Meeting and event planners could be hard-pressed to find  a destination that offers as many arts and activity options as Asheville, N.C., in such a tight package. A center of arts and culture, the Blue Ridge Mountains town located a couple hours’ drive from Charlotte, N.C., also boasts a bounty of culinary and brewery options, all set in one of the most scenic areas in the U.S.

The Pacific Northwest is a winning choice for adding some team spirit to any function, from attending a game with your group or hosting an event at a sports facility.

Issued every five years, the latest “Arts & Economic Prosperity” study from leading advocacy group Americans for the Arts found that between 2010 and 2015, economic impact from the arts in North Texas tripled from $500 million to almost $1.5 billion. With Dallas, Fort Worth and Irving among the study’s principal participants, contributing factors included expanded public programming; multiple new or renovated cultural venues; and increased spending on hotels, restaurants, parking and more by event attendees.

Combining an intentional service-driven, client-first approach with major infrastructure redevelopment, Rochester, N.Y., continues to establish a ROC-solid position in the Northeast and broader group market. Visit Rochester President & CEO Don Jeffries discussed how the positive momentum from 2018 is carrying New York’s third-largest city forward in 2019.

Roughly 80 to 90 people per day are moving to Nashville, according to recent statistics, and it’s no wonder. Nicknamed “Music City,” this Tennessee melody maker has long tugged at the heart strings of those into country and every other musical genre—from rockabilly and jazz to pop and hip-hop. Today, visitors, including meeting attendees, as well as new residents, are drawn to this city for the endless tunes and then some—a hotel boom, a burgeoning culinary scene that is adding hundreds of restaurants and an ever-creative vibe.

The Gateway Arch, the signature architectural masterpiece of St. Louis and the icon of the Westward Expansion of the United States, is even more emblematic as a symbol of the city’s resurgence. Fresh off the $380 million CityArchRiver project that made massive improvements to the Gateway Arch National Park surrounding the Gateway Arch, the re-do added a wealth of impressive event options.

The Milwaukee region sets itself apart with one-of-a-kind museums, off-site outlets and entertainment offerings. And for groups, the only thing better than experiencing these venues during the day is to do so after the sun goes down.

Anticipation is high in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area as the city’s Moscone Center introduces its long-awaited $551 million expansion, with the official debut on January 3, 2019. According to Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, 2019 is the city’s busiest year in history in terms of group bookings at Moscone Center.

Ocean State meetings mean business. In fiscal 2018, meetings, conventions and sporting events booked by the Providence Warwick CVB generated $73.65 million in direct spending for Rhode Island.

Groups heading to Alabama can count on all manner of Southern comfort, including hospitality, cozy accommodations, meeting space that encourages productivity and, of course, some of the most delicious food and beverages in the country.