The Northwest coastline abounds with appealing venues and exciting teambuilding or post-meeting activities
by Annika S. Hipple
Northwest Meetings + Events
Summer 2009
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“Water is the best of all things,” wrote the Greek poet Pindar around 500 B.C., and anyone lucky enough to spend time on the Northwest coast will likely find it hard to argue. Northwestern North America has one of the most stunning stretches of coastline to be found anywhere. With Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria all located directly on the water, many meeting and event planners may be tempted to stick to the major cities for coastal events. That’s a shame, as the varied landscapes and fascinating human and natural history along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska merit further exploration. A wide range of waterfront venues and activity options makes the Northwest coast an ideal destination for corporate and private events.
“There’s definitely nowhere like it,” says Meeting Planner Anna Cronin, who points out that the generally mild climate enhances the coast’s appeal.
Add to that the calming and stress-relieving effect that water has on people. What better mood to create for a corporate meeting or special event?
Whether organizing a special celebration, convention or corporate retreat, planners will find an exciting array of sightseeing excursions, adventure tours and outdoor activities to incorporate before, during or after an event. Natural beauty, an interesting history and iconic wildlife are just some of the compelling reasons to consider a meeting on the coast.
Rooms with a View
Everyone loves a good water view, and the shores of the Northwest offer a lot of bang for the buck with coastal mountain ranges, dramatic rock formation and plenty of islands to explore. The only one of the four states and provinces without many islands is Oregon, whose relatively straight coastline more than makes up for it with an abundance of scenic beaches. Even better, much of Oregon’s coast is protected by a long string of state parks stretching the length of the state, as well as the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, where windswept sand dunes rise as high as 500 feet.
Further north, Washington’s outer shore boasts some of the most pristine coastline in the United States, a good portion of it protected within Olympic National Park. There are also less exposed shores along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands.
Even more varied is British Columbia’s coastline with its countless inlets and the huge sheltering bulk of Vancouver Island. Finally, there’s Alaska, a land of superlatives, with more coastline than the rest of the United States combined.
Among the many stunning venues along the coast is Semiahmoo Hotel and Conference Center in Blaine, Washington, just south of the Canadian border. A popular spot for events, the hotel sits at the tip of a narrow tongue of land between Semiahmoo Bay and Drayton Harbor. It has 198 guestrooms, including 28 suites, and can accommodate up to 700 people in its ballroom. The resort also has numerous other indoor and outdoor event spaces, including a terrace overlooking the bay, elegant rooms with huge windows, a pavilion tent for outdoor receptions, and a Tudor-style mansion and gardens.
Coastal Adventures
For outdoor activities, you can’t beat the Northwest coast, and there’s no shortage of companies able to arrange soft adventure tours for individuals or groups. Many of these active options lend themselves well to teambuilding efforts and corporate retreats. Throughout the region, numerous companies offer guided hikes through varied landscapes, including beaches, temperate rainforests and coastal mountains. Excursions include trails such as Vancouver Island’s West Coast Trail, Juan de Fuca Marine Trail and Cape Scott Trail.
Cycling enthusiasts will also find lots to love. In addition to established bike tours in places such as Victoria, Sitka, Juneau and Ketchikan, it’s easy to arrange for bike rentals and a guide for private groups. Popular cycling areas include the San Juan Islands, Vancouver Island and many parts of southeast Alaska. In Oregon, the spectacular 370-mile Oregon Coast Bike Route shadows U.S. Route 101, deviating in some stretches to follow smaller roads closer to the ocean.
Probably the most popular excursions of all are the many sea kayaking tours available throughout the region. Sea kayaking is a great way to explore the Northwest’s many inlets and islands and get close to marine life. Many tours offer excellent opportunities to spot whales and other wildlife. The San Juan Islands, Vancouver Island and southeast Alaska lend themselves particularly well to kayaking.
