App for That
Last October, the Virginia Tourism Corp. released the Virginia Is for Lovers iPhone app with information on more than 12,000 attractions, events, accommodations and restaurants.
Richmond
Last September, the Virginia War Memorial completed an 18,000-square-foot expansion that includes a new 70-seat theater, a boardroom that can accommodate 20 delegates, and an outdoor amphitheater overlooking the James River, with seating for 450.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts reopened last spring following a $150 million expansion. The upgrade includes a new wing featuring the four-story Cochrane Atrium, which can host up to 1,000 for receptions; the museum can accommodate 2,500 in a full buyout.
Meeting Hotels
Properties include the 410-room Richmond Marriott, 372-room Sheraton Richmond West, 361-room Omni Richmond, 298-room Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown, 262-room The Jefferson, 250-room Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Downtown, 250-room Westin Richmond, 242-room Marriott Richmond West, 224-room Embassy Suites Richmond, 135-room Aloft Richmond West, 134-room Hotel Sierra Richmond West and 102-room Wingate by Wyndham Richmond Short Pump.
Convention Center
Greater Richmond Convention Center; exhibit space, 180,000 square feet; meeting space, 80,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 38; (804) 783-7300
Airport Transit
Richmond International Airport, 10 miles from downtown. Transfer cost by taxi, $20
Taxes
Room tax, 5%; sales tax, 8%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13%
Group Venue
Maymont is a 100-acre Victorian estate featuring several botanical gardens, the 12,000-square-foot Maymont Mansion and a nature center. The Stone Barn, dating to 1908, can host up to 50 guests within its stone-wall interior. Several gardens also are available for special events. (804) 358-7166
Contact
Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, (800) 370-9004
Fast Facts
• Now through 2015, the Richmond region will be celebrating Civil War anniversaries at a number of museums, battlefield parks, historic sites and cemeteries. For a complete calendar of events, visit
ontorichmond.com.
• Virginia Beach offers more than 3,500 guest rooms within 2.5 miles of the city's namesake convention center.
• The Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau changed its name to VisitNorfolk, following a relaunch of its website, visitnorfolktoday.com.
• The 65-acre Virginia Zoo in Norfolk opened in 1900 and features a population of some 350 animals.
Virginia Beach
Opening in early 2012, the $100 million Laskin Road Gateway will feature 64,000 square feet of dining, entertainment and retail options just miles from the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
The 175,000-square-foot Virginia Beach Field House opened last September, featuring six turf fields, multiple sports courts, and a bar and grill, in addition to 1,500 square feet of meeting space.
Last May, the Virginia Beach Convention Center earned LEED Gold Certification for its energy conservation and sustainable practices. The 515,000-square-foot center opened in 2007.
Meeting Hotels
Properties in the city include the 400-room Cavalier Hotel, 295-room Virginia Beach Resort Hotel & Conference Center, 292-room Doubletree Hotel Virginia Beach, 290-room Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, 266-room Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, 243-room Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront, 198-room Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel, 176-room Hilton Garden Inn, 167-room Ramada on the Beach, 160-room Courtyard by Marriott and 149-room Crowne Plaza.
Convention Center
Virginia Beach Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 150,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, five (capable of 26 subdivisions); (800) 700-7702
Airport Transit
Norfolk International Airport, about 19 miles from the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Transfer cost by shuttle, $41; transfer cost by taxi, $42-$45
Taxes
Room tax, 8% plus $1 per room, per night; sales tax, 5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 13% plus $1
Group Venue
Chandeliers and sweeping staircases adorn the interior of the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts. Planners can book the 1,300-seat performance hall, which has a 35-x-20-foot projection screen available for teleconferencing, or the 5,200-square-foot lobby. (757) 385-2536; sandlercenter.org
Dining Out
The Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro offers 325 varieties of wine and European bistro fare such as seared scallops with a roasted beet risotto or a 16-ounce rib-eye steak served with mashed Yukon Gold potatoes. Don't miss the peppermint crème brûlée for dessert. A private dining room seats groups of up to 18, while a section of the main dining room can be cordoned off for 40. (757) 490-9463
Contact
Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, (757) 385-4700 or (800) 700-7702