Why Here?
Picturesque venues abound along Florida's Gulf Coast, from intimate beachside cottages in South Walton (above) to upgraded meeting and event space at major facilities such as the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Fort Walton Beach.
Pensacola Update
The 127-room Hyatt Place Pensacola Airport opened in April 2013 with 1,070 square feet of meeting space, a café, an indoor lap pool, an outdoor patio with fire pit, a 24-hour fitness center and free Wi-Fi Internet access throughout the hotel.
Last August, the Springhill Suites by Marriott Pensacola opened with 106 suites, a 595-square-foot meeting room, a fitness center, an outdoor saltwater pool and complimentary breakfast.
Lotion Up
The 320-room Boardwalk Beach Resort in Panama City Beach has more than 40,000 square feet of function space, including a 15,000-square-foot ballroom. The city is known for its 27-mile shoreline of white sand.
Blessedly Off the Grid
Shell Island, an undeveloped 700-acre barrier island, offers groups a chance to unplug and unwind. The Shell Island Shuttle provides transportation, as well as kayaks and snorkel gear, from nearby St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach.
EMERALD COAST
Local Update
• The Emerald Coast Convention Center opened a new 30,000-square-foot outdoor event space called Bayview Plaza this past June. The concrete pad can be tented in case of rain and is equipped with power and water. The convention center also offers 35,000 square feet of indoor function space, including a 21,000-square-foot ballroom and 12 additional meeting rooms.
• The 152-room Holiday Inn Fort Walton Beach Resort opened in May with beach access along the Gulf of Mexico. The property features 2,500 square feet of function space, a fitness center, a pool with a lazy river and a hot tub, a poolside tiki bar and all manner of watersports.
• In Destin, the Destin Commons open-air shopping center completed a 105,000-square-foot expansion this past July that added enough space to accommodate up to 21 new restaurant and retail vendors. The complex now spans 523,000 square feet.
Meeting Hotels: For a full list of Northern Florida properties, and to find and compare hotels and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: Emerald Coast Convention Center (Fort Walton Beach); exhibit space, approximately 35,000 square feet indoors and 30,000 square feet outdoors; number of meeting rooms, 12; (850) 609-3800
Airport Transit: Northwest Florida Regional Airport, 19 miles from Destin and 10 miles from Fort Walton Beach. Transfer cost by taxi, about $45 to Destin and about $30 to Fort Walton Beach
Taxes: Okaloosa County: bed tax, 5%; sales tax, 6%; total tax on hotel rooms, 11%
Group Venue: In Fort Walton Beach, the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park features the Living Sea event space spanning 1,900 square feet and featuring a full wall of 8-foot-high aquarium windows displaying wildly beautiful tropical fish. The space, available for private functions after 6 p.m., can accommodate up to 112 people seated. By day, the venue also offers a variety of dolphin and sea lion shows. (850) 243-9046
Contact: Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, (850) 651-7131
Good Catch
Scalloping season (July 1-Sept. 24) is a great time for group activities relating to the succulent seafood, especially in Gulf County.
Seahorse Water Safaris offers three-hour trips for groups of up to 15 to catch, clean and cook their haul. Other themed outings include shark fishing and sunset cruises.
SOUTH WALTON COUNTY
Local Update
• This past March, the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa completed a four-month renovation to the tune of $12.5 million that included upgrades to the property's lobby, public spaces, guest rooms in the Spa Tower and the on-site Serenity Spa, which offers a total of 16 treatment rooms spread among its 11,000 square feet. The 602-room resort also has six dining venues and more than 32,000 square feet of flexible function space (including a 9,504-square-foot ballroom) that can accommodate up to 2,000 attendees.
Meeting Hotels: For a full list of Northern Florida properties, and to compare hotels and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: Baytowne Conference Center (Sandestin); exhibit space, approximately 23,350 square feet; number of meeting rooms, eight; (800) 277-0803
Airport Transit: Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, 33 miles from South Walton. Transfer cost by taxi, about $80
Taxes: South Walton and Sandestin: county bed tax, 4.5%; sales tax, 7.5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 12%
Group Venue: A number of comfortable beachside cottages are available for rent as unique meeting spaces through the auspices of the Cottage Rental Agency in Seaside. The cottages, which offer wonderful views of sugar-white sand beaches and the emerald-green waters of the Gulf, can be rented for events of up to 50 people. The organization also oversees a portfolio of more than 200 private homes for group rental. (800) 591-8696
Contact: Visit South Walton, (800) 822-6877