There are many other adventures available in destinations along the coast. Possibilities include dog sledding tours from Juneau, zip lining and ropes courses through the temperate rainforests near Ketchikan and Victoria, ocean rafting in Sitka and bungee jumping in Nanaimo, British Columbia.
Where the Wild Things Are
There’s no lack of wildlife spotting along the Northwest coast. Sea lions and harbor seals are frequently seen on rocks and beaches throughout the Northwest. A large population of Steller’s sea lions lives year round at Oregon’s Sea Lion Cave near Florence. It’s said to be the largest sea cave in the world and is accessible to visitors (for an admission fee) by footpath and elevator. Nearby the Florence Events Center has 21,600 square feet of meeting space, including the 457-seat Florence Events Center Theater.
Whale-watching trips can add excitement to any meeting or event. During the height of the viewing season, many operators spot whales - and other marine life - on almost every tour. Excursions vary from a few hours to a full day, and some include lunch. March or April to May is usually the best time to see gray whales. They may also be seen in parts of Alaska in the summer and fall. Tours to see gray whales are offered from numerous ports along the coast, including Seward, Alaska; Tofino, British Columbia; Coupeville, Wash.; and Depoe Bay, Ore. One meeting venue near Depoe Bay is the Inn at Spanish Head, a condominium resort 13 miles to the north in Lincoln City. Built right on the beach, the resort has 120 guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea. Its three oceanfront meeting rooms can accommodate groups of 10 to 150 people.
From May to late September or early October is the best time to see orcas, humpback whales, and occasionally minke whales in Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. The waters around the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island are home to resident orca populations totaling several hundred animals. Meeting planners looking for a beautiful and historic San Juan Islands venue should consider Rosario Resort and Spa in Eastsound on Orcas Island. Now in its 100th year or operation, the resort can host indoor events for up to 300 guests in its waterfront Discovery Conference Center and smaller groups in the Moran Mansion, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There’s also outdoor event space for groups of up to 200 people.
In Alaska, humpbacks, orcas and other whales are frequently spotted on excursions from ports along the Inside Passage during the summer months. Kenai Fjords National Park is another prime whale watching spot. A good jumping-off point for excursions to Kenai Fjords is Homer, Alaska, where the Land’s End Resort makes a great event venue. Dramatically situated at the very tip of the 4 1/2-mile Homer Spit, which juts out into Kachemak Bay, the resort has 82 guest rooms in the hotel and 16 one- to three-bedroom units for rent in privately owned lodges. Land’s End Resort has several meeting spaces, the largest of which can accommodate 250 guests. Homer is also a good base for single and multi-day trips to Katmai National Park, one of the most famous places in the world for viewing grizzly bears.
Bear safaris also depart from several locations on Vancouver Island, including Tofino, Campbell River, and Port Hardy. Some of these excursions include a boat or floatplane trip from the island to remote inlets on the British Columbia mainlans where grizzly bears are known to congregate. With 77 guest rooms and meeting and reception space for up to 250 people, the Anchor Inn and Suites in Campbell River is a good choice for events with easy access to the more remote part of Vancouver Island and the nearby mainland.
Get Close to Nature
With easy access to the shore, beachcombing is a popular activity throughout the Northwest. For groups looking for an educational component, naturalist-guided walks can be a great way to explore tide pools or other features of the coastal landscape. To get out on the water, there’s a plethora of boat excursions available, including lunch and dinner cruises and day tours. In addition to pre-organized boat tours, many operators will gladly arrange customized half, full, or even multi-day excursions or combine a sightseeing tour or wildlife viewing with a salmon bake, crab feast, or other festive meal featuring fresh Northwest seafood.
For a bird’s-eye view of the scenic beauty of the Northwest, flightseeing tours are a popular choice. Floatplanes make it possible to explore just about any stretch of the coast, and numerous companies offer regularly scheduled tours and personalized charter excursions. Options range from half-hour flights to full-day sightseeing tours. With luck, groups might even spot wildlife such as whales or bears from the plane. Floatplanes can easily whisk guests from major cities and towns to quieter havens in the San Juan Islands or the remote reaches of Vancouver Island. In southeast Alaska, floatplanes are the most convenient way to travel between the communities along the Inside Passage. Flightseeing excursions take passengers over such places as Misty Fjords, the Juneau Icefield and Sitka’s Mount Edgecumbe.
