seeking both prestige and practicality,” Martin said. “These venues go beyond ambiance, offering guests a meaningful connection to the city’s revolutionary past.”
[Related: 6 Outdoor Event Venues With a View in Maryland]
Baltimore
While Annapolis reflects on its past and how far it’s come as a destination, Baltimore is looking toward the future.
At the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, Visit Baltimore unveiled Club Balto, the DMO’s latest activation and tradeshow booth experience that celebrates Baltimore’s club music and creative scenes through immersive design, local culture and strategic storytelling. The goal: “to reframe the traditional DMO booth experience and bring some fun to the tradeshow floor while showing off what makes Baltimore a bold, future-focused meetings destination.”
The booth activation helped Visit Baltimore earn ASAE’s Best in Show award for the third year in a row.
“[Club Balto] was a little bit of a challenge from our new interim CEO [Kireem Swinton],” said Bridget Weininger, senior director of marketing, trade and experiential at Visit Baltimore. “He was like, ‘We have this incredible scene. Let’s weave it into our storytelling on the meetings side.’”
The Club Balto activation was first introduced to the meetings industry at PCMA Convening Leaders at the beginning of the year and initially leaned toward the idea of encouraging meeting planners to “get in on Baltimore and be a part of this FOMO experience that they want to be a part of; this exclusive club that really isn’t all that exclusive,” said Katrina Sungail, marketing manager, meetings and conventions for Visit Baltimore. “The club music scene in particular has always been in Baltimore. It started in Baltimore, and it’s having a resurgence moment in a way that we’re trying to showcase.”
The Visit Baltimore team continued to develop Club Balto through a media dinner in the spring that served as an extension of the concept and an opportunity to brainstorm how to turn Club Balto into a full-blown experience for meeting planners, which came to life at ASAE’s Annual Meeting in August.
“All of our activations kind of stem from one another,” Sungail said. “So, the motto at PCMA was, ‘Trust me, I planned this,’ which was really speaking to the meeting planners, which is the crowd you’re mostly going to get at PCMA, right? Versus ASAE, which is more of that C-suite crowd, and so we leaned more into that FOMO element of, ‘You won’t get it till you get here.’”
For the ASAE Annual Meeting experience, attendees entered Club Balto through Smalltimore, the city’s award-winning mobile visitor pop-up reimagined as one of Baltimore’s iconic dance clubs through immersive design, interactive moments and a nightlife-inspired vibe. Inside, attendees were invited to take a pledge, joining Visit Baltimore’s “club” of meeting planners who embrace forward-thinking destinations.
“We packaged our unique selling aspects that our sales team needs to convey on the tradeshow floor into this idea of, ‘Come and join our club,’” Weininger said. “It’s for those who are in the know, and if you know, you can join.”
Visit Baltimore also prioritizes bringing the destination’s creative community into its efforts and initiatives. For ASAE’s Annual Meeting, the DMO invited platinum-certified DJ and a pioneer in Baltimore’s club music scene, Marquis Gasque, better known by his stage name Mighty Mark, to perform a high-energy set like those he’s known for putting on at the MLB’s Baltimore Orioles’ games.
“We take what we have and say, ‘Who can we work with locally to make this 10 times better?’” Sungail said. “In everything we do, we want it to be a memorable experience. We want that reaction, because that’s what’s going to keep Baltimore in their mind.”
[Tune in to DJ Mighty Mark's Club Balto playlist on Spotify]
Ocean City
In comparison to its bustling big city counterparts, Ocean City, Maryland, provides an escape that offers all the same amenities as metro meetings destinations in addition to some relaxing “blue therapy.”
“The moment attendees cross over that bay bridge, they just feel a little lighter,” said Kim Mueller, director of sales for Ocean City, Maryland’s Department of Tourism. “They’re surrounded by nature in an atmosphere where they can be serious about business and serious about enjoying a destination, taking a deep breath and just getting a little relaxation outside of the crazy-busy metro areas. Ocean City offers that balance. That’s what sets us apart.”
Recently, Mueller said the Ocean City team has been bringing more planners in to experience the destination for themselves, giving them the opportunity to get to know Ocean City beyond what people typically know about the destination: beaches and boardwalks.
“When I was going out and talking to planners all the time, I discovered they all tend to have this wonderful nostalgic memory of Ocean City, growing up and coming here to the beach, but they don’t think of it as a meetings destination. They don’t see beyond those cute little motels and boutique properties, or they couldn’t find a luxury property to bring their attendees to, and I was like, ‘Wait! We have those now!’” Mueller said.
“When we bring them into Ocean City, it’s been a wow factor for them. They’re like, ‘This is crazy! We never expected this level of hotel property or meeting space,’” Mueller continued. “The food scene is totally elevated now, like the new Spain Wine Bar, which has won awards across Maryland. And new hotels like the Ashore offer amazing new amenities and venues for groups.”
[Related: Discover Ocean City, Maryland’s Unexpected Charm for Meetings and Events]
The Shore Deck at the 250-room Ashore Resort & Beach Club has been one of the most sought-after beachfront gathering spaces in Ocean City since the property completed its transformation from a Fontainebleau Hotel in May 2023.
“You can bring any event to life there, and you’re looking out over the ocean in this very fun, high-end, fine dining restaurant. They’ve done a phenomenal job on renovations,” Mueller said. “And in December of this year, they’re going to close their meeting space, and that beautiful renovation that happened in the hotel side of the property is going to be reflected in their 40,000-square-foot conference center, and that’s really exciting. It’s the second-largest meeting space in town, right under the [Roland E. Powell] Convention Center. Across the board, our hotels are investing.”
Restaurants and offsite venues are investing, too. Originally founded in 1988 as a small restaurant and bar for locals, Seacrets has since turned into a multivenue waterfront tropical paradise capable of hosting events up to 2,000 people. Its newest venue, Hideaway, debuted last year as the only 250-foot private bayfront beach in Ocean City, offering space for 250 seated or 1,000 standing.
Peter Elias, CEO and founder of Elias World Hospitality, which operates Spain Wine Bar, is expanding his restaurant empire in Ocean City with two new dining concepts: Oyster & Scales, “an elevated coastal experience that embodies the heart of the shore,” which opened in early August; and a French steakhouse that, upon completion, will be able to host events for up to 1,000 people.
“Planners have been pleasantly surprised,” Mueller said, “because Ocean City is not what you expect, and that wow factor leaves planners totally taken aback by the level that Ocean City is delivering now.”
