The Pacific Northwest is a trendsetter on the national culinary stage. Current culinary trends are mainly occurring in local restaurants, including farm- and sea-to-table meals in Seattle eateries and a boom of inviting group-friendly hotel restaurants in Portland.

The stars brought their A game to kick off 2020. Robert De Niro, Laura Dern, Joaquin Phoenix, Renee Zellweger, Quentin Tarantino and Jennifer Lopez are just a few of the Hollywood names that attended the Palm Springs International Film Society’s International Film Awards Gala on Thursday, January 2, 2020. I was there, too, getting my own star treatment before, during and after the big night by the Greater Palm Springs CVB. Read more.

Almost half of the meetings held in Las Vegas involve less than 500 attendees, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). Read more.

In Nevada, you can meet in the same room as Elvis Presley’s 1973 Cadillac Eldorado or in a 1930s mansion on the shores of Lake Tahoe. These are just two of seven of our favorite unique offsite venues in the state. Read on for all of them.

 

From a massive transformation of its convention center to a food scene that is seizing its place on the world stage, California’s capital is stepping up as a meetings and conventions option that delivers attendee-pleasing Golden State goodness at an affordable price point. Read more.

From Huntington Beach down to Dana Point, these beaches in Orange County are a haven for small groups–offering quieter ocean views, luxury properties and beach activities.

Las Vegas entertainment industry experts show how meeting and event planners can tap into the city’s wealth of performers to add excitement to their events. Read more.

From biking in Portland to sand dune buggy tours and hikes around a national park, these are the best ways for meetings groups to bond outdoors in the Beaver State. Read more.

The deserts of Southwest U.S., in particular, are ripe for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for meeting groups who want to aid the environment while enjoying its reliably arid climate. Following are five desert CSR activities that have either given back to the ecosystem or worked in tandem with the environment to help its human residents.

Tucson received an UNESCO designation in 2015 as America’s first City of Gastronomy and has been a culinary leader ever since. Read on for seven ways groups can savor the Arizona city’s Sonoran cuisine.