Under the Sea
Aquariums make great stops on local sightseeing tours, not to mention one-of-a-kind meeting or event venues. the Northwest Coast has several excellent aquariums, including the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, which can accommodate cocktail receptions for up to 1,000 or sit-down dinners for 300; the Vancouver Aquarium, which can host up to 1,200 for a cocktail reception; the Seattle Aquarium, which can accommodate up to 800 people; the Point Defiance Aquarium in Tacoma, which has various meeting spaces that can accommodate up to 300 people; and the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, which can accommodate groups up to 300.
If your guests prefer a little more deep-sea action, there are many wilderness lodges scattered along the coast of Alaska that specialize in sportfishing excursions. These lodges are popular for corporate charters and retreats. Most are fairly small, such as the Adlersheim Wilderness Lodge, 33 miles north of Juneau, which has just three luxury suites for overnight stays but is a popular spot for single-day events. Adlersheim can accommodate up to 60 guests for a sit-down meal and 100 or more for less formal events.
Larger groups looking for accommodations at a wilderness lodge can try Salmon Falls Resort, located 17 miles north of Ketchikan along the Behm Canal. Behm Canal is known for its runs of various types of salmon and cod, halibut, red snapper and sea bass. The resort offers a wide range of fishing excursions and also has a wide range of other activity options, including boat trips and wildlife tours. A good choice for corporate retreats, the venue has room for up to 104 overnight guests in two hotel complexes. Next to the main lodge, the resort’s Discovery Room is suitable for meetings, receptions, banquets and other events for up to 80 people.
The Lure of the Past
The Northwest Coast has a rich native heritage, and organizations such as the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center in Sitka, and the Quw’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Center in Duncan on Vancouver Island offer glimpses into living traditions and cultures. From Alaska to Washington, the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsmishian tribes carved majestic totem poles, which can be seen in various locations along the coast, including Ketchikan’s Saxman Native Village and Totem Bight State Park, Sitka National Historical Park, Vancouver’s Stanley Park and Victoria’s Thunderbird Park.
Throughout the region there are a number of places where visitors can enjoy performances of native songs and dances. The Quinault Indian Nation operates the oceanfront Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores, Wash., which has 150 guest rooms and eight different event spaces suitable for up to 600 guests. The resort encourages guests to visit the Quinault cultural center in Taholah, about 30 miles north, or take a tour of the Quinault Indian Reservation with a native guide.
The Northwest coast has also seen its share of interesting events after the arrival of the Europeans. Explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark first reached the Pacific Ocean in Washington just north of the Columbia River. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park preserves 12 sites along a 40-mile stretch of the coast in Washington and Oregon. There’s a monument to Lewis and Clark in Seaside, Ore., where the Best Western Ocean View Resort makes a terrific venue. The resort has 107 guest rooms and meeting space for up to 350 people. They also offer catering for parties right on the beach.
Another area with a distinctive history is Sitka, the capital of Alaska during its Russian era. City sightseeing tours visit Russian heritage sites such as St. Michael’s Cathedral and the Russian Bishop’s House. The New Archangel Dancers perform folk dances from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. The dance troupe is based out of Harrigan Centennial Hall, a civic center and events facility with five breakout rooms and an auditorium that can accommodate up to 500 attendees.
The fishing industry also plays an important part of the region’s history - and planners can incorporate this into their next meeting or event. In Kenai, Alaska, the old Wards Cove Packing Company cannery from the 1920s has been transformed into a unique hotel and events complex. Known as Kenai Landing, the complex has a variety of accommodations, as well as meeting space for groups as small as five or as large as 500.
