New England is always full of surprises with its coastal beauty, history, recreational activities, facilities, venues, and more. To underscore its bounty with meeting and event planners of almost any size or type of group, Laura Soll of the Connecticut Center & Sports Bureau (formerly the Greater Hartford CVB) has created the following list, which is quite convincing:
- Better Meeting Experience
Versatile venues and a convenient location with so many things to see and do make Connecticut a wise destination for any corporate meeting, annual convention, sporting event, or whatever. The Constitution State offers various unique experiences, from a state-of-the-art riverfront convention center to out-of-the-box venues like a carousel museum, classic schooners, adult summer camps, casinos, castles, and more. - Convenience and Accessibility
Conveniently positioned between New York City and Boston, more than 23.5 million people live within a 2½-hour drive of Hartford, Connecticut’s centrally located state capital – a major selling point for meeting planners and sports promoters alike. It’s simple to get here via rail, bus, car, or air — by flying into Connecticut airports like the ever-growing Tweed-New Haven Airport and nationally recognized Bradley International Airport, featuring a brand-new and convenient Ground Transportation Center, making it even easier to get to your destination. - The Sporting Life
Connecticut is about meetings and sports, as the state accommodates almost every type of sporting activity in any season. In Connecticut, they claim: “Just bring your team, and Connecticut will bring the venue.” Plus, the state’s proximity to Metro New York and the rest of the New England region, including New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont, means more athletes for your roster and spectators for your stands. - Things To Do
In Connecticut, meetings go beyond the conference table. When the discussion ends, enjoy a state compact enough to fit many diverse “leisure” experiences into a single day. Whether it’s scheduled team-building activities or recreational escapes, groups can enjoy everything from renowned art museums to world-class casinos, live music venues to outdoor adventures, iconic aquariums to vibrant shopping and dining destinations, and even take self-guided tours of the wine country and something called “the Pizza Trail.” Many popular tourist attractions double as locations for unique and memorable meetings and social events. - Planning Services
From the spark of an event idea to the planning process to the day of your meeting, the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau ensures that everything runs smoothly. “We’ll help you choose the right venue, coordinate the details, and give you the inside scoop on all there is to see and do in the area,” says CC&SB’s Laura Soll.