The sheer number of things to see and do place the coast at the top of any list of meeting destination. With venues ranging from small remote lodges to large beachfront resorts, there is a location to suit any size event. “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water,” wrote the 20th-century American anthropologist Loren Eisely. Nowhere is that more true than on the Northwest coast.
Sidebar: Tours and Excursions
Here’s a sampling of the many types of activities available to meeting participants along the Northwest coastline:
Tradewinds Charters - Whale watching, fishing and wedding cruise charters. Depoe Bay, Ore., www.tradewindscharters.com
Marine Discovery Tours - Narrated ocean and bay cruises and customized boat tours. Newport, Ore., www.marinediscovery.com
Evergreen Escapes - Sea kayaking, deep-sea fishing, yachiting, marine wildlife viewing and other adventure tours. Corporate escapes and teambuilding. Seattle, Wash., www.evergreenescapes.com
Crystal Seas Kayaking - Kayaking, hiking, biking and whale watching tours. Friday Harbor, Wash., www.crystalseas.com
Mystic Sea Charters - Whale watching, scenic cruises, dinner cruises, customized charters. Anacortes and Coupeville, Wash., www.mysticseacharters.com
Tofino Seafari Adventure Tours - Flightseeing tours and floatplane charters. Tofino, BC, www.tofinoseafari.com
Aboriginal Journeys - First Nations-operated adventure tours including grizzly bear viewing and marine wildlife excursions. Campbell River, BC, www.aboriginaljourneys.com
Subtidal Adventures - Wildlife viewing and scenic cruising. Ucluelet, BC, www.subtidaladventures.com
Alaska Undersea Tours - Marine life tours in a semi-submersible vessel. Ketchikan, Alaska, www.alaskaunderseatours.com
Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s Tour - Specialized cruises on board a working fishing vessel. Ketchikan, Alaska, www.56degreesnorth.com
Island Fever Diving and Adventures - Snorkeling, diving, biking and hiking tours. Sitka, Alaska, www.islandfeverdiving.com
Central Charters - Scenic cruises, halibut and salmon fishing charters, sea kayaking and wildlife viewing excursions by boat and plane. Homer, Alaska, www.endofthespit.com/centralcharters
Sidebar: Get Connected
- Adlersheim Wilderness Lodge,
Juneau Alaska
888.874.6227
www.yankeecove.com
- Alaska Sealife Center
Seward, Alaska
800.224.2525
www.alaskasealife.org
- Anchor Inn and Suites
Campbell River, British Columbia
800.663.7227
www.anchorinn.ca
- Best Western Ocean View Resort
Seaside, Ore.
800.234.8439
www.oceanviewresort.com
- Florence Events Center
Florence, Ore.
888.968.4086
www.eventcenter.org
- Harrigan Centennial Hall
Sitka, Alaska
907.747.3225
www.cityofsitka.com/dept/cent/index.html
- Inn at Spanish Head
Lincoln City, Ore.
800.452.8127
www.spanishhead.com
- Kenai Landing
Kenai, Alaska
907.335.2500
www.kenailanding.com
- Land’s End Resort
Homer, Alaska
800.478.0400
www.lands-end-resort.com
- Oregon Coast Aquarium
Newport, Ore.
541.867.3474
www.aquarium.org
- Port Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Tacoma, Wash.
253.404.3805
www.pdza.org
- Quinault Beach Resort and Casino
Ocean Shores, Wash.
888.461.2214
www.quinaultbchresort.com
- Rosario Resort and Spa
Eastsound, Wash.
360.376.2222
www.rosarioresort.com
- Salmon Falls Resort
Ketchikan, Alaska
800.247.9059
www.salmonfallsresort.com
- Seattle Aquarium
Seattle, Wash.
206.386.4321
www.seattleaquarium.org
- Semiahmoo Hotel and Conference Center
Blaine, Wash.
800.278.7488
www.semiahmoo.com
- Vancouver Aquarium
Vancouver, British Columbia
604.659.3456
www.vanaqua